Tuesday 28 June 2011

To Anchorage

We left the beautiful little town of Valdez on route to Anchorage having to travel back to Glenallen on the same route, the only road in. The drive to Anchorage through Palmer was very picturesque crossing Eureka summit which is the highest point on the Glenn highway, passing sheep mountain showing its beautiful orange colours and 4 mile long 2 mile wide Matanuska Glacier and its river.
We had a stop at Palmers Visitors centre for a walk through showcase gardens. Back in 1935 an unusual agricultural experiment was started here where they gathered a colony of people and put them together to farm. The aim was to get people off the dole, and although not entirely successful Palmer has become the capital of agriculture and the headquarters for the farmers cooperative marketing organisation. When they talk about agriculture they refer mainly to production of fruit and vegetable. The season only lasts 100 days per year.
A dual lane highway lead us into the busy city of Anchorage ( 283,000 population ) where we spent a couple of days doing odd jobs and shopping. We wanted to be close to downtown where we could walk to the towns main area so we stayed in an RV park in the city but moved to the outskirts of town the next morning as it was too noisy with the rail line nearby and planes flying overhead on there way out of the airport.
Anchorage served its purpose having the major store outlets we required. A large RV store to get some replacement grommets for the stove top, RV friendly loo paper and some special double sided tape for our doors.  We got to know our way around the town chasing the different stores everyone wanted to look at but we were glad to be leaving the bustle of the city behind to head south. We will have to return through Anchorage again on our travels back north.  
Anchorage Visitors Centre
    
Anchorage Gardens
Camp Along Nelchina River
Now which should we take....
Everything in Alaska is BIG...
Matanuska Glacier
Matanuska River
at Palmer Gardens
Display in Anchorage City Centre
Palmer Visitors Centre
Rob and her Cuddly
Salmon Caught by fisherman
Sheep Mountain
Showcase Gardens Palmer
Would you look at the size of that....
Whatever....

At railway crossing ??????

Rose at Palmer Showcase gardens

Alaskan Gift Store

Cabbage plant at Showcase Gardens
 


Indian reservation
  


Flowers at Anchorage Gardens
  
Flowers at Anchorage Gardens


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