We attended the opening day of the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. Admission was $2.00 with a non-perishable item of food. Since we had originally packed for a biblical flood, we had plenty of items. Pretty inexpensive admission, and for a good cause. We found out this is the first year that the entire fair was a no smoking zone, so they expected attendance to be off somewhat. We spent 15 minutes in line for parking only to be re-directed to another “correct” line. There was no signage indicating that we were in the incorrect line and when we left the fair several hours later, there were still cars lining up and being turned around . .. .not a good start but . . .
We visited all of the animal exhibit; lot of pigs, goats, cows, sheep and a reindeer. We went into the petting zoo, but it seemed some parents were keeping an eye on me for some reason (?). Next to the chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits and other smallish animals. Cathy got verbally attacked by a real cool rooster who went wild for some reason. Lucky the guy was caged or he could have done some damage. There was a 17 lb. rabbit (should have been in with the pigs). Next we went to the produce, which the Mat-Su valley is famous for. How about a 600+ lb summer squash? or a 2.1 lb baking potato? Everything was huge due to the 23 hours of sunlight during the growing season. Gotta wonder when I start getting excited over vegetables . . .
Cathy and Linda got engaged deep in conversation with a woodworker in the crafts building. These guys really take pride in what they design/build. There was a neat exhibit of life-size animatronic dinosaurs. It was very educational to see what they (probably) looked like, which is sometimes difficult from skeletons alone. We had to ask a grandpa where he got his corn dog as I was on a quest and could not seem to find them. His directions were definitely fair-like . . . “turn right at the kettle corn and it would be down a bit on your left” . . etc. I did follow correctly and got a foot long corn dog with just enough grease to give me the appropriate stomach ache. Ahh . . fairs. . .
On the way back we sought out the Eklutna Tailrace, in the Church State Park, a legendary sliver salmon fishing section of the Eklutna river. I spoke with a fisherman there about the conditions, lures/flies, etc. He was from N. Carolina but has been there before. The salmon appeared to be just beginning their run, saw several surface and one caught while we stood there. We will probably go back once Michael gets here (tomorrow night).
On Friday, we went to breakfast in an old Alaskan Establishment, the Golden Corral. Hard to make a bad breakfast so we decided to make use of early bird special. After that, as the weather was clearing, we decided to take our bicycles out on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. This is the same trail that we ran in the 5K and Marathon runs on Sunday. It went a lot faster and was significantly easier with bicycles. Myrna rented a bicycle and she and Barbara saw a juvenile Golden Eagle. All Cathy and I saw were a couple of cranes, a dead fish and an older couple that chewed me out for passing them on the left? This is a photo on the trail, the park in the background extends for miles and has salmon returning for spawn in the stream (Chester Creek) directly behind Cathy.
The trail forks near here, with one leading up the creek for about seven or eight miles and the other heading out along the coastline for about 11 miles. We rode about seven miles on the Tony Knowles then went up the Chester Creek for three miles before returning to our truck downtown.
On Saturday, we drove into downtown to an open air market in Anchorage. There were several authors in attendance, including three Iditarod mushers, several sled dogs and a children’s book author. Cathy and Barbara purchased some bread and pastries from a vendor at the market. Cathy got a loaf of raspberry swirl bread that we will try later on this afternoon.
This totem was at the entrance of the market . . .label said “Made in China” on the back . . just kidding.
On the way back to our camp, I noticed that the Chester Creek trail goes right next to our campground. I must have run right by our Motorhome during the Marathon last Sunday. If I had known I was so close, I may have taken a break there . . ha ha.
We decided to drive part of the Seward Highway (AK 1) west this afternoon, to take advantage of the sunshine. This is the first time we can see the snow-capped Alaska Range across Cook Inlet. We stopped at the McHugh Creek trailhead and did a loop hike, through the forest, up the canyon, crossed a footbridge and came back down beside McHugh creek.
Some pictures of the trail and cascades:
Hey Linda T – Cathy found evidence that Harry may have been here . .?
After finishing this short hike, we then stopped at Beluga Point, a spot where the elusive Beluga whales are sometimes spotted.
We had to cross the AK Railroad tracks, then hike out to the rocky point. The Alaska Railroad Princess Cruise train passed through right after we arrived. The engineer was on the horn for a long time as there were men, women and children scrambling over the tracks in front of it. Kinda like a life-size game of “Frogger”. Darwinism at work . . . .
Just before we continued on, eagle-eye Cathy spotted a pod of three or four of the elusive whales surfacing about a quarter-mile offshore in Turnagain Arm. Sorry for the quality, I did not have my telephoto with me at the time. The tide was in while we at the point so we did not see the mud flats, only a steep gravel beach (of sorts – tidal swings are 33 feet here) and Cathy took off her shoes and went wading in the frigid water.
Next, as we continued west on the Seward, we stopped at the Falls Creek Trailhead where we met and talked for a while with a local man and his dog, who were enjoying the water and falls.
By now it was about 1700 so we decided to turn back and head home. Made a quick stop at Fred Meyer (Kroger in the South) for groceries and headed back to camp.
Travelling with the Schinglers 
Interesting on the huge veggies, always thought the further North the smaller.
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