The Final Days



Typical Crow Creek miner (not quite, but what a character)

 Full circle, litterally.  We are back in Girdwood at the Crow Creek mine to spend our last night in AK.  Our last night, so painful to say, but yet after two weeks away from the families, over 2,300 miles driven, getting used to seeing snow covered mountains, and enjoying waking up to 40 degree mornings and 55 degree highs, its about time to get back to the searing heat of the southeast.

We spent the last leg of this voyage in Valdez (pronounced Val DEEZ, thank you Kevin) for the last day and a half.  We had the option of back tracking through Glennallen or catching the Alaska Marine Highway back to Whittier, through the Whittier Tunnel and then a short one hour drive to Anchorage.  We chose the latter.



The amazing Duo at a waterfall on Thompson pass, Valdez



Locals net over 600 pounds of Copper River Sockeye and one King
Must be great to be a local (over $4,000 worth of fish)



Bald Eagle at Valdez

 Valdez is a neat harbor town located at the terminal of the Alaska pipeline, made famous from the Exxon-Valdez oil spill of the 80's.  It is surrounded by waterfalls and bald eagles.  I never thougth I would get tired of bald eagles, but when they outnumber the sea gulls, you sort of get used to them.  Our campground had three spots closed due to a nesting pair.

We left out Friday morning on the Aurora, a ship of the Marine Highway system.  We calculated that we could load the RV on the ship, enjoy a relaxing 6 hour trip, and arrive in Whittier at a cost of only a few dollars more than the cost of gasoline if we drove.  It was a nice way to wind down from an earlier pace that had us starting days at 4:00 a.m. and ending at midnight.  And guess who was behind us when we loaded?  A car with a Gator tag on the front, and yes they were from Gainesville.  How ironic.  The first meal we had in Alaska we were seated next to a Gator fan, and the last leg of the journey, we travel 6 hours with one.  Me being a diehard FSU Seminole.

Fillet of Copper River Sockeye Salmon

Kevin and I got some much needed sleep on the ship as we watched icebergs, dolphins, seals, and sealions past by.

Kevin at the bow of the Aurora

Last night, big meal.  We ate dinner tonight at the Double Musky Inn in Girdwood.  This place is located out in the sticks but is rated by the Food Network as one of the 10 best restaurants in America.  We agree.  The pepper steak is out of this world at a very reasonable price.  If you are ever even near Girdwood, stop in, eat a steak, and leave completely happy.




Double Musky Inn - Stop by if you are within 1,000 miles of this place


Packing up.  Thanks for the readership.
Summary Facts:
Distance Travelled in RV- 2,528 Miles
Distance Travelled in RV on dirt roads = 224 miles
Gas Purchased - don't ask, just figure 10 mpg at an average price of $4.50 gallon
Cheapest Gas - Anchorage $4.06/gallon
Most Expensive Gas - Denali Park and Eagle  $5.00/gallon
Number of Physical Altercations between two guys couped up in an RV for 2,528 miles = zero!!!!! amazing
Number of minutes looking at news of the Lower 48 = zero
Number of Bears seen = 10
Number of Moose = lost count
Number of Caribou = about 40, including a heard we chased up a mountain pass
Number of snakes  - they don't have snakes or chiggers up here
Number of mosquitos seen - enough to suck the blood out of a wooly mammoth
Total hours slept over 14 days = 70 hours
Total hours sunshine over 14 days = 14x24=336 hours
Total miles hiked = 17 of which 2 were vertical
Total miles flown = 9,400 each
Total meals eaten at a chain restaurant = zero
Total pounds of fish caught =80 pounds halibut, 15 pounds of Cod, 10 pounds ugly fish, and 1.5 pounds each of Grayling and Arctic Char
Total gold found = not enough to pay for entrance to the gold panning area (sorry Shelby)
Number of Alaskan tourist T shirts and hats purchased = alot



 It's been fun.