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Ahmet Erkun
Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A "we are at Eagle River Nature Center" selfie — Eagle River, AK.
    Eagle River Nature Center ... Rodak Trail — Eagle River, AK.Salmon viewing platform ... Rodak Trail — Eagle River Nature Center, AK.Reflections to double our pleasure — Eagle River Nature Center, AK.On the Albert Loop Trail — Eagle River Nature Center, AK.So quiet ... except for the water trickling over the rocks — Eagle River Nature Center, AK.Gravel Bar along Eagle River ... Albert Loop Trail — Eagle River Nature Center, AK.Gravel Bar along Eagle River ... Albert Loop Trail — Eagle River Nature Center, AK.Another dinner @ the Glacier Brewhouse — Anchorage, AK.

    Day 16 Starts & Ends in Anchorage

    May 18, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    While this was a busy day, it was also an easy day. Since it was Deniz’s last day before leaving for the Lower 48, and we wanted to get re-settled in the motorhome, we did not venture far.

    We started out with breakfast at our favorite casual eatery — Moose A’La Mode. As small as the place is, there is quite a selection on the chalkboard menu. Deniz had the Blitzen Biscuits and Gravy ... with reindeer sausage ... very tasty. Mui opted for the Alaska Breakfast ... with grilled reindeer sausage, two hot cakes, and two fried eggs ... also very tasty. My breakfast was a simple raspberry and white chocolate scone ... tasty if a bit on the sweet side.

    Then, we drove north to the Eagle River Nature Center. This is the same place we went to a few days ago but our plans were rained out. Once operated as a lodge, the land was sold to the Alaska State Parks in the 1980s. It is home to many miles of trails and has some public use cabins and yurts as well.

    As I understand it, the Crow Pass Trail — 23 miles one-way — is quite lovely, but that was more than we could tackle today. Instead, we hiked two of the mostly-woodland trails — the Rodak Nature Trail and the Albert Loop. I believe we did close to 5 miles. Very peaceful ... just chirping birds and creeks gurgling over the rocks. Except for a few people we encountered going the opposite way, we had the trails to ourselves. We managed to access the Eagle River for a short bit, and stopped at the beaver and salmon ponds as well ... great views but no critters.

    Returning to Anchorage, we stopped by the Ulu Factory for a few purchases. Then, Deniz went for a walk around the city. Mui and I grabbed a sandwich to share from Moose A’La Mode before returning to the cottage to start moving our stuff into the motorhome. We’ll do the fine tuning tomorrow.

    Dinner was at the Glacier Brewhouse. Though Deniz’s initial alder grilled salmon was overcooked, that was quickly rectified. Otherwise, it was another great dinner.

    Mui and I are now on our own as Deniz flew out of Anchorage late tonight. It’s been great having his company and seeing things through the eyes of a first timer to Alaska.

    ——————————

    For those interested in such things ... here are the details from our dinner.

    Drinks: Deniz … the Brewhouse’s Amber … with hints of chocolate and caramel // Me … house-brewed Root Beer … with sarsaparilla, sassafras, and a hint of vanilla // Mui … Merlot.

    Appetizer: buttermilk battered calamari with jalapeño chips and a jalapeño aioli … this time with a little more kick.

    Main Courses: Deniz … Alaska Alder Grilled Salmon … with lemon, garlic, vermouth butter; broccolini, baby potatoes, avocado lime verde // Me … the Fall Harvest Salad … from the starters menu … baby greens, shaved Brussels sprouts and apples, honey roasted sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, and organic quinoa … with a champagne vinaigrette // Mui … tonight’s halibut special ... cashew-crusted ... with roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, pineapple and red pepper chutney.

    Dessert to Share: the Chocolate Overload Cake … as yummy as it was last time.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The old bridge over Knik River ... now a bridge to nowhere — Old Glenn Hwy ... Palmer, AK.
    Knik River and beautiful mountains from the Old Bridge from the Old Glenn Hwy — Palmer, AK.Underpass to cross the bridges that carry traffic over the Matanuska River — Palmer, AK.Matanuska River & the peaks of the Chugach Mountains — Palmer, AK.Dinner @ Turkey Red — Palmer, AK.

    Day 15 Ends in Palmer

    May 17, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    OK, so we did have to drive back to Anchorage from Palmer, but this is the last post for the day, so that’s where we essentially ended things today.

    After our tour, we retraced our drive along the Old Glenn Hwy and then took a right to head into Palmer. Along the way, we made a couple of stops for scenery ... including one at the Bridge to Nowhere. We’re thinking it was the old vehicle bridge over the river, but now it’s just open to pedestrian passage.

