7/7/2011- Week #1 behind us!
We made it thru the first week, all things going well! Our guests, the road ‘warriors’ are doing well and basically putting away the iPod/Games. Scenery is getting interesting to them, and they have started paying more attention to what is outside the windows. Visited Exit Glacier/National Park, interesting, but no time for hiking, hit the road to head to Whittier, which is accessible only by tunnel.
Whittier was and army installation in 2nd WW, During World War II the United States Army constructed a military facility, complete with port and railroad terminus near the glacier and named the facility Camp Sullivan. The spur of the Alaska Railroad to Camp Sullivan was completed in 1943 and the port became the entrance for United States soldiers into Alaska. The port remained an active army facility until 1960.
The two huge buildings that dominate Whittier were built after World War II. The Hodge Building (now Begich Towers) was built for housing soldiers and the Buckner Building, completed in 1953, was called the "city under one roof". Both buildings were at one time the largest buildings in Alaska. The Begich Building is now a condominium, and houses nearly all of Whittier's residents. The port remained an active Army facility until 1960. Whittier was incorporated in 1969.
The town was severely damaged by tsunamis triggered by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake; thirteen people died due to waves that reached 13 m (43 ft). No camping/or hotel – headed back out as Whittier is small community basically for commercial and cruise arrivals. Heading out had to wait an hour for tunnel, which is one lane and shared with train. So while on line we cooked up the remaining Halibut into a chowder and just made our slot to leave town. Drove to Anchorage and ate scrumptious chowder in hotel parking lot, slept well in beds, and all got to shower in AM to head north.
The two huge buildings that dominate Whittier were built after World War II. The Hodge Building (now Begich Towers) was built for housing soldiers and the Buckner Building, completed in 1953, was called the "city under one roof". Both buildings were at one time the largest buildings in Alaska. The Begich Building is now a condominium, and houses nearly all of Whittier's residents. The port remained an active Army facility until 1960. Whittier was incorporated in 1969.
The town was severely damaged by tsunamis triggered by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake; thirteen people died due to waves that reached 13 m (43 ft). No camping/or hotel – headed back out as Whittier is small community basically for commercial and cruise arrivals. Heading out had to wait an hour for tunnel, which is one lane and shared with train. So while on line we cooked up the remaining Halibut into a chowder and just made our slot to leave town. Drove to Anchorage and ate scrumptious chowder in hotel parking lot, slept well in beds, and all got to shower in AM to head north.
Spent the evening in City campground across the lake from (unbeknown to us) the Palin residence. Met a delightful lady on the trail, who was so knowledgeable about the plants and medicinal use of more than we ever were able to ID. Her Hungarian accent kept us enthralled in her Auervedic/Native herbology. Pointed out blueberry, raspberry, cranberry and new to us Salmonberry to name a few. When we arrived back to campsite and found ‘warriors’ huddled by campfire waiting for us. Do you think they thought a bear encounter would leave them stranded? They had run ahead of us, and expected us to keep up.
Now we are onward to Trappers Creek, Petersville and Talkeetna (Northern Exposure) Hope to share McKinley experience with ‘road warriors’.
7/7/11
Hello fello bloggers!!! I haven’t found any recent comments so all I have to say is speak your mind, it’s a free country. And if u don’t then my demon dog is gonna get you! JUST KIDING!!!!! My dog is actually very sweet, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. (literally he would sniff it then walk away) But anyways today was a very simple day we drove then we went for a walk in town. (if you would like to now where we were then read my grandmothers blog thing-a-mer-bob. But anyway lets get to more important things like……………..umm…………….STUFF! Well umm anyways lets get to the quote of the day…
“Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.”
~Voltaire
That reminds me of one night when we stayed at a hotel I was taking a shower and I didn’t know that they could hear what was going on in there one so I started singing and when I got out and they were al making fun of me I remember that my grandpa said,
“I was starting to hum along with you.”
It was pretty funny. Anyway to end this paragraph I just wanna say that I hope you enjoyed my writing and comment before my dog comes after you. GOOD BYE!
~KC
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