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Alaska trip 2024

June - August 2024
Starting out for Alaska with the teardrop camper June 1, 2024. Will drive there and back Read more

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Camper, Camping, Family, Nature, Wildlife
  • 40.7kmiles traveled
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  • Alaska trip 2024

    Tolsana Wilderness Campground

    June 19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Mosquitos are at max strength today. They drove Phil and I out of Valdez this morning. We were trying to enjoy our coffee and NPR radio news and finally couldn't take the bugs anymore. We were on the road at 8 am. Another breathtaking drive north through Keystone Canyon. Apparently, there was to be a trainline to the big mine at Kennicott years ago. A squabble ensued among the 9 rail companies. A shootout ended the whole debate with one killed and 2 injured, and the rail line went to Cordova instead of Valdez. Stunning mountains views, a glacier or two, and lakes.

    KOA was nice. It was very expensive at $63 per night, but it did have everything really. Tonight, we are campground for $27 per night. Water, showers, flush toilets. We opted not to get electricity as our batteries are charged up. We 'll be in Anchorage tomorrow at an expensive RV place with all that as well.

    Speaking of electricity, my hero, Phil, fixed my electrical connector, so we have lights inside the camper and can charge our phones inside. It is a good development!

    We arrived early at our campsite and have spent our time treating our clothes with permethrin for mosquitos. It is a spray that you apply and then allow the clothes to dry. It lasts about 6 washes. It kills mosquitos on contact. Hope it works as they are quite active here.

    Phil's also getting his Tenkara fly rod out to fish in this small stream we are camped next to.

    We'll have our steaks for supper and try to go to the commissisary at Joint Base Richardson in Anchorage to resupply in the next 2 days.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024

    What a view.

    June 20, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    What a view! Seemingly endless forests and abundant wildlife. Just when you think you have seen the most stunning view, you go around the curve and see a new stupendous view.

    This evening I was sitting in my lawn chair with a view of 2 vault toilets (outhouse). I moved our chairs.

    Seriously, we have seen some beautiful things. Mountains, tiaga, boreal forests, moose, bears, deer, many types of birds, and the list goes on.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024

    Anchorage Day 1

    June 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Well, the mosquitos drove us out of the wilderness (literally) at 7:30 without coffee and only a poptart to eat on the road. Phil was bit on the face and head several times returning from his shower, and even though I had on a thick hoodie, I got bit on the face, too, while trying to hook up the camper! We are told they will mostly be gone by July 4, so we will look forward to that!

    Another pretty drive through an area called the "Majestic Valley." We stopped to see Matsanuka Glacier but also had views of others along the way. Half the trip was wide road surfaces with passing lanes, and half was narrow, twisting, curving, hanging on to the side of a mountain cliff. There was also road construction to wait through.

    When we got near Anchorage, the shock of actual traffic was striking. We've been traveling 3 weeks now on mostly deserted roadways. Very few big rig trucks, although we have ben passed by a few gigantic camper rigs. Mostly, we toodle along at a top speed of 50 or 55 tops. Suddenly, the city life was around us again. We are in a 225 slot RV park in Anchorage where it feels safe enough to leave the camper when we fly to Katmai National Park in 2 days. We are across from Costco and near the Joint Army/Air Force base.

    After getting our site, we had lunch and made a trip to the base to the Commissisary for some groceries and price comparisons. Commissisaries everywhere carry the same stuff and brands, but this one is very large and has lots more of the same stuff. We also went into the PX, and it was also very large and carried a lot more of the same stuff you see in every PX. A bonus is that this facility has a Popeye's Chicken and a Starbucks, which we both love, so I am sure we'll go back someday soon!

    Finally, today, we went to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. We watched native dancing and listened to songs and drumming. We looked around at each of the traditional native homes of the six different Alaska peoples. Some beautiful craft work was also on display. Tomorrow, we will go to the Alaska Museum downtown to learn more.

    I crafted some little curtains using hand towels and some curtain clips for the camper since the days are so long here. Dawn was at 3:30 am. today. Tomorrow is the longest day of the year.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024
    1

    Anchorage Day 2

    June 21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    We got up and were untroubled by mosquitos today. Hallelujah! After lingering over our coffee and talking to a camping neighbor, we went and got haircuts. Great Clips is our salon of choice. Normally, they have our "profile" saved in the system, so any location knows how to cut our hair. Apparently, the Alaska franchises don't communicate with the lower 48, but our hairstyles are not complicated.

    We drove downtown, parked, and walked to "Humpy's Ale House" for lunch. Humpies are one type of salmon here. I think they are the pink salmon. Phil had fish and chips, and I had the "health nut," which was salmon, salad, and some rice.

    We visited the Anchorage Museum, which was really good, but a little more than we could do today. After seeing half of it, we walked to the Public Lands Exhibition, which represents all the National Parks and Public Lands in this state. Great exhibit, which is free. We are visiting several national parks on this trip, so it was really worth it.

    We visited the Ulu Factory, which makes ulu knives that are used by native people to cut up meats and other foods. We bought some coasters that match the decor in the Gainesville house where we will be living soon.

