July 22, 2006

Selected Trip Journal entries:

I've been on the road for more than a week now!

10:48/3600.2 trip miles = checked out of motel

On the road again, southward for the first time on this trip ... Tonight's stay is in Valdez, with a possible drive through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park... I can do that tomorrow too if I want -- just depends what I feel like at that time... Yesterday was a "rest day" -- I didn't really do anything -- today the real Alaska sightseeing begins -- I can already see the Alaska Range again to the South, but there are clouds above it.. So far the weather has been great on this trip -- hopefully stays that way except for the occassional shower to clean the car! This portion of the road till Delta Junction is repeat, then everything new South of there!

2:50 PM = 3748.3 miles = So far, (north of Paxson), the scenery has been great! Mountains with glaciers, river valley (Delta River), more mountain peaks with the white stuff -- this is the Alaska Range I'm passing through -- and several views of the pipeline. All in all, .

3:04/3752.7 miles = I've stopped at the side of the road, actually on the Delta River -- if there's a flash flood I'll be in it... some nice picture spots here, and I took some water from the river and poured it over the "contact points" on the car to clean all the dirt -- its not much help but will have to do until the next rainfall (by the looks of it, maybe tonight!)

No animals around drinking from the river..

3:56/3776.5 = Passed JCT Hwy 8 in Paxson. The gas station was out of fuel, but I've got enough to reach Glenallen - 71 miles from here ... but that one better not be out!

5:31/3855.6 = near m107 = Passed turnoff for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park ... I'll be back tomorrow; right now its on to Valdez. After Paxson the scenery has been mostly forests (so far) . Mountains up ahead though...

5:55/3879 = Passed JCT Hwy 10. Fantastic scenery again, but now only mountains, no rivers etc. Still .

6:47/3917.5 = Got everything to make it -- big glacier on Mt. Billy Mitchell and a river next to the road.

7 PM/3926 = SNOWFLAKES! This is the first time in my life I've seen it snow in July -- even if its only a few flakes.

7:34/3932.5 = Worthington Glacier State Recreational Area. Took a hike to the glacier -- only about 1/2 mile each way but its a very tough hike on rocks, mud, and a stream coming from the big blue slab of ice. But the big blue slab of ice is definitely worth the trouble! (not 5 full coz of hike difficulty)