    For dinner, we ended up at Turkey Red, featuring Mediterranean cuisine ... I’d say heavily leaning towards Greek cuisine. Casual place, good food ... though the flourless chocolate cake was a bust and we returned it.

    We have one more day left with Deniz ... and then we’ll be getting on the road in the RV.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A five-step ladder is the only way up into the bed of the truck — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.
    Crossing one of the "wet" channels in the truck — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.Our "airboat chariot" awaiting us for the ride to Knik Glacier — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.Heading out to the glacier — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.An accidental shutter click catches Mui with his "mickey mouse" ears ... the protective headset.Spectacular — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.A "we are at Lake George National Natural Landmark" selfie — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.Deniz tasting crystal clear glacier ice — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.Reflections for double the pleasure — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.A closer look at the ice — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.Mui enjoying the company of Molly, the Siberian Husky — Knik Glacier Tour, AK.

    Knik Glacier @ Lake George NNL

    May 17, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    What an adventure this was!

    When I read about the Knik Glacier Tour written by blogger friends Mona Liza and Steve, I knew this was our best chance to give Deniz a chance to see a glacier.

    I waited to book the tour after we got to Anchorage as I wanted to be sure we had a good weather day. The forecast that was showing full overcast turned out to be completely wrong. We had lovely blue skies and big, puffy character-clouds ... with lots of sunshine. I know overcast is better for glacier-viewing, but I’ll take blue skies any day.

    I can write reams and reams of words about today’s tour. I’ll give you the condensed version. Suffice to say that it was awesome, fantastic, glorious, and any other synonyms you care to add.

    This is not a tour for anyone who has a bad back. Otherwise we would heartily recommend it. We met up with Tom, the tour operator, at his tour office. Here we were joined by another threesome, and a young guy from Alaska, traveling with Molly, his extremely well-behaved Siberian Husky. We welcomed his four-legged companion and off we went.

    First a 20-minute ride over a non-existent road that looked like a glacier outwash to me. The website said a 4WD van ... we were actually in an old troop carrier truck with a snorkel that allowed us to ford rivers. Bumpy is not the word to describe the drive ... bone-jarringly bumpy is. But it was all part of the adventure, so we didn’t mind ... too much. Bonus: moose in reasonable proximity ... but quickly hidden by the trees.

    Then, a 20-minute ride in an airboat powered by a 500HP engine. Noisy, yes. But we were provided with heavy duty headsets to block the noise. Normally, you go one way by airboat and one way by speedboat, but this early in the season, with few tours going out, we were on the airboat both ways. Bonus: another moose on a gravel bar ... but distant enough that I did not bother to take out the camera.

    Knik Glacier is part of Lake George National Natural Landmark...an area that Tom would like to see become a national park. He’s even willing to pull his business out of there should it become a reality. In any event, the glacier is one of the largest in the area.

    When we arrived at Lake George, we were greeted by a “necklace of icebergs” blocking our way to the inner lake and the terminus of the glacier. Tom said the winds determine access to the lake, which was open yesterday.

    No matter, a slow cruise along the edge of the glaciers was delightful. And then, we went ashore at Glacier Camp to play on the shoreline, and climb a short trail up the lateral moraine to get to the small camp. Hot beverages and snacks ... good conversation with our fellow tour-goers ... more time playing ashore ... watching crazy stunts being pulled by some of the pilots doing flight seeing over the glacier and lake ... simple solitude ... the squeaks of the ice breaking up. Simply amazing!    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Knik River @ Eklutna Tailrace — Old Glenn Hwy ... Palmer, AK.
    The mountains of the Alaska Range from the Eklutna Tailrace — Palmer, AK.Looking upriver at the tailrace ... Eklutna Tailrace — Palmer, AK.Looking down the tailrace the blue color of the silty water is quite apparent — Eklutna Tailrace.One of the many abandoned cars @ the Eklutna Tailrace — Palmer, AK.The abandoned vehicle is a stark contrast to the beautiful scenery ... Eklutna Tailrace — Palmer, AKSpectacular ... with reflections on the Knik River ... Eklutna Tailrace — Palmer, AK.A "we are at the Eklutna Tailrace" selfie — Palmer, AK.Deniz finds himself a vehicle @ the Eklutna Tailrace — Palmer, AK.

    Abandoned @ Eklutna Tailrace

    May 17, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    To get to the tour we booked for this afternoon, the GPS directed us to use the Old Glenn Hwy. That led to an unexpected stop along the way ... because the scenery was beautiful and also because we had some time to spare. The spot we dallied at was the Eklutna Tailrace.

    So, what is a tailrace? Merriam-Webster describes it as “a water channel below a dam or water mill.” In this case, it belongs to the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project. There is a small, artificial eddy of water that comes down from the plant and connects to the main stem of the Knik River. The water here is stocked with a variety of salmon, so it is apparently quite popular with anglers.

