7/1/2009 Snookie,Show Us Some More Scenery!

This is my 900th post!

Ask and you shall receive! Since it was a moving day for us I don't have much more anyway.

We had an absolutely beautiful day here today. Sunshine, blue skies, temps even in the high 70's low 80's. At least that's what our trucks temp gauge said.

We pulled out at ten this morning, ready for a relaxing drive. We're going to be spending the next week or so in Seward, Alaska. From all we've heard this is THE place to be if you're going to Alaska. I know I'm hoping I see the boats from the TV show "The Deadliest Catch" come into port while we're here. That would just make this whole trip all that much ....more.

So you want more scenery huh? I can fulfill that request. Look at what we had to enjoy today.

The day started out kind of hazy as we drove south on the Seward Highway. We drove along the shores of the Turnagain Arm.

Look closely in these next pictures, it looks like there is some shiny areas.

That is mud that the sun is shining off of. You can see where there is water and where there isn't.

I thought the water levels were just low but I have since found out that the tide is out. Now the amazing thing is when the tide comes back in, its called a bore tide and its phenomenal! The water will come back into this area at a very fast rate of speed. The waves can be and often are 10 feet high. We're going to check the tidal schedules and see if we can't witness this. If we're lucky enough to catch this, we may even see the harbor seals that will be ride the tide in and the beluga whales that will come into this area after the tide is in and the water is deeper.

You are warned to not get in the mud because you can sink down in it and then the tide comes in so fast.....many people have had to be rescued over the years and many have drowned.

Its hard to believe that this can be covered with water in a short amount of time.

The further south we went the more beautiful it got. Finally, the haze lifted.

We stopped at the Tourist Center for information about the area. While there the Alaska Train came in to pick up passengers.

This came in while I was inside so Bob was taking the pictures. Now ladies, if you leave the camera with your man what are you sure to have a picture of when you return? Yep, you guessed it.

His truck!

Now LaVon, I know I haven't had any pictures of dead tree for you in awhile now. And there's a reason for that my friend. I know that you have a discerning eye and the tree must have character in order for you to really appreciate it. Being in the land of Black Spruce does lend itself to impressive skeletons of trees. This is the best I can do for right now.

Or,,,,if you don't like that one, pick one of these. Work with me here girlfriend, the pickins is slim.

Since we had seen so many snow covered mountains I was a little surprised to see this one that is so green.

Another view.

Do you recall the pictures I posted here over the last few weeks showing an empty road in front of us and me explaining that we had the roads to ourselves? How we long for that again! The traffic here is HORRENDOUS! UNBEARABLE! NERVEWRACKING!

This next picture is shot of Canyon Creek. Hidden by the trees are two creeks that merge together to form this body of water. Back in 1904 there was huge gold rush in this area. Today, its just pretty to look at.

Look at the color of this water!

Truly a turquoise color.

All of a sudden it seemed the blue water was bouncing off the blue in the sky and vice versa.

We finally arrived where we'll be staying for the next four nights. We're paying more than we would like by quite a bit but we waited too long to decide where we were going to be over the 4th and where we wanted to stay was completely booked. Expensive lesson learned!

Our first impression was...."We're paying HOW MUCH for THIS? The place, the outside office area specifically isn't exactly, how do I say this? Neat? Yeah, that's it,,,it isn't neat and orderly like it should be. In fact, it looks like a pig pen. The lady behind the counter is very kind and nice and we get a free breakfast every morning and lots of hot water if we want to use their showers and they even lend you the boxes so you can pick up cable if you don't already have one and need one. They bend over backwards to accommodate your every need, it just isn't "neat".

After we got set up Bob sat outside with our neighbor and learned that we could see the salmon swimming upstream to spawn just a short walk away. So off we went. Sure enough after just a few minutes we could SMELL fish. I'm not kidding, we could smell them. Its just a small, shallow creek that runs through this area but it is FILLED with salmon. We saw only a hundred feet of this creek but it looked like this all the way. Jam packed with salmon. These fish are resting and waiting their turn to jump up the fish ladder which is a short ways up stream. I wonder if they know they are going to die after they mate?

Across the street, for us, is the fish ladder. I'll have more info on that in a day or two. I was just so thrilled to be able to watch the salmon jump the ladder that I didn't think to ask questions of the guy who works there. Now you are going to have to endure the next half dozen pictures or so. Catching pictures of fish jumping in the air is NOT easy! I had to take 56 pictures just to get 6 that had fish in them! Ok, so it took me a while to get the hang of photographing jumping fish. I learned it really helps to put the camera setting on "sports", you can take pictures much faster that way. So suffer through it, I have to post them because I worked so hard to get them. Don't you even think about leaving until you've looked at every one of them! You hear me?

Look in the lower right hand corner.

Here this one goes!

Is this cool or what???? Three in one picture!

I promise not to post too many more pictures of jumping fish.(NOTE: I will be the one to determine how many is too many.)

So that's our day, beautiful scenery, horrendous traffic and jumping fish. And what was your day like?