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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Not the best photo ... but it's the memories that count — with Jack & Patty — Kirkland, WA.

    Day 93 Ends w/Friends in Kirkland

    3. august 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    I’m sure I’ve told the story before, but I’ll do so again.

    When we first arrived in the US in 1981, the Haggarty Family — Jack and Patty, and their kids, Erin, Molly, Emmett, and Michael — opened their homes and their lives to us. They didn’t know us. We didn’t know them. They were friends of friends, who became dear friends of ours.

    We stayed with them for three weeks before moving to Tacoma after I found a job. Then, in 1983, we moved to Utah and eventually further away. Though the distance between us grew, we remained in touch … Christmas cards, catch-up letters, emails, and now, social media. Then, in 2018, when we returned to Washington on our “where shall we settle down in retirement” tour, we had a chance to meet up in person again.

    With Washington on this year’s road trip, we just couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet up again. Schedules didn’t work out in May, so here we were in August … with a date to meet them for dinner in Kirkland.

    Patty had made reservations for us at the Le Grand Bistro Américain … overlooking Lake Washington … a French restaurant with excellent food; great service; and lovely views. The camaraderie, as always, was great. We got caught up on each others’ lives; told stories — both new and old — and laughed and laughed.

    It was so wonderful to see Patty & Jack … and we will plan to do so again whenever our travels take us back to Washington.

    ———————————————————

    For those interested in such things, Mui and I both ordered the special … Neah Bay Coho Salmon, grilled and served over a bed of quinoa tossed with herbs, roasted chanterelles, green beans, caramelized shallots, grilled broccolini … and cauliflower purée. We wrapped up with a delicious creme brûlée.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    "Fluent Steps" — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.
    "Water Forest" — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA."Crystal Towers" @ the Chihuly Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.Ceiling of the "Seaform Pavilion" ... Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.Ceiling of the "Seaform Pavilion" ... Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.Ceiling of the "Seaform Pavilion" ... Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.The 80-foot long Venetian Wall ... Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.Sculpture in the Venetian Wall ... Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.Sculpture in the Venetian Wall ... Bridge of Glass — Museum of Glass ... Tacoma, WA.

    Bridge of Glass

    3. august 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    We should have taken a closer look at the days the Museum of Glass in Tacoma is open. But this being a Tuesday, we didn’t think about it. After all, most museums are closed on Mondays and not on Tuesdays, aren’t they?

    Luckily, we didn’t have to drive far from the campground at Dash Point State Park to the Museum of Glass. And while we would have liked to have seen the pieces on exhibit inside, we at least had a chance to the see the reflecting pool on the plaza overlooking the Thea Foss Waterway and the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, which connects the Washington State History Museum with the Museum of Glass.

    The 500-foot long bridge is home to three Chihuly art installations. There is the Seaform Pavilion, the ceiling of which is filled with over 2,000 objects made of glass. Chihuly’s intent was for visitors to feel like they are walking underwater with a coral reef above. Then there is the pair of crystal towers in the middle of the bridge … the color of the translucent glass reminded me of glacial ice. Finally, visitors come to the Venetian Wall … 80 feet long … with cubicles displaying over 100 glass sculptures.

    Our museum plans didn’t work out as expected, but we enjoyed our short wander anyway. And I’m glad we had time to relax on the patio at the campground — before and after — our short jaunt to Tacoma.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Site B-48 @ Dash Point State Park — Federal Way, WA.

    Day 92 Ends @ Dash Point State Park

    2. august 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Our 125-mile drive from Leavenworth back to Seattle, and then onto the Car Rental Facility at SeaTac was uneventful. Even the usually terrible Seattle traffic cooperated, putting up no barriers to our speed along the way.

    After returning the rental, we hopped in an Uber and headed to the Port of Tacoma to pick up the Cruiser and toad from Tote Maritime. The process was quick and easy. We would highly recommend Tote to anyone considering shipping their RV to/from Alaska.

    First stop … top off the fuel tanks for both vehicles. And then we drove the very short distance to Dash Point State Park which is in Federal Way, a city in the Seattle metropolitan area. Check-in was not until 2:30p, but our site — B48 — was available so we pulled in and got settled shortly after noon.

    This 50A FHU site is one of those half-moon, parallel to the road ones, which gives us excellent privacy on the patio side. And what a patio it is … huge. It’s where I am sitting at the moment, the awning open to cut down the glare while I write. Mui is at Costco, replenishing the larder for our trip back home … which will begin on 4 August.

    It’s great to have clear air once again. And temperatures in the 70F range are simply divine.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Bavarian-themed mural in Leavenworth, WA.
    Bavarian-themed mural in Leavenworth, WA.Got to have a "knight in shining armour" in Bavaria — Leavenworth, WA.Bavarian-themed mural in Leavenworth, WA.Another schnitzel lunch @ Andreas Keller — Leavenworth, WA.That's not rain mist ... it's smoke from wildfires — Leavenworth, WA.