    The glacial-fed water of the tailrace was the typical blue-gray of rivers that carry glacier flour. We crossed the footbridge over the tailrace and took a short walk on a woodland trail. The mosquitoes were buzzing about … but they were not the biting kind … thank goodness.

    We followed a woodland path for a bit. Our walk led us to some beautiful views of a large body of water … might be a lake or one of the feeder arms of Knik River. Along the edge leading down to the water, we discovered junked vehicles … mostly the metal portions still remaining … peeking out of the ground here and there. Later, I read that junked cars have been used for erosion control along some of the rivers in the state. But the author speculated that this was different and that it’s more likely that easy road access and lack of population led to people simply abandoning vehicles here back in the day.

    The website suggests that the Eklutna Tailrace is not a place where you find solitude. Probably more than true when the salmon are running. We found it to be the exact opposite as we were three of just six people in the park today. This falls into the hidden gem category for us.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A Ziggy Mural — Anchorage, AK.
    A Ziggy Mural — Anchorage, AK.A Ziggy Mural — Anchorage, AK.A Ziggy Mural — Anchorage, AK.A Ziggy Mural — Anchorage, AK.

    Ziggy’s Murals

    May 17, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    Leaving the port after picking up the RV & toad, Deniz and Mui went to Costco to fill up since we had only ¼ tank of fuel in each vehicle. While they did that, I returned the rental to Avis’s downtown office and walked back to the cottage ... all told about a mile-long walk.

    On the way to the cottage, some colorful murals that I had not seen before caught my eye. Turns out they were in the alley where Ziggy lives ... he’s the artist who painted them and others around Anchorage. I met him when he came out to investigate why his dog was barking in the backyard.

    My love of murals is well known, so no surprise I spent a few minutes capturing them for my mural gallery.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021

    Reunited with the RV & Toad

    May 17, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 45 °F

    Both vehicles survived the cruise up from Tacoma and arrived in Anchorage on Sunday. No port operations open to the public, so they were unloaded and spent the night at Tote Maritime’s port facility.

    We went to the port to pick up the vehicles bright and early this morning ... anytime after 8:00a we were told. We were there a little before that to take care of the security paperwork. Unlike in the Port of Tacoma, here we had to get a car pass and then a security guard led a small convoy to the Tote facilities.

    I was first to enter the Tote Vehicle Department offices and caught the guys by surprise. Apparently, they are given a call before people are sent up to them ... but no one called today. They recovered quickly. I was asked to sign a few forms accepting delivery and basically that was it.

    The CR-V was parked in front of the office; the RV a little further back. We were hooked up in no time and done with the pick up by 8:30a.

    Oh, and we are richer by two camp chairs ... compliments of Tote Maritime for shipping an RV with them!

    Our experience with Tote northbound has been excellent. And we would highly recommend them to anyone who wants to get their vehicles up to Anchorage by sea instead of by road.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Different and delicious ... we enjoyed our dining experience at Ginger — Anchorage, AK.

    Day 14 Ends in Anchorage

    May 16, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    We have a new favorite restaurant in Anchorage to add to our list ... Ginger. The restaurant, which specializes in Pacific Rim cuisine, has been around for 14 years. We obviously missed it when we were in Anchorage in 2010. In our defense, that was a very short visit.

    We all enjoyed our dining experience very much. The ambiance — so not Alaska — was a nice change of pace. The service was great ... Joey, in fact, was the consummate waiter. The food ... well, it was excellent.

    Definitely a place we’ll be looking to return to when we next visit Anchorage.

    —————————————-

    For those interested in such things, here’s a description of the various dishes featured in the “food porn” photo ... except for the delicious salad I had as my main course ... it looked as good as it tasted, but I forgot to take a photo.

    Drinks: Deniz … a specialty cocktail … Chupacabra ... tequila, fresh squeezed lemon and grapefruit, agave and jalapeño syrup // Me … King Street Pilsner // Mui … a red zinfandel.

    Appetizer to Share: sweet & spicy crispy pork egg rolls … sriracha spiced ground pork and sesame marinated Asian vegetables with sweet chili dipping sauce … surprisingly mild.

    Soup for Deniz: banana and lemongrass soup with deviled crab and curried/candied eggplant … an interesting combo of tastes.

    Main Courses: Deniz … Mee Krob … sweet and spicy chicken, pork, and shrimp sautéed with mixed peppers & jalapeños over crispy vermicelli & rice noodles … his only complaint was that the sriracha smear on the plate was just a bit too spicy // Me … strawberry chili … butter leaf hearts tossed in a creamy sweet chili cilantro dressing with fresh strawberries, and candied pecans // Mui … glazed pork belly with cilantro rice and grilled broccolini … while he could not fault the tasty predation, it was just a little too fatty for his taste … he should have stuck with the seared ahi he had his eye on initially.

