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Tag Archives: Glacier

In the Time of Quarantine

28 Saturday Nov 2020

Posted by danielwalldammit in Alaska, Bad Photography, Travel

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Alaska, Covid19, Denali, Glacier, Mountains, Nature, Photos, Quarantine, Travel

Between Wasilla and Talkeetna

I had already booked a work-related flight to Fairbanks when Covid19 began spreading through the U.S. I remember talking about it with Moni in the days before I flew, and especially the night before I was to go. We seriously talked about cancelling the trip, but I thought it best to follow through with my plans. By the time the plane hit ground the next day, pubic sentiment had shifted from something along the lines of “maybe wear a mask, wash your hands a lot, and avoid crowds” to something more like “don’t go out at all, definitely wear a mask, and start shutting down the businesses. By the time I left Fairbanks 3 days later, the University was all but closed and restaurants were take-out only. Touching people, even to shake hands, was not done. Needless to say, I didn’t get much done. I felt pretty relieved to get home safely.

And then there was a period when we were all just locked down and travel wasn’t really an option.

I felt this.

I felt it in my teeth.

And in my stomach.

I had already scheduled a visit with an oral surgeon. He was to take the remains of 2 molars out the right side of my mouth, hopefully before the botched cap on my left side fell out and left me on a solid yogurt diet.

Oh well!

As the time of Covid stretched on, and people began to realize this wasn’t ending any time soon, I started to think about flying south to get my teeth done after all. With the help of her sister (a nurse), Moni had the safety precautions down to a science, and we started making limited forays out of the arctic. I still cringe at the thought of leaving the state, but with a little planning, I feel like we can get down to Anchorage and get what needs doing done. We can even venture pout of our room a bit, in which case we figure it’s best to keep going right out of town.

One good thing about Alaska, some of the best things about it take you well away from other people.

Still got one last procedure before I can sink my teeth into a proper steak. I would prefer to hunker down completely for the next few months, but I may need to risk one more trip. In the meantime, it occurs to me that I haven’t done a proper poto-gallery in awhile. So, here are a few pictures from recent travels. This of course includes a few drives around town, and maybe a few from before the pandemic. Anyway, …pics!

(Click the pics to embiggen them. You know you wanna!)

Gallery 1: In flight.

Gallery 2: The Beaches of Barrow.

Sea Ice.

Skies.

Denali (and Nearby).

Matanuska Glacier

Southeast from Anchorage.

Other.

…and, oh yeah!

Whatever you are doing?

This guy disapproves!

Judging You, Judging You!

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Road Trip! (Anchorage to Valdez)

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by danielwalldammit in Alaska, Bad Photography, Travel

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Alaska, Boats, Glacier, Harbor, Nature, Photos, Road Trip, Travel, Valdez

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Moni likes to take pictures of the road.

Between her new job and our move into a new apartment, my girlfriend and I haven’t had much of a chance to to travel together this summer. We did manage to sneak out for a week or so in mid June. What we decided to do this time was a quick road trip from Anchorage to Valdez. Of course, getting to Anchorage required a little flying time, but that’s old hat. We had to make a couple purchases for the new place, so that meant staying a couple days in the vicinity of Anchorage, so we found a lovely bed and breakfast in Palmer.  After that, we hit the road!

Not literally, of course. I ain’t got nothin’ against the highway.

AnchtoValdez.png

Anyway, the trip was about a 5 hour drive, but we made plenty of stops. We traveled along the Matanuska river for quite some time, made a brief stop a bit south of Glenallen, then headed off toward Valdez. To say that we found a number of beautiful sites along the way would be putting it mildly.

Valdez itself was absolutely wonderful. I hit a couple museums (The Whitney Museum and the Valdez Museum & Historical Archive) and we hung out at the docks for a time. We ate at the Fat Mermaid a couple of times and made stops at Mike’s Palace and Fu Kung. …suffice to say that we were well fed. We also ran into the folks from Sweet Cheeks Bakery, run by the parents of a coworker, but we didn’t get back in time to get our cinnamon buns. Still, …all of Alaska is just one small village! You just can’t travel through this state without finding connections to the people you meet. Eventually, we bought tickets on a tour boat, which of course meant that I got sick (yes I took some meds), but mostly that was just amazing. I almost never opt for a paid tour, but I’m very glad I did this time.

On the last day as Moni and I were strolling around downtown getting ready to say goodbye to the place, a random guy came out of Mike’s Palace and asked us if we lived in the area. The answer was ‘no’, of course, and then he proceeded to tell us that he had lived here himself once, 30 years ago. I cringed inside as he launched into his efforts to tell me about the good old days. A few minutes later I felt a twinge of sadness as he left us with tales of bar fights between Okies and Texan (oil workers) spilling out of the Palace and onto the street. Apparently, the police had once been disarmed so as to enable the fight to continue. Additional stories involved a pair of Korean prostitutes who paid him extra for a pizza every night so as to have a place to stay. Just how much of this was true, I have no idea, but the stories were a good deal more entertaining than I had anticipated. I found myself wishing we’d run into him before lunch rather than after and on the verge of leaving. Still, a few more eagle pics and off we went.

Hell, even the shopping we did back in Anchorage before boarding the plane back home went well.

I wish every vacation was this cool.

(You may click to embiggen!)

