I want to see a MOOSE!

My family came into town at the beginning of July (I know, we are way behind). They landed on my birthday and took us to Simon & Seaforts for dinner! While I finished up my work week, Rebekah took them around to Thunderbird Falls, Shopping on 4th Avenue, the Anchorage Museum, and Potter's Marsh to see the Arctic Terns (part of #86) my dad had read about.

We would spend the next 9 days traveling around the state doing everything from glacial trekking to halibut fishing.

Early Saturday morning we got up to drive the Richardson Highway north to Fairbanks. While the weather wasn't great (it was raining), it cleared up long enough for us to stop at the Matanuska Glacier.


For those that don't remember from a very early blog, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States and Rebekah and I had visited it on one of our first trips around the state. The access is privately controlled, so you have to pay an entrance fee. But, you can actually hike out onto the glacier which is a very interesting experience.

Last time we had just walked a short way onto the glacier, but this time we were more adventurous (after hearing stories from friends) and hiked down to a cool glacial lake on top of the glacier itself.


The lake sat at the face of a cliff of ice around 100 feet tall.

When we left the glacier we continued driving the Richardson Highway viewing the Trans Alaska Pipeline along the way. However, the beautiful scenery, pipeline, and walking on a glacier apparently wasn't enough. Everyone kept saying that they wanted to see a moose, why wasn't there a moose, where are all the moose?

So, after looking and looking I finally found a moose drinking in a small pond just off the road. I thought this would end it there, but soon found out that this moose wasn't good enough as it didn't have a big enough rack (apparently my family has gotten shallow since I left).


Almost 12 hours after we left that morning we made it to North Pole, Alaska and the Santa Claus House. We looked around the gift shop and of course took a picture with Santa!

Next, we finished the final 10 miles to Fairbanks and immediately headed to our favorite restaurant this far north, the Silver Gulch.

The longest driving day of the trip was complete, so we headed to the Sophie Station Hotel for a restful night's sleep!


Steven

Moose Poop Jewelry

We have had such a busy weekend! Yesterday we started our day by going to Earthquake Park (#9), here in Anchorage. It was really nice to walk around outside and learn about the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964. There was lots of information to read about. The earthquake was a 9.2 on the Richter scale and it was very destructive, making it one of the most powerful of all time. Where the park is now, there used to be houses, but then they fell off of the cliff into the ocean. It only took us about 15 minutes to walk through the whole exhibit and the mosquitoes were very bad! After we left we promptly went and bought some bug spray. Here is one picture of Earthquake Park:
Overall, not too exciting but we did find out where the parking lot is for the Coastal Trail, which of course follows the coastline! We are planning to either walk part of it or bike it...it is very long: 11 miles!

After this stop, we went on to Thunderbird Falls in Eklutna, Alaska (#33). It is just outside of Anchorage, so a short drive. The hike is only 1-mile there and 1-mile back and it was pretty easy. Of course, I complained when there were up-hill parts, but Steven just told me to keep going! There were lots of people there hiking the trail as well, with their dogs too! The view from the upper observation deck was not the greatest so Steven walked down to the river to get a better shot...
We also saw a very hole-y tree: we could even fit inside! Random tidbit of knowledge: some Alaskans collect moose droppings and varnish them. Then they make jewelry and Christmas ornaments out of them...Guess what you will be receiving for the holidays this year??? :) (just kidding, that's so gross!)



















Rebekah