Last stop in our 50th state – in the state “metropolis” …
As I said yesterday, the rain and clouds had settled in and were still around when we got up this morning so we decided not to do the glacier walk – really too cold and wet to enjoy. So we had a slow start before making our way back to Anchorage.
It was late morning when we arrived and still cloudy but looked like it was improving so we did a little (unsuccessful) shopping. We then went to look at “Earthquake Park” on the Turnagain Inlet.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, a massive 9.2 scale earthquake hit the area on Good Friday in 1964. It lasted over 4 minutes and in this time huge areas of land were either thrust up or subsided violently.
Earthquake Park has essentially been left untouched with all its hills and hollows made into walking and bike paths as well as interpretive signage along the way.
Walking one of the paths we came across a chap – 79 he told us – who peddles his 3 wheel lay down bike out the 9 miles the path extends and then back again every day. He was a bit of a chatterbox, wanting to know where we were from etc but he did give us a tip to visit an area called Glen Alps, just out of town. The weather had by now improved to a sunny day and he indicated we would get good view back down across Anchorage.
So off we went and he was spot on ! The area is really just residential – the bus driver who had driven us from Whittier to Anchorage the first day had said this was the swanky area of Anchorage. Adrienne did a bit a research & indications were prices extended into many millions!
With a fine view over Anchorage below, behind there were also trails heading higher into the mountains behind, a popular one called Flat Top. As we watched, a hang glider took off , coming down and landing nearby at the viewpoint.
We made our way back into town to our final hotel the Lakefront, not far from the airport and overlooking the reputed largest seaplane base in the world.
We sat in the beer garden for a while and watched the comings & going’s on the lake – quite a bizarre situation to have such a large lake with no swimming or boating allowed! The whole perimeter of the lake is dotted with parked seaplanes.
We ended up having dinner by the lake and then an early night for me – have managed to pick up my usual holiday cold !
Alaska has been a fantastic experience and an incredible state to cap off our 50 States Adventure. I wouldn’t say “we saved the best for last” however I often get asked “which state do you like the best” and Alaska would be high in the list.
I don’t think I could pick one state as the best. There has been such variety and some states we had no real expectations of turned out to be a surprise and others probably not quite up to expectations.
We could probably pick “areas” that were real highlights – the Southwest of Utah, Nevada & Arizona was probably the experience which set us off on our adventure – and there is much more we want to see there when we start off again😁
Also the Northwest of Oregan, Idaho, Montana & Wyoming would be a standout. We just love the “big scenery” and the National Parks tend to monopolise these areas and are an experience in themselves.
Alaska also fits the bill and although we enjoyed what the cruise offered of Alaska – the stunning mountains, glaciers etc – that has just multiplied 10 fold across the land portion of our tour.
And I could probably go on and on about other parts of our adventure as well – the whole adventure has just been many “pinch me” moments and we will regularly look back on it with such enjoyment for the rest of our lives !
Anyway, there are more National Parks to see, states we want to revisit – so there will hopefully be one or two curtain calls to come – I might need a bigger T- shirt 😂