Welcome


Ramblers Blog North to Alaska Road Trip Redux #6!
Hudson, OH to Anchorage, AK 2025, May 31 to June 11.

Why Blog?

It has been our goal in recent years’ lengthier travels to record for posterity a diary of travel stats,
pictures, and personal reflections. When we can no longer indulge in long distance trips we may
relive fond memories. We invite friends and family to ride shotgun through these personal writings.
risking exposure to bad puns and grammatical/spelling errors.
Time and health have afforded these long visits, long may it last.

Alaska Travel History and 2025 Travelog

We have driven to Anchorage via RV/trailer, camping along the way, in 1984, 2011, and 2013;
crossing westward over northern states, then following the ALCAN Highway and or alternative
route of the Cassiar Highway.

1984 We flew to Ohio for a visit with the kids. We drove a new Suburban SUV purchased in Ohio
along with a purchased 18 foot pull trailer; traveling with two Gramma’s, a preschooler and an
infant in tow. We all visited in our new home in Anchorage and the Gramma’s flew home.

2011 We drove a new Winnebago from the manufacturer in Iowa to Great Alaska RV, located in
Anchorage; a large scale sales and rental dealer. We visited with Brenna who was working at Ak
Native Tribal Heath Consortium. On the return we sailed out of Whittier, Ak on the Alaska ferry
Kennecott without a vehicle. It was the cross Alaska Gulf ferry route, Whittier to Bellingham WA.
We spent a short stay with friends the Bloombergs in Olympia, WA; flew home out of SEATAC.

2013 We drove a new Winnebago from the manufacturer in Iowa to Great Alaska RV in Anchorage.
We visited with Brenna who was still working for ANTHC. She and Zach announced their
engagement. We flew home from ANC.

2022, 2023 and 2024, We traveled by SUV, staying at hotels.

2025, as in 2023 and 2024, we are driving, staying in hotels and taking the Alaska State Ferry
Columbia from Bellingham, WA to Haines, AK. Unfortunately, the state ferry system’s staffing shortage continues post Covid and our favored Alaska Gulf crossing route is not available. We will resume our
road trip from Haines to Anchorage, crossing the Canadian Border into Yukon Territory and British
Columbia. We hope our road route will not involve blizzards like two years ago and the western
Canadian fires have already started with lots of smoke, same as last two years. Taking the ferry helps
avoid the inland fires and hope they do not spread to the Yukon. Thankfully we are not flying.

Since leaving Alaska residency in 1991, besides the road travel we have traveled via flights in and out
of Alaska over the years. Sometimes staying at Marriott Hotels and sometimes at VBRO’s. Our fave
VBRO was Paul and Darlene’s off Dimond on Campbell Lake, about 5 minutes from Brenna’s house.

Anchorage Apartment Living

For the past 3 years we have stayed in a centrally located rented apartment on Anchorage’s westside
on Jewel Lake Road, about 3 minutes from Brenna’s house and Tastee Freeze Ice Cream. Our landlord,
Gene Janigo, is a family friend who provides a quality, well maintained 6-plex apartment building.
We have made it our own, furnished with help from family, home stuff, local and family art, friends,
Amazon and Thrift Shops. Our top floor (no elevator) south facing balcony has room for sitting with
twinkling lights. We used half window coverage with decorative privacy film on all the windows. Two
bedrooms, eat in kitchen, large Livingroom, full bathroom and lots of closet space. Outdoor parking
lot, complex laundry room with individual storage closets, individual mailboxes and all package
deliveries are left outside our door.

Summer Plans

Besides family and Dean (9, in June) and Quinn (5) time, a highlight will be taking the ferry from
Homer, AK to Kodiak, AK. Kodiak Island is part of the Kodiak Archipelago, which is located to the
southwest of Prince William Sound. We will be in Alaska for the start of school, golf, Crooked Lake
cabin visit, baseball games, day trips, UMC worship, Alaska State Fair and Alaska Scottish Highland
games. A special treat will be Seth and Carrie’s arrival for 10 days and family time. We are
volunteering this year at the Scottish games which should be fun. Our home trip will be basically
the same route (short jaunt thru upper Yellowstone) but mostly reversed, driving and ferry, in
September and the blog will be re-activated.

Onward to summer adventures!

Home Page Content

Left column: Daily travel map. MapQuest link, click on it. Back arrow to return to Home Page.

Center Column: Daily blog reflections and pictures only; previous days found in Archive right
column. NOTE: Internet access will vary, updates may be delayed. Once they appear they will be in
sequence. Some will be in archive.

Right Column: Anchorage Links Brenna, 8200 Opal Dr, Grandparents, 7911 Jewel Lake Rd,
Miscellaneous: neighborhood with Google map (zoom in and out, will cover all of Anchorage), click on
yellow walking man to see detail; and other random items. Miscellaneous: Webcam links; Blog
archive click to access previous days’ blogs. Back arrow to return to Home Page.

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Anchorage June 11-30

Anchorage June 11-30 pictures to follow

Celebrated Dean’s Birthday late with two cakes, trick candles and presents.

Attended all Dean’s baseball games 7-9PM Jade Park

Went to St John’s on Father’s Day.  Went to St John’s Pride Picnic on following Friday at Goose Lake Park.  Very pleasant.

Dinner at Lakefront patio, service slow, food just okay.  Maybe better to just take our chairs and sit on the lawn watching the planes.

Solstice.  Drove to Seward for the day.  Visited Star Bird Gallery and thrift shops, gift shop at Sealife Center, Pub at the Port, ate fresh cod at Miller’s Landing.  Stopped at Moose Pass Solstice celebration on way home.  Small vendor tents, raffle, music, fire dept hot dogs, beautiful day.  Stopped at Girdwood Brewing and the artist’s coop.

Pat Birthday.  Pizza with Brenna and kids. Crow’s Nest for drinks, Chowder House for dinner (very expensive, would go for Chowder mostly, halibut was extremely fresh but breading had little taste, perhaps another recipe in future)

June 28 and 29 Volunteered at Ak Scottish Highland games.  Beautiful weather.  Lots of fun selling raffle tickets and memberships and meeting people.  Strolled around the grounds, saw opening ceremony, men’s games and piping bands.  Stayed overnight at Colony Inn in Palmer, second time we did it.  This room was smaller and very warm.  But it looked out over the green and a band was playing outside at the Alehouse which we could hear.  Went up to Hatcher pass, it was crowded and cold with low rainy clouds and lots of snow still on the ground.   Didn’t stay.  Will go back later.

Helped with kids, taking Dean to and from camp and helping Quinn with bus schedule.

Brenna and Quinn at O’Malley’s for driving range with Chuck and lunch for all.

Chuck finding golf schedule through AARP League, on a rota for early Tuesday golf.

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