    Dessert to Share: green tea crème brûlée … fresh strawberry, house made whipped cream … very creamy and not too sweet.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The mud flats go all the way to the barge ... North Star (circled) has arrived with our vehicles.
    Thick mud deposits along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail — Anchorage, AK."Sleeping Lady" from the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail — Anchorage, AK.

    Substituting a Stroll for a Hike

    May 16, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    So, remember how I said our jiggled plans didn’t quite work out? Well, that was because by the time we got to the Eagle River Nature Center, it was raining. A light drizzle only.

    Undaunted, we paid the $5 parking fee, picked up some maps and got some hiking suggestions from the volunteer staffing the information table (the log cabin nature center itself was closed due to COVID). Alas, by the time we had the dash-pass for the car, the wet stuff was really coming down. So we decided to wait, listening to the raindrops falling on the roof of the car.

    Ten minutes later it was still raining and the weather app showed rain for the next several hours. When the volunteer confirmed that there was a low centered over the area, with rain expected to continue for the next couple of hours, we decided to move on. Five minutes later, we were under blue skies with the sun breaking through.

    When we found similar blue-sky conditions in Anchorage a ½-hour later, we nixed our rainy day plan to visit the Anchorage Museum, and headed to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail instead.

    This is another trail that I can say “we conquered,” because in 2001 the mosquitoes foiled our plan to walk at least part of the paved path. Eleven miles in length, the trail follows Cook Inlet/Knik Arm. As seems to be par for the course, the mud flats were quite prominent. The tides around here can range up to 40 feet ... second only to the Bay of Fundy.

    There was a slight breeze that was quite chilly, but the sun helped to keep us warm during our two-mile walk.

    The surprise reward during our walk ... our ship had found a deep channel and had come in! Yay! We pick up our RV and toad tomorrow.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The new St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church — Eklutna Historical Park, AK.
    The Spirit Houses & the Old St Nicholas Orthodox Church — Eklutna Historical Park, AK.A blanket covered grave awaits its spirit house — Eklutna Historical Park, AK.The spirit houses are painted in the family colors — Eklutna Historical Park, AK.Spirit Houses of Eklutna — Eklutna Historical Park, AK.An elaborate spirit house — Eklutna Historical Park, AK.

    Spirit Houses of Eklutna

    May 16, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    The Eklutna Historical Park is one of my favorite places to visit. We make a point of going there anytime we are in the Anchorage area. Knowing Deniz’s interest in Native American cultures and the proximity of the park to Thunderbird Falls, we headed there next.

    The only time we’ve been able to visit the small museum was in 2001. When we returned in 2010, it was closed due to a dispute with the tribal elders. Today, it was closed due to COVID-19. Nonetheless, there was a cash-box nearby, so we were able to pay the $5pp admission and go for a wander.

    Eklutna is the area's oldest continuously inhabited Dena'ina Athabascan Indian settlement — estimates range from 300 to 1,000 years. On the grounds of the park are two Russian Orthodox churches and a still-active cemetery where the graves are covered with colorful spirit houses ... some crumbling away ... in the way the Athabascans believe that all that is taken from earth must be returned to earth.

    Prior to the arrival of the Orthodox missionaries, the Athabascans cremated their dead. Later, their beliefs and traditions became blended with the Orthodox practices and they began to bury their dead.

    When the deceased is first buried, a blanket is placed over the grave to comfort the soul and keep it warm as it transitions from this world to the next. Forty days later, a miniature house, painted in the family colors, is placed over the blanket to house the spirit and possessions of the deceased. Some of these houses are quite elaborate ... others are simple wooden structures.

    It’s an enchanting place — if that is the right word to use — to wander around ... and a peaceful and serene place as well.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    In 2001 we hot-footed this trail to escape the mosquitoes; today we do a leisurely stroll.

    We Conquer Thunderbird Falls

    May 16, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    In 2001, we visited Thunderbird Falls, near Palmer.

    We had grand plans then to have a picnic at the falls. Yeah, right! The mosquitoes had other plans and wanted to make a meal out of us! So we ate in the car, then hot-footed it up the one-mile long trail to the falls overlook, stayed about 10 second to take a photo, and hot-footed it back to the car. Even at speed, Mui got bit many times ... the darn bugs managed to get under his hat!

    Taking courage from so far encountering just some “male” mosquitoes, which don’t bite, we decided to try for Thunderbird Falls again today. We succeeded. I think we saw no more than two pests buzzing about. Since we had other plans, however, we opted to just go as far as the falls overlook instead of hiking down to the base of the falls.

