Toot & Wave

Seward Main Street

Scenery Along the Road to Anchorage

A Moose Right by the Road

Kerrie & Levon

Butch & Kyle

Thursday, June 2

We planned to meet Butch, Kyle, Kerrie, & Levon for lunch in Anchorage and there were also so many other things we wanted to cram into this day. We decided to use our friend, Ron's method, and we'd "toot and wave" our way through our list.

We told the ticket person at the impressive Sea Life Center in Seward that we had 45 minutes to try to see it all. She gave us advice on hitting the highlights and discounted our tickets. We flew through the fabulous exhibits and live viewings and saw so much and had a great time. We even took a few minutes to chat with some of the workers and watch a research team that had just returned with some wild seal pups. They observe and study them and then return them home. It is all very carefully done with no human interaction. We took a ton of pictures.

We speed walked to the truck, jumped in and drove off to hike into the Exit Glacier. It was a beautiful drive back into the trail head and we just nicely got on the trail and a ranger stopped us as Ben was not allowed in the park. We decided to drive out and take pictures from the road. We had seen other glaciers and we didn't want to leave Ben again.

It was a beautiful drive back to Anchorage with mountains, the bay and mud flats. We got a great picture of a moose that was grazing right beside the road.

We met Butch and family in the Sears Parking lot as it was easier to park our rig. Then we rode with them to the Moose's Tooth restaurant. We had a delicious pizza that was half halibut and half gourmet mushroom. Anchorage sure has some different, wonderful restaurants and Kerrie knows her stuff with recommendations.

Levon is a darling two year old who delighted in smiling, raising his eyebrow, and running. He kept Kerrie pretty busy and Kyle laughing. We had some nice conversation and finally had to say goodbye. It was quick, but fun. Butch promised to try to bring Kyle for a visit to Michigan next summer and that made me feel better.

We drove circles once we got back in our truck as so many streets are one way and you can see where you want to be, but you can't get there. We finally got fuel and found our way out and headed north. It was a little tense with me trying to read the map and Bob trying to watch traffic, but after about ten miles, we decided to stay friends. We saw several moose and pushed it driving until we made it back near Glenallen to one of our favorite campgrounds - Tolsona Wilderness Campground, which is a mile off the road back in the woods. We got an even prettier sight right on the river. The owner was so friendly and there were only 6 other campers there spaced several sights apart. We just relaxed in the peaceful sounds of the wind in the pines and swirl of the river. Ahhhhh!