My last two weekends

This past weekend Lissie, Milton and I went back to Valdez. We went there, this time, with no major plans, just relaxation. They fished for salmon while I read. I finished two books! This is coming toward the end of the salmon run and it is very noticeable in Valdez. The whole town smells like fish. Not so much because of all the fish being caught and processed, but more because after the salmon lay their eggs they die and at low tide there are thousands of salmon bodies left rotting in the sun. It was kinda gross. All that fish also attracted the bears. We saw four black bears over the course of the weekend; most were very close! As always it was very foggy the whole weekend.

 

 

The weekend before last I had a nice trip with Shuling. We went down to Cooper Landing where I saw one of the prettiest rivers in the world, the Kenai River. I got to sit and take pictures and enjoy myself on the banks of this pristine blue-green water while Shuling practiced her fly fishing cast. That evening we went on a float trip down this river with a guide who told us a little about the area. There were so many fly fishermen out there, and as the sun was setting I could not get enough of the view. 

 

 

 

The next day was spent at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, AK. This huge festival has contests for the best pig, chicken, cow, sheep, goat, rabbit, and all kinds of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and honey. We saw a 63lb cabbage and a 67lb rutabaga. The weather that day was perfect for fair walking and we walked the WHOLE thing. 

 

 

 

After a full day at the fair I was glad to see the hostel we were going to stay in was really nice. This hostel was in a small town called Talkeetna. You may remember me mentioning this town before. It was where we took off for our plane ride over Mt McKinley. This town has quickly become my favorite place in AK.

Case in point, Sunday night we saw the Northern lights for the first time! It was not as spectacular as some of the pictures you see with all the pretty colors, but they were there and moving. I can check that off my bucket list.

Monday morning we went on another river float down the Talkeetna River. This river was not as pretty. The water was all brown and silty. However, it had its own special qualities. The Talkeetna is a braided river which runs wild right past the Alaska range and as we turned a corner we could see all the mountains of the range perfectly on that crisp clear day. It stands alone as the clearest day I have had since I got here. Not a cloud or mist or fog to cover anything up. You could see for miles! In fact when we arrived back in Fairbanks I was shocked that I could still see Mt McKinley! I had only heard fables that there were days like this one. On the ride home we kept stopping to take pictures of The Mountain.

 

 

As you read this I will be in Barrow, AK. The Northern point in the US! More to come on that adventure...