FRIDAY & SATURDAY, AUG 9 & 