    Day 91 Ends w/One Last Schnitzel

    1. august 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Woke up to cooler temps on this last day in Leavenworth … higher humidity … what looked like rain mist, but was actually smoke haze … and an unhealthy air quality index.

    Since my throat was already scratchy from all the smoke, we decided to bag the stroll we’d planned at the riverfront park and stayed home instead. Shortly before 11:00a, we hopped in the car to go into town for one last schnitzel at Andreas Keller before our departure tomorrow.

    On the way, we stopped at a couple of hotel/resort properties that had some nice murals I wanted to photograph. We arrived at the restaurant just five minutes before the restaurant opened … two couples ahead of us … minutes later, the line behind us reaching up the stairs.

    The hostess accommodated our request to be seated in one of the barrel booths … in fact, she put us in the same one we had the first time we were there. This time, Mui joined me in ordering a Helles, a light lager. I once again ordered the classic schnitzel, but Mui opted for the Schnitzel Cordon Bleu … which was stuffed with smoked pork and Swiss cheese … topped with a creamy sauce … the side was spaetzle instead of German potato salad. All delicious.

    Instead of dessert at Andreas Keller, we walked across the street for one last cone from Whistlepunk … we both got the Blackberry Fool flavor (blackberry sorbet folded into vanilla), agreeing that it was the best.

    On the way home, we made a quick stop at Safeway to pick up some Cosmic Crisp apples … first grown by Washington State University … the dream apple with the perfect flavor and texture balance. We agree with that description. We now have enough to last us through the end of our road trip.

    Both the Cruiser and toad have arrived in the Port of Tacoma. Tomorrow we leave Leavenworth to be reunited with our vehicles.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    McGlinn's is housed in a prohibition-era recreational club — Wenatchee, WA.
    Delicious food ... served open-face style — McGlinn's Public House ... Wenatchee, WA.Commercial-mixer-turned-flower-pot — Bavarian Bakery ... Leavenworth, WA.

    Day 90 Ends in the Apple Capital

    31. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 99 °F

    The Wenatchee Lake/Plain Loop brought us back to our starting point around 11:00a. What to do next?

    We wanted to check out Wenatchee, which bills itself as the “Apple Capital of the World,” so we continued through Leavenworth, leaving behind smoky skies for even smokier ones. Wenatchee was completely socked in with low-lying smoke from wildfires … so bad that we actually put on our face masks after we parked the car.

    Since outdoor conditions were not suitable for wandering around, we decided to have lunch in Wenatchee and then return to Lily House. Mui checked his TripAdvisor app and settled on McGlinn’s Public House.

    The pub is housed in the Garland Building, which was built in 1922 as a recreation club. In keeping with the building’s “prohibition-era” history, Mui and I opted to order fresh basil lemonade … quite tasty despite the less-than appetizing color. (Actually, we went sans-alcohol because it was so darned hot.). The food, served on aluminum trays lined with paper, was quite delicious … definitely a good choice.

    Luckily, the 2-3 mile traffic back up as we were leaving Leavenworth for Wenatchee had cleared up by the time we got back to town. A quick stop at the Bavarian Bakery for a couple of pretzels, a slice of marzipan cake, and a macaroon, and we were on our way to Lily House for a quiet afternoon … with wine and snacks for dinner later.

    ————————————————-

    For those interested in such things …

    Mui ordered the John Paul Burger … a hand-pressed beef patty, Hempler’s bacon, mixed greens, cheddar, tomato, pickled onion, dill pickle, burger sauce (aka a balsamic ketchup). I ordered the BBTA (Bacon, Basil, Tomato, Avocado) … Hempler’s bacon, fresh basil, tomato, avocado, mixed greens, pesto mayo, on Bosket Brothers sourdough.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A 50-foot tall Eiffel Tower — Plain, WA.
    Lincoln, Grant, Churchill, and Patton stand at the base of the Eiffel Tower — Plain, WA.

    Are We In Paris?

    31. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 93 °F

    Another recommendation from the Leavenworth Visitor Center was the Wenatchee Lake/Plain Loop … about 38 miles in all. So, off we went in the car this morning.

    The drive is fairly scenic … it goes through heavily wooded areas and in places there are glimpses of the Wenatchee River through the trees. There are mountains as well. But there are no overlooks or pull outs where one can stop and enjoy the scenery. Not that we would have seen much today as the smoke haze was pretty bad. Sigh.

