If you can't get to Hawaii try Alaska

Sharon & Walt Gable's spring of '99 "World Tour" was cut short due to the unfortunate trouble in Kosovo, but this is a classic case of having the ability to adjust to the hand which you are dealt.

Experienced travelers have learned that world events can create impromptu routing changes, just as fuel money can eliminate flights near the end of a fiscal year. Traveling Space-A is a wonderful benefit, but is ABSOLUTELY a privilege to be enjoyed when planes and troops are not involved in critical missions. En route to the Pacific Rim they made it as far as Alaska and had lots of wonderful things to share about their visit to "The Last Frontier."

Sharon and Walt pulled their trailer across the country and had waited many years to see a Boeing Delta missile launch at Vandenberg AFB. Well, it turned out that they saw four launches. Each one was different and wonderful in its own way. They felt fortunate to witness these marvels. Departing Vandenberg, they headed north to Monterey to put their trailer in storage in preparation for an intercontinental trip.

While in Monterey, the Marines staged a mock invasion. Though this was quite an event in itself, it became even more interesting when Monterey's citizens held massive demonstrations to protest Marines landing on their beaches. They felt that this would be detrimental to their abundant wildlife habitats. The Marines listened and altered their plans and were transported by helicopters from a ship in the bay to the Presidio of Monterey, where they played out the invasion, including search, rescue, and treatment of "casualties." It was quite a major undertaking. The airport where the helicopters were staging was right behind the campground, so Sharon and Walt felt like they were part of a M.A.S.H. unit.

After witnessing the Marine invasion, they drove 150 miles north to Travis AFB to park their truck at their son and daughter-in-law's home and proceeded to the passenger terminal to begin their Pacific travels. Hoping to start with Hawaii, everything seemed to be heading north, so they headed for Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska.
At 0200 friends picked them up at the base and took them to their home in Eagle River. A sure sign of true friendship! These friends lived in NJ until about 6 or 7 years ago when they moved to Alaska. It certainly seems to agree with them! No sign of regret at leaving the "lower 48". During their stay, they were shown quite a bit. This trip was during Alaska's least pretty time -- the "break up". This is when all the ice and snow starts to melt and break up and the remaining snow is dirty. The rivers were full of ice chunks. However, there was a good bit more snow that came down during their stay. At a stop sign, 2 young (but huge!) moose came sauntering across the street and walked right along side their car. They are amazing. It's one of those things you just don't tire of seeing. They also saw a lot of eagles and ravens, both of which are beautiful. 

While at the Nature Center, they enjoying the spectacular views of the Chugach (chew' gash) Mountains. They also enjoyed the splendor of viewing Mount Susistna, or the beautiful "sleeping lady". On one particularly clear day, they were even able to view the magnificent Denali, also know as Mount McKinley. A spectacular view! Newcomers moving to Alaska go to "Bear School". As visitors they didn't have to go but did learn some bear warnings. When hiking in the woods, you should wear tiny bells. These can be purchased all over Alaska. This provides an audible signal so you don't startle a bear. Also, watch for bear tracks and bear "droppings". The bear droppings are easily recognized because they are full of tiny bells! Interesting note, you can kill a bear if it is on your property, but you must turn in the head and hide to the Fish & Game Department.

Other places they visited in and around Anchorage were Governor's Hill, Port Anchorage (a very busy seaport), the mud flats (you would not believe these)!, and of course the Visitor Center and some of the downtown shops, and Earthquake Park. This park is built upon the ruins of the many homes destroyed during the earthquake of 1964. This was the largest quake to ever hit North America.

Saying fair well to their friends, they rented a car and drove down to the little seaport town of Seward. This beautiful drive passed mountain after mountain, all of which were blanketed with tons and tons of snow. Sharon readily admitted the avalanche warning signs were a bit unnerving. The road is known as the "Seward Highway - Scenic Byway". Seward is located on the Kenai Peninsula adjacent to Resurrection Bay. They stayed at the Army's lovely Seward Resort located in a very picturesque setting at the base of the mountains.

The following day they booked a five hour passage on a 90 foot tour boat going down Resurrection Pass to the open sea and back again. Sharon said, "It is almost impossible to find adequate words to describe the beauty and splendor of this scenery. If you can imagine towering mountains on both sides of the water, blanketed with pure white snow that is completely untouched. The boat glides through water that is the color of jade with vibrant blue highlights. Overhead, the American bald eagles soar from cliff to cliff." They visited the rocky cove where a family of several dozen Stellar Sea Lions live. The males in this family grow to a mere 3000 pounds! Viewing several gray whales migrating from their winter mating grounds in Baja California to their summer feeding areas in the Bering and Chukchi Seas was a real treat. They migrate over 10,000 miles, traveling at about 5 knots per hour. They also saw a pod of orcas, nicknamed "killer whales" because they sometimes kill whales. This was a resident pod that lives in this area of Resurrection Bay. The orca is actually the largest member of the dolphin family. They and their little babies were beautiful. A gentle snow was falling during this time.

There were mountain goats up on some of the cliffs. They spend their lives on 50 to 65 percent slopes. A normal set of stairs has a 30 percent slope! Keep in mind, they are doing this on ice and snow. Closer to port were harbor seals, recognized by their round heads and their large eyes that seem to speak to you. These seals do not live in large social groups like the stellar sea lions. Instead, a mother seal can often be spotted floating on an ice berg with her young. They can dive to retrieve food at depths of 600 feet. Approaching port they were entertained by sea otters, the "old men of the sea". These are the largest member of the weasel family in North America. They float on their back most of the time, but go through the antic of rolling, grooming, and diving for their favorite shellfish.

The boat stopped in front of the Alpine Glacier on Resurrection Peninsula so travelers could view the beautiful glacier blue ice. Nearby, in Humpy Cove, was a small mountain of volcanic rock that is dated at more than 70 million years old. It was a great trip.

While at Seward they also visited the Alaska Sea Life Center. This is a 115,000 square foot facility that sits on 7 acres of waterfront property. There are three main habitats enclosed - sea lions, seals, and sea birds. The center is dedicated to maintaining the integrity of Alaska's marine ecosystem through research, rehabilitation, and education. It cost $52 million to build, approximately two-thirds of which came from the Exxon Valdez settlement fund. Sharon and Walt were the only "customers," so they received a lot of individual attention. A worker was getting ready to feed the sea birds and she came and got them so they wouldn't miss it.

After 4 days in Seward, they returned to Anchorage and Elmendorf AFB to board a flight returning us to the lower 48. Well, that's what they THOUGHT would happen. They felt, firsthand, the impact of the Kosovo crisis, specifically, the non-availability of planes! It took them 17 days to finally get a flight back to Travis. "Yes," Sharon said, "it was a bit 'trying'." They played a whole lot of "Rummy".

They will visit Alaska again one day during the beautiful summer season, when they can take their rolling castle along with them. Sharon said they certainly enjoyed the people.

They e-mailed us from their kids home at Travis and then headed for Monterey to pick up their trailer and travel back east. To quote Sharon, "The destination is the prize, but the journey is the entire box of Cracker Jacks and deserves to be enjoyed!"

This is a great testimonial of how we can make the best of changed plans and still have a great time traveling Space-A.

NOTE: If you have a "trip report" of your own and would like to share it with our readers, please e-mail it to publisher@spaceatravel.com.