Blogs from Anchorage, Alaska, United States, North America - page 9

We awoke this morning to a much cooler temperature than previous mornings. After breakfast, we unhooked, cleaned the windshield and left Denali. The campsite we stayed at, Golden Nugget, while very convenient to everything here, was certainly not the greatest. Very dusty and no scenery at the site. We hit Rte 3 southbound, and the weather was gorgeous; a slight chill, brilliant clear skies and no clouds. The scenery southbound was once again spectacular. With the Talkeetna Mountains on our left, and the Susitna River on our right, there was a vista at every turn, requiring a quick Kodak moment stop. Just South of Cantell, about 20 miles out of Denali National Park, while crossing Broad Pass, we came around a turn and there off our right was Mt. McKinley, clear as a bell, and majestic ... read more

We wake up early to a free breakfast at the hotel. Fortunately there are blackout curtains so we actually got some sleep. We pack up our economy size bright cherry red Mazda, and we head downtown. We fit right in among the F450s. I'm pretty sure we will die if we have any run-in with the local wildlife. Our plan for the day is to bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. We went our bikes downtown from a sociable man named Pablo. He informs us that this trail was voted the number two most beautiful bike trail in the nation. So we are pumped. I get a cruiser and David gets a mountain bike. We take our time in the beginning of the trail. We bike through Earthquake Park, which is the site of the San ... read more

ANCHORAGE We picked up a hotel shuttle bus at the airport and gave the driver our hotel details - we were a little concerned when he said he had not heard of it! He did get us there though and it was actually really easy to find being right next to the Railway Station. We had planned this as our next journey would be by train and not plane. Before that though we had a few days in the largest city in Alaska. It was July and we were told that this was the best time to visit with good weather which it proved to be. As you would expect in the high northern latitudes, the longest days come around the summer solstice, 21 June, and they get quite short around the winter solstice, 21 December. ... read more

Pour commencer un petit mot sur l' Alaska, Superficie 1 717 854 KM2 (France 551 000). Population 736000 ha (France 65 000 000). Anchorage 301 100 ha, Fairbanks 31 000, Juneau, capital de l' État 32 000, n' est pas accessible par route. Ca laisse de la place pour les autres. Sur une carte ca parait, relativement petit. Quand le matin je regarde ma carte, la destination prévue, est juste a côté, le soir c' est 500 kms. La nuit derniere a Valdez, je suppose, qu' un ferry, a débarqué ces passagers, tard le soir. Peu apres minuit, ils sont arrivées, pour certains, a l' hôtel, pas franchement discretement. Ce qui ma permis de faire une photo, passé minuit ½. Vous verrez la clarté. J' étais d' ailleurs un peu en rage, car le ciel était ... read more

Down to breakfast. What a difference a day makes. Plastic plates and cutlery, bacon that looked like it should be in a bag and called bacon chips, the only redeemer was the self made waffles. Into the bus for a tour of Anchorage. Look up and streets are closed for the ladies day run - lots of women running, walking and generally just enjoying the run. Off to the Ulu factory (a special Alaskan Indian knife that sort of looks like a pizza cutter). Oops, Lori takes a turn and what do you know - street closed for the run. Ever seen a 52 sweater bus do a 3 point turn to go back - not a bad effort. Ulu demonstration by young dude, usual gift shop, etc. and then we find out the young dude ... read more