Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Our bedroom was so relaxing and peaceful that it enabled us to sleep soundly and deeply and recharge our batteries. My alarm got us up at 6:00 a.m., and by 7:00 a.m., we were out the door. Although we were hitting the road in pursuit of a train we just had to make a waffle stop at brew@602. Their waffles are legendary, so we absolutely needed to give our taste buds a treat. Now I've had waffles before, but never on the grand scale of these culinary delights. Terry and I were unable to narrow down our choice so we decided to each get something fun and split them. Terry got Lemon Waffles and coffee while I tried the Shaken Bacon Waffles and hot chocolate. We sat on the top row and feasted like lords of all we surveyed.
We thanked Mary profusely for her wonderful hospitality, promised to return some day, and then headed to Trails Lakes Bridge for our photo op. Why Trails Lakes Bridge? Well, several of my friends had taken photos at the bridge and I wanted repeat this opportunity again. One of my buddies had confirmed the arrival time of the train, so there would be minimal down time. Exiting the main road, we took a narrow gravel road which lead to the end of the bridge. Terry and I walked to the water's edge and scoped out possible photo spots. It was fortunate having Terry there as she once again "poo poo'ed" my idea of standing on the rock pilings at the end of the bridge and possibly saved me from falling into the cold silty waters.
I set up my iPhone on a small lightweight tripod I had purchased for the trip and then plopped down in a camp chair with my ancient digital camera. Terry spent a few minutes walking around to locate just the right composition for her photos.
10:00 a.m. was there before we knew it. The passenger train arrived bang on the dot, as usual. The five chime Nathan horn let out a blast that reverberated through the surrounding mountainside. This, combined with that roaring jackhammer sound of a 4,300 HP prime mover, was enough to quicken any railfan's pulse. A magic moment indeed!
Here is a video of the train and a super size version can be found here. You'll also find Terry and my photo below. Who snapped it best? I must admit Terry's photo used the greenery effectively to create a nice frame around the photo plus really brought out the tint in the glacerial silted waters.
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Coastal Classic at Trail Lakes Bridge (John) |
Coastal Classic at Trail Lakes Bridge (Terry) |
Coastal Classic at Trail Lakes Bridge (Terry) |
Playful. That is the word I would use to describe our return drive to Anchorage. We immersed ourselves in yet another stunning weather day, revelling in the beauty of Alaska and grabbing the occasional geocache. With a little extra time to spare, Terry took a trail near Girdwood which lead to a ghost forest of silver-grey trees enabling her to get answers to an earthcache GC2FWRE - Ghost Forest – Shaken, Sunken, Salted, and Silted. Here are the questions with corresponding answers:
1. What is the magnitude of the ‘Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964’? 9.6
2. How far did the land sink here? 8 feet
3. What specifically caused the death of these ‘ghost trees’? flooding by saltwater
4. What has caused these dead trees to be so well-preserved? silt deposits buried trunks
5. How long ago did a prior ‘great quake’ occur here? 700-900 years ago
6. Name the 3 distinct habitats here? birds, small mammals, insects
Geocache Halfway Home (GCP49M). |
The beauty of the Kenai |
The beauty of the Kenai |
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| Interpretative sign needed for earthcache answers | Ghost forest | Flowers dancing in the sunlight along the trail |
I find it amazing that Alaska Railroad CEOs find time in their busy schedules to meet with little ol' me. It started in 2000 with Governor Bill Sheffield, then Patrick Gamble, then Christopher Aadnesen, and today, with Bill O’Leary. COVID-19 changed our world in so many ways, and, today, Terry and I found the entrance to the headquarters building locked. While we pondered how to get Bill's attention, (how about throwing a small pebble against his window....no I got in big trouble in third grade for doing something similar) he appeared at the front door.
Due to the virus, our best bet was to visit outside the building and keep our social distancing. I like Bill a lot. He is very friendly and down to earth. We exchanged gifts and Terry and I got embroidered Alaska Railroad hats! I used this opportunity to thank Bill for his dedicated service to the railroad. COVID-19 caused distress in almost every business, and the Alaska Railroad was no exception. Being at the helm of a multi-million dollar railroad and dealing with all the problems brought on by COVID-19 would have been a challenge for any CEO. Yet, the Alaska Railroad handled everything quickly and professionally. During our conversation Terry's phone rang. Long story short one of our grandsons was with his mom (our daughter) at a swimming pool. He lost consciousness and fell into the water. He would have drown if not for the quick thinking of a nearby adult. Although all ended well my daughter told us she would be taking him to a doctor to determine if the fainting was a one time episode or an indication of something more. We chatted with Bill for another 10 minutes or so, thanked him for his time and let him get back to work.
While at headquarters, we paid a visit to the amazing Willow Peyton. I first met Willow in 2000 while she was a business analyst. I would usually link up with her during my visits to Alaska as I was originally a software guy and felt like we shared something in common. During my 2014 visit she hosted a wonderful open house for me at the headquarters building where I was declared the railroad's number one railfan. Today, she's been with the Alaska Railroad for almost 24 years and now serves as the Supervisor of Systems and Applications at Alaska Railroad. The three of us chatted about family, and Willow was especially interested in how my wife was enjoying her recent retirement. I also asked about the latest computer developments at the Alaska Railroad.
Soon after Willow headed back to work we bumped into Mike Gerenday. Of course a heavy discussion of railroading ensued!
Curt and Renee Rudd are truly exceptional hosts. Tonight they were hosting a dinner in their home for Terry and I, as well as Frank and Janie Keller. Curt loves to cook on his grill, while Renee loves to create mouth watering desserts. As meal time approached, I grew concerned that Frank and Janie had not arrived. I made a call to Frank only to discover I had told them the wrong date. Noooooo! It turned out Frank could attend, but Janie could not as she was at work. What a scatterbrain I am! I felt very bad.
For those of you who think your grandma's beef brisket is the best on the planet, well, then you have never eaten at the Rudd residence. Drop dead awesome! This, combined with homemade baked beans and potato casserole, garlic bread and Renee's scrumptious lemon cheesecake made for a wonderful food coma.
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Eating good in the neighborhood |
A plate full of nirvana |
Curt describes his decorating as Early American Dead |
Since Curt and I had such a rousing classic rock discussion at the cabin, we decided to pull Frank into it as well. Frank had a deep background in it and added even more songs to Curt's future play list. During the discussion Frank mentioned he was a roadie for Metallica back in the day. What?!? How did I not know about this? Frank shared a few stories from the road, and I inquired why he had given this magical life up. "If I hadn't, I would have been dead." But on my tombstone when I go, Just put "Death by Rock and Roll"
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| Mark relaxing on an Adirondack chair |