    We even managed to have a picnic lunch at the falls this time! No tables ... but the benches did the trick so we didn’t have to eat our sandwiches standing up.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Deniz playing along the Little Susitna River ... Palmer, AK.
    iPhone long exposure of the Little Susitna River — Palmer, AK.Looking back from the road going up to Independence Mine SHP — Palmer, AK.Memorial to DAWG ... US Marine Corps — Palmer, AK.Road to Independence Mine ... snowbound, and too slushy to walk on.Long-lens capture of some of the buildings of the Independence Mine.Minutes ago there were mountains back there! Hatcher Pass Cabins near Independence Mine.Selfie at the Hatcher Pass Cabins near Independence Mine.Snow covered mountain scenery ... near Independence Mine.How quickly the clouds come down from the mountains! — Independence Mine SHP.

    Independence Mine State Historical Park

    May 16, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 32 °F

    We started our day with a weather-forecast jiggle to our plans, which in hindsight, worked against us. But most of the day was good, so it all worked out.

    After a quick recon drive to the Port of Anchorage — we pick up our vehicles tomorrow — and a check of the campground where we plan to stay the night before we deliver our RV & toad to Tote Maritime for the southbound cruise, we began the sightseeing portion of our day.

    First stop ... the ruins of the Independence Gold Mine ... with a drive up towards Hatcher Pass ... at least as far as the paved section of the road would take us since the car rental agency does not allow driving on gravel roads. We didn’t get to even turn on to the road, however, as it was still snowbound.

    Instead, we played along the Little Susitna River and went straight to the mine. Ooops, even though the website says that the mine, which dates back to the early 20th century, was open ... the road was not. The sign on the barrier said pedestrians were welcome to visit; but no cars on the as yet unplowed road.

    Unfortunately, we found the thick, mushy snow too soft to walk on, and even sunk up to our knees a time or two. Cross-country skiers found the going just as tough and gave up quickly. Oh well ... too early in the season. So, we played around in the parking lot, taking photos from a distance.

    At least Mui and I had visited in 2010 and had photos to share with Deniz. If you’d like to see what we didn’t get to see this time, follow this link ... http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2010/08/independe….    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A yummy meal at one of our favorite restaurants ... Glacier Brewhouse — Anchorage, AK.

    Day 13 Ends @ the Glacier BrewHouse

    May 15, 2021 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 48 °F

    This time, our day really did end where the footprint title says it did ... except for a short walk back home from the restaurant.

    In 2001 and 2010, we ate at several restaurants in downtown Anchorage that quickly became favorites. We were looking forward to patronizing them again this year. Alas … Orso is still closed due to the pandemic … Sack’s Café is closed permanently. The Glacier Brewhouse has been impossible to get into … at least during our preferred 6:00-7:00p slot. So, we made do by eating at Humpy’s one night ... at Flattop Pizza & Pool another night ... and even settled for Qdoba one evening.

    Yesterday, we finally managed to get a table at the Glacier Brewhouse for tonight. At 5:15p. Early, but beggars can’t be choosers.

    We enjoyed the same brewhouse ambiance that we remembered from 2001 and 2010. Except for the social-distanced tables … the booth behind us, for example, was closed for service. And, of course, patrons walked in with masks on. The service was good, too ... efficient without hurrying us through our meal.

    We’ve got reservations to go back on Tuesday, for one last meal in Anchorage before Deniz flies back home and we take off in our RV.

    ——————————————————

    For those interested in such things ... here’s what’s depicted in the collage from tonight’s “food porn” photos.

    Drinks: Deniz … Pomegranate Caipirinha … Cachaça, pomegranate liqueur, ruby red grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup // Me … Raspberry Wheat … a GB flagship beer … loaded with Northwest red raspberries … tart and fruity // Mui … a glass of merlot.

    Appetizer: calamari to share … buttermilk battered … rustic cut … with jalapeño lime aioli and jalapeño chips. (Not pictured ... it was so good that we didn’t remember to take a photo until after the calamari plate was wiped clean.)

    Main Courses: Deniz … Mixed Seafood Grill … wild all natural scallops, Pacific white prawns, Alaska sockeye, lemon garlic vermouth butter, avocado basil lime verde, Brussels sprouts, baby carrots // Me … Herb Crusted Alaska Halibut … coated with basil pesto & spent grain bread crumbs, served with mashed potatoes and roasted tomato vinaigrette tossed greens // Mui … Alaska Snow Crab Stuffed Roasted Cod … with braised spinach, Parmesan, artichokes, mashed potatoes, chive beurre blanc.

