It was a cold night in Valdez on Sunday night. The sky was clear, and for the first time in
a week or so I had to get my chemical hand warmers working and put them down in
my socks to keep my feet warm !! Also
needed quite a lot of clothes on to keep warm, but once I finally had
everything on, I was warm as toast !!
Woke up quite early, so at about 7 am, I went off on about a
2 hour walk around town. Valdez is much
more “normal” than Whittier – It is a town with streets and shops – And some
very large piles of snow !! They get so
much snow that they have designated locations on almost every street where they
just pile the snow up – And it stays there until it melts !! But wandered around looking at the harbour,
and found the supermarket (just one !) and the bank (two !) and the museum.
It was still pretty
chilly so I went back to the camp site and had a hot shower to thaw out,
and had my breakfast, and then got my laundry done. The camp site facilities here in Valdez at
the Bear Paw park were probably the nicest I have found anywhere on my
trip. And having a nice warm bathroom
and laundry makes a big difference on those cold nights when you are tenting !!
All they need to do is make their wifi work in the laundry and tent area,
instead of it only working if you sit out on the beach in the freezing cold !!
Anyway, got the laundry done, and caught up on my blog after
a couple of wifi-less days, and after making some lunch went off to the
museum. As soon as I walked in the door
I saw Emmie, who I had me the previous night and had asked me to dinner – So we
agreed on 6.30 pm at their place. Like
most of the museums in Alaska, it focus’ on the Gold Rush and then other local
feats of bravery / vlour both in peace times and during the war, and the Valdez
museum is small, but really well laid out and interesting. I had several hours there before I headed out
to buy some wine to take with me to Mark and Emmie’s for dunner, as well as
some supplies for the road. I got back
to the campsite at 5.15 and had no sooner put my bags down than Mark came past
and said “It is such a perfect evening, do you fancy a quick sail before we go
home for dinner ?” So I quickly accepted
and he said “Be at the dock at 5.45”. So
I quickly threw everything in the tent, and was on the dock at 5.45 ! And out we went in their little yacht – I
never did ask but probably 25 or 30 Ft ?
Am sure Mark will correct me if I am wrong. Not only was it a warm evening with clear
blue skies and a perfect breeze, but Mark and Emmie are both excellent sailors,
who know each other and their boat very well, and it was a privilege to watch
such an efficient and skilful team at work. We tacked up the harbour until we
reached a little house isolated house hidden in the woods where friends of
theirs live with their two daughters – I understand they have to snow shoe or
ski in and out in the winter as there is not even a road into the house !! Interesting commute to work each morning !! Then we ran back to harbour, where, apart
from me nearly falling in the water when I missed my footing on to the jetty
(Thanks Mark – Owe you one !!), we secured the yacht without a problem and went
back to their home for dinner.
They live in a log house, and it is really good – I had not
been inside one before. Their home is
great, and living in a place like Alaska you have to have everything you need,
and skis and snowshoes and snowboards, and everything else you need to survive
in Alaska is neatly racked in the garage and ready for use.
Mark and Emmie have some shrimp pots out in the fjord, so we
had fresh bbq’ed shrimp for dinner, and they were delicious. When you are in a
tent and heating cans of stew or soup for dinner, a delicious home cooked meal
like this is doubly appreciated – And this was no exception ! And after we had finished the shrimps at
about 10 pm, Mark declared that he
wasn’t yet ready for the Apple Pie and suggested that since it was such a beautiful
night, we should drive up therough the Canyon, past the waterfalls and up into
the area where they ski in the winter – About 20 minutes or so up the
road. So roof down on the Mercedes, and Elsie
already had hers off, so off we went in the twilight of about 10.30 pm ! Just a magical drive, if a tad chilly, but
with the sun still on the tips of the mountains, turning them pick, it was just
a beautiful, beautiful evening. So back
home for Apple Pie, and then I left quickly as Mark and Emmie both had to be up
in the morning, and it was right on midnight.
Thank you both SO much for a truly memorable evening in Valdez that I
will just never forget – It was so kind of you to invite me to join you.
As for me, when I got home, the mountains over the Valdez
Oil Pipelin terminal were still glowing in the residual light of the day, and I
was able to take a couple of pics with no flash or anything. Once again, the photos really do not
accurately portray the real thing – So if you think the photos are even just a
little bit ok, I can assure you that you need to have been there to really have
seen the wonder of it. This place just
leaves me speechless and breathless every day -
And for me to be speechless is saying something !!
So I went to bed and slept solidly till 6 am !!
Pics of the day here. https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/Valdez?authkey=Gv1sRgCMTbvKDJsIjBogE#
