Friday, July 23, 2021
Our stay at Rudd Manor was simply amazing! It definitely made for an easier 5:30 a.m. wake up. After cleaning my old carcass in the beautiful shower, Terry and I grabbed a quick bite in the fully equipped/stocked kitchen. Last night Renee made a scrumptious cobbler, so Terry and I could not resist an unorthodox breakfast of having a piece with ice cream.
I try to not to believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead. This is so true for Alaska Railroad photo shoot days as every time I set up a train chase, it always rains. Why should today be any different?
We met up with Alaska Railroad employee, veteran rail photographer and all around good guy, Frank Keller, at Potter at 7:00 a.m. There is a geocache on the rotary, and Terry and I checked to see if it was still there prior to his arrival. Yup!
Our first chase was the Coastal Classic along Turnagain Arm. The Alaska Railroad says, "Discover for yourself why National Geographic Traveler ranked the Coastal Classic Train among their Top Ten Train Rides in North America. Departing Anchorage, the train winds along Turnagain Arm, where the steep mountains of the Chugach Range plunge directly to the sea. Following a brief stop in Girdwood, the train continues to the end of Turnagain Arm and veers away from the road system into the backcountry wilderness – and what many consider to be the most scenic stretch of the entire Railbelt. Upon a late morning arrival into Seward the train comes to a halt on the shores of Resurrection Bay, before making the return journey to Girdwood and Anchorage at 6 p.m. that evening. A day in Seward offers a range of options: cruise Resurrection Bay or Kenai Fjords National Park, or enjoy a scenic ride to a remote island lodge for lunch. Or, stay on land for the Real Alaska Tour – a full day sampler of activities including a visit to Exit Glacier and a dog sled ride at the famed Seavey kennel. Seward is also home to a number of charming shops and restaurants, as well as the excellent Alaska SeaLife Center".
We also caught an empty gravel train along Turnagain Arm. What?!? It was surprising news to me as well. Frank Keller was clueless. So I asked a friend of mine who got out their phone and made a call. Dibble Creek Rock Limited entered into a contract with the Alaska Railroad to provide 25,000 tons a year for the past two years via the City of Seward's rock quarry located about 0.6 miles beyond the Seward Waste Transfer Facility at the end of Dimond Boulevard. In 2021 they were contracted for 45,000 tons. They are currently dumping this gravel at Hunter and Grandview. It is easy to spot as it is black rock. You'll find the latest resolution here. You will also find a ton more information here. As my friend was getting ready to hang up the phone, the person on the other end asked who wanted to know. "Do you know John Combs?" asked my friend. "Of course! Everyone knows John Combs!" came the reply. <blush>
Next, Frank brought us to Portage to catch the return of the Glacier Discovery. This summer train departs Anchorage for Whittier each morning and returns to Anchorage in the evening. This allows for an assortment of day trips - glacier cruises of Prince William Sound, sightseeing walks to Spencer Glacier and Grandview or rafting Spencer Glacier and the Placer River. Passengers experience the 50 mile scenic section along the Turnagain Arm from Anchorage to Portage featuring mountains, lakes, panoramic scenery, flora and fauna. The train passes through two tunnels, one of which is a one lane 2.5 mile tunnel, the second longest highway tunnel in North America, and shares alternating one-way traffic with vehicles.
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Glacier Discovery |
Glacier Discovery | Glacier Discovery |
| Video of Glacier Discovery at Portage |
Due to the rain Frank was never able to fly his drone. Darn it! With our remaining time, Frank thought we might see some wildlife in the hills around Rabbit Creek. We explored Rabbit Creek and Clarks Road as well as the surrounding area, but only saw a few birds. We did spy some very expensive homes! By force of habit, I checked for geocaches in the surrounding area. There were several in the area and Frank, who had never done any geocaching, thought the idea sounded really fun. The land was a little rough and uneven to traverse, but we did it with style and found four geocaches. Once Terry or I spotted the container, we backed off so Frank could experience the joy of discovery. He definitely wants to do this again!
After thanking Frank profusely for spending his day off with us, we headed back to Rudd Manor. Curt had prepared a wonderful salmon dinner for us. I am not a fan of salmon, but when that rascal was caught the day before, well he was delightful to eat. I love living Alaskan! Before heading to bed, Terry and I packed for the next day's adventure.... living off the grid in Alaska. This was a dream come true for Terry, but I was pretty apprehensive.