Good morning from Tok, Alaska.  We left Anchorage yesterday for home.  We hope to be back in 14-16 days depending on sites along the way.  This will be my final Blog.  Data coverage in Canada is a NO and we will be traveling through Canada most of the way until NY or NH then coming down into the States.

Our trip has been the most scenic, nice weather, great people, awesome fun and nice places.  Jackie and Bud left Tuesday morning.  We had a wonderful fun filled time with them.  Miss them already.  Homer was sunny and full of great scenic drives along with neat little shops and restaurants, oh and the "Salty Dog" Saloon.  Seward is a neat little town with nice coves, great fishing for Mike, meeting new people and great food along with beautiful ocean scenes.   These two places, along with Denali were made even better because we shared them with Jackie and Bud.  The Memories made on this Journey will last our lifetime for sure.  Alaska is a BIG STATE!  Traveling from one town to another is a journey in itself.  Everywhere you want to go is at least a 1.5 to 2 hr or MORE drive.  The great thing about this is the scenery and the many little out of the way places to stop along the way.  I am posting more photos than normal this time, hopefully the Blog will allow it.

Cannot wait to be home and hug our families!!!!!

Jackie and Bud!!

Homer Spit-6 mile sliver of land, lots of neat places there and views.

Jackie and Bud in Seward!

One big Silver Salmon

5 more Silvers for Mike

Tammy this is for you, the four of us.  Tough to get a together photo.

Beautiful drive on the Glen Allen Hwy.  Fall in Alaska.

Mountains in snow and color.

BEAUTIFUL is all that can be said.

Really nice drive, you have to be there.

Great ribbon from the Glacier on our way through.

Just a great view.

Photos won't post at end of blog.  Oh well, Paula and Dale, almost at the summit.

Mike and I of course, almost at the summit. 

Today we cleaned up around the camper, did our laundry and got ready for Jackie and Bud!!!!!  I spoke with Melissa and the boys.  So nice to hear their voices.  We decided to go downtown and view the Earthquake short movie with real quake movement in your seats as it played.  Funny really.  Then we went to one about the Aurora Borealis!  This one was really informative and awesome views of Alaska like you were in a plane.  The Aurora Borealis was beautiful.  We walked around and looked in the different shops than went to the Hard Rock Cafe for a margarita, which was very good.   Just a nice warm sunny day to walk around Downtown Anchorage.

On Monday we drove to Soldotna to got our hair cut and then drove to Homer.  We went out on the "spit" and drove around. We went into the famous "Salty Dog" bar on the spit.  Had an Alaskan Bear and talked with different people there.  After we drove around Homer a little and then drove back to Anchorage.  The views were nicer than in the morning, which was foggy for most of the drive.  Tuesday was raining and cold.  We did not do very much except bill paying and reading.  Watched a few movies also.

Wednesday we went to the Visitor Center where they had an interesting session on Earthquakes, yes there is a lot of informative things about Earthquakes /Tsunami's here.  It is because they have so many, a lot of them we don't hear about.  So, they have many talks, movies, slide shows etc. on the subject.

Thursday we drove up to Wasilla to see Paula and Dale.  We went fishing, well I did not fish but Mike, Paula and Dale did.  I watched and walked around Willow Creek. Afterwards, they took us to Hatcher Pass.  Wow, a hidden gem that is another scenic and high climbing road.  Yes, high up again we went but so beautiful and there is an old "Mine" there that you can walk around and was very interesting.  Back to their house for dinner, wine and great discussions again.  So much fun, laughter and good food.  We met Josh's girlfriend Lauren, they had been on a hike up a pretty high mountain, I do not remember the name of it.   Anyway, another awesome day with fantastic company.

These are a mountain range we see on the Turnagain Arm drive out of Anchorage towards Homer.

Just a selfie of our new do's, not good but what the heck.

Mike with one of the fish he caught, with his Dad's fly rod, but released.

Driving on the Seward Hwy.  These are the Chigmit Mtn. range.  The big one is Mt. Iliamma.

View of Homer "spit" that is what they call this peninsula out of Homer, with Mtns. in the background.

View of Mounts driving onto the "Spit".

Hatcher Pass, almost at the summit.  That curvy thing is the road up.

View the map to see how far we have gone.

Today is a rain day, cold, damp and fog.  We are cleaning and just doing busy stuff.  We left Valdez on Thurs. the 21st.  It was a beautiful blue sky and sunny morning.  Driving up the 7.5 mile upgrade was not a tough pull with the camper at all.  Went fine and we did see 2 cow moose in the road a little while after.  Photo will be posted.  This time (unlike the overcast day driving into Valdez) we could see the area mountains.  Nice views all along the Glenn Allen Highway.  We had nice views of the Wrangell Mtns.  with Mt. Elias with snow covered peaks.  We saw a gray wolf on the side of the road also.  Arrived at the "Hub" at the turn to Anchorage.  We could not gas up because they had just lost electricity.  We drove a few miles and found another Gas Station with power.  This drive is very scenic.  I have posted only a few of the many photos taken.  We stopped at the Eureka Lodge, built in 1937, the first on the Glenn Highway.  Great food, nice staff and views are spectacular.  We drove a few miles and stopped at "Sheep Mountain" to look for for Dall Sheep.  We saw 4 up high, awesome.  Just down the road towards Palmer we saw the Matanuska Glacier, real nice views.  We also got to see Nelchina Glacier further down the road.  Then we began steep up and down and curved roadway most of the remainder of the drive into Palmer.  Not fun for me but it is loaded with views.  Stopped in Palmer for gas and to pick up a few items before the last drive to Anchorage.   We are in Anchorage until the 31st.

On Friday the 22nd we went to the Alaska State Fair.  OMG alot of people here.  A Fair is a Fair but here they do not have "Fair Fries" or the "Fair Sausages" we are use to at New England State Fairs.  It was a beautiful day and we went into the Farm animal buildings, Peggy Carr, photo of "Icelandic Horses" Beautiful.   We went into the Art/Craft, food etc. buildings.  All were great of course.  We stopped at a store to pick up some wine and assorted cheesecake to bring to Paula's house.  She is Bonnie's (Mike's sister) friend from Wilton.  They have lived in Alaska for I think 10-15 years.  They love it here!  The second we all met it was like being with old friends.  Paula, Dale and Josh were wonderful.  We talked, laughed, drank wine and sat by by the fire.  We had baked Halibut, grilled Caribou steak, salad and peas out of the garden.  Delicious!  

On Saturday the 23rd we drove around Anchorage and did a little shopping for misc. items.  Later we went to McGinley's Pub to watch the Nascar Bristol race because this campground like others in Anchorage do not have cable unless you are seasonal and WiFi is a joke.  Anyway it was a nice Pub and I even had an Alaskan brew.  The dessert was their "Bash" Cheesecake which was so very very awesome.

Tomorrow we are going to drive to Homer and check the RV parks out for when Jackie and Bud are here.  We will stay over night and then on Tuesday we go to Soldotna and see a stylist Tammy knows who's name is Tammy also and get our hair cut and mine colored.  It has been since the last week of June, I think we need it.   Here are some photos:

View of the pipeline on the road from Valdez.

The 2 Cow moose on the Glenn Hwy our of Valdez.

View of the Alaska mountains on Glenn Hwy. to Anchorage.

Nelchina Glacier-close up

Nelchina glacier far.

Mike watching Dell Sheep on Sheep mountain.

Going into downtown Anchorage.

Yes, the ocean in Anchorage.

These are for you Bonnie - Paula's home.

Dale, Josh and Paula

Mike, Dale, Paula and Josh around the fire.

New friends toasting to you Bonnie.

These are Icelandic Horses - this is for you Peggy Carr.

This is MY Alaska State Trooper.

Photo of Entry to the Alaska State Fair

Watched the Bristol race here at McGinley's Pub downtown Anchorage.
Alaskan Brew and their signature "Bash" Cheesecake.  Yummy.

Valdez is a nice, small, harbor town with one road in/out.  The Beauty is tough to capture with a camera, it is a place you need to visit.  Our first day here, Monday, was cloudy and foggy.  We walked around downtown, went to the harbor to watch the charter boots come in.  Then we had dinner at the "The Fat Mermaid" on the harbor.  Good beer and decent food with a nice view.  Tuesday Mike decided to go the the river and fish.  I went along, watched for awhile then went to sit and read my book.  It was a very nice morning with no clouds, blue sky and warm.  We went to Allison's Point where a lot of people go to fish.  Photos will be posted.  No luck but Mike had fun.  The pink salmon are spawning and then dying of course so it does stink.  We decided to take a drive and take photos on this sunny day.  The drive goes along the "only road in/out" and through Keystone Canyon.  There is a 7.5 mile upgrade, with nice views.  There is a hiking trail to a great look out over the canyon and the mountains.  It was a nice hike with a beautiful view.  When we got back to town we toured the Valdez Museum.  Nice history of the town but also a fantastic dedication and history of the Valdez Oil Disaster in 1989.  After the museum we  walked and then drove around Valdez.  Went down different streets, the Harbor etc.  This morning I am doing laundry and updating the blog while I have internet.  Mike is off fishing, I told him he has better luck when I am not there.  Let's see if that holds true.  This afternoon we plan to visit the other museum in town about the 1964 Earthquake.   They have a miniature replica of Old Valdez before the quake.  We will walk to the Harbor after that and enjoy this beautiful weather.  Tomorrow we leave and drive towards Anchorage but we will stop somewhere along the way for the night and continue on to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer.  Here are some photos.

View of the small boat harbor.

Mike fishing at Allison's Point.

View from road to town.

Driving around Valdez, nice views everywhere.

This is from our campground!

Keystone Canyon

This was taken when we arrived, I though it was neat.

Driving to Worthington Glacier.

Worthington Glacier, we hiked up to it.

Mike on our hike to the look out point.

One view on our hike.

I was enjoying the view when Mike had me turn.

This was a great hike to an even greater view.

Worthington Glacier

Enjoying the Alaskan Brew!

Another Glacier on the road to Valdez