On monday I roamed around in town in the morning (like mooses do, leaving their droppings all over -no hunting and no wolves there, too bad they are not good crossing the streets yet) In the afternoon Dave and I went for a hike up the mountains next to Anchorage. The snow was so soft and fresh, we would sink all the way to our knee as we were climbing up the mountain, but, to use the good perspective rule that is very fashionable these days, I had a chance to use my new ice gribber (mainly, ice gribber : shoe = snow chain : car tires). The view from the top was scepctacular, so as the sunset, pass Anchorage, on the other side of the inlet. 
Tuesday I decided to drive south again and this time reach Prince William Sound. Since i left late, I drove, passing through a very rustic tunnel, to Whittier, that is much closer than Seward.
Tuesday I decided to drive south again and this time reach Prince William Sound. Since i left late, I drove, passing through a very rustic tunnel, to Whittier, that is much closer than Seward.
(the entrance of the one line, all uses (cars and train) tunnel)
Coming out from the tunnel I understood way they say "Whittier, the shiettier". The village (about 500 souls) is made up of 2 buildings, of which one is falling down, and another (the Hidge bldg) that hosts 80% of the residents (see picture beneath). It looked even more uninhabitated that you would expect. I saw only 8 persons in the all morning, the cars where covered by at least one meter of snow, and the entrance of other building like restraurants where totally covered by snow. It is definitly a summer town...
I was very dissappointed as all cruises were closed (i was hoping to be able to go on a whale wacthing cruise), and the weather was so bad that i could barely see the sea, and mainly, there was nothing there interesting. Luckly I decided to stop at the local museum, and there i learned the fashinating story of Whittier, that explains its.. rustic look. It was built in 1943 during the WWII with the purpose of fuel and supply Alaska, being a ice-free well defensable inlet. The big buildings were meant to host military and their family. There you go, i was in just visiting a piece of (semi-living) history.
The afternoon/evening was dedicated to my Alaskan favorite activity: mushing! This time Karin gave me my own sled and my own dog team, and i followed her into the wood. Only 4 dogs, you may think, but they were pulling like horses and I had to slow them down so often not to overtake Karin's sled! And this time all went just perfectly, no tipping, no mooses... just perfect!
I was very dissappointed as all cruises were closed (i was hoping to be able to go on a whale wacthing cruise), and the weather was so bad that i could barely see the sea, and mainly, there was nothing there interesting. Luckly I decided to stop at the local museum, and there i learned the fashinating story of Whittier, that explains its.. rustic look. It was built in 1943 during the WWII with the purpose of fuel and supply Alaska, being a ice-free well defensable inlet. The big buildings were meant to host military and their family. There you go, i was in just visiting a piece of (semi-living) history.
The afternoon/evening was dedicated to my Alaskan favorite activity: mushing! This time Karin gave me my own sled and my own dog team, and i followed her into the wood. Only 4 dogs, you may think, but they were pulling like horses and I had to slow them down so often not to overtake Karin's sled! And this time all went just perfectly, no tipping, no mooses... just perfect!
Karin's website: http://blueonblackdogs.com/index.html (I am in her News too! :)) (thanks Karin again! what a present! and thanks Varan too for taking the picture!!!)
Wednesday,.. my last day in Alaska... I drove downtown, it snowed the all night again. After I had to pass a red traffic light because i just could not stop my rental car, and after seing the back od my car a couple of time on my side (rather than behind me as it is supposed to be), i decided it was not a day to go around driving. So I parked downtown and decided to go shopping a bit, but there was just one though i could not ignore... snow... lots of snow.. fresh soft snow... just perfect for snowboarding. At 12:00 that voice was just driving me crazy, so I finally did decided to drive all the way to Aleyska for half a day of pure snowboarding. I do not need to be in the airport until 9:00pm anyway, and getting tired before the flight will help me to sleep!
(a statue for Balto downtown Anchorage. This is where the Iditarod stars)
Snowboarding was great! After the storm finished, i could even have a great view of the turnagain inlet from the top of the mountain. The runs were just like I imagined them, just perfect. I snowboarded until my body could not stand up anymore and I realized I still had to eat something in the day. No breakfast and no lunch yet. It was about 4.00. After a nice salmon soup served inside a crusty bread loaf, I was ready for some more fast runs... Dinner with and same friends, and then, there you go, to the airport toward a new adventure, toward the place I spent 4 years of my life, toward people that I consider part of my family: Corvallis, Oregon, I am coming home to you!!!
Wednesday,.. my last day in Alaska... I drove downtown, it snowed the all night again. After I had to pass a red traffic light because i just could not stop my rental car, and after seing the back od my car a couple of time on my side (rather than behind me as it is supposed to be), i decided it was not a day to go around driving. So I parked downtown and decided to go shopping a bit, but there was just one though i could not ignore... snow... lots of snow.. fresh soft snow... just perfect for snowboarding. At 12:00 that voice was just driving me crazy, so I finally did decided to drive all the way to Aleyska for half a day of pure snowboarding. I do not need to be in the airport until 9:00pm anyway, and getting tired before the flight will help me to sleep!
(a statue for Balto downtown Anchorage. This is where the Iditarod stars)Snowboarding was great! After the storm finished, i could even have a great view of the turnagain inlet from the top of the mountain. The runs were just like I imagined them, just perfect. I snowboarded until my body could not stand up anymore and I realized I still had to eat something in the day. No breakfast and no lunch yet. It was about 4.00. After a nice salmon soup served inside a crusty bread loaf, I was ready for some more fast runs... Dinner with and same friends, and then, there you go, to the airport toward a new adventure, toward the place I spent 4 years of my life, toward people that I consider part of my family: Corvallis, Oregon, I am coming home to you!!!
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