    Wenatchee Lake State Park, a short detour off the loop, was packed to the gills. So, we had to be satisfied with just a drive through. In Plain, however, we found a couple of oddities … one of which was a replica of the Eiffel Tower … 50 feet tall … 1/25th the size of the tower in France.

    Turns out that the tower is on the property of Mr Watson, an 81-year-old who hails from the UK. He invited us to take a closer look and explained that the tower represents the French contributions to America’s greatness. He has a miniature of the Statue of Liberty set in the middle of pond in his garden as well, but we didn’t intrude that far onto the property.

    What’s different about this Eiffel Tower is the statues on the corners of the base … Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S Grant, General George Patton, and Winston Churchill … men who, in Watson’s opinion, have made great contributions to our quality of life.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Selfie w/the "Beyer Salmon Shaman ... more appropriately, "Pay Back" — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort.
    River Otter sculpture — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.Chihuly's "Icicles" — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA."Angell Emissaries" — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.An "on the banks of Icicle Creek" selfie — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.Sunflowers in the organic garden — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.Colorful flowers in the organic garden — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.One of the interesting pieces sold at the Mercantile — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.Picnic table in the shade for breakfast — Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort ... Leavenworth, WA.Madame Cristo and Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast at O'Grady's Pantry & Mercantile — Sleeping Lady.

    Day 89 Ends @ Sleeping Lady Mtn Resort

    30. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    It sounds funny to write that our day ended @ Sleeping Lady Mountain Lodge, a resort at the end of Icicle Road. But that’s mostly because I know that we were home by 11:00a. It was just too darn hot to wander around.

    When we asked at the VC for suggestions around the area for early morning strolls, this was the place recommended. “They have nice grounds and sculptures,” we were told. Since it was just up the road from where we are staying, we decided to go there this morning.

    Turns out there are only four or five sculptures … one of which is in the center of a grouping of occupied cabins … we skipped that one. The meandering trail around the grounds was mostly shaded, which was a good thing as the temp quickly rose from the 63F we woke up to @ 7:00a.

    After checking out all the sculptures, we wandered into the organic garden to see the plants and colorful flowers. Then, we went to O’Grady’s Pantry & Mercantile for breakfast. Approaching from the front, we had no idea they had a lovely patio where we could have eaten our breakfast. When I checked later, all the tables in the shade were taken and the food was being served in to-go boxes (due to lack of kitchen help). So, in hindsight, it didn’t matter that we ordered our food to-go.

    It took nearly 45 minutes for our food to be ready … darn that is long. On our way to the car, we came across a couple of picnic tables around the side of the Mercantile … and they were in the shade. So instead of taking our order back to Lily House, we ate there. I ordered the biscuits and gravy … a modern take using Italian sausage and Mui got the Madame Cristo … a blend of Monte Cristo and Croque Madame. Delicious … definitely worth the wait.

    Before going back to our place, we took a short drive along Icicle Creek. The parking spots were all packed, so no place to stop and enjoy the scenery. The smoke-haze wasn’t pleasant in the canyon anyway, so we didn’t dally.

    We spent the rest of the day at Lily House. Watched a couple of shows … Mui napped … I read a bit and wrote a bit. Before we knew it, dinner time was upon us. A couple of frozen entrees did the trick for us tonight.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Karl, the museum's mascot, welcomes us to the Nutcracker Museum — Leavenworth, WA.
    The bits and pieces that go into making a toy soldier nutcracker — Nutcracker Museum ... LeavenworthFrom the collection of the Nutcracker Museum — Leavenworth, WA.Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II — Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.A Russian-made nutcracker — Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.Honoring Mormon missionaries — Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.Percussion nutcrackers from 1873— Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.Collection inspired by the movie, Wizard of Oz — Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.American Gothic nutcrackers — Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.The Beatles collection— Nutcracker Museum ... Leavenworth, WA.

    Day 88 Ends @ the Nutcracker Museum

    29. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 95 °F

    After our delicious lunch, we walked a few steps up from the restaurant to visit the Nutcracker Museum.

    This is a boutique museum that was founded in 1995 by the Wagners, who donated not only their collection of nutcrackers, but also the building in which the museum is housed. Over the years, the collection has grown to some 7,000+ nutcrackers.

    After paying the admission,, we were directed to a small room where we watched a video that explained the process of making the “toy soldier nutcrackers” … the ones inspired by the Nutcracker Ballet. I’ve seen these types of nutcrackers, and even had a couple. But I had no idea how they were made … quite interesting to see how they are put together.

    Then we wandered the aisles between glass enclosed cabinets with shelves filled with all kinds of nutcrackers … from all around the world … in all shapes and sizes … from individual pieces to collections based on ballets, movies and TV shows, festival and special events, and more … using different methods to crack nuts, from direct or indirect pressure, to screw, and percussion.

