Alaska - facts and final thoughts!

Happy New Year, and I'm home and rested now after the seemingly endless trip back, which was definitely worth it! Alaska was a gorgeous (yet cold) winter wonderland, and I'd go every year if I could.  If you love the outdoor winter sports, this is definitely a place for you to check out.  If you'd like to try your hand at combat fishing (look it up), seeing the mts and glaciers by a cruise boat, etc, come in the summer.  Whenever, Alaska is a gorgeous place to visit.  I'm grateful for the experience, and thanks for tuning in. Below, I've posted a few facts I learned about this state...

ALASKA FACTS:

- Alaska was purchased by the US in 1868, and shortly after, gold miners came to discover gold.  The largest gold nugget found in 1998 weighed in at 24.9 lbs.

- There are 100+ volcanoes in Alaska (I only saw one of them!)

- There is no poison ivy or poison oak in this state.

- Alaska has 3,000+ rivers.

- Besides English, there are 20 Native American languages spoken in Alaska.

Source: Alaska Passport Factbook, by Ronald Reiser, 2006, Reiser & Co.

A few more fun pix below...

Okay, so below are some pictures that for some reason never got on the blog.  I did want to share with you the "Spit Sisters Cafe" pic, for when you get to Homer some morning at 5am.  Also the ninja skier, the night skiing headlamp, the car that needs some snow cleared, and how about the table that might need some help before the next picnic?  =)  The REI pic for my brother, and the one of Lindy and I running back to the car in windy, below zero 20+ weather are fun, too.  

Last few pictures...kinda fun!

Day 8 - The drive back to Anchorage (brief stop in Seward)

There is one road from Kenai to Anchorage, so if there's an avalanche or some other weather issue, people simply turn around.  Thankfully, that wasn't the case, but we did make a brief extra drive to Seward (yes, also just one road to get there).  Gorgeous scenery, although we had to drive on what looked like sheer ice for part of the way.  Bob got to look at a plane that is for sale, we got to experience the cold wind off the water, and we all were glad when we were inside the warm car when we noticed it was -22 degrees F for part of the drive.  Actually, yesterday it never got warmer than -3...

Pictures from today are below. The image above is one of my pix of the sunset over the horizon of the inlet close to Anchorage.  As with all of these, my camera can't come near to capturing the gorgeous scenery.  Our God is so very creative and amazing, and this was such a great place to see (especially in the winter, people who told me I was crazy.  =)

Day 8 - Trip back to Anchorage, with a side trip to Seward, Alaska

We figured the newspaper delivery person thought it was too cold to bring...see the sign?  It says "Closed for the Season"

Lots of cars pulled over to photograph this bull moose.  We joined the crowd

Gorgeous!


At Seward - it was -14 degrees and super windy cold.

Lindy and Bob at Seward