Back to Central Alaska

Back in Alaska.......Glennallen sits at the crossroads of the Glenn Highway (first highway built in Alaska) and the Richardson Hwy.  The Wrangell Mts. loom large ahead of us and the Copper River courses it's winding way thru the lower plain.  Scrubby black spruce trees thickly cover most of the land.  

Jon and I arrived here Saturday night, Aug. 29th.  We had, previous to that, been touring with two of our granddaughters, Ava (14) and Emma (11).  One day we cruised in Prince William Sound to view glaciers and sea life. 

The next day we boarded The Alaska Train and leisurely made our way up to Denali National Park.  The girls enjoyed the freedom of roaming between about three cars.....the diner shown here, our assigned railcar and the dome car.  Since it took 6 hours to arrive, we all managed to rotate around.  We did manage to see one moose standing in a lake....at a distance.

Thursday was our big day to take a shuttle bus 53 miles into the park to look for animals.

The big mountain itself was covered with clouds and we knew we had scant chance of seeing it (only visible 30% of the year).  But, rain turned to snow and wind .....Rodney, our driver (of the green park bus shown in photo) kept wiping the exterior of the windows at every rest stop....otherwise we could not even attempt to see.

Lo, the animals were scarce.  Caribou were the hardy souls who ventured out, for which we were glad.  Saw a couple of herds. A lonely red tail fox meandered toward us on the road and a grizzly was sighted high on a far away hill....I couldn't see it.  Then a few Dall Sheep on a high hill.  That was it....

We enjoyed our little log cabin and the meals in their PREY restaurant.  Then it was back to Anchorage and the airport the next morning for the girls.  I teased the girls about coming on an old-folks trip.....riding on planes, trains, automobile, buses and boat.  We covered the gamut.  They were both so appreciative and co-operative.  We enjoyed our time with them....miss them.

Joel and Karen from Crossroads Medical Center picked us up at the airport and we decided to DO the Alaska state fair in Palmer!  This fair majors in large vegetables....how do they manage in a short growing season a 138 lb. cabbage?  This one is only 40+.  And pumpkins that are 1200 lbs.?  The BIG ones had not arrived yet this year.

We had our favorite fair food, strolled the quaint booths, and all the rest before shopping at Fred Meyer for 3 weeks of groceries(cheaper to get than in Glennallen).  Then the 3+ hours left to travel.

We are living in a large house this time, which has lots of sunshine and windows for Jon.  He felt a bit claustrophobic with the basement apt. we've had before.  I liked my cave and it was fully furnished and homey....and we could use the neighbors internet!  Here we have not much of anything....bare bones on furniture and little in kitchen utensils.  My only seasoning is salt and pepper.  I need a traveling spice box.   I'm reminded to look at what we DO have, not what we don't have.
And folks here' don't see the need for all the conveniences I'm used to.

Jon is resurrecting the memory needed for this particular medical record system as the days go by.  Some people we recognize and some are new to the clinic since we were here 16 months ago.  Fall is definitely in the air and won't last long....winter is close behind.
We may see snow before we leave Sept. 19.