    It turned out to be a fascinating place to visit and I am glad we took the time to do so.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Munich without the passport ... the motto of Andreas Keller Restaurant — Leavenworth, WA.
    Charming Bavarian ambiance — Andreas Keller Restaurant ... Leavenworth, WA.One of several murals decorating the walls @ Andreas Keller Restaurant — Leavenworth, WA.Delicious schnitzel, cold beverages, and a not-too-sweet apple strudel — Andreas Keller Restaurant.

    Quiet Morn & Lunch @ Andreas Keller

    29. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    With our restaurant of choice opening early for lunch, we decided to have a quiet morning at home, go out for our meal, and then visit a museum today.

    The plan turned out to be perfect because the temperature this morning was comfortable enough to have breakfast on the patio again. And afterwards, I continued sitting out — reading and writing — until it was time to get ready for an early lunch. By then, the temp was heating up anyway, so it was time to go inside.

    The restaurant we went to for lunch was Andreas Keller, which boasts traditional, homemade Bavarian food prepared by a German chef. We’d heard that it was popular, so we arrived a few minutes before they opened the doors at 11:30a. By the time our meal was served, all the tables were occupied, including the “stammtisch” … a table often found in small German village restaurants … reserved for the owner and his guest.

    Seated in a booth that looked like it was set inside a barrel, we enjoyed the Bavarian ambiance, the murals, and the excellent food and service. I must say that the schnitzel was one of the best I’ve had outside of Germany.

    We will be returning for another meal before we leave Leavenworth.

    ————————————————-

    For those interested in such things, Mui and I both ordered the Classic Pork Wiener Schnitzel, served with lemon wedges and cold German potato salad (made with vinegar instead of mayonnaise) … though I did order a side of the mushroom sauce for dipping. I had a Helles — a light lager — to wash down my food. Mui ordered a glass of Gewürztraminer, a white wine. I’m not much for pies and strudels, so Mui enjoyed the apple strudel all on his own. (Not that I went without a sweet treat … I got myself ice cream from Whistlepunk. Blackberry Fool was my flavor of choice … and the best one of the three I’ve had.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Alaska is no stranger to earthquakes ... but 8.2 is one that makes one take particular notice.

    Jumping Ahead … We’re Safe

    29. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    (Posted before I caught up to this point in our trip on 11 August.)

    I’ve fallen behind on the footprints for our Alaska road trip, so I wanted to just post a quickie to let everyone who’s reading know that we left Alaska on the 26th … just two days before the 8.2 quake that shook the state and triggered tsunami alerts.

    We were grateful to read this morning that there was neither loss of life nor any serious damage from the quake that had its epicenter 50 miles from the Alaskan Peninsula … off the Aleutians … at a depth of 20 miles. From what I understand, it originated in the same subduction zone that triggered the 9.4 earthquake of Good Friday in 1964.

    As you can tell from the image below, Alaska is no stranger to earthquakes, but an 8.2 is one that makes one stand up and take notice.    Les mer

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  • Türkiye 2021
    Looks like we just might fly the Dreamliner to Turkey after all.

    Outbound Flight Changes

    28. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    On my to-do list today was a note to check our flights to Turkey for schedule and equipment changes.

    We’d received notification of the IAH-IST flight changes back in May, but I was too busy with our Alaska roadtrip to write about it. Nothing major. The aircraft is scheduled to depart 5 minutes earlier at 8:50p and arrive 10 minutes earlier at 4:40p. Still with plenty of time to make the IST-ADB flight.

    Then, 10 days ago we got notification of a change for the Colorado Springs-IAH flight. Again, minor. We leave 8 minutes later than scheduled arrive in Houston 5 minutes later at 3:25p.

    The schedule change today was for the IST-ADB flight. Once again, nothing major. No change to the 7:00p departure, but we will arrive 15 minutes earlier at 8:05p. No complaints about that.

    There is an equipment change as well ... for the long haul to IST. Looks like we just might be flying a Dreamliner after all.

    The BizClass cabin has a 1-2-1 layout. We prefer not to fly in the middle section, so I was happy to see that we were automatically switched to 2K and 3K … both window seats. That means we will be seated separately. That doesn’t bother us, however, since Mui will likely put on his sleep mask and doze off as soon as the meal service is completed anyway.

    With several weeks to go before our September departure, I'll be curious to see how many more changes we have to our flights.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Rhein Haus gets two thumbs up from us — Leavenworth, WA.
    Plenty of shade on the terrace for an al fresco meal @ Rhein Haus — Leavenworth, WA.View of Front Street from the Rhein Haus terrace — Leavenworth, WA.A May pole painted in the colors and design of the Bavarian flag — Leavenworth, WA.1Delicious food and drinks — Rhein Haus in Leavenworth, WA.