 

Ruins from Old Valdez
Ruins from Old Valdez
Columbia Glacier
Columbia Glacier
Mountains in the Background
Mountains in the Background
On the Wing
On the Wing
Factory across the water
Factory across the water
Snow Goose BnB
Snow Goose BnB
The chunks of ice on top got there when they were thrown up out of the water as the ice broke apart.
The chunks of ice on top got there when they were thrown up out of the water as the ice broke apart.
This juvenile whale was playing around the boat for about half an hour. ...his mom was not amused.
This juvenile whale was playing around the boat for about half an hour. …his mom was not amused.
St. Innocent, Russian Orthodox Church in Anchorage (Moni really wanted to see this one)
St. Innocent, Russian Orthodox Church in Anchorage (Moni really wanted to see this one)
Random Waterfall empties into the sea
Random Waterfall empties into the sea
Yep, lotsa bunnies too!
Yep, lotsa bunnies too!
Looks Kinda Smug for a guy that lives on the scraps tossed out by fisherman!
Looks Kinda Smug for a guy that lives on the scraps tossed out by fisherman!
When you look into the scenery, sometimes the scenery looks back at you.
When you look into the scenery, sometimes the scenery looks back at you.
Copper River
Copper River
Blues happen
Blues happen
Almost there
Almost there
Just purdy
Just purdy
Are these guys ever not angry?
Are these guys ever not angry?
Water will fall
Water will fall
Mountains over trees
Mountains over trees
This, I'm told, is an oyster catcher.
This, I’m told, is an oyster catcher.
Well hello there!
Well hello there!
Almost an island of sorts
Almost an island of sorts
Local ruffians!
Local ruffians!
Heading Out
Heading Out
That mountain was framed!
That mountain was framed!
Glacier
Glacier
Horse Tail Falls
Horse Tail Falls
Lotta little ice
Lotta little ice
Moni likes to stop and take pictures of the road.
Moni likes to stop and take pictures of the road.
Big chunk of ice
Big chunk of ice
Closest I could find to street art
Closest I could find to street art
Random roadster (Anchorage)
Random roadster (Anchorage)
Columbia Glacier has the blues!
Columbia Glacier has the blues!
Couldn't get over the color of the water
Couldn’t get over the color of the water
You otter sea the mountains!
You otter sea the mountains!
Abandoned structure along the Matanuska
Abandoned structure along the Matanuska
Local Humor
Local Humor
Athabascan footwear (Copper River Heritage Center)
Athabascan footwear (Copper River Heritage Center)
Matanuska River
Matanuska River
Bit of color
Bit of color
Model Athabascan food cache.
Model Athabascan food cache.
Columbia Glacier
Columbia Glacier
The view from the Snowgoose BnB
The view from the Snowgoose BnB
Worthington Glacier
Worthington Glacier

 

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Djou Know Juneau?

17 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by danielwalldammit in Alaska, Animals, Travel

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Alaska, Alaska Natives, Eagle, Glacier, Juneau, Nature, Photography, Photos, Travel

Well over a thousand miles separates Barrow from Juneau. It’s enough to make the place as different from Barrow as either place would be from much of the lower 48. I imagine many of my friends and family must themselves imagine the sights Moni and I have been enjoying here this last few days are common experiences. But we don’t have eagles in Barrow, nor trees or mountains. We don’t have glaciers either, unless you count the whole ocean as a glacier for part of the year. (Jokes aside, I’m pretty sure that’s not how glaciers work.) Southeast Alaska is a truly beautiful place. It’s one we don’t often get to enjoy.

Still…

Travel happens!

***

This guy was a little ways off, which is why Moni and I weren’t immediately sure what we were looking at. I was busy snapping stills of this eagle with as much zoom as I could. Moni scooped me with a vid.

…the persistence of seagulls pays off.

A needlessly hurried spin around Mendenhall Lake.

…and a short photo gallery (click to embiggen):

Chilkat Weaving demo at the Alaska Native Studies Conference
Chilkat Weaving demo at the Alaska Native Studies Conference
Governor's Mansion
Form Line Art on a Utility Box
Form Line Art on a Utility Box
Dancing at the Folk Music Festival
Dancing at the Folk Music Festival
Mendenhall+
Mendenhall+
Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier
Blues
Blues
Fireweed Fiddle (at the Alaskan Folk Festival
Downtown Juneau
Downtown Juneau
Sunset at the Anchorage Airport
Sunset at the Anchorage Airport
Nugget Falls
Nugget Falls
Denizens of the University of Alaska, Southeast
Denizens of the University of Alaska, Southeast
Mendenhall Glacier zoomed in a bit)
Auke Lake from the University of Alaska, Southeast
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay
Juneau
Juneau
A Bit of Street Art
A Bit of Street Art
Shore of Auke Lake
Shore of Auke Lake
Mountains Overlooking Mendenhall Lake
Mountains Overlooking Mendenhall Lake
The Visitor Center and a small Pond at Mendenhall Lake
The Visitor Center and a small Pond at Mendenhall Lake
Couple friends walking under a rainbow
Couple friends walking under a rainbow
Mendenhall Lake
Mendenhall Lake
Mendenhall Lake in the evening
Mendenhall Lake in the evening
This was Auke Bay as seen from the University of Alaska, Southeast (taken through a chain link fence)
This was Auke Bay as seen from the University of Alaska, Southeast (taken through a chain link fence)

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