Mosquito Motivation

 these are from drive to Kennicott.  the mile markers seemed confusing to me. they went up from Chitina to the river crossing.  seemed odd to start over after leaving Chitina.  i figured it out though

 that is the Matanuska Glacier.  i think it's like 26 miles long. 4 miles wide in some parts.  very large glacier.

 lupine at the visitors center.

 before the turn off to Chitina.  i have looked at land out this way.  can get more.  where ever i buy land one day...it does have to have a view.

 as you leave Chitina you go through this skinny opening in the rocks...thus begins the dirt road trek to McCarthy.

 at work the other day a girl was saying she and her boyfriend had drove over to McCarthy and camped there.  i had thought you had to pay a lot to cross the one bridge over. figured it was off limits to regular folks but she seemed baffled at that idea.  they had just crossed it.  still confused by that...everything i read says the road ends there, you must cross foot bridge and take shuttle.  i did see a bridge further down river that clearly a car drove across.  didn't notice how to get to this bridge though.

 folks fishing along the river.  so the mine was spelled Kennecott and the glacier is Kennicott.  nobody really knows why the vowel difference.  i thought it odd when i was there.  should have read the pamphlet i got at the visitor center.

 bit windy.

 you can see the fish wheels.  they are not the original way the natives fished out here.  this technology came with the Europeans.  it can only be used for subsistence type fishing.

 the road really wasn't too bad after Chitina.  the first part here was probably more sketchy mostly due to heights and curves.

 Alaska doesn't seem to believe in any sort of guard rails.  they are rarely seen here even in the most dire looking roads with steep drop offs. perhaps, it's better that way.  perhaps with guard rails people are inclined to feel safer and act more crazy while driving.

 kept trying to find a great view or a bunch of wildflowers by a mile post.

 the later parts of the road there were no drop offs so easier to move a bit faster.

 my day today.  it was raining.  i ended up doing a loop out in Kincaid. we did the Little Campbell Lake loop.  the pups had a great time. it was raining at first so i stopped to put on rain gear.  the mosquito's attacked me.  then i got too hot in the rain gear so i opted to remove the rain gear..and was again attacked by mosquito's.

 the rain never got heavy again after that though.

 attempted to get several friends to join me but no takers.  i do attempt , often texting 2-4 folks before i take off.  in the end i often just walk alone.  it's a risk i guess, but what is an avid hiker to do.  sit at home moping because i can't find a hiking partner.  i have dog hiking partners so i think that counts.

 they got some good running in.  we ended up back at the lake.  nobody was there so i took her to the little dock they had...well both dogs went out there with me, but only Ivy Rose made the leap in off the deck to get the tennis ball!! she was so brave. she did that twice.

 big bridge...the RV stopped on the bridge for pics.  only one vehicle  width out there.

 there they are getting their pictures.  as i made it for dinner i wasn't too worried.  i did make it for dinner.

 stopped several times along the way myself to get some pictures. the bridge above was originally built in 1910.  the rail bridge was the only one they used steel on.  in 1988 they redecked the thing and added guard rails it says...can't imagine driving across without any guardrails?  yikes.

 no longer in use below is the Gilahina Trestle.  this is an all wooden 890 foot long trestle.  they made it in 8 days!!  during the winter in 1911.  15% of the railway in the end was built on trestles like this.

 looks pretty but i am fine not crossing the thing.

 went through a few drawers as well today.  i seem to have collected this assortment of bras that i never wear so it seemed time to just put them out in the universe and find them new owners. good bra's are expensive so i think they may get snagged up quickly. no i did not put those out front with a free sign.  most items of clothing i take to a donation center.

 my Mothers bra's were impressive.  i think they actually terrified me as a child.  they were expensive and i recall my Mom mentioning this on several occasions.  support was critical to her.  they were special purchases for sure.

 Skelly is all decked out now.

 laundry...

 today i made burgers...yes they are almost as good as the ones my Mom used to make.

 also i took the pups one at a time into the Cabella's. i figured they'd be tired from their walk.  not sure they were all that tired.  Tusker first.  he was exited as the place was packed with people and he loves people.  thankfully, many did say hello to him and he was charming them all.  he loves to put his front feet on the counters.  always gets laughs and ooh's.

 Ivy Rose got to say hello to folks as well. she was doing a bit too much jumping up to greet so good for training.

 many rabbits coming and going to McCarthy.

 may have to go back and stay in McCarthy another time.

 crossing over the river.

 folks camp right there.  these rivers are so huge and run fast enough to make me nervous with the dogs around them.  i always was with Huey and Blossom and Rio. the rivers are massive...i mean i grew up in L.A. area and "rivers" is a stretch for most of the things they call rivers.

 waiting for my ride to Kennicott.  i think it's 5 miles.  the hotel shuttled me over there.  there are these carts, thankfully i brought my duffel with wheels.  one of the carts you can see has a flat.

 a car that was used until it had nothing left to give back in the day.  the owner at the time called it "rigor mortis" a fitting name i guess.

 there it is.

 Alaska can be pretty rough on vehicles and houses as well.

 i used those bug wipes today.  not sure they really helped.  the greens always look greener on a rainy day.

 there was a military plane that crashed into Colony Glacier back in Nov 1952. 52 servicemen died that day.  it was a C-124 plane that had flown from Washington State headed for the air base.  the plane was lost in the glacier.  the plane had been totally off course.  weather, weak instrumentation, errors...possible causes.  small planes at the time had located the wreckage but it was pretty bad and then the crash and subsequent fuel explosion appeared to have caused an avalanche as well.

 a few attempts were made at recovery at the site all those years ago but they were not successful and soon the plane was deeply buried under snow. it would remain entombed for decades.

 in 2012 a blackhawk on a training mission perhaps spotted the wreckage again, at the time they figured they were seeing a new crash site, but it turned out to be this old '52 wreck.  the plane debris had traveled with the glacier 13 miles. it's now closer to the terminus of the glacier.  the military goes back up here every June now (optimal time to be on the glacier) and they try to find remains of any of it so that what is left of family can finally have some closure.

 above is the deck on the hotel in Kennicott and above that is my room.

 remnants of 37 on board have been found.  that is pretty amazing.  they have also found pieces of the plane and personal items.  the group on board were being relocated to Alaska so the plane would hold their personal items for the move as well.  one elderly women's spouse was found, his remains haven't yet been returned as the process takes some time but they did send her his dog tags, his wallet and his Princeton class ring.  they also sent along a few remnants of the plane itself.

 it's a pretty amazing and inspirational story...that our military would be still looking for those lost souls.  this is the nation i love.  the one that is honest and kind and protects all of those who protect her. i pray that nation has not been lost forever with this current administration.  today i felt sad for our nation as i watched that our POTUS had posted a video of him decking CNN reporter.  there is no dignity left.  our leader is cruel, spiteful, jealous and immature.

 as July 4th approaches let us remember those who fought for our freedom, who gave their lives for this nation and the ideals of this nation. may we honor those lives and may we honor those who still serve our nation to protect us.  no matter if they are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Police, Firefighters, FBI, CIA, HomeLand Security, Border Patrol...they all put themselves at risk for the greater good and because they believe in truth and they believe in this nation and all that our forefathers dreamt it could be. let us not allow this bombastic faux leader take the entire nation down with his negativity and hatred.

 views from the deck at the hotel.  pretty amazing. i better crash.  where to walk tomorrow, what drawer to clear out.  yes, my life is terribly exciting.

thankful for:  A.  this great Nation, may she live on, may strength and courage return.  may honesty and kindness survive  B. the stars and stripes.  our flag is beautiful.  C.  freedom.  it's a fragile gift.