Alaska

Jim was asked to go to Alaska to help with a "go live" for work.  He thought he was going to work in Seward Alaska but late Saturday night found out it was in Anchorage.  I informed Jim that I was going with him to Alaska so he planned to go a few days early so we could enjoy some sights.  We left Spokane early Thursday morning, August 21 and flew into Seattle and then on to Anchorage.  He flew Alaska Air with a ticket purchased by the hospital and I flew stand-by on Trissa's benefits.  We both arrived in Anchorage on the same flight, yeah.  We rented a car and found our hotel and a Walmart.  We did some souvenir shopping and found the railroad station so we would be prepared for our full day glacier adventure.  Friday morning we headed for the train station where we took pictures and explored the area while waiting for the train to arrive.

 We took the train to Whittier and boarded a large Catalina for our 26-Glacier Cruise.

 We enjoyed fish and chips for lunch while we traveled to the Glaciers.  We saw otters, sea lions, eagles and white birds. We experience a glacier calf, which means parts of the glacier fall into the water.

Calving Glacier

We returned to Anchorage by train and then drove back to the hotel.  Saturday we checked out of the hotel and went to Costco for gas and a jacket for Jim. We bought a salad also so I would have something to eat Sunday.  We drove the Seward Highway, stopping a few time to take pictures.  Just before Seward we took off to Exit Glacier and hiked to the bottom of the glacier.

Exit Glacier

Exit Glacier

Hike to Exit Glacier

Hike to Exit Glacier

Seward

We then drove on to Seward and checked into our hotel.  The receptionist said that our reservation for the week had been canceled.  She worked everything out and we settled into our room.  We went out on foot to find a place to eat dinner and then we walked the town in search of the hospital Jim would be working at the next morning.  The hospital was not to be found.  We went back to the hotel so Jim could look up the information on his work computer.  He tried to remote in but it would not connect.  Several hours later, after many phone calls, Jim finally received access to his computer and found out that the hospital was located in Anchorage, just a few blocks from our former hotel.  Jim went down to the front desk and canceled our week reservation and got on line to make reservations in Anchorage.  The only hotel available was the Homewood Suites by Hilton. We spent the night in Seward and then after eating a free continental breakfast we headed back 2 1/2 hours to Anchorage.  After making arrangements with the hotel for me to check in without Jim we headed for the church.  We arrived near the end of Sacrament meeting.  We attended Sunday School and Priesthood/Relief Society and then I took Jim to work.  I ate my salad in the car for lunch and then headed back to church for the next wards meetings.  I could not check into the hotel until 4:00 so I enjoyed another set of meetings.  At the beginning of Relief Society a Sister recognized me from the other ward and asked me if I was spending the whole day at the church.  Her ward met at 9:00 and she is in the Stake Relief Society presidency which happened to be visited the 1:00 ward.  We talked a little after Relief Society and I found out she has a daughter in the Spokane mission serving in Deer Park right now.  Susan offered to spend some time with me on Wednesday while Jim was working.  We exchanged phone numbers and I headed back to the hotel to check in.  The room was almost ready so I waited a few minutes and then I was able to take all the luggage to our room.  I got unpacked and then read a book on Grandma Divis' Kindle.  I picked up Jim at 9:00, the hospital is just a few blocks away from the hotel.  Monday Jim worked from 9 to 5.  After dropping him off I drove to the coastal trail and walked for three miles in the rain with my umbrella and then return three miles to the car.  It stopped raining on my way back.

Coastal Trail

 I drove back to the hotel and ate lunch.  I had brought microwave dinners for lunch.  They were awful. I ate part of one because I was very hungry but did not enjoy it.  This hotel has free warm breakfast and Monday through Thursday a free dinner. I read a book until I had to pick up Jim.  We ate at the hotel and then drove along the Seward Highway to McHugh Creek.  We took some pictures and hiked a little before heading back to the hotel.

McHugh Creek

Tuesday Lauren, a nurse from the hospital, took me hiking to Rabbit Lake.  It was a five mile hike in and the we hiked back out.  Lauren has hiked this trail before but it was really windy.  Today was nice with a little breeze.  It was an easy hike, she went easy on me when I said my knees do not like coming down off mountains.

Rabbit Lake

Lauren climbed up this hill in a matter of seconds, it is a good thing we didn't do a harder hike, she is a skilled hiker and could have left me in the dust.
After Jim returned from work we went out to dinner at Yes Bistro.  We had seafood which tasted great.

Wednesday I checked out the fitness center and worked out on the elliptical and treadmill for over an hour.  I relaxed and read my book "Unbroken" until Susan came and picked me up.  We went to the Alaska Botanical Garden.  We talked and got to know each other a little bit. I saw a ptarmigan which is Alaska's state bird.

I returned to the hotel in time to pick Jim up from work.  We ate at the hotel and then headed to Flat Top mountain.  We hike to the top and then back down before it got dark.

On the way up

Almost there

 Top

There was one other person up at the top and he took our picture

Jim on the top of Flat Top Mountain

Thursday Jim worked 1:00 pm until 9:00 pm so we went to the Anchorage Museum Thursday morning and the Trooper Museum.  While Jim was working I talked to Dustin and Lexie, read my book and did laundry. I ate the free meal at the hotel, it was good, much better than my microwave dinners.  

Friday we got up early and drove to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.  We were the first to arrive.  It was raining for the first half hour but then it cleared up. I got to see the bears, moose, and caribou I had hoped to see in the wild but at least I got to see them in Alaska.

 Musk Ox

Wood Bison

 Bear

Bigger Bear

Moose

Caribou

While Jim was working, Susan came and got me and took me to the 6:00 session at the Temple.  It was great to visit the temple and see the different decor.  

Susan and I at the Temple

Saturday we packed up and checked out of the hotel.  We drove to Kincaid Park and walked around for a while.  We came upon some ptarmigan birds and Jim enjoyed taking pictures. Our flight to Seattle was good.  I did not make it on Jim's flight to Spokane so he had to wait for me several hours in Spokane.  He went and visited Jordan and Mariah while he waited for my plane to get in.  We arrived home at 12:30 am Sunday morning.

 Coastal Trail

ptarmigan 

 ptarmigan

 View of glaciers from the air