    Dessert: Deniz … World Famous Bread Pudding … vanilla custard, apples, currents, caramelized pecans, Yukon Jack sauce … he brought half of it home // Mui & Me: Chocolate Overload Cake … with Tillamook vanilla ice cream and Ghirardelli chocolate sauce … there were no leftovers to bring home.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A pop of red on a blue sky with character-clouds kind of day — Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage.
    Sleeping Lady under the protective wing of this floatplane — Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage.We've got the floats, but where is the plane? — Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage.Floatplanes rimming the lake — Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage.2Floatplane taxiing back to its parking spot — Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage.Ha, Ha, Ha ... they are not kidding! — Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage.

    Lake Hood Seaplane Base

    May 15, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    When Mui and I were in Anchorage in 2001, we visited Lake Hood, which was a-buzz with floatplanes taking off and landing. It is, after all, the world’s busiest seaplane base, handling nearly 200 floatplane flights per day. Not so much today … too early in the season ... pandemic-related cutbacks in service? The two or three floatplanes that landed while we were there all did so at a distance from us, so all we could do was watch them taxi to their “parking spots.”

    Nonetheless, our timing was good to enjoy Lake Hood under blue skies and plenty of sunshine … as long as we didn’t turn around and look towards the Chugach Mountains.

    We drove around in search of landing floatplanes. And in the process, came across a huge field of small planes … many sporting tundra tires. Obviously they do brisk business taking goods and flying people to all those Alaska communities that are off the road systems. It was funny to see signs that said airplanes had the right of way over vehicles and pedestrians.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Looking across Lake Tiluana — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.
    The Unangax and Alutiiq Village — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.Mui taking a load off at the Athabascan Village — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.Mui making music at the Yup'ik & Cup'ik Village — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.This traditional entrance into an Inupiaq house makes me wish I was shorter than I am — ANHC.Gate made with the jawbones of a grey whale — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.A musher is born ... all he needs is a team of dogs — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.Tlingit House Post ... Respect for Self — ANHC in Anchorage, AK.Mask worn during seal hunting to fake it out and make it think the hunter is a bird — ANHC.Ceremonial bib worn over Tlingit regalia ... with beaded Shark Clan design — ANHC.

    Alaska Native Heritage Center

    May 15, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    Our run of blue skies turned overcast today ... though there were some sunny moments ... it just depended on which direction you looked. We even had a brief rain shower around 7:00a ... just as forecasted. No matter ... we were at home. We even made time to Zoom with the family this morning.

    This was our stick-around-Anchorage day. Mostly because today was market day. Alas, as with so many things this early in May, the farmer’s market was not yet operating in full gear. The guys — Deniz and Mui — learned that the hard way while I stayed home to take care of some catch-up stuff. Just because we’re on “vacation” doesn’t mean that life’s boring chores don’t get to intrude.

    After a quick lunch of leftovers, it was time to head out for some fun. First stop ... the ANHC. The organization’s website describes itself as “... a living cultural center located in Anchorage, Alaska that promotes active observance of Alaska Native culture and traditions. ...”

    We arrived in time to watch a bit of the cultural performance in progress. Then we went out to explore the life-sized village sites of the various native cultures. The “villages” are situated around Lake Tiulana, named after the man who was instrumental in the vision of the ANHC. With the sun out, it was a pleasant wander ... even better because we were amongst the handful of people visiting this afternoon.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Deniz enjoying his fireweed ice cream ... Talkeetna, AK.
    Our moose sighting was quite a "different" animal ... Talkeetna, AK.Talkeetna in the foreground; Susitna in the background ... where they wed — Talkeetna, AK.The bridge carries the Alaska Railroad over the Talkeetna River — Talkeetna, AK.No moose, alas ... but picturesque nonetheless — Talkeetna Spur, AK.

    End the Day in Talkeetna

    May 14, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Part III of today’s story. Which didn’t really end in Talkeetna as we needed to get back home to Anchorage from there. But that was a boring drive, with considerable traffic in the Palmer/Wasilla area. Nothing exciting about that portion of our day ... except that we were grateful not to be heading north as the traffic in that direction was horrendous.

    Heading south from Denali State Park, we took the spur road to Talkeetna. Some of you may know it as the town on which the 90s TV show “Northern Exposures” was based.

    After parking the car, we stopped at the ice cream shop for a sweet treat. Fireweed ice cream — yes, made from the edible flowers of the iconic Alaskan plant — was quite tasty. Afterwards, we strolled around the town ... which, unlike many places we’ve been to so far, seems to have opened up for the tourist season already. I’m not one to take photos of shops and such unless there is something of real interest, so no images of the town to accompany this footprint.

