Girdwood

Yesterday, Erica, Kiki, and I headed for Girdwood. As it turns out, this small, friendly, artists' colony is pretty cool! And, though it's only 40 miles from Anchorage, it feels like an entirely different world.

As you might remember, we originally intended to cycle the trip in mid-June. Weather caused us to delay the trip, and research taught us that we'd only be able to ride on a path separate from the busy, winding highway for 10 miles on either side of Girdwood. So, Erica borrowed her mom's Blazer, and away we drove!

Our first stop in town was the local art center. What a neat place! I think we all picked out some unique Christmas presents and a few treats for ourselves. The potter, who was working at the shop at the time, gave us her home address to stop by and look at other pieces. I'm pretty excited about the bowls and plate I bought!

From there, we headed to the Alyeska Resort for a tram ride to the "top" of Mount Alyeska. This is the ski resort in Girdwood and certainly the winter hub of the town. Much to our surprise, several feet of snow pack greeted us at the top of the tram. Nonetheless, we tromped around in our sandals, enjoyed a brie and bread picnic, and watched in amazement as person after person paraglided off the mountain and into the wind. We met an entire family from Findley, Ohio. With the exception of grandma, grandpa, and youngest grandchild, they all went paragliding! It looked really enjoyable and peaceful, except for when the winds sent them so high that they became a mere speck in the sky. (Yes, the fleck on the top right of the photo is a paraglider.) On a return trip to Girdwood, I definitely think I could be convinced to give paragliding a go.

The view from the top of the tram was pretty impressive. Looking up the mountain, another chairlift takes skiers to the true peak. To one side of the tram, there is a fantastic bowl, which would probably provide some excellent riding when completely covered in snow. To the other side, at least three glaciers, Glacier Creek, and a valley make up a picture-perfect scene. And, looking down the mountain, Girdwood and the Alyeska Resort happily sit in the glacier valley which meets Cook Inlet and the Turnagain Arm. Before we knew it, though, the wind picked up a cool breeze, and we decided to take the tram back down the mountain.

We had dinner at the Double Musky. I won't go into much detail beyond offering a general recommendation. There is definitely a reason why this cajun gem has such a sparkling reputation. Oh, be sure to go hungry because dinners are HUGE and come with fresh cheddar/jalapeno rolls and salad.

To wrap up the evening, we went back to the b-n-b (Glacier View B&B) for a few drinks in the hot tub. Connie and her cat were excellent hosts! She has an incredibly modern and comfortable home. I lost count of both the glaciers visible from her place and the fuschias on her porch. Connie is fearless, a little crazy, and the kind of b-n-b host who I hope to pay a return visit.

This morning, Connie prepared us a leisurely breakfast before we headed for Portage Glacier. Because it is retreating, it's quite a distance from the visitor's center. If it wouldn't have been 40-degrees (F) and sprinkling, we might have trekked a little closer. As it was, though, it was still neat to see icebergs and a very, very blue glacial river.

I'm down to a week and a few days left in Anchorage, so I suppose it's time to wrap up my projects at work and study for my final. You can view pictures from this and other weekends here. While these past months have been an experience, I am really looking forward to going home and getting back into my daily routine with George.