Dan and Vicki Coyote Travels: Occupy Alaska

Days 34 & 35 – June 29 & 30, 2015

Now to really occupy Alaska ... In a state that is more than twice the size of Texas, there are only three large cities. Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. We spent some time in Fairbanks before settling into Denali for a week a while ago. We will soon spend some time in Anchorage with Megan. And Juneau … well that one, even though the capital of the state, will be more of a challenge. Planning that one for July 9.

Between Denali and the end of the Kenai Peninsula at Homer Spit (going west then south) is where is found the most lush and fertile landscape. Only 5% of the entire state looks like this. Traveling literally alongside the road for hundreds of miles we delighted in profuse displays of lupin, fireweed, cow’s parsnip, mustard, prickly rose, dwarf dogwood, monkshood and more and more. (Yep, I got a book to ID the flowers.)

Visits along the Way

We made a few stops on the Parks Highway between Denali and Homer. Alaska Veterans Memorial is probably the most impressive such memorial we’ve seen in all our travels. About halfway between Fairbanks and Anchorage (by design.) Geocache alert.

And a great view of the Alaska Range. This mountain is Mount Foraker. A glacier that lives in its summit is embraced by the surrounding minor peaks.

Occupy the small villages

Kenai and Michener

Tucked up in the western most corner of the Kenai Peninsula is the town of Kenai. It sits on the Cook Inlet. Now Captain Cook, who was the bravest of the brave, sailed up every inlet and every waterway he spied looking for the Northwest Passage. (He should try now … I hear the melting ice in the Arctic Ocean is opening that passage.) So there are numerous remembrances of his visit here.

But even more fascinating is the influence of the Russians. Until 1869, Russia had claimed all this land (OK … they didn’t even ask the Dena’ina, Aleuts, Athabascan, Tglinits, or the Inuits or the Eskimos). They sent officials and Russian Orthodox priests from Kiev who built little villages and established their churches.

In his book, Alaska, Michener spent many chapters on this remarkable venture. The interaction of the natives and the Russians makes for insightful reading ... and historical touring. We visited with the priest at the Church of the Holy Assumption. He was a most interesting fellow and full of history of both the area and his church. He verified its history as fictionalized by Michener.

The pathway picture is to Cook Inlet from the church. Kenai … worth the drive up the spur! And a challenge to those visiting this area … find Veronica’s! Loved those are profuse lilacs and wild white roses! And the coffee was good too.

Not exactly remote

Girdwood is not exactly hidden. It is a spur off the highway and provides marvelous hikes and vistas and bountiful verdant display and a resort hotel. And a tram to the top of the ski lifts. This picture reveals the small town of Girdwood below as well as Turnagain Arm. Turnagain? Well, Captain Cook had to turn again as he found yet another dead end, no outlet, frustrating indeed, arm of Cook Inlet. We're discovering that the remote and secluded small villages found by leaving the main highways offer the genuineness of this improbable state. Turn here! … is the mantra of this navigator. The Milepost doesn’t fail us when finding these spurs.