    The King Salmon are starting to run here, so we walked out over Ship Creek bridge, but didn't see any from where we were. Several people were fishing, though. Phil will fish for Sockeye Salmon in another week or so.

    Everywhere there are beautiful flowers that my Mom saw when they were here years ago so I took lots of photos for her.

    We'll do a load of laundry and eat here at the camper tonight. We fly to King Salmon, AK, tomorrow afternoon. Sunday, we take a water taxi to Brooks Falls to see the brown bears eating salmon in the waterfall.

    Don't know if we will have service, but I will post when I can!    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024

    King Salmon, AK, on Bristol Bay

    Jun 22–24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    We got up and went around the corner to Denny's for a big breakfast since we knew we would not settle into our cabin at the Antler Inn until at least mid-afternoon.

    After packing up and locking up the camper, I notified our neighbor in the camper van next door that we'd be gone a couple of days. I just wanted someone to know. There is security at the RV park, and we have a hitch lock, but it's good to have another witness next door if needed.

    We parked in long-term parking at the Anchorage Airport. It is a busy place serving 49 different airlines!

    I was surprised as our flight to King Salmon was completely full! We had first class seats as they were only about $20 more than coach class when I booked last winter. The flight went south over the Kenai peninsula and then across Cook Inlet, over the Alutian Mountain range and Lliamna Lake, and into King Salmon, which is on the Bristol Bay. We are in the Sockeye Cabins, which are owned by Antler Inn. Very nice room with a small table and chairs, coffee, microwave, fridge with a freezer, and TV with cable. It is spacious with a nice bathroom.

    The King Salmon airport is basically one big room where everyone boards and deplaned, and so there are very few seats and a lot of people standing waiting either for baggage or to get on the plane. You MUST check in 2 hours early, and they won't accept check bags after 60 minutes before the flight. Parking outside is a dusty area with a variety of pickups, vans, etc, waiting to carry passengers. I saw at least 8 different outfitters picking up people to go to fish camps. There was also a wedding party. Lots of people arriving to work fishing boats or work at the canneries.

    Phil and I had a late lunch early supper at the Sockeye Saloon, which is one of 2 options for eating here. We met a couple of fishermen. One who fishes crab (think the TV show Deadliest Catch) and Salmon on the sea. The other was retired from crab fishing. They seemed genuinely interested in our reason for being there and told us it could be a little early for bears, but that we were sure to see some.

    We also went to the King Salmon grocery store/ fishing tackle/liquor store where we got a bargain on 2 yogurts that were expired, so half off. Normally, they are $3.30 each. Gas was $6.99 per gallon.

    We catch our shuttle to the water taxi tomorrow at 6:30 on the front steps of the Sockeye Saloon. I think we'll need our mosquito coats and maybe rain jackets. I have packed bug spray and sunscreen as well. We'll catch the water taxi back tomorrow at 2 pm. Hope to have bear pictures for tomorrow.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024
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    Brooks Lodge, Katmai National Park, AK

    June 23, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    Edit:ignore the map. My phone thought we were in Florida apparently.

    We had a few false starts this morning. The 7 am. boat was delayed due to fog. Then the 9 am. boat was delayed, but finally, about 10:30, the fog lifted. We went across Naknek Lake in about 45 minutes. We had a bear briefing, and then Phil and I went to have lunch at Brooks Lodge.

    Just after we finished, a mother bear and cubs walked by on the beach. The cubs were play-fighting until Mom finally had enough and took them back into the woods.

    Phil and I walked to Brooks Falls and Brooks Lake, but we saw no other bears today. We did see a lot of fish. Mostly salmon starting to come upstream, but also some trout and other smaller fish.

    After the fog, it turned into a beautiful sunny day. We found out they accept volunteers here, so we may consider that in the future.

    You will notice we broke out the bug coats in addition to our permethrin-treated clothes. They have mosquitos here and also a biting fly called white socks. The bug coats are good but hot. I wore mine the whole time, and Phil put his on after a short hike.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024

    Seward Day 1

    Jun 24–27, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    We arrived later last night. We had a sandwich supper in Anchorage before heading south to Ptarmigan Creek Campground 25 miles north of Seward. We stayed up WAY past our bed time until 10 or 10:30 pm. Despite the decided lean in the terrain of the camper, we both slept well and agreed it felt good to be back "in our own bed" after two nights in a hotel/cabin.

    This morning after coffee and a poptart, we drove into Seward. We stopped first at the Kenai Fjords National Park visitor center. Nice exhibits and we watched a movie about the park. Tomorrow, we'll go back to Exit Glacier, which is on the park, and take a hike to see the gIlacier. You can no longer walk up to the Glacier as it has receded, but we can take pictures from the viewing platform.

    We had lunch "downtown". We both had reindeer meatloaf with mac'n cheese as it was cold out, and that sounded warming. Neither of us could finish our plates, though!

    Afterward, we went through the Alaska Sea Life Center, which is a combined research facility and marine aquarium aimed mostly at children, but still interesting for us. They study birds, fish, and marine mammals in Resurrection Bay, where Seward sits.

