One Man’s Alaska

Ever wonder what the weather is like in Alaska? Well, tomorrow is Veterans Day, November 11, 2008, and it looks like a calm and mild day all the way from Seward up to Prudhoe Bay (Deadhorse). Here are the brief forecasts for each town in mid-Alaska, starting in the mid-south at Seward, and working our way up to the top.

Seward, Alaska

Rain and snow. No snow accumulation. Highs in the 30s. East wind 10 to 25 mph except east 35 to 45 mph through Portage Valley and Turnagain Arm.

Anchorage, Alaska

Cloudy with a chance of rain and snow. Highs in the lower to mid 30s. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph except southeast 30 to 45 mph along Turnagain Arm and higher elevations.

Read the rest of this entry »

These pictures from Seward, Alaska are actually from September 20, 2008, but since I’m feeling really lazy today, and there’s nothing special about the date in relation to these pictures, I’m just going to post them with today’s date.

Look for peace,  look for love, look for good things, look for moose. I can dig that.

Both pictures remind me of Northern Exposure quite a bit.

Read the rest of this entry »

Fog hung around until almost 11 a.m. today, and after that I just walked around downtown Anchorage for a while this morning. Lots of cool sites if you happen to be a first time tourist, or even a seasoned tourist spending his last day in Anchorage this year.

Hmm, let’s start with the fog:

Read the rest of this entry »

Wow, it felt great to be back in Talkeetna again today. For some reason I felt hesitant about going back, but on the road it was like, yeah, this is good, like coming home again. In a way, the whole trip has been like coming home again.

Okay, enough of that mushy, sentimental hogwash stuff — on to the pictures!

Hello Nagleys grocery store:

Read the rest of this entry »

If you happen to be looking for the best sandwiches for lunch (or dinner) in all of Anchorage, Alaska, the Middle Way Cafe is the place to be. Service might be a little slow some days, but the food is worth the wait. And since they moved into their new digs, they have plenty of room if you do have to wait. The coffee is good too.

If you’ve been to the Middle Way Cafe before, fear not, they haven’t moved too far. They’re actually in the same parking lot, off Northern Lights Blvd., just a little ways down from their previous location. The extra new space is fantastic — just what they needed.

Quick follow-up: I came back to the Middle Way Cafe again this morning (Saturday morning) for a cup of coffee and to post several blogs out here (they offer free WiFi access) and I’ve watched the breakfasts roll by. They look fantastic too!

Here are two quick snapshots off the iPhone from today’s trip from Anchorage up to Talkeetna and back again. First, you can see fall is in full bloom up here. Trees are significantly more orange here than they were in Seward and Homer:

Read the rest of this entry »

Time is running out on this trip, and I’m not going to stay at the Hatcher Pass Lodge this week as I had hoped to. However, having driven Hatcher Pass nearly 10 times last summer — and seeing these cabins every time I drove by — I can guarantee that if you ever visit the lodge you’ll see some incredible scenery.

The lodge is in an area near Independence Mine — and unlike Hatcher Pass itself — the road that leads from Wasilla, Alaska up to the lodge is entirely paved, so there’s no problem taking a rental car to get there. And once you’re at the lodge, you’ll be at least half way up the side of a mountain range, and hiking in this area is incredible, and all the scenery, including the river, the mine, and everything in the mountains, is incredible. All that, and you’re also only about 30-40 minutes from Wasilla, home of grocery stores, restaurants, and (yuk) civilization.

Read the rest of this entry »

As I took the long drive out of Homer yesterday, I realized for the fourth time what a beat-down that drive is. The first couple times I thought it was just me, but man, that drive wears me out. So instead of driving on to Talkeetna yesterday as planned, I decided to just take a break and stop here in Anchorage.

I think there are several reasons for the beat-down. First, it’s roughly a four-hour drive, so it’s not something you want to do too often anyway. Second, it’s a two-lane road almost the entire way, and the traffic is heavier on this road than almost any other road I’ve been on in rural Alaska. That’s not to say that’s it’s heavy, but there is always someone else nearby, so the chances of spotting wildlife are remote. Third, though you could easily drive faster in most spots, the speed limit is 55 MPH most of the way.

Read the rest of this entry »

Okay, I’m not a fisherman, but if I ever do start fishing, the first place I’d go is Cooper River in Alaska. Every time I drive past Cooper River (on the way to Homer) I’m impressed by the green water, the small town that’s been built along the sides of the roads, and most importantly all the fishermen either standing in the river or on the banks of the river. For me, it’s pretty amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it.

I guess if you come to Alaska to go fishing and you also want a private, secluded spot, Cooper River might not be the place for you. But if you want an entire community that seems built up for nothing else but to support fishing and the fisherman, Cooper River is your place.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s my brief homage to dogs in Alaska. First, the friendly dog/waiter from the coffee shop in Seward, Alaska:

Read the rest of this entry »