Leaving Alaska is harder than I thought it would be. As we RV to some of our favorite places I find myself saying, “If we hadn’t already bought a nice home in the Boise area, I could just stay right here forever.” Then I remember why we bought the home and realize we really did the right thing.
We spent three days in Seward and it did not rain once…that has to be a record. We even had blue sky for long stretches each day. We figured out how to secure a nice RV site by riding our bikes around in the morning to “reserve” a recently vacated spot near the beach.
We planted two camp chairs by one of the empty rock fire-rings by the beach and had a bit of heaven for a few days. I did ignore my diet and enjoyed camp food but I am back to my effort to continue from 280 lbs last September 2011, down to 199 at some unknown point in the future. We cancelled our gym membership which hasn’t helped, but we are out walking and biking as much as possible.
July 4th week in Seward is insane.
Everyone in Alaska tries to get a camping site to be close to the action, including the Mount Marathon race straight up a local mountain. I think the race is harder than a regular marathon and if you are not in shape forget it. We noticed some RV site were reserved days before we arrived but not used for severasl days prior to the arrival of a nice RV. You have to send a car down early to prowl the parks. One camp chair with a simple sign saying "RESERVED" is sufficent to assure your peace of paradise. People know it is the only way to get the best sites.
We enjoyed the quaint marina shopping and eatery area with some gelato, homemade fudge, and seafood galore. We rode our bikes for miles and walked the grand promenade along the beach on Resurrection Bay. We picnicked on the edge of the bay, watching fishermen, sea kayakers, otters, loons, and over abundant gulls.
We talked with other Class-A RVers who had recently made their way up the Alaska Highway. We took note of several hundred miles of frost-heaves and good places to “camp”. Though we have 3000 miles to cover on our way to Boise, it sounds like the road is in relatively decent shape with good services for the North Country. Not much like our first trip up the road in 1976 when we encountered 1100 miles of gravel, long stretches of impassable mud, complete washouts, and spotty services.
Farwell camping expeditions will be a nice way for us to say goodbye to this beautiful state that will always be fondly remembered. Alaska truly is the last frontier and every bit as awesome as the travel brochures pontificate.