    Down by the river, the Susitna was flowing fast and furious, carrying along small chunks of ice. Talkeetna means “where the rivers meet.” An appropriate name as the Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers merge here with the Susitna. The demarcation line where the Talkeetna “weds” with the heavily-silted Susitna was quite obvious and interesting to see once again. In the far distance Denali and the Alaska Range added interest to the scenery.

    We drove some 324 miles today ... much of it not very exciting. But just seeing Denali uncloaked ... well that was priceless and well worth the miles.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021

    Alaska Veterans Memorial @ Denali SP

    May 14, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    We were hoping to have a picnic lunch at Byers Lake in Denali State Park today, but the road down to the campground was closed to visitors ... as were many other roads. I guess it’s just too early in the season. From what I was able to glimpse through the tress, the lake was still frozen over so it would have been a scenic spot for sure.

    Instead, we found picnic tables at the Alaska Veterans Memorial in the upper loop just off Parks Highway. The mosquitoes were out, but they weren’t biting so I’m guessing the males have emerged before the females as the latter are the ones that bite ... they need blood for their eggs.

    The memorial was erected as a “... remembrance of the veterans of Alaska who served their country at home and throughout the world. ...” It consists of five upright panels, each dedicated to a branch of the Armed Services, with a brief description of the history of that service in Alaska.

    Of particular importance was the statue dedicated to the Alaska National Guard. The panel read: “When the young Alaska National Guard was mobilized and sent to the States in 1941, the Alaska Territorial Guard was formed. It served at home with honor and distinction and without pay throughout the war. ...”    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Our first glimpse of Denali was in Willow, AK.
    Denali in its full majesty ... with its Alaska Range Cohorts — Denali State Park, AK.1A closer look at Denali from the Southview Overlook at the Denali State Park, AK.Jagged peaks indicate that the mountains of the Alaska Range are young ... geologically speaking."Making memories" — Denali from the Denali State Park, AK.

    The Great One Uncloaked

    May 14, 2021 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 43 °F

    When we first visited Alaska in 2001, our Princess CruiseTour took us to Denali by train. So today we had our first taste of the Parks Highway ... as far as the Denali State Park.

    Unlike Turnagain Arm, this highway is not very scenic. Trees on both sides veil the scenery from curious eyes. But the highway has one BIG thing going for it. If you’re lucky, you get to see Mount Denali (the name was officially changed from Mount McKinley in 2015). We were lucky in 2001. Twenty years later, we were lucky again.

    At over 20,000 feet, Denali is majestic. I know ... that’s an overused word, but it describes perfectly the mountain that the indigenous people of Alaska knew as the “Great One.” The mountain presented itself to us many times throughout the day. But our best views were from the South Viewpoint at Denali State Park.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A barely 24-hour old musk ox calf — AWCC in Portage, AK.
    Adult musk oxen lazing about — AWCC in Portage, AK.I'd think twice about petting wildlife — AWCC in Portage, AK.Brown Bear — AWCC in Portage, AK.Black Bear — AWCC in Portage, AK.Grizzly Bear — AWCC in Portage, AK.Bull elk in the "rut pen" being kept separate from the females — AWCC in Portage, AK.A member of the Wolf Pack — AWCC in Portage, AK.

    End the Day @ the AWCC

    May 13, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Actually, the day did not end at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage. We still had to make our way back to Anchorage from there. But this is the last post for today, so I will consider it the end of the day.

    The AWCC, which cares for orphaned and injured animals, is one of our favorite places to visit when we come to this part of Alaska. Over the 20 years since our first time here, the admission has gone up from $5 to $15 (military and 65+) ... worth it IMHO. The place has also grown considerably. Visitors can drive a loop, but we opted to walk since we’d been in the car all day ... our one attempt to do a short hike foiled by snow blocking the trail.

    Today, we found the animals that call this sanctuary home a little listless. Speaking to one of the caretakers, he explained that many of the animals are still shedding their winter coats so the temperature was a bit high for them to be active yet. Bummer.

    But we did have a special sighting ... a barely 24-hour old musk ox calf was quite close to the fence line. Turns out we’re amongst the few people to witness the animal’s first steps. So special.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Plenty of snow at this rec area on the way to Hope — Alaska.
    I just love these snow-covered mountain scenes on Kenai Peninsula — on the way to Hope, AK.Lunch with a view ... as my photography mentor would describe this blurred background image.On the way to Hope, AK.One of the many snow-melt waterfalls we saw today ... on the way to Hope, AK.Canyon Creek viewpoint ... on the way to Hope, AK.Mud flats on the way to Hope, AK.Hope ... Alaska.

