Fall Colors - The Glenn & Denali Highways

We looked into the possibility of taking the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry through the Inside Passage directly to Vancouver Island, our next major playground. After realizing the cost would be over $4000, and that we would miss the fall colors and the famed Cassier Highway, we left Anchorage and headed across the Glenn Highway.

It wasn’t long before the scenery affirmed we’d made the right decision. The fall colors along the Glenn appeared to be just starting and we were treated to a continuous palette of warm fall color as we drove along…again here’s another instance of letting the photos speak for themselves:

While camping on Tangle Lakes a few weeks ago on the Denali Highway, we were told that it’s fall colors were magnificent, and checking the map proved a short jog further north for a couple of days was in order. So, a left at Gakona, and up the Richardson we go back to one of our favorite areas in all of Alaska!

Earlier in the summer, we had discovered this small lake on the eastern end of the Denali, isolated off the beaten path, fabulous mountain views in the background, and a nice campsite right down on the lake’s edge. As luck would have it, not a soul to be seen as we crested the top of a high hill looking down on the site.
The colors surrounding the lake were a treat, but it did appear that the reds were a bit brown and perhaps past their prime. A nice, quiet evening at the lake and up early to take advantage of the golden light rendered more examples of fall’s paintbrush at work in the nearby hills.

A stop at the lodge at Tangle Lakes confirmed our suspicions about the colors. We had indeed missed the “grand show” of the “reds” by only three days! But as we wondered westward Kim continued to point out some fine examples of the brighter hues…..even the swans seem to enjoy this time of year, drifting lazily across the colorful settings.

I stopped along the way to talk with several hunters, most of whom were after a moose for “subsistence” (yes, “we fill our own freezers up here, not only with fish, but also tasty game”). One of the groups was an adult led Boy Scout troop, camped along side the Highway. Although they were not in camp to tell the story, they obviously had success by taking this small “bou” (Caribou).

As we headed back to pick up the trailer and move on, this bright group of poplars on the near hill seemed to be waving farewell from another enjoyable drive along the Denali Highway!

The Alaska State Fair!

We figured for part of our Alaska finale, we'd pay a visit to the Alaska State Fair. Every local we'd met said it was a must do.

So, we took the short drive from Anchorage to Palmer to spend the day. There was row after row of local arts, crafts, food and businesses.

We watched native dancers, bands from the area and from beyond....

watched a humorous lumberjack show with lumberjacks from Wisconson no less.....

watched some extreme canines show us their stuff..........

Then there was the more traditional fair fare.

The prize winning cookies and cakes and.........wines..........

the prize winning flowers....

the prize winning quilts...........

artistic work such as these beautifully carved vegetables....

or this artistically prepared hair..........

Last but not least is what we really wanted to see. Alaska is known for the size of the vegetables it grows because of the all night sun during the summer. This year was not a good year for gardening because of the colder, wetter weather than usual. We don't have a picture of the prize pumpking (907 pounds!) but here is the prize winning cabbage and turnip.

Halibut Fishing!

It's a beautiful morning as we head out with Central Charters of Kachemak Bay towards the open Gulf of Alaska. http://www.centralcharter.com/
I spend the first few minutes on the rear deck of the boat, enjoying the painted sky....one of Nature's miracles, an iridescent sunrise!
A few miles out and off the right side we're treated to a magnificant view of Mount Lliamna, one of the many active volcanoes in the area.
Before long it's getting a bit chilly out back, so I walk inside the cabin and there's no place to sit. I hear a strong southern voice behind me shout "sit with us". To my surprise I turn around to see a gold LSU hat along with some new friends... Michael, Laurie & Jessica. Yes, they're really from Louisiana! Michael graduated from LSU in Wildlife Biology, and a year or so after Katrina, accepted a job with Wildlife & Fisheries here in Anchorage....and yes, after two winters, they still love it up here!

Soon the deckhands were cutting up bait (small herring) and carefully arranging baited tackle along the outside of the cabin with extra hunks of bait along the gunnales. We're ready for action!

We can just see Mount Augustine, another active volcano, in the distance as the boats engines drop from a steady roar to a soft chug, and I hear "drop anchor" and within minutes, we're fishin'.....

I think Jessica pulls in one of the very first fish (hey, it wasn't long) while Dad gets a bit of a tip from an eager to help deckhand. We had twenty-two folks on board, and within an hour and a half everyone has a limit of two. These flounder looking oddballs of the sea can reach 400 lbs, but today we're satisfied to catch "chickens", weighing from 10 to 20. (acytually the best eating).


On the way back, the fish are cleaned and bagged....nice treat not to have to fool with them at the dock. My two wait patiently on the side for their turn at the razor sharp filet knife.

So, what a great day on the water....calm seas, plenty of fish, and new friends from CajunLand!

A Day in Beautiful Seldovia....

It was a clear sunny morning as we rode our bikes down the Homer Spit to catch a fast shuttle over to Seldovia, and old Russian fishing village across Kachemak Bay.
We load our bikes & hop aboard the Rainbow Connection, putz out of the Harbor, and shoot across to the entry to Soldovia Harbor. Once again we are greeted along the way by a raft of seals, playing merrily in the welcome sunshine....which we haven't seen for days!


As we round the final point we see a mixture of old & new. Soldovia still bears the markings of an old fishing village, along with modern aspects of a tourist town....
Departing the docks, we notice that it takes just as many supervisors to direct a single backhoe operator here as it does in Louisiana! (funny how that works).... But just a little ways up the road, we cross the river where salmon are staging in large numbers also for their journey to spawning grounds in tiny creeks and pools a few miles above.
We had heard that visiting the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church was a must. Up a long hill, around a few tricky corners and we find this jewel perched high over the town in it's well deserved place of honor. I struggle to photograph the beautiful inside through a small window, finally settling on shooting six images that are stitched together here in this strange composite.

The Church serves not only as an active religious facility in the community, but is noted as a major landmark throughout the Kenai Peninsula and is one of the major tourist attractions for Seldovia.

The Church has an illustrious history that began around 1820.



Down the backside of the hill, southward towards a small cove the townsfolk call "the beach" we peddle past some more of those wonderful Indian Paintbrush, this time lining the side of one of the spawning pools...
Through some dark woods, down a rough & tumble excuse for a road and WOW!
.....our eyes are suddenly treated to this view of a pristene, isolated cove tucked neatly below the high bluffs on which the town is built.

Kim takes time to relax and just enjoy the serenity and beauty of this place. A stroll down the beach reveals many small tide pools dotting the rough rocks.

Upon closer inspection we find a unique world of small creatures living in this constantly changing environment....


I thought we'd seen every color imaginable today, but we discover this unique piece of local stained glass in the Visitor's Center as we wait for the return of our ride back to the Spit.