When we did get up I lounged around uploading yesterday's pictures and writing the blog. Debby was nice to bring us our UPS delivery from yesterday- a new camera back pack and a lanyard for the camera's lens cover. For a $30 purchase this bag is very nice with ample compartments and well padded. The zipper on our former 1985 camera bag had broken.
Peggy and I went for a walk this afternoon. About the time we returned a plane came in for a landing at the Anderson Lake field next door. It turned around and then taxied down the street to where the pilot lives. Although not an odd occurrence, it is none the less unique to see it happening so I had to snap a picture of it.
Debby took us on a tour of their truck camper. I was very impressed as it has all the necessary appliances and is very spacious on the inside. I told Peggy when I get to that point when pulling the 5th wheel and tandem towing our boat are not doable that a truck camper would be a very nice replacement to the 5th wheel.
Grant had a client bring in an airplane that had the wing tip clip a hangar and needed repair. Grant is not only a good craftsman, but he is also a good teacher showing Peggy and me the steps used to fix the wing tip. Sure seems to be a very involved process.
July 4 Happy Independence Day!! Rained throughout the night and much of the morning. We did go to Lowe's and bought hooks to hang our coats by the camper's door. We got this idea from Grant and Debby's camper, and the hooks work well!
I watched bits and pieces of the live video streaming of the Mt. Marathon Race up and down the 3000 foot peak located at Seward, AK. The participants have to be in some kind of great shape to be able to do this feat! They come back muddy and in many instances, bloody, from falling, etc., on the trail. An Anchorage TV station provided the online coverage.
I watched bits and pieces of the live video streaming of the Mt. Marathon Race up and down the 3000 foot peak located at Seward, AK. The participants have to be in some kind of great shape to be able to do this feat! They come back muddy and in many instances, bloody, from falling, etc., on the trail. An Anchorage TV station provided the online coverage.
The latter part of the afternoon Debby came over and got us and said it was time to celebrate the 4th of July! We went outside and Grant had 2 cannons out and loaded. BOOM! And then Boom again! WOW! This was fantastic. You'll have to watch the videos of the cannons going off!
Today's Videos Uploaded to YouTube
An Alaskan 4th of July Celebration-Part 1
An Alaskan 4th of July Celebration-Part 2
July 5 We had light rain showers over night again. More chances of rain are in the forecast. After breakfast we got in the pickup and drove out to the Wasilla Airport. Today was scheduled to be the arrival of the Alaskan Aviation Centennial Celebration to commemorate 100 years of powered flight in Alaska. The celebration was an 11:30 a.m. flyover with several vintage models of airplanes. Once the planes landed, you would be able to walk up to the planes and visit with the pilots.
When we got to the airport, about a half hour before the flyover, there was a marked parking area, but the gate to it was not opened fully, and I found another area to park in. While we sat waiting a couple of cars squeezed through the gate and parked. Shortly a police car drove up to these cars. I decided that the gate must be fully open now so I drove into the assigned parking area. At the same time, the cars there started leaving. One of the car’s driver flagged us down and said the aviation celebration had been canceled as the aircraft which were to come could not leave Fairbanks because of inclement weather there. Bummer!
On our way back into Wasilla Peggy mentioned that Palmer, AK, hosts a "Friday Fling" in which area vendors set up booths and sold their wares. On we drove to Palmer. When we got there and parked we found many booths and could hear live music. Goods from flowers and vegetables to walking sticks, jewelry, food, and tie dyed clothing were being hawked. We bought a bag of Wasabi flavored almonds. (The vendor has found that having free samples available does pay.)
During the afternoon we went for our walk to avoid the forecasted evening showers. We also visited with Grant and Debby. I helped Grant pry up an antique bucket from a bucket excavator to that it sits straight. Debby is using it as a flower planter.
After dinner Peggy and I were watching TV when we heard an electric arch followed immediately by a loud boom and the power went out! It sounded like a transformer somewhere near exploded. There is a substation about a block away from us that Grant thought could be the problem.
So, at this posting, we are running off of our generator. Haven’t run it since we were last in Denali NP. Fortunately the cable TV and Internet are now live, and I can get this posted. Will update it when the power is back on.
We are back on the power grid. Electricity was off for about 2 hours.
We are back on the power grid. Electricity was off for about 2 hours.
July 6 Guess what? It rained overnight and again this morning, but it was nothing to heavy. If you were to add up the total rainfall for this past week I doubt it would approach a 1/2 inch. It would be nice to have a good soaker as the lawns and gardens could use it.
This day's highlight was grocery shopping! WooHoo! Much to Peggy's chagrin for the 2nd day in a row we/I watched another NASCAR race. WooHoo from her. :-)
The temps today made it feel like fall. We did reach 60º, but there was a rather stiff breeze blowing. But no complaints as the wind helped kept the mosquitoes at bay. We did our evening walk and called it a day.
Hopefully this coming week we will take some day trips to surrounding points of interest like the Matanuska Glacier, Thunderbird Falls, and drive the Hatcher Pass Road to Willow and check out some deserted mines. We've also talked about going to see a movie like White House Down.
July 7 It was a nice, quiet, relaxing Sunday. Finally a day without some showers so we washed the pickup. The temps were in the upper 60ºs with a wind blowing out of the Knik valley from the SE. This may have been the breeziest its been for several days. Good mosquito control!
We took our walk this afternoon which allowed us to watch Falling Skies. It's become a priority to view!
Thunderheads are building just to the west of Wasilla. Wonder if it will rain on our clean truck?
July 8 And the rains came. It rained all night with some small hail and continued until late this morning. Oh well, the truck probably benefited from a fresh water rinse. We know it was getting quite dry so the plants were glad for it.
Watched Grant on and off throughout the day work on a couple of planes. Even though we have been here several days since our Memorial Day weekend arrival I'm still fascinated being around these flying machines.
By late afternoon the sun came out turning it into a pleasant day. Peggy and I walked during the early evening, got the mail from the box and took Grant and Debby their's, and called it a day.
Weather looks favorable the rest of the week for getting out and doing day trips to various places that I had mentioned in the July 7 post.
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