We're really not too good at this whole journal thing. We've fallen a couple of weeks behind on our personal ones, and never seem to update anyone most of the time. Taking a year off is much busier than one would expect!
We're now in the comfort of Jeff & Tammy Pickett's house in Anchorage. They have been so hospitable putting us up for two nights, and with the heat wave we're having right now, we have to leave tomorrow - anchorage is way too hot!! It's been in the 80's for the past few days - crazy stuff.
Again, lets try an update:
VALDEZ: Arrived with very low expectations of an industrial wasteland, and to our surprise it was stunning. The town is on a narrow bay with enormous snow capped peaks surrounding it. Huge waterfalls coming down from great heights. The town itself is full of RV parks, and not too much else. But they do have a fantastic high school pool - and can you believe a Synchro team (Valdez Synchro Seals - sponsored by the Alyeska pipeline), what more can you ask for! We had a few days to just hang out in the town, and lucked out with timing. We were given tickets to the Annual Valdez Playwright Conference, with special guests Edward Albee (who's afraid of virginia wolf), Terrance McNally (The Full Monty & Ragtime) and a few other famous playwrights. There were also some well known actors there, Chris Noth a.k.a Mr Big (from Sex in the City) made many appearances, and even smiled at me in the parking lot as we crossed paths one evening :)
Included in the price of our tickets (free) was a banquet with live music (from a famous Alaskan native band) after the first night's show, and a free cruise to the Shoup Glacier after the second night. Both were excellent events. Valdez was definitely being kind to the budget!
The other activity in Valdez was fishing. The pink salmon run was in full force, and fish were literally leaping out of the water whenever you looked. Andrew (being the strong provider type) decided to try us with the subsistent lifestyle for a few days.
Below are our photo highlights. We've got some great stories that we've written down, but will put them online later - check back.
Our lovely hosts in Anchorage, Tammy and Jeff:
Driving in our van to Anchorage:
Our last night out with Wiggen in Seward:
Our cute neighbor, Tanner, from the Virgin Islands:
Tammie and Tanner and Chris with Wiggen in Seward:
Poor Mandy with Giardia in the Van:
Andrew's catch in Kodiak ;) :
A sheep dressed in bear's clothing:
Bear viewing in Katmai National Park, at Brooks Falls:
Sunrise in Homer (at 4:30am):
Cooking in Van in Homer:
Wiggen kayaking in Blackstone, only a couple of hundred yards from the glacier:
Sipping on "gin'n'juice" after three hard days of kayaking:
Kayaking at the Blackstone Glacier:
Our first night of camping in Blackstone Bay, with our fridge/chair/iceberg (Note white spots are mosquitos in front of lens):
Crossing Prince William Sound, the Columbia Glacier, a gigantic tidewater glacier and icefield:
False Advertising for our campground in Valdez:
Andrew and Fred fishing for Salmon in Valdez:
Us in Juneau at the Mendenhall Glacier:
