Where's the Cold??

My favorite season is fall. I love pumpkins, the color orange, fall scents, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, apple cider...I could go on and on. By the end of the day on September 1st (my idea of the start of fall), I had all of my fall decor out and was ready to start with my fall baking. There was only one thing missing...cool weather. I love Hawaii, however there is no real "transition" to signal the start of my favorite season.

Where was I going to find cool weather?? Of course! ALASKA. Okay, so I didn't go to Alaska just to find fall weather. Blaine was working there, so I decided to join him for a couple of weeks! Blaine worked most of the time I was there, but we had a great time taking in the amazing sights and hanging out with our friends, Howdy and Michelle!

Determined to find a moose in Alaska...and I found one on the Air Force base! Actually, I had to slam on my breaks when I looked up to see him crossing the road in front of me. And then I desperately fumbled for my phone to capture this picture. :)

Here are some of the awesome things we saw and did...

My first night in Alaska, Blaine and I drove down to Soldatna, where our friend, Angus, lives. After the boys took a flight over the mountains in Angus' plane, we cozied up to a bonfire where we dined on Alaskan cuisine straight from the outdoors...silver salmon and ptarmagan! It was a gorgeous night with a clear sky, revealing more stars than I have ever noticed before. This definitely felt like a true "Alaskan experience". Thanks, Angus, for an awesome time!

Blaine and Angus getting ready to taxi toward the runway!

Beautiful lakefront view from Angus' home!

Amazing mudflats that are exposed when the tide rushes out near the Turnagain Arm.

We met up with Howdy and Michelle for dinner at The Moose's Tooth the following night...what a surreal, but great feeling to see friends from Charleston, so FAR AWAY from Charleston! Michelle and I did some shopping, hiking, and more eating out through the week...there are some really cute places in Anchorage! My second weekend in Alaska, Howdy, Michelle, Blaine, and I hiked to Byron Glacier in Girdwood. Amazing! I was intent on seeing a glacier, and we found one, up close and personal. It was beautiful!

Hiking to Byron Glacier

Sun rays shining through an opening in Byron Glacier

I didn't even think about how dangerous it is to sit underneath a melting glacier!

Blaine, Jen, Michelle, and Howdy at the end of a gorgeous hike!

This is what the same view from the Turnagain Arm looks like when the tide is up!

Another week of shopping (I had to mail two boxes of stuff home), eating out (I wanted to try every restaurant that was recommended to me...and I think I succeeded), and having pumpkin spice lattes from every coffee shop in town (every day of my visit!)...and we come to my final weekend in Alaska. I spent Saturday with Howdy and Michelle while Blaine worked. We had breakfast together and spent ALL day hanging out in the cutest coffee shop near their home, engaged in great conversation. I really enjoyed my last day with our sweet friends! Thanks, Howdy and Michelle, for keeping me company and being great tour guides! I truly am thankful for our time spent together. :)

Several people recommended that we visit Alyeska Resort in Girdwood and eat at their infamous restaurant, Seven Glaciers, that lies on the top of the mountain, accessible only by a very steep hike or the tram. We decided to make a weekend of it, staying at the resort Saturday night and exploring the area the next day, to include the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We had SUCH a great time! The resort was unbelievable, the dinner was amazing, and the scenery was breathtaking. It was so nice to have that time with Blaine...we considered this an early celebration of our four-year wedding anniversary. Thanks, sweetie, for an unforgettable date night! I will certainly hold dear our Alaskan memories forever.

Alyeska Resort...if you look REALLY closely, you can see Seven Glaciers Restaurant at the very top of the mountain in the background.

After enjoying each other's company over a romantic dinner, overlooking the beautiful mountains and the resort...we had to check out the engine room! Yes, Blaine was SO intrigued by the tram that the operator offered to give us a tour of how it works. Isn't this how all of your date nights end?? ;)

This is a tree from Girdwood's "ghost forest"...during an earthquake, the ground sank, allowing saltwater to come in, which killed a lot of trees and left these reminders behind. Don't they look neat?

We really liked the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We met this guy, among the rest of the elk, who was really rambunctious! He was charging at people and seemed to REALLY like the ladies in his pasture. ;) Such a stinker!

Two bears playing in the water

This caribou was just as mischievous as the elk...he kept charging at us, too.

This bald eagle was found with a bullet hole through his left wing, which had to be amputated. He seems to be enjoying life at the conservation center, though!

I took this picture of a huge glacier from the plane window on the way back home...so pretty!

We really enjoyed our Alaskan experience, and had a great time with old friends! What an amazingly beautiful place!! And I got my cold fix. ;)