2010 Alaska

August 24 to September 4, 2010 - Alaska Vacation

Here is a blog of our trip to Alaska - (Note the blog is a work in progress)

Kathy and I went on our 7th anniversary trip to Alaska.

I left a day early to spend some time at the Fort Worth Zoo to allow me time to study their new Herpetology Building. This was a great help in determining best practices for the new Knoxville Zoo Herp Building. When I arrived at the airport I didn't have reservatsion for a car or a hotel (all sold out). I played the sad me card and I was given a small car. I spent 4 hours on Tuesday viewing the guest areas around the zoo especially around the Herp building. After taking many picture I looked for a hotel. I found a discount coupon book and proceeded to go to a brand new "Holiday Inn Express" on Lancaster Drive. The place was so new it was a delight. A front desk lady told me about a great Hispanic restaurant "La Familia" on Foch Street. The food was all fresh ingredients and I had "Al's Cactus Bean Soup" (4.5 stars) and "Chile Relleno" with cactus and other unknown items (5 stars). It was the best Hispanic restaurant I have ever been to in my life. The next day, I spent 2 hours meeting with John Cast (one of the head people with the Fort Worth Herpetology Department). We had a great tour going thru the guest area openings and the behind the scenes keeper access areas. It was truely helpful in my efforts to design the Knoxville Zoo Herp building.

Wednesday afternoon, I met Kathy at the DFW airport to wait for our flight to Anchorage, AK. The flight left around 3pm and arrived around 7pm (with 3 hour time change).

Wed 8/25 Arrive around 7pm - get Payless Rental car (small SUV). Stayed at Hilton Garden Inn-Anchorage, 4555 Union Square Drive, Anchorage, AK 99503-7245, (907) 729-7000 - nice new building (price great due to using points - free). Ate at KFG (too tired to find any other place)

Thur 8/26 Ate breakfast at Gwennies Old Alaska Restaurant, 4333 Spenard Road, Anchorage, AK 99517-2900, (907) 243-2090 - great food, large portions, medium high prices.
Drive around looking for RV available for rent (none available until Friday pickup)
Ate dinner at Phyllis's Cafe & Salmon Bake, 436 D St, Anchorage, AK 99501-2326, (907) 274-6576 - Horrible food and lousy service.
Saw my 2nd owned home, do not see 1st owned home (torn down for newer building)
Stay at SpringHill Suites Anchorage University Lake, 4050 University Lake Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, (907) 751-6300 - nice new building (price great due to using points - free)
Fri 8/27 Go to library for books and Audio CD's, get RedBox DVD's
Pickup RV (orientation a little less than needed - will figure it out)
Pick up food and trip items at Wal-Mart
Drive down Seward Highway to Seward
Camp at City of Seward Waterfront Park (campground and RV park) - great price & view
Sat 8/28 Drive to Kenai
Camp at Beluga Lookout RV Park (originally right on cliff, but moved back due to sea sickness from constant high winds rocking RV)
Ate at Louie's Steak & Seafood, 47 Spur View Dr., Kenai, AK 907 283-3660 - Great food and service, unique decorations, prices slightly high.
Sun 8/29 Drive to Russian River and walked 1 mile down to confluence of Russian and Kenai Rivers where I used to fish. Much change in river since I was there.
Drive to Whittier for ferry ride on Alaska Marine Highway System - didn't make it thru the train tunnel due to 1-one traffic each hour. Turned around and headed out.
Drive to Alyeska Ski Resort to check out old ski slope.
Drive to Talkeetna
Camp at Talkeetna Camper Park, PO Box 221, Talkeetna, AK 99676, 907.733.2693 - good price, changers $3 for shower
Ate at Latitude 62deg Motel-Restaurant-Lounge - P.O. Box 478 Talkeetna, AK 99676, (907) 733-2262 - Good food and reasonable prices
Mon 8/30 Get bakery items from "The Roadhouse" 13550 E Main St, Talkeetna, AK 99676, (907) 733-1351 - Some were great, others not so much
Drive to Denali National Park, Nenana and Fairbanks
Ate at Harley's Diner, 2698 Hurst Road, North Pole, AK 99705 , (907) 490-2883 - Large portions, great burgers, ok price
Camp at Riverview RV Park, 1316 Badger Road, North Pole, AK 99705-5052, (907) 488-6392 - ok
Tue 9/1 Drive around Fairbanks, thru Delta Junction to Glenn Allen, then to Copper Center
Ate at Caribou Cafe, 187 Alaska 1, Glennallen, AK 99588, (907) 822-4222 - okay food, medium high prices
Drive around Copper Center looking for directions to Gary L. Ginn house. Stopped at a store on Old Richardson Highway and a clerk told me Gary still lived in the same house for the last 30 years. I knew he wasn't there, but living with Tamara, but people are closed mouth with outsiders.
I saw Gary's old house that he is trying to convert into a 18" thick stone wall (and possible stack tire walls). There is a whole lot of work left to do. Gary...I have health issues...so working with you is out of the question, but supervising would be okay.
Camped at Tonsina River Lodge and RV Park, 79 Mile Richardson Hwy, Copper Center, AK 99573, (907) 822-3000 - Cheap, $5 for shower, nice people at the bar
Wed 9/2 Drive to GlennAllen, then to Tazlina (where we had Blueberry Pie and had Hot Chocolates), then to Glacier Park. Stopped at Glacier Park Road (private road with $20/person fee), where we drove near the glacier, parked, then walked +1 miles out onto the glacier). Kathy a little scared, but we made there and back.
Then Drive to Palmer
Stopped along the way to Palmer to pick raspberries.
Camped at Mountain View RV Park, 1405 N Smith Rd, Palmer, AK 99645-8605, (907) 745-5747 - okay price and okay showers
Thru 9/3 Drive to Airport to pickup rental car
Drive to Alaska Travel / Alaska Motorhome Rentals, 150 Ingra Street, Anchorage, AK 99501-2767, (907) 258-7109 - okay prices - office staff not very friendly
Drive rental car to Hatcher Pass, walked around old mine site. Picked small, slightly bitter blueberries.
Drive to Alaska State Fair for an evening of fun and drinks.
Drive to Anchorage
Stay at Spring Hill Suites for 2 nights mostly relaxing.
Flight home was at 8pm Saturday from Anchorage to Dallas/Ft. Worth (arrived 5am)
Flight from Dallaw/Ft. Worth at 8am and arrived home at 10am
Spent 2 days recovering from the time change and long trip

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