Thursday, June 30, 2011

Alaska Day 46 To Talkeetna

It was a 108 mile trip for us from Anchorage. The roads were pretty good over all and traffic for the first 50 miles was heavy.  What is it the 4th of July weekend or something!

Carol got a new camera.  It’s a Nikon D3000 and so far she likes it.  Of course she wanted my 18X200 lens right away and I think she’s been eye balling my 500 mm lens. She took almost all of the pictures today.  I said just shoot away and I will edit.  I don’t think I will say that again.  nah – just kidding…

First picture out of the box. The subject was a good choice if I say so my self.  DSC_0001-1

 

Russia could not be seen.  I guess it was cloudy.DSC_0022-1 

They come and go just like down in the lower 48.DSC_0029

Our we in England?DSC_0032

It’s a ……..was a ……….DSC_0038

One bedroom….I mean one room.DSC_0040 

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Airplane in storage at least it was.  Up here you see old planes laying around vice cars.DSC_0048

Look in the lower left of the sign. Bet you haven’t seen that one before! They give boat tours here. Plus look at the one above it.  That is Mt McKinley and Talkeetna is the check in point for climbers via the ranger’s office.DSC_0042

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$35 a night W/E.DSC_0056

Who’s on first?DSC_0065 

All of our rigs.DSC_0061

 

All of our rigs.DSC_0063

All of our rigs..DSC_0064

 

Sky is the limit….DSC_0067

 

Social time.  The Loosey Goosey Last Frontier Gang is all together again.DSC_0068 DSC_0070 DSC_0072

After a few beers they were trying to figure where they parked their RV.DSC_0073

Then it was chow time so we went into to town to a place that suppose to be pretty good. DSC_0017

After a few minutes everybody ordered.DSC_0002

Everybody got their food except Carol & I. Time passes on & still no food for us. We asked several times still no food.  Everybody finished and we still didn’t get our food. Then it happened – they brought it.  Everyone was now waiting for their checks. I said no we didn’t want it now.  They offered to put it a to go box.  I said sure if it was free.  they said no and that I would still have to pay for it whether we took it or not.  I just laughed and told then to get it away from me.  No one got refills on their drinks, just piss poor service and the food was barely OK I was told. Time passed on – no waiter or checks.  then everyone decided to get up and pay as they leave.  At the register they tried to tack on the 18% gratuity tax. Everyone said take it off – refused to pay it.  They had a problem with the computer and taking the tip off.  Carol & I was outside telling arrivals about the poor service and food was not far behind.  Inside the “Gang” was getting rightfully loud.  The restaurant cut it losses & told everybody to leave and no charge. No they didn’t leave quietly.

It appears they deal with so many tourist’s they don’t have to give them any service much less good service and the quality of food is just about edible.

Again, here is where you don’t want to go in Talkeetna.

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I went outside and got a buffalo kraut sausage at a street vendor cart and Carol got a snack.

The gang toured the city – The “gang” were bad to the bone now with a free meal under their belts!DSC_0023

We bad!!!DSC_0024

What's all the excitement about?DSC_0021 

A 9 year old Pom that was ever so small and loved to be petted.DSC_0019

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This was there private landing field.  Emphasis on field!DSC_0025

So, I think Carol did a pretty good job of taking pictures with her new camera.  Why don’t everybody send her a $1 to show her how well she did.

Or I will sick the “gang” on you!DSC_0066

See ya………….

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Alaska Day 45 Anchorage Last Day

Several people asked the names of some of the animals/birds (at zoo), etc that was on the blog yesterday.  So here they are in order of appearance kinda;  Eagle, Lynx, Red Fox, Timber Wolf, Jim & Pat, Larry & Marilyn, Tiger, Alpaca, Camel, Snow Leopard, Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, squirrel, Sea Otter and Harbor Seal.  Quite a few of the animals/birds were rescued.  Each animal had it’s history posted of how it got to be at the zoo.  Some stories were interesting and some were sad.

We have gone about 3400 miles since braking the border with the lower 48.  We left the lower 48 about 58 days ago and Dawson Creek (Milepost 0) 45 days a go. We have about 3000 miles to go.  We will be back in the lower 48 in 45-50 days.  Places we will be seeing will include Talkeetna, Denali Nat Pk, Healy, Fairbanks area, Delta Junction which is the end of the Alaska Hwy. Then back to Tok and continue east on the AlCan Hwy to Dawson Creek.  From there we will go thru Jasper & Banff Nat Pks (Canada) and end up in Lethbridge.  Chapter 44 of the Escapees Club is having a rally over in Pincher Creek 15-19 Aug that we might stop over. We might slip a visit to Wateron Lakes Nat Pk on the Canadian side just above Glacier Nat Pk. We will be in Gillette, WY no later than Monday 22 August for the upcoming Escapade 28 Aug –1 Sep.  Come to the Escapade. Stop  by and say HI and that you followed us on the blog thru Alaska. It helps my ego and justifies for me to buy more camera equipment.

Back to the present::::::Carol fixed Belgian waffles for breakfast. Yes they were good..  DSC_0001

 

I added some diesel supplement.  Since our rig sat for 3 years I want to make sure the injectors are clean, etc.DSC_0002

Then it was air filter time.  Ours is very easy to get to and to change out. It took me about 10 minutes. I’m getting good at this.DSC_0003 DSC_0004 DSC_0005

 

I walked down to Larry & Marilyn’s rig.  He was talking to his neighbor and trying to wash his rig at the same time.  You see what won out.  He did finish later on.DSC_0008

That’s our site on the left.  We like how they have set this campground up.DSC_0009

Here’s Sharon & Don’s rig.DSC_0010

Don had a little hot water tank problem and threw some money & time at it and got it working again.DSC_0012

 

Later on all of the Last Frontier Gang met at the Moose Lodge for dinner.  Cool Judy and her gang were there too.  Total of 16. We told stories and places each of us had visited.  It was a good time by all it appeared. SDC11708

Tomorrow we got 107 miles to Talkeetna. This is where they have the famous Moose Dropping festival.  It’s also the place where the idea of the TV series Northern Exposure was created according to the local historian there. 

 

So, See ya there…………

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Alaska Day 44 Anchorage Zoo

We had breakfast with Marilyn & Larry this morning at this neat place and it was very good in quantity and quality. The price was right too!

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Then we were off to the zoo.DSC_0006 DSC_0013 DSC_0019 DSC_0028 DSC_0043 DSC_0044 DSC_0045 DSC_0052DSC_0049  DSC_0054 DSC_0057 DSC_0058 DSC_0060 DSC_0073 DSC_0083  DSC_0125 DSC_0151 DSC_0094DSC_0154 DSC_0185DSC_0177 DSC_0181  DSC_0214

Now that’s a bunch of animals.  Especially those standing up on two legs and somebody even dressed them up.

Later on we sponsored Marilyn & Larry to come on base and then they got a sight near us over at the military campground.

So, another action pack day tomorrow – maybe.

See ya…….