Hey, what happened to February?? Good thing it was a short month! Thanks to those who emailed me to say they didn’t get my February blog and asked if I was OK. What can I say? Life happens!
So, here we are at the beginning of a busy, new month. March brings the promise of Spring, St. Patrick’s Day, International Women’s Day, the start of Daylight Saving Time and a whole bunch of special and wacky “holidays” — National Crayon Day, World Poetry Day, Awkward Moments Day….Who comes up with these??
I love Spring, the season of renewal. Our perspective seems to change as we leave the darkness of winter and enjoy longer days and notice trees and flowers coming to life. While I was in Alaska for two weeks in February where it was cold and snowy (and beautiful!), I thought about how different the city looked in the summer when I typically visit Anchorage. My friend commented how much more people appreciate the short Alaska summer after living with months of cold, snow and dark days. How true! I have been spending the winter months in the desert southwest where we have sunny, warm days. I always said I didn’t miss the freezing temperatures and piles of snow, but, you know, for a couple of weeks I really enjoyed it! A winter trip to Alaska may become an annual event!
While I was in Alaska I visited with friends, saw lots of moose and attended my very first Fur Rondy winter festival. Wacky winter events take place across the city and I had so much fun watching the sled dog races, snowshoe softball, fireworks show, outhouse races, blanket toss and the snow sculpting contest. If you’ve never been to Alaska in the winter, I highly recommend it!
March is shaping up to be another busy month. I have a few hikes planned, some volunteer work, a couple of road trips. And taking care of my mom who has been through quite a bit over the past weeks and requires a bit of extra help.
“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.”
Summer in Alaska. There’s nothing quite like it. Alaska was my home away from home for three summers. I had so many wonderful adventures with my new friends while living in Anchorage and working in the cruise industry. If you have never been to Alaska, GO! Spectacular scenery greets you at every turn; you never know where you’ll see wildlife; and the sun never sets!
From glaciers to mountains to wildlife, Anchorage is the gateway to adventure. My May trip to Alaska was definitely an adventure!
After settling in to my temporary home, I immediately headed south on the scenic Seward Highway. This is my favorite drive. The 127-mile highway from Anchorage to Seward is designated as USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, Alaska Scenic Byway, and All-American Road. At Beluga Point I didn’t see any whales but I did catch the train go by.
I love to ride the train and spent two summers working on the rail. So, of course, I had to find a way to get on the train. Since I knew people in the rail division, I made a phone call and found myself northbound to Talkeetna the very next day.
The historic village of Talkeetna is another of my favorite places to visit in Alaska. The panoramic views of the Alaska Range are stunning. Talkeetna is the gateway to North America’s tallest peak, Denali. Mountain climbers from across the globe begin their expeditions at the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Center. It’s worth a visit to the Ranger Center where you’ll learn how many climbers are currently on the mountain, view photo exhibits, find flags representing countries of the climbers, and they have clean restrooms! Funky little Talkeetna is home to about 1,055 permanent residents, there are no stoplights, historic buildings line Main Street where you’ll find great food, locally brewed beer and the perfect souvenir. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the mayor wandering through town…keep your eye out for the fluffy cat with the GPS tracker on his collar. That’s Mayor Denali.
Another favorite drive is through the scenic and secluded Knik River Valley. First stop is a recreation area with fishing and trails. But the most interesting and fun thing for me is to explore the car junkyard along the water’s edge. Some say the cars were left there to help with erosion, others say it was an easy spot to abandon an old car. Whatever the reason, it’s an interesting place to take photos amid the rusty cars that are upside down, sideways, missing doors and windows, and have trees growing through them.
Literally at the end of the road is the Knik River Lodge. As we ventured out on the restaurant’s deck we heard the unmistakable sound of an incoming helicopter. I’ve never taken a helicopter tour but it’s on my bucket list. From this lodge, tours will take you over lakes and glaciers, or even heli-hiking! As we enjoyed our delicious appetizers on the deck, more helicopters whisked guests away. A spectacular, but noisy, sight!
There’s so much to see and experience in our 49th state. After two years of Covid and closures and cancellations, Alaska is open for business. People and businesses are still taking precautions, wearing masks and sanitizing everything but things felt close to normal. Whatever your plans are this summer, be safe out there. Airports and airplanes are packed with travelers.
A huge thanks to Bridget, Kerry, Jan, Ronda, Gary, Mary Ann, Ruth, Cindy and Marco for helping me have a memorable Alaska vacation.
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my favorite photo of the day.
“To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world.” – John Muir
A few of my favorite photos….
Original photos are the property of Wander Bee Photography and may not be reproduced without permission.
turnagain armamazing viewsI hear the train a’comin’car junkyardcars along the knik rivermy new carhelicopter landingoff they gobird in the skyiconic welcome signhello mr. mayortime for lunchmooseanother moosemoose are everywhere
Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer. The cruise season in Alaska wraps up in mid September which means my job will end soon.
And what a summer season it has been! I enjoyed my job, my coworkers were fantastic and I look forward to returning next summer. I saw bald eagles, moose, bears, Dall sheep, Stellar sea lions, Beluga whales, Trumpeter swans, even a wayward scorpion (no idea how it got to Alaska!). Seeing Denali and the spectacular Alaska Range is always awe-inspiring. Nothing says summer like gorgeous, colorful, huge flowers and Alaska does flowers like nowhere else. I discovered I actually like beer (especially after a hike) and have a new favorite brewery. To capture all these memories I took over 1,000 photos! I’ll post a few of my favorites here. If you haven’t already you can see more on my Facebook page (Wander Bee Photography) and Instagram (@wanderbee60). Please follow me!
Alaska had record-high temperatures which made for several very dry and hot weeks, great for hiking and exploring my favorite places. Sadly the same dry and hot weather brought many fires to the state, burning over two million acres. Approximately 236 fires are still actively destroying Alaskan forests. In Anchorage we have had smokey skies with unhealthy air quality and low visibility. As I write this I cannot see the mountains that we typically enjoy seeing from the backyard. But we have had some rain so hopefully that will help.
As my time in Alaska finishes up I want to give a huge and heartfelt thank you to Kerry for once again sharing her home with me. Kerry and her dog, Kai, are always up for an adventure and we had several. To my new coworkers, you inspired me everyday with your energy, support and zest for cruising. I’m so lucky to be able to leave home for a few months to play and travel– I mean, um, work–in the 49th state.
And to you, my friends and family, if you are interested in visiting Alaska next year or would like to take a cruise anywhere in the world, please reach out to me. I know people who can help!
With every ending comes a new beginning. The coming months will bring new travels and exciting new changes for me. Stay tuned!
As we celebrate Labor Day with cookouts, friends, and sales galore, remember to pay tribute to those who contribute to our nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership.
It’s summer in Alaska! We’ve been waiting for summer weather and the past few days have been fantastic. Trust me when I say that sun and 65 degrees counts as a great summer day. While that may seem chilly to my friends in Arizona and New Mexico, when temps climb to between 65 and 70 in Alaska, it’s HOT! With about 19 hours of daylight the sun has lots of time to heat things up.
Today we decided to take advantage of the lovely day by walking part of the Powerline Pass Trail in the Chugach State Park, just east of Anchorage. Even though clouds were hovering over the Chugach Mountains the parking lot was packed we met several hikers, walkers, runners, bikers and dogs along the dirt service road known as the Powerline Trail. And yes, you can see powerline wires stretching clear to Anchorage but they don’t distract from the rugged mountain beauty all around.
The best thing we saw was before we parked the car. I questioned aloud why the car ahead of us stopped and there were people in the road. That’s what happens when a huge moose is spotted in a field. Of course we also stopped to photograph this amazing creature.
Whatever you do this summer, get out there and soak up some vitamin D in a state, local or national park. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
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