8-24-10 Fairbanks to Kenai, AK

It has been a very long time since anything has been written.  My people have all sorts of excuses, but the one that I will back up is trying to do anything while driving over the ruts and frost heaves in these roads.  WOW!! there is nothing in the lower 48 that compares with these.  I still have sea legs and we have been on sort of normal roads for a couple of days.

     We had a wonderful time in Fairbanks.  Our home there was on the river, so I could chase ducks and stuff.  MissT and I enjoyed being on grass.  Our people did a lot of exploring while there.  Did a riverboat trip on a paddle wheeler The Discovery III".  A visit to the Athabaskan village and a sled dog facility.  They did Pioneer Park, which included a Aviation museum, mining exhibit and several historical buildings.
     Then on to Denali.  We've become members of the 30% club in Alaska (seeing Mt. McKinley on a clear day).  What a site.  We have been fortunate enough to see it from Denali and Anchorage both.  It is an awesome sight.  The pictures I took do not do it justice. Bus tours through the parks were done. (8hrs).  Lots of wildlife was seen, eagles, wolves, dahl sheep, caribou, and moose.  No bears were seen in the park.  A very restricted and limited number of private vehicles are allowed in the park. 
My friend Joe left ahead of the rest of us to visit a friend. We did a side trip (in the rain) to Talkeetna, a charming little village where mountain climbers meet before and after climbing  Mnt. McKinley.  Then on to Wasilla (in the rain).  Sara wasn't there to have dinner with. Oh well, life goes on. 
      We traveled through Anchorage  on towards Seward with a side trip to Whittier through the tunnel that facilitates both trains and autos.  2 & 1/2 miles of black.  We stopped at the Portage Glacier, and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. 
      While in Seward a tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park (in the rain) and through part of Resurrection Bay.  What a spectacular event.  Lots of sealife, whales, bald eagles, birds, seals, otters.  Seward is a typical port town. There is a wonderful sealife center in town as well. Very charming.
     On to Homer and met up with Joe (in the rain ). The people had wonderful clam chowder at a local restaurant "Patty's".  to die for, they said.  Of course they did not share.
On to Valdez where Joe says the fishing is great and they are coming in.  Well, the boys waited and waited and fished and waited (in the rain of course).  The bears were the only ones they were coming for.  Finally,  Darell and Roger chartered a boat and got their limits.  What fun! (It didn't rain that morning).  Valdez does remind of Switzerland.  It is beautiful.  Joe's still fishing.
     My friend MissT and Roger & Donna started heading south from Valdez, Joe is still there fishing and Darell & Judie are with me in Soldotna for a couple of days.  I had a hair appointment today while Darell and Judie did sight seeing around Kenai, fishing and a little hiking.  (Can you  believe they put a bow on my tail!!).   I think we're up to date.  Judie is going for a "Mimi" fix next week.  We will spend time in the Anchorage area before she leaves.  She is anxious to meet Zoey.  Maybe I can talk Darell into more treats while she is gone.  Wish me luck.  It sounds like there won't be pictures on here for a while.  Obviously, there is a problem because Judie "doesn't want to talk about it".  More later.