With a little less than 24 hours notice I was summoned by my company (I consult, nay I consult with the best of them) to Anchorage, Alaska. A previous consultant had been on the job but had taken quite ill and they needed a replacement, stat. So I packed up a few things, including not the best pair of shoes for city ice conditions, and hopped on a plane for Alaska.
I arrived on Thursday night, worked on Friday, and expected to work the weekend, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was not as busy as expected and I had the weekend off. Sweet!! I chatted with a few locals and decided to take a drive to Seward, a 2.5 hour drive southwest down the Kenai Peninsula. My rental car was a Jeep Liberty, which despite it huge exterior size, was surprisingly cramped, but what the hell it was a rental right? Plus it had four wheel drive, which was nice.
Making my way south out of Anchorage the freeway only remained as the two lane blacktop for about 15 minutes before it turned into one lane in either direction. The weather was alternating light rain and snow showers, a tad blustery, but overall not a bad weather day by Alaska standards. The wind picked up as I drove along the Turnagain Arm, the shallow inlet along Anchorage. The radio still baffled me and even after several searches, I hadn't gotten anything better than top 40 (ummm no), country (really no), and some kind of psudeo rock (they were playing Creed, 'nuff said) music. I settled on Prince "When Doves Cry" which didn't seem appropriate for a solo drive along windswept rocks and majestic, snow covered peaks in the distance, but what the hell it's better than Creed right? Yes, yes indeed.
The drive to Seward was indeed picturesque and quite lovely. There weren't too many folks on the road and I was glad that, though a city slicker, I had brought a winter kit of provisions, water, and warm clothes just in case a Hoth style ice monster decided to attack my car, leaving me stranded along a lonely road.
Seward was a beautiful fishing town, but unfortunately since it was March and all, just about everything was closed for the season. The Kenai National Park (which is alleged to have a really cool glacier) was not technically closed, but you could only get there with sled dog or snowmobile, of which I had neither. Feeling a bit bummed out that I couldn't see a glacier I sought refuge in a reputable house of pancakes. I toured around town, found a diner with good pancakes and enjoyed a late breakfast while staring outside at the snowflakes gently meandering down from the sky.
If nothing else, the trip convinced me to return to Alaska during the summer months when the weather was warmer and more establishments were open and able to be proprieted.
The drive to Seward was indeed picturesque and quite lovely. There weren't too many folks on the road and I was glad that, though a city slicker, I had brought a winter kit of provisions, water, and warm clothes just in case a Hoth style ice monster decided to attack my car, leaving me stranded along a lonely road.
Seward was a beautiful fishing town, but unfortunately since it was March and all, just about everything was closed for the season. The Kenai National Park (which is alleged to have a really cool glacier) was not technically closed, but you could only get there with sled dog or snowmobile, of which I had neither. Feeling a bit bummed out that I couldn't see a glacier I sought refuge in a reputable house of pancakes. I toured around town, found a diner with good pancakes and enjoyed a late breakfast while staring outside at the snowflakes gently meandering down from the sky.
If nothing else, the trip convinced me to return to Alaska during the summer months when the weather was warmer and more establishments were open and able to be proprieted.
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