Weather + Stars -

July 2, 2016 Saturday  Start: Anchorage, AK  End: Anchorage, AK

The weather here is wonderful, especially when I see the 100 plus temperatures in Arizona.  Can't say I miss that much.  I do miss stars, though, since I haven't seen a dark sky since we left Montana!

Today Mike played golf ...

Mike on 18th hole at Elmendorf golf course

and I met up with a potential 4th to 6th cousin according to our DNA matches in Ancestry.  We had exchanged information before I left Arizona and when I discovered she lived in Alaska we agreed to meet.  We still haven't found the family connection but it was wonderful to talk to a native (she was born here) and a fellow genealogy enthusiast.  If only I could find one in my immediate family!

After we parted, I went downtown to the largest Anchorage Farmers Market.

Anchorage Welcome Sign

Not much produce, although the few zucchini and lettuce that I saw were oversized; still early in the season.  There were a lot of craft booths and people enjoying the sun, walking around in shorts and tank tops.  It still feels chilly to me, I had a sweater and jeans on.

We're slowly working our way through all the food supplies we stocked up on and I can tell I overdid it.  We have a new stash of maps, brochures, and guides for Alaska and Canada.  If anyone wants me to pick up something for them, let me know, I'll try and find it.

They love flowers here and have beautiful baskets in front of most stores and restaurants and lining the streets.  Smells good too!

hanging flower baskets in Anchorage

Hanging out in Anchorage

July 1, 2016 Friday - Start: Anchorage, AK   End: Anchorage, AK

We're hanging out at the Elmendorf military base famcamp campground for the 4th of July weekend.  It was sunny when we arrived yesterday and we set up the screen room outside.  It began raining about 8:00 pm and rained all night.  It's cloudy and some rain this morning.  We tried to trade in a bunch of books at a used bookstore but they weren't offering much so we'll hold on to them until we get to a campground where we can exchange them.  We are each going through about two books a week!

After we got back from the bookstore someone drove by and told us a bear had been sighted in the campground!  We didn't see it yet but I came indoors to eat lunch.

After Anchorage we plan to go to Valdez as everyone we've talked to says that it is a beautiful place to visit.  Valdez is about 300 miles south of Anchorage.  When we finish up there we'll start heading home.  We have to backtrack through Tok to the Alaska Highway south to Watson Lake in the Yukon where we plan to take the Cassiar Highway back to the U.S. west coast.

No new pictures today but here's a few from our stay at Bertha Creek where Mike did some prospecting.

Flora and fauna of Alaska

June 30, 2016 - Thursday

I have taken so many pictures of the flowers and plants we’ve seen so far in our travels, I thought I’d devote a post just to some of my favorites.  Enjoy!