    Detour to Hope

    May 13, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    Part III ... At one point, we considered driving all the way to Seward, but then decided it was too long of a drive. So, when we saw the junction for Hope, a small community on the Kenai Peninsula, we decided to check it out.

    Unfortunately, the community had not quite awakened from its winter slumber, so we made do with a quick wander down to the river before getting back on the road. Was the 30-mile R/T detour worth it? I’d say that no, it wasn’t ... at least not today.

    This side trip still yielded some beautiful views, and we found a lovely view spot for lunch ... which we ate standing since any picnic tables that might be at that rec area were still under several feet of snow.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    On the way to the Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, AK.
    The grounds at the Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, AK.Deniz finds a moose ... too bad it's just a statue — Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, AK.Oh my what big teeth you have ... Polar Bear @ the Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, AK.A cozy fire in one of the lounge areas @ the Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, AK.Artwork in the lounge @ the Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, AK.1Cozy fire outside the resort entrance ... Alyeska Resort — Girdwood, AK.

    Alyeska Resort

    May 13, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F

    Part II of our day took us off Turnagain Arm for a bit ... just long enough to visit the Alyeska Resort. What we really wanted to do was to take the tram up the mountain to visit the small museum and perhaps have lunch at the restaurant.

    Normally that plan would have worked out. Except that maintenance work was underway and the tram was not operational. Darn.

    Nonetheless, we took some time to check out the grounds and the public areas of the lodge. Nice place ... pricey, but nice.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Along Turnagain Arm — Alaska.
    Along Turnagain Arm — Alaska.Along Turnagain Arm — Alaska.Mui & Deniz find a Beluga whale ... along Turnagain Arm — Alaska.1A u-shaped valley carved by a glacier ... along Turnagain Arm — Alaska.Along Turnagain Arm — Alaska.

    Turnagain Arm

    May 13, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    If today is anything to go by, we’re going to be so busy exploring that my “footprints” are going to have very few words.

    So, here’s part I of today’s story ... along Turnagain Arm (aka the Seward Highway). We had an amazing day weather wise ... plenty of blue skies and sunshine ... and quite warm most of the time, though a light jacket did not go amiss as there was a light breeze.

    The scenery ... mountains covered with plenty of snow ... Turnagain Arm going from having plenty of water, to being little more than a mud pit, to having water rush back in at the end of the day. No moose or other big wildlife ... but there were birds aplenty ... even eagles flying about and sitting on the mud flats, but alas, too far to photograph.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    "Dinner Selfie" @ Humpy's — Anchorage, Alaska.
    Sleeping Lady (Mt Susitna) slumbering in what passes for sunset this time of the year — Anchorage.

    End the Day in Anchorage, Alaska

    May 12, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    An uneventful flight brought us from the lower 48 to Alaska ... the 49th State ... to begin the next phase of our road trip ... waiting to be reunited with the RV & CR-V, both of which should be at sea even as I write this.

    The downtown Avis Office was due to close at 4:00p. Since, rentals during this pandemic seem to be especially difficult to come by, we didn’t want to risk losing our reservation. So, Mui and I hopped in an Uber for the short drive into the city. Good timing ... with no one ahead of us, we completed the paperwork in record time and were soon driving back to the airport to pick up my brother, Deniz, who was scheduled to land a little after we did.

    We tend to rent a place if we’re going to be in one spot for more than a day or two ... usually from AirB&B or VRBO or similar. We’ve never been disappointed in our choice of property ... until now. Sure, I was expecting the “charming historic cottage” to be old. But I wasn’t expecting it to be rundown. There is a definite disconnect between the pictures on the two websites and reality. The place is just sad.

    No sense dwelling on what we can’t change, so moving on.

    After settling in, Mui and Deniz went shopping for provisions. When they got back, we went to dinner. Our favorite restaurant — Orso — is apparently still closed due to the pandemic. Our second favorite — The Brewhouse — had no tables available. Our third favorite — Sacks Café — is apparently closed permanently. So, we ended up going to the iconic “Humpy’s,” an ale house. We each ordered a halibut dish ... a burger (Mui); tacos (Deniz); fish & chips (me). I remember I wasn’t that impressed with Humpy’s when we ate there in 2001. Twenty years later, my impression has not changed.

    After dinner, we took advantage of the nice, clear evening to go to Resolution Park to check out the views. We found Mount Susitna — aka Sleeping Lady — napping peacefully. And we even managed to glimpse the tip of the Great One ... Denali. Now, that’s a good way to end our day.    Read more

  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    All set for the flight to get in the air — SeaTac, WA.
    Texting with the family ... SeaTac, WA.View from my seat on DL2471 — SeaTac , WA.

    On Board

    May 12, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Looks like DL2471 is ready for an on time departure. And the middle seat remains empty. Anchorage here we come.

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