For the first time we've had more than two days of rain...but it's still beautiful. We're currently camped in a City of Seward lot facing directly on Resurrection Bay surrounded by mountains, glaciers and the cutest sea otters swimming on their backs...well, we're not exactly "surrounded" by sea otters but have seen one within about 20' of YOW! Hopefully the weather will lift before we leave for Whittier and we'll be able to hike to Exit Glacier.
The trip from Denali to here has been generally peaceful (with one exception which I'll describe later), beautiful and most enjoyable. We've camped at Byers Lake in Denali State Park, 3 nights at Eklutna Lake (an Alaska State Recreation Area about 25miles north of Anchorage), a night in a gas station parking lot (same story as above) and now 2 nights, or maybe more, here in Seward.
The most enjoyable thing we've done was visiting with our friends, Phil & Sandy Eherenman; Sandy is EO of the Alaska Association and Phil manages the Petroleum Club. Phil and Harley had gotten to know each other while at the NAR meetings in Las Vegas in November so this was a great opportunity to really expand the friendship. Friday they had us over for grilled salmon (yummy!) but most of all we just enjoyed talking and seeing their gorgeous landscaping (Sandy is a Master Gardner and it really shows). Saturday they took us for a drive over Hatcher Pass (just north of Wasilla and you all now know where that is!!) which was really gorgeous, then to the State Fair in Palmer then back to YOW for a campfire. What fun!!
After Anchorage we'd thought about going to Katmai National Park to see the bears fish for salmon...put decided against it for very practical reasons. The cost per person ranged from $589 to $3,100 and that was just to fly over and come back the same day!
Now for the "exception" to our perfect trip...Sunday as we were driving around the Turnagain Arm, we stopped for fuel...and managed to put in 17+ gallons of unleaded gas instead of diesel! That required taking out the gas tank, emptying it and reinstalling the gas tank. Harley found a small repair shop just 1/4 mile away that could do it on Monday but I called AAA and arranged for them to pick up Babe and do the work Sunday night (amazing given the holiday weekend). However, when we got to the shop in Anchorage that would do the work we both had serious questions...a real mess, very grubby and no lift. But, long story short, after about 4 hours and $270 (plus replacing all the fuel) the job was done and we returned in the rain to YOW,
From here we're planning to drive to Whittier, take a day cruise around Prince William Sound, hike and then return to Tok and on to the Wrangall-St. Elias Mountains.
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