July 20-24 Moving on to Valdez

July 20 Update - Gary went fishing while I was writing the previous blog. I decided to take the girls for a walk and we went to see how he was doing.  When I arrived this is what I saw.



Our truck had been redecorated.

We looked on the windshield and didn't find a note. Then we started asking people around if they saw anything.  Somewhat discouraged we went to get in the truck and Gary found a note on the driver's door.  He called the number and the man was very nice. He called his insurance agent (State Farm) who then called us so we're all set to get it fixed when we get home.  Thank goodness he didn't hit it in an area that would have impeded our travel.

That night Gary went fishing again and caught about 20 salmon and got 7 up to the shore.  He had a great time.  He gave one fish away and released the rest.  We have no more room in our freezer.

July 21 - This morning we got up and took the girls to the groomer at 8:00 am. From standing in the river and flipping the line I somehow did something to my right hip. I could barely walk.  I decided I couldn't go any farther without seeing a chiropractor.  Luckily we found one who could see me in half an hour so we waited.  An hour later I had had an adjustment and we were again on our way.  I could at least walk but I was pretty sore.  (July 24 - I'm still sore but now I can walk and lean over and except for muscle soreness I'm almost back to normal.) 

We picked up the girls and by noon we were on our way to Valdez. 



My beautiful girls. Gracie already lost her kerchief.

Jane and Roger had left the day before and made the drive in one day.  



Along the way, near Girdwood, we stopped at a Wildlife Refuge where they keep animals who have been orphaned or otherwise unable to live in the wild by themselves. They rehab them and return them to wild when they are able.

Moose

Musk Ox

They're pretty big when they're up close.



They are trying to reestablish wood bison herds.

By 4:30 we were in Palmer and registered at the Homestead RV where we had stayed before. This is a really nice campground and has two couples from near Monument as camp hosts.

July 22 - We left Palmer headed for Glennallen and then Valdez. This is the Glenn Highway and of course has beautiful scenery but the road was pretty bumpy.

 



Gary said the tire we'd been having trouble with felt funny so we stopped and sure enough it had a slow leak. There's not much for towns between Palmer and Glennallen so every 50 miles or so we had to stop to add air. We made a few phones calls to see if there was a tire store in Glennallen but found there was a filling station who had some. Thank goodness they had a few truck tires. After fixing the tire it still wouldn't hold air so out came the spare which they said was good enough to put on and then we bought another tire for a spare. All this took about 2 1/2 hours. It was now 3:30 and Valdez was still 110 miles away.

We're usually settled by 3:30 or 4:00 so this day was seeming to go on and on. About 50 miles from Valdez the scenery became gorgeous. Some of the mountains were very rugged.



Worthington Glacier - the bottom reaches almost to the parking lot.



Thompson Pass, the snowiest place in Alaska, is just around the corner to the south. In the exceptional winter of 1952-53, the pass got 974 inches -- 81 feet -- of snow from storms blowing off Prince William Sound.





Bridal Veil Falls

We finally arrived at the Bayside Campground where Jane and Roger were camped.  Shortly after we arrived they returned from a drive and we went out to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.  It wasn't The Rio but it was alright. 

July 23 - This morning we slept in, then decided on a drive to look around.  We drove to the sight of  Old Valdez.  Old town Valdez was pretty much wiped out by the 1964 Earthquake that devastated Anchorage and Seward. As a result the town was moved four miles west.

We then drove around the bay.  The tide was out but people were out fishing for pink salmon.  We stopped to see the weir at the fish hatchery. 

The Weir



Fish in the hatchery

These fish were born at this hatchery and are now returning to spawn.  They will strip the eggs from the females and fertilize them.  Then those fish will return next year and the process goes on.  This is one way they assure that the fish population remains stable.

One guy told me that last year a sow and her 3 cubs came most evenings to get fish. 

There is a dam across the road and up in the hills.  This sign would flash red and emit a warning if the dam should be breached.

 Valdez is surrounded by 7 glaciers.  It really is a gorgeous setting but there isn't much to do here besides fish, hike and tour the Prince William Sound.  Yesterday afternoon we went to a local store where they showed videos of  the Alaska pipeline, which begins at Prudhoe Bay and terminates here, and the 1964 Earthquake.

July 24 - Today it is in the 40s and rainy - the first day we've had like this for a long time.

 

From our camper door.

Jane and Roger are on a 9 hour Prince William Sound cruise.  I hope they were able to see all they had hoped.  We're taking the same cruise tomorrow and I think the weather is supposed to be similar.  We're baby sitting their dogs and then they'll return the favor. Gary has been smoking salmon.  It is sooooo good.  After while we're going to drive around the bay to see if the sea lions and seals are close enough to see.