    Day 87 Ends @ Rhein Haus

    28. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 91 °F

    OK … so it’s too early to end the day with a late lunch, but after our mid-day meal we went back to Lily Cottage where it was nice and cool and did little more than watch TV, read and write. So, I’d rather end our “FindPenguins Footprint Day” with the delicious German food we had.

    When we stopped by the visitor center yesterday, we asked for recommendations for restaurants featuring a German menu. After all, we’re in Bavaria, right?

    Of the two places recommended, one was closed today … due to lack of kitchen help, we were told when we ran into someone who works there. When we asked him for a suggestion, he said we could try the Rhein Haus, one of the restaurants on Front Street and the second one on our list. “It’s not as good as our food, but it’s pretty good,” was the comment that accompanied the suggestion.

    Anyway, despite the hot temperature, there was a nice breeze and lots of umbrellas to provide shade, so we took a table on the terrace. Just like so many restaurants we’ve been to this year, the Rhein Haus is also struggling with finding enough help. So, instead of having waitresses come around to take orders, they ask customers to scan the QR code for the menu, study it online, and go to the outdoor bar to place their food and beverage order. Easy.

    Service was nonetheless prompt. Our beverages were delivered within minutes of placing our order and our food came out a few minutes later. We found the food to be very tasty, with the appropriate German side dishes heaped on our plates. I wouldn’t mind returning to the Rhein Haus again … maybe to have one of their giant pretzels with beer. If we don’t make it back, however, we will definitely check out the Rhein Haus in Denver.

    We were tempted by the desserts on the Rhein Haus menu, but decided to return to the Whistlepunk next door for delicious ice cream … a great choice on a hot, hot, hot day.

    ———————————————

    For those interested in such things …

    I ordered the pork schnitzel, with mashed potatoes, gravy, and warm braised red cabbage. Mui ordered the Rhein Brat … bratwurst wrapped in Applewood smoked bacon and served with sauerkraut and fries. We washed our food down with ginger beer (me) and a blood orange lemonade. (Beer would have been the more appropriate choice for our meal, but it was too darn hot to be drinking anything alcoholic.)    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A "Willkommen to Bavaria" selfie near the entrance to downtown — Leavenworth, WA.
    A "beautiful mural for a background" selfie @ Leavenworth Haus — Leavenworth, WA.Even some of the residences away from the prying tourist eyes are appropriately decorated.Starbucks got into the spirit of Bavarian ambiance — Leavenworth, WA.Beautiful flower basket & a "German" street sign — Leavenworth, WA.One of the many accommodations around town — Leavenworth, WA.More buildings in the style of Bavaria — Leavenworth, WA.Love all the flowers decorating the facade of this hotel — Leavenworth, WA.A mini-German village in the USA — Leavenworth, WA.One of the many murals decorating the buildings — Leavenworth, WA.

    Bavaria in the USA

    28. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    “Munich without the passport.” That was the sign in front of a restaurant in Leavenworth and it just about describes this city, which has been modeled after a Bavarian Village.

    With three-digit temps and a heat advisory forecasted for tomorrow through the 31st, we took advantage of a “cooler” day to explore Leavenworth.

    The city didn’t always have a Bavarian ambiance. Before the early 1960s, it was a logging and sawmill town. But after it went into decline with the loss of its railway and timber industries, it had to reinvent itself.

    Why recreate a German village? Because the scenery was thought to be reminiscent of the Bavarian countryside. We’ve spent time in Bavaria and would agree that the landscape is indeed reminiscent of that area of Germany.

    With strict building codes, they have done a good job of creating the right ambiance. Buildings are not unlike ones we’ve seen in Germany … many of them decorated with beautiful murals that I photographed today.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Welcome to Lily House — Leavenworth, WA.
    Lily House — Leavenworth, WA.Lily House — Leavenworth, WA.Lily House — Leavenworth, WA.Lily House — Leavenworth, WA.

    Day 86 Ends @ Lily House

    27. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Who knew that Leavenworth was such a popular place to visit!

    When we decided to spend our time waiting for the Cruiser and toad to arrive in Tacoma, we figured that we’d easily find a place to rent for a week or so. And being in the mountains, it would be nice and cool. Yeah, right!

    Not only did we find that small properties are at a premium, but they are also expensive. But we persevered and eventually found the Lily House, about 1.5 miles from the hubbub of downtown. A walkable distance, but with the three-digit temps forecasted for much of our time here, I think we’ll be driving into town instead.

    The small cottage is on a side road where there are only a few houses, one of them belonging to our landlord. Nice and quiet … in a wooded residential area. It’s a studio with a bedroom/sitting area that can be closed off from the kitchenette with barn doors. The facilities are pristine and modern. There is a nice sitting area outside with a long cover to provide shade (and probably protection from the elements in the winter).

