Saturday July 9th 2022
Most travelers stop and take a selfie at the Alaskan border.
We passed so many lakes on our journey to Valdez.
We had this campground to ourselves. It was very peaceful.
Lying on a bed of yellow daisies is lovely. I am enjoying being on top of the daisies instead of pushing them up for the time being.
It was mostly cloudy and cold in Valdez so the sea kayaks were not getting much use.
The dock was always busy after the fishing boats came in.
Seagulls were enjoying all the scrap fish and then the big guys arrived. Mom cleared the deck and stood stood guard while……..
Junior had a good nosh.
We had one nice day so we hit the trails at Thompson Pass, just a few miles up the road from Valdez. There was a smidgen of snow to hike through.
There were still a few mini icebergs left in this lake.
I was feeling on top of the world!
We even managed to play a little Pickleball on the local tennis court.
Anchorage is a good place to refuel and resupply.
It was time to try a Yakburger.
It looked better than it tasted but everyone liked the beer! (cider for Rose of course)
Our week in Seward was lots of fun. People taking day fishing charters were bringing in huge Halibut. The one in the middle was over 100 pounds. That’s a lot of fish and chips.
Barges were being loaded up with a bit of everything.
July 4th is a big deal in Seward as they have the famed Mount Marathon race.
It’s claim to fame is being the toughest 5 kilometer race on the planet. There is a 3000 foot elevation gain and a lot of that is on slippery scree.
We cheered and clapped as Max King from Bend, Oregon won the mens race. He clocked in at just over 43 minutes and claimed the record as the oldest (42 years) guy to win the race. That guy has a serious six pack.
Cruise ships came into Seward most days and we had a great view from our front windows of them coming and going.
Our last day was nice and sunny so it was time to take on the burly hike up to the Harding Ice Field in Kenai Fjords National Park. Since it was a 10 mile trip with 3500 foot elevation gain we took our handy water filter to save lugging too much water.
There is nothing more refreshing than drinking crystal clear icy glacier water! We topped up several times.
The Harding Ice Field is shrinking every year but it still looked nice and chunky to us.
We had to stop for a little rest and cool down.
There was quite a bit of snow to hike through.
The views were spectacular when we finally reached the top. The hike was definitely worth the achy legs we all had for the next couple of days.
The firework display didn’t start until after midnight and even then it was very light. There were so many people on the beach front enjoying the show. It was fun to watch families with little kids. All the fire pits were getting some good use and kids were toasting marshmallows and riding bikes all about which seems so strange in the middle of the night.
Our trip continues.
THE BUS STOPS HERE 
Looks like a fabulous trip, so fun following you guys through your pictures. Thanks for sharing 🎉🥰
Donna &Tom
We are having a great time with our friends. Hope your summer is going well.
What an epic trip!! Keep the updates coming!!
It sure is an adventure.
Looks like another wonderful adventure! Always a treat to read and see all the great pictures!
We are really enjoying our journey.
Wow! You all look younger every day! Are you sure your not photo shopping? Keep the travels coming we sure enjoy your photos Rose. We enjoy all the trips without leaving the farm! Hope to see you soon. M&M
I try to avoid closeup pics. We all look better from a distance.
Wow..that was fun traveling with you. Rose you’re funny with your daisy comment. Did you folks attend the Trump rally in Anchorage? You know just checking..ha ha!
The only rally we attend is the weather report. We are always hoping for a nice sunny day.
What a beautiful and wonderful looking trip. Enjoy!
We are having fun especially when it’s not raining.
Cannot wait for the 2nd part of your trip. Have a fabulous time all, lots of love Gina & Erix
We are keeping our fingers crossed about the wildfires in the northern part of the state. They need the rain there not down where we are.
Looks like a fabulous trip and very nice photos. I especially liked your top of the world, that was impressive. You four make a good group, those look like genuine smiles. Thanks for posting, Gus
We are having a great time. Hope your summer is progressing nicely.
I love reading about your travels. I savor each email, study the photos and live vicariously through you because I will never get to 99% of these great places you visit. I loved reading about your Alaska adventure.
We are having great time exploring. The price of fuel has not stopped many travelers and we are seeing plenty of Florida license plates on our travels around Alaska.
Love you’re posts Rose 🌹 So fun!
Cindy McGrath
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We sure are having a good time with Leslie and Stuart. Weather not good but we are making the most of it.