PART ONE OF TWO - HOMER
(Read PART TWO HERE)
We are quite fortunate that Steve works for a company who has their shifts set up so that he gets a week off every month. We take full advantage of that week off in the summer months, when we dust off the camper and visit other parts of Alaska. We are lucky to have a great house sitter, and because we have a camper, we’re able to take our furkids with us. I love traveling with my pets.
Steve and I left last Tuesday morning for Palmer - our usual layover when we’re traveling to points south. The drive is only about 6 hours, even towing the camper. The roads were relatively empty. It seemed to us that tourism is down for Alaska - especially in regards to RVers. The price of gas may have caused many folks to re-think their plans to drive to AK, especially if towing or driving an RV. We only get 200 miles to the tank, and a tank costs us more than $100. Needless to say, fuel is pretty much our biggest expense when traveling.
(I’ve implemented a new way of viewing my photos when posted in thumbnail size. When you click on them, they will open in another window as they always have, but now you’ll be able to scroll through each set using the arrow keys on your computer, or the arrows that will appear if you hover over the right or left side of the photo. When you get to the last photo in a set, you will need to click the *X* to close the set. Each grouping is its own set and will open when you click on the first image.)
We stayed at Homestead RV Park in Palmer, and had a fun time meeting up with our friends Joe and Shan later that evening. I miss Shan now that she’s moved to Palmer from Fairbanks. We were great hang-out buddies when she still lived in Fairbanks. But after meeting Joe, who lives in Palmer, love bloomed, and off she went - to be with her guy. I don’t blame her, but I sure do miss her. It was great seeing her again.
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WARNING: VERY PHOTO HEAVY!
I finally have time to blog about our trip to Madison. I have been feeling quite overwhelmed with all that has to be done before Christmas. While I wouldn’t trade our week with the kids for anything, it has definitely put me behind with getting cards and packages sent off. I wish this time of year wasn’t so stressful. I know I bring it upon myself, because I tend to be a procrastinator when the holidays come. The lack of light doesn’t help to keep me motivated either. Thank goodness December 21st and winter solstice is only days away. I look forward to longer days coming back.
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What a thrill for me to see the boys and Becky again! Even more so that Steve was able to visit with me. We had our first dinner at Olive Garden, and Steve and I savored every bit of our meal. Sure, Olive Garden is just a chain restaurant, but since we don’t have one in AK, it’s one of our pleasures when visiting the Lower 48. You can’t beat the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks. When the check came for the six of us (we invited their friend Colin to join us, as he picked us up at the bus station), it was less than what Steve and I would pay for dinner here in Fairbanks. I can’t believe how much less expensive it is to eat Outside. Or should I say I can’t believe how much we have to pay to dine out here in Fairbanks.
We went to bed early as jet lag and a lack of sleep on our overnight flight wore us both out. The next morning (Thursday) Chris, Becky and I decided to go for a drive. I’m not sure where we went exactly. With their cellphone GPS, they didn’t worry about getting lost, and the weather was sunny and gorgeous, although a bit chilly.
I love the barns and farms in the countryside around Madison. WI is a beautiful state, with rolling hills, acres of fields and pastures, and brightly colored barns and silos dotting the landscape. Hard to believe that a big city like Madison can be surrounded by all this open space. It reminds me a little of AK, in that you only have to drive a few miles in any direction to find yourself on country roads, with sweeping views of the rolling landscape.
This barn is just one of many that caught my eye:
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***WARNING: PHOTO HEAVY***
Steve and I spent a week in Valdez from the 12th to the 18th. We were in Valdez when we received the sad news about Sean. When I think back to that trip, it feels a little surreal. I believe the heavens were mourning with us, as sunshine and blue skies became overcast. When the rain began to fall, it seemed to time itself to my tears.
At one point, my thoughts turned to memories of another trip to Valdez: September, 2006. We were there when the news came that my mother had passed. I remembered that I was walking the Dock Point Trail with Sedona at about the same moment my mother left this world. It’s a beautiful walk and a great place to find peace and the opportunity for introspection.
So I leashed up Sedona and we took that walk again… alone. And I did a lot of thinking about Sean, and my mom, and sadness, and family. But at the same time I couldn’t help but notice the immense beauty around me. Mountains, and glaciers. Lushness. Blue skies. Mist and fog. What a juxtaposition of emotions. How is it possible to feel immense sorrow, and then joy, within seconds of each other?
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FAIRBANKS - VALDEZ
These photos were taken along the way, mostly shooting out the windshield:
Horsetail Falls, Keystone Canyon outside of Valdez:
