Observations

A popular fridge magnet as sighted in the gift stores reads....... The Alaskan State bird is .... The Mosquito (and I believe it!).

Did you know that the sun rises in the NORTH and sets in the NORTH circulating like a halo above our heads at approx 35 degree angle.

The cluster of hotels, cabins, stores (a dozen at most) they range from the typical gift stores, the outrageously overpriced mini mart grocery, a bar called "The Salmon Bake" which is a restaurant/bar that remains open till 4 am, it is THE spot for the young employees to hang out in. Then there is the one and only much needed gas station, and this conglomeration of stores is called "Glitter Gulch" and is the widest spot in the road (apart from the town of Healy 10 miles away population 400) between Anchorage and Fairbanks, total mileage 365 miles.

In the two weeks since we have been here the trees have gone from bare twigs to full green growth and the spring flowers have burst forth, mainly lupins ~ which only reach a height of 8 inches at most.

Both the cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks seem to be "stuck in time" it's like being back in the 50's with the old style Sears store. A single banana costs $1, a box of tissues $4 and a bag of chips $8. Movie admission $10 with popcorn selling for another $10! It does not take too much to spend more than you make here.

While we were walking last night we had the delightful experience of having a large moose just step out in front of us, stop on our walking trail, and succeed in out staring us (I was looking for the closest cluster of trees in which to blend into). He must have decided we were not a threat as he ambled off and just seemed to disappear.

Today (June 6th) it is snowing very lightly! ~ this could quite possibly be the coldest summer I will have experienced.