Travel Day to Anchorage--July 10

This morning was cloudy and rainy real soon after we left the park. There was lots of fog in the mountains. Saw no animals the entire trip to Anchorage.

The first stop we made was to see a huge building in the shape of an igloo that at one time had been a new trading post/gift shop/cafe. I just took a picture but Bob decided to investigate. He took a flashlight and went in for just a few minutes--nothing much. We passed over Hurricane Gulch Bridge, it was long and it was very deep--great sight. The next stop was also a napping spot but while the boys napped Dee and I went to see the Alaska Veterans Memorial to all the branches of the service and the POW-MIA's and also to the crew of a C-47 that crashed in the mountains years ago. Because the Aleutian Islands were invaded by the Japanese the armed forces became more involved up here and they engaged the native Alaskans to help watch and lead them because they knew the area so well. It was acknowledging their help as well. Very nice memorial.

We then went on to a little town called Talkeetna which it is said that it was the town portrayed by the TV show "Northern Exposure". Most of the town is on the National Historic Register. The road leads into there and stops--you go out the same way you came into town. We met its elected mayor who is a yellow stub tailed cat named "Stubbs". It is also the point at which many climbers come to secure a plane to fly up to 7000' on Mt. McKinley to begin their accent--20,320' high total.

We then started trucking onto Anchorage but we went thru Sarah Palin's stomping grounds of Wasilla. We went on to the campground. They had a cook out for everyone in the park and live music. One of our group, Ira Miller used to play with a country/western band for years (bass) and they let him play quite a few numbers with them so we all went over and listened. He's very good. After that it was bed for me.