    The kitchenette has the basics, but no range or oven. Which is fine since Mui wanted a break from cooking. The plan is to have breakfast here, lunch in town, and wine and snacks for dinner here. We’ve provisioned accordingly.

    We’ve settled in for our stay … had our wine and snacks for tonight … and I am about to sit out on the patio to read a bit before bedtime.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A fitting German welcome to the Bavarian-style city — Leavenworth, WA.
    An OK late lunch @ Yodelin — Leavenworth, WA.Even the supermarket is decorated to fit in with the Bavarian theme — Leavenworth, WA.

    Willkommen in Leavenworth

    27. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    An uneventful drive brought us from Seattle to Leavenworth, a Bavarian-themed mountain city in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains. More about the town when we actually go out to explore tomorrow.

    After doing a quick check of our Airbnb accommodations, we drove into town for a quick bite to eat before doing a provisioning run.

    Leavenworth does not lack for restaurants. For our late lunch, we chose Yodelin … yes, a cute play on “yodeling.” The place bills itself as a broth company and beer garden with a menu that features everything from bone broth noodle bowls, to healthy salads, to burgers and more.

    Despite a mid-day temp that was ready to leave the 80s for the 90s, we sat in the garden … in a shaded area near the back where there were only two picnic tables … separated by a stack of wood. I thought my burger was good. Mui thought his Enchanted salad — to which he had grilled salmon added — was not so great … and huge … even for him. We won’t be returning there for another meal.

    Dessert was delicious ice cream from Whistlepunk … their single scoops very generous. We will definitely be returning there for more sweet treats while we’re in Leavenworth.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Colorado license plate on our rental ... that's quite a coincidence — SeaTac Car Rental Facility, WA
    A blue sky day and a clear view of the Seattle skyline — on I-5, WA.

    We Have Colorado Wheels

    27. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    We were up early, so we had a quick breakfast at the hotel and hopped on the 8:30a shuttle back to SEA.

    Another flight? No, we needed to pick up our rental car … booked through Priceline with a discounted rate from AutoSlash, a web search engine. Seriously good luck since car rentals are a highly-prized expensive commodity this summer.

    Turns out that it would have been faster to just take a taxi or Uber instead of the hotel shuttle since we had to then take a shuttle from the airport to the rental car facility. Note to self … do more research next time to verify the cars are at the airport instead of at a facility requiring further transportation.

    We had to laugh when we got to our Hertz Rental … the Chevy Spark had a Colorado license plate. How’s that for a coincidence?

    By 9:30a, we were on I-5, which we switched to instead of I-405 when Google added a 30-minute delay on that route. Once we got on I-90E and cleared the city, the traffic flow improved greatly … even more so when we got on US97.

    Our destination, you ask! Leavenworth in the Cascade Mountains.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021

    Day 85 Ends in the Lower 48

    26. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ 🌙 70 °F

    Our flight from ANC to SEA was uneventful. Our Comfort Plus aisle seats were … well, comfortable.

    DL 1358 landed at SEA 20 minutes earlier than scheduled … around 8:00p. Our one checked bag appeared on the baggage carousel just as we arrived to collect it. Before long, we were on the shuttle to the Crowne Plaza Seattle Airport … the same hotel we stayed at before our flight to ANC in May.

    After dropping off our bags in our 5th floor room, we headed down to Reflections for a light dinner … Asian chicken salad for Mui and a green salad for me. Just enough food to keep our tummies from rumbling.

    Though our bodies are still on Alaska Daylight time and think that it’s only 9:00p, it’s an hour later here. Time to chill a bit and then bedtime.

    Tomorrow we begin another segment of our road trip … one that does not involve the Cruiser and toad.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Our last moose encounter in Alaska 🤪 — Ted Stevens International Airport ... Anchorage, AK.
    An interesting goose with egg sculpture 🤪 — Ted Stevens International Airport ... Anchorage, AK.Portraits of Indigenous People 🤪 — Ted Stevens International Airport ... Anchorage, AK.

    Art @ ANC

    26. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    With our flight to SeaTac Airport not due to take off until 3:50p, we had plenty of time to kill at Ted Stevens International Airport.

    On arriving at the Delta check-in counter, we asked if we could switch to an earlier flight. No can do. As was the case with our 3:50p flight, the two earlier flights were overbooked. And no, we couldn’t check in until noon or thereabouts.

    So, we grabbed a cart that was on the sidewalk outside the arrivals area and went over to the only restaurant that was open on our side of the security check-point — Norton Sound. I can’t say that the seafood was great … perhaps a burger would have been a better option. In any event, by the time we were finished with our early lunch, the Delta counter was accepting checked bags for our flight.

    Our Global Entry memberships gives us access to TSA Pre✔️ when flying domestically. Thus going through security was easy peasy … even with Mui being selected for the “privilege” of a secondary inspection.

    We spent an hour or so wandering the B and C concourses, checking out the shops and the art installations … some interesting … some funny … some odd … but all entertaining.

    After our leg-stretching stroll, we’re now at our gate. Rather, since it was crowded, we’re across the way, sitting at the empty United gate instead.

    Another hour to go before our flight is called!    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The southbound cruise for the RV and toad will be on the Midnight Sun — Port of Anchorage, AK.

    Cruiser & Toad Delivered to Tote

    26. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    It’s done. Our vehicles are now in the care of Tote Maritime. They will be loaded onto the Midnight Sun tomorrow for the cruise back to Tacoma, Washington.

    Our appointment for delivering the vehicles was between 10:00-11:00a. We were at the Port of Anchorage by 9:30a.

    Familiar with the process, we checked in with the guard at the entry gate; got our vehicle passes from the security office; made our way to the Tote Vehicle Department … sans a security escort this time; completed the paperwork; turned over the keys. And that was it. We were done well before our appointed times.

    Neither Uber vehicles nor taxis are allowed past the security building. The Tote people called for a security guard to come and pick us up and while we were en route, the guard called a taxi for us. Minutes later, we were in a cab, heading for the airport. Easy peasy.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The Log Cabin Info Center is decorated with colorful flowers — Anchorage, AK.
    A delicious dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse — Anchorage, AK.One of the "Painted Bears" in downtown — Anchorage, AK.Another Ziggy mural ... this one at the Iditarod offices — Anchorage, AK.

    Day 84 Ends w/a Dinner & a Stroll

    25. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    For our last dinner in Anchorage, we opted to return to the Glacier Brewhouse. We had made reservations for 5:00p. Since we were finished with our museum visit by 3:30p, however, we decided to see if they could accommodate us for an early dinner instead. Yes, they could … but only if we sat in the bar area. No matter … there was a booth for two in that section that allowed social distancing … and the menu was the same as the dining room.

    We’ve had several meals at the Glacier Brewhouse … in 2001, 2010, and this year. We’ve never been disappointed. The food has always been good … as has the service. We ordered one salmon dish and one halibut dish to share and wrapped up with the sinfully delicious chocolate cake.

    On the way back to the Cruiser, we took a meandering walk, enjoying the blue-sky weather with sunshine and comfy temps. Unlike in May, the streets were filled with locals and tourists alike … the ambiance felt more like our non-pandemic visits to the city.

    For all intents and purposes this is the last day of our RV trip in the 49th State. Tomorrow morning, we turn in our vehicles for shipment back to Tacoma.

    We’ve had a great time in Alaska. There’s still a lot I would like to have seen and done, but our fall plans require us to head back. As it is, it will be about two more weeks before we put a period at the end of this road trip.

    ——————————————————-

    For those interested in such things ….

    I ordered the restaurant’s specialty beer — raspberry wheat; Mui ordered a Pinot noir. We shared a calamari from the “social menu” … smaller portion.

    I finally got my Copper River red (sockeye) salmon … Alder grilled … with lemon garlic vermouth butter, grilled potatoes, asparagus, baby tomatoes, and avocado lime verde. Mui ordered the herb-crusted halibut … coated with basil pesto and spent grain bread crumbs, garlic mashed potatoes … served with greens tossed in a roasted tomato vinaigrette.

    We wrapped up with the Chocolate Overload Cake … served with Tillamook vanilla ice cream and Ghirardelli chocolate sprinkles … a way too big portion … even for two people.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Women of the North exhibit — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK.
    "And She Borrowed Her Husband's Eagle Feather Cape (G. Svarny) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK.Men's Ceremonial Belt (Athabascan Dena'ina) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK.Chilkat Dance Tunic w/Killer Whale crest design (Tlingit) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK."Whaling, Whales, Whaling Celebration" (R. Senungetuk) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK."Dividing the Muktuk" (F. Machetanz) Machetanz — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK.Untitled oil canvas by Carl Saxild — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK."Walrus Dancer" (T. Tiulana) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK."Mount McKinley" (S. Laurence) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK."The Imaginary Indian" (N. Galanin) — Anchorage Museum ... Anchorage, AK.

    Anchorage Museum

    25. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    After we drove back from Ship Creek, we grabbed a quick bite and then walked into town, using the shortcut the campground manager told us about … through the back of the property. We had a short, but steep hike up … which we could have avoided had we gone in the opposite direction and found the steps leading up instead.

    When we were in Anchorage in May, we wanted to go to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center with Deniz. Unfortunately, the day we set aside for the museum, it was closed. And when another opportunity came up, we opted to hike instead. So, today that’s where we went. So glad we did.

    With the TourSaver BOGO, we only paid $20 for the two of us … which turned out to be a bargain since the museum was so much bigger than we anticipated … and so much more enjoyable and interesting.

    [In addition to recouping the cost of the TourSaver app a while back, I am now $225 ahead of the game. Not bad considering that except for the WRST flightseeing none of the big ticket items were not of interest to us.]

    The museum has three permanent exhibitions. First — Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage: The First Peoples of Alaska … consisting of glass cases filled with items from the Smithsonian. Second — Alaska … which tells the story of the 49th state from multiple perspectives, “… reflecting the ingenuity, technology, ways of knowing and intimate understanding of the landscape that have allowed people to survive and thrive across the North.” Third — Art of the North … which had some great paintings … and some pieces that were a little odd.

    There were several temporary exhibits as well … two of which caught our attention. One of them focused on the women of the north and the other was a retrospective of the art of Inupiaq artist Ronald Senungetuk (1933-2020) who “… was a world-renowned sculptor, silversmith and woodcarver who blended ancestral Inupiaq forms with modern concepts and materials.”

    Our afternoon at the museum goes into the books as a definite highlight of this trip.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Not what I would call "Combat Fishing" — Ship Creek ... Anchorage, AK.
    The anglers are joined by gulls hopping for scraps of salmon — Ship Creek ... Anchorage, AK.

    Combat Fishing … NOT!

    25. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    A good night’s rest … with only one train going by that felt like it was rolling over us due to the proximity of the train tracks to Ship Creek RV Park. The train rattled down the tracks … blew its horn a couple of times … and then it was gone. We are, in fact, on railroad property, so no surprise. And it wasn’t a big deal since we don’t really mind train noise unless it is constant.

    A quiet morning at the campground … sitting on the patio to enjoy the nice day forecasted by the weather guys. Around 11:00a, we drove over to Ship Creek to check out the anglers. We could have walked, but we wanted to save our footsteps for our afternoon plans.

    When we were in Anchorage in June 2001, we had walked to the creek to watch what is termed “Combat Fishing” … hundreds of anglers standing shoulder to shoulder plying rod and reel in hopes of catching their allotment of salmon … some along the edge of the water … others in the middle of the stream … fishing lines whipping through the air to land with a splash in the water … over and over and over again.

    Alas, we didn’t get to see this today. There were some anglers, but not in the numbers we were expecting. Perhaps the wrong time in the salmon season. Perhaps the wrong time of the day.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Ship Creek RV Park — Anchorage, AK.

    Day 83 Ends @ Ship Creek RV Park

    24. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Our uneventful drive up the Seward Highway to Anchorage has brought us to Ship Creek RV Park on the north side of the city.

    The consensus amongst RVers to Alaska seems to be that there are no decent campgrounds in Anchorage. I beg to differ. While where we are is not a “destination,” it is more than adequate and would make a good base from which to explore the city and nearby destinations.

    I made reservations here due to its convenience to the Port of Anchorage. I knew it would be in an industrial area … and close to the train tracks. In fact, we checked the place out when we were in Anchorage in May just to make sure we’d be happy here for a night or two and decided that it would do nicely. Thus far, nothing has changed that opinion.

    The campground is very well maintained … pristine, in fact. We are in an FHU site at the front of the campground. The gravel pad is level. Admittedly, the sites are narrow and it would probably feel tight if the campground was at capacity. But it isn’t and they are spreading campers around instead of clustering everyone together. We’ve got two sites open on one side and one site open on the other side.

    We’re a 10-15 minute walk to downtown … via a shortcut through the back of the campground. We’ll take advantage of that tomorrow.    Les mer

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Tern Lake — Alaska.
    Tern Lake — Alaska.

    Lunch @ Tern Lake

    24. juli 2021, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    We left Heritage RV Park around 8:30a for a relaxed drive to Anchorage. We were hoping that by leaving the Kenai Peninsula on a Saturday instead of Sunday as originally planned, we would avoid the outflow of weekend traffic. That turned out to be a smart move.

    The only stop we made on the way north was at Tern Lake, where the Sterling Highway junctions with the Seward Highway. By this time, what little rain that accompanied us from Homer had dried up. We’d been told to keep an eye out for tundra swans on the lake. Alas, they were nowhere to be found. Nonetheless, this was a nice spot for a quick bite before continuing our drive.

    (I did see some swans later near Potter Marsh, but there was nowhere to stop, so the sight will have to be one stored in my memory rather than in a photo.)    Les mer

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