Peggy took me along to get photos printed out to send to my dad and to buy some groceries. We stopped on the way back to get the pickup fueled up only to find out they did not have any power. Same with many businesses along that street. Luckily we weren't desperate.
After lunch we went for a walk. I don't think today's temperature got much over 70º so it was comfortable walking during the day. And, I've noticed in the middle of the night that it is now totally dark. Summer is noticeably waning here in Wasilla.
Peggy made a butterfinger pie! The candy bars were on sale at the store. She shared it with Grant and Debby. Will be interesting to see how they like it. Debby said that she'll make a peanut butter pie and share it with us. YUM!
That pretty well sums up the day. Like I said it was leisurely...and very enjoyable!
Peggy and I went and got fuel for the pickup this afternoon and also drove along Charley St. that goes along the north side of Anderson Lake. It's a street that we have walked a short portion of so we were curious as to where else it might go. And, I got my ears lowered as the barbershop was open for business. Fortunately the barber only had 1 client!
It has been sprinkling this evening. Forecast is for more steady rains after midnight. I hope the weather prognosticators are correct as many areas of southern Alaska are very dry. I talked to a client of Grant's today who had just gotten back from several days in Sitka. He said the smaller streams there are so low on water that salmon were unable to swim up them to spawn.
August 4 It was laundry day for us this morning. So, while I stayed at the camper watching the NASCAR race at Pocono on the TV, Peggy went to do the wash and also get some groceries. The race started at 9:00 a.m. Alaska time so was over around 12:20 p.m., about the same time that Peggy got back. I don't know if she was trying to put me on a guilt trip or not, but she said for a time she was the only female in the laundromat. But, maybe she was the only person in the laundromat??
We went for a walk during the afternoon as there was again the chance for rain during the evening. It was cooler today with temps in the upper 60s. We grilled pork chops for dinner. About the time we finished eating and had settled down the raindrops fell...all 10 of them. We just are not able to get a sustained rain to fall. The temperature dropped enough that we closed the camper's windows as we watched TV.
Tomorrow we make the necessary preparations to get on the road Tuesday as we're heading to Fairbanks for the rest of the week. Preps include checking out the pickup's fluid levels and tire pressure, and dumping the camper's holding tanks and checking its tires.
We're excited to go to Fairbanks and have a boat tour, an Arctic Circle tour, and a gold dredge tour planned. This will also be a good area to see the Alaska Pipeline up close and personal.
August 5 I'm thinking summer is beginning to transition here. The past mornings we have awakened to low 50ºs and daytime highs are in the 60s. And, we still haven't had that good soaking rain yet. We got a few sprinkles overnight- just enough to waterspot my clean pickup.
Peggy and I did our chores right after breakfast. I checked tire pressures, and then we relieved our holding tanks of their contents. I told Peggy she didn't need to help with this. But I think she enjoys watching my facial expressions as the "contents" are disposed of.
Even though today is one of our "on duty" days, Grant and Debby did not go anywhere and said we could if we chose. So, we decided at my suggestion to drive the Hatcher Pass Road again. The last time we did so was on a weekend and there were hoards of people up in the pass. Actually, I had an ulterior motive...to get another excellent chili dog on the way back!
There were very few people up in the mountains and after we got out of the pickup to walk around we found out why- it was very cold and a breeze was blowing. We were not equipped with clothing nor our hiking boots. While outside Macy called her grandma to tell her she had gone school shopping. But the mountains soon blocked the signal, and their conversations had to wait until stronger signals allowed.
We did see marmots scampering among a rock pile. They were the first we had seen in the Talkeetna Mts. Peggy got a nice photo of one. However, there was a huge marmot that was not willing to be viewed long enough for a picture. At first Peggy did not know what it was as it was much larger than the others.
Later when the road was following Willow Creek, we came around a curve and out of the ditch in front of us bounded a cow moose. But this moose, like others we've seen crossing a road, did not pose for a picture and ran into the opposite ditch and was gone. Camera shy!!
A bit farther down the road I saw a large head sticking out of some bushes on the shoulder. I quickly stopped and told Peggy, "There's a wolf!!" Holy cow, take its picture!. About that time the wolf walked out onto the road towards us! Peggy snapped a photo of it before it disappeared back into the overgrowth along the road. WOW!
Much to my disappointment when I later looked at the photo of it in iPhoto I realized that the ears did not match up to what a wolf would have, and its muzzle was not elongated. My imagination had duped me...it was a dog! :o(
We connected back up with the Parks Highway and drove to the little drive-in diner. This time Peggy also got the chili dog and their good fries! It tasted as good as I remember it! We then stopped at Walmart for a few items before getting back to the Chapman's.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) we go to Fairbanks with a Saturday return. We will be exploring new territory again, and we're excited to see sights and have experiences that we've not been exposed to.
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