    We drove out to Lowell Point and bought ice at Miller's Landing, where we watched 6 or 7 sea otters playing near the shore.

    On our way back to camp, we stopped at the post office to mail post cards. Now we are enjoying camp. It is sunny and relatively bug free in our "bug hooch." For supper, we are having fresh Copper River Salmon filets on the grill with rice and mango pineapple salsa.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024

    Ptarmigan Creek Campground

    June 24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Breakfast in King Salmon was at Eddy's. A place that looks like a typical remote Alaskan bar to me, complete with 2 cats. Food was plentiful and tasty, I couldn't eat it all. Then, I checked out of our abode for the last 2 nights. We carried ourselves and 1 bag to the airport. It is small! Checked our bag and went to the Katmi National Park Visitors Center. Had a great talk with the ranger. We obtained the contact information for contact regarding volunteering here. Off to Anchorage, First Class seating again, and then the drive to our RV campground to get the camper. 105 miles to the new campsite. We have a back-in campsite. I haven't mastered that yet so I let Janet have a go after not getting in myself. After a couple of tries, she parked the camper kind of catty whompus but in the site. All in all, it's a good day, and I'll slide downhill into Janet while sleeping. We didn't get the camper level. That's okay!

    Tomorrow, Seward!
    Phil    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024

    Seward Day 2

    June 26, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Today didn't begin as planned, but ended up being OK. We headed from our campsite into Seward at about 9:30, congratulating ourselves on being a little early.

    There is a big road construction project between our campground and Seward, so we waited in the line for the pilot car for quite a while. Just after the main construction, I called Phil's attention to the warning light for a low tire. The front passenger tire went quickly from 32 to about 17, so we pulled over at a paved turnout.

    My first instinct was to use the gizmo we bought to air it up, but as we noted more air leaving the tire than going in, we quickly moved to Plan B. We have a perfectly good brand new tire mounted on a spare, but at the front of the pickup bed. As we were trying to loosen the lug nuts, a rental camper pulled over and out popped 4 people from Barcelona, Spain! One woman approached and said in Spanish, "I am not a mechanic, but he is, pointing to the Spanish man." The lug nuts were on too tight and could only be loosened by Phil physically jumping on the tire wrench. Between them, Phil and the man made short work of the tire change. Lying on the ground at an early hour wasn't the plan, but everything worked. I told the 3 women that we were volunteers on the Camino, and they became very excited. As we parted ways, I thanked them immensely, and she said, "this is the Camino, too," and my eyes filled with tears. Phil and the man exchanged a manly handshake and a "Muchas Gracias" "De nada," and we were on our way again into town.

    The tire store was slammed with tire repairs from the road construction and their regular appointments and could not guarantee it would be ready even by tomorrow. If it isn't, we'll pick it up, and I'll have it repaired in Ninilchek while Phil is off fishing the next 2 days.

    We had lunch (nothing too amazing, salads and burgers) and then went to Kenai Fjords NP and hiked a bit. Just 20 years ago, you could hike to the toe of Exit Glacier, but now it has receded too far. We took photos from afar and discussed the impact of climate change on the wondrous places...

    Back at camp, we are rearranging the back of the pickup. I fixed a yummy steak and rosemary potatoes with grilled asparagus for supper. Tomorrow, we will head for Ninilchek, where we have a cabin for 3 nights. I will wash clothes, do some camper cleaning, and get the tire fixed as needed, while Phil fishes first for Halibut and then for salmon.    Read more

  • Alaska trip 2024
    3

    Ninilchek day 1

    Jun 27–30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    It was kind of a long day. We got a late start as we went into Seward to check on the tire status. We saw a moose at the place where we had the flat yesterday.

    In Seward, we ate at the Resurrection Roadhouse, which is on the Resurrection River, that flows out of Exit Glacier. Then we got fuel and ice for the cooler before stopping at Tirebrand. Our tire was still in the stack to be repaired, so we just took it with us flat and went back and got the camper. We crossed our fingers that there would be no further flats at least until it was fixed!

    The drive to Ninilchek was lovely. We followed the course of the Kenai River, and there were fishermen and bald eagles lining the banks at places.

    In Soldatna, we found a tire store and stopped on the off chance that we could leave the tire for pickup later this week. They assured us they would have time to do it today, so we left it and went to the car wash with the camper and pickup.

    About $7 later, the tire store called and said the tire was repaired! YAY! So we headed on south to our fishing charter with a good tire and a clean camper and truck!

    A few more breathtaking views of the mountains across Cook's Inlet, and we arrived at Afishunt Anglers and RV place. We have a cozy 1 BR cabin for 3 nights. It has Manley decor and twin beds, but who cares!?!

    Phil will have his Halibut charter tomorrow. The captain assured him he would catch fish. He said he could bring snacks, but he'd be too busy to eat! We'll have the fish packaged and frozen and shipped overnight to my Dad in Nixa, MO. We'll pick it up later this summer on our way back to Gainesville.

    Our cabin has killer views only impeded by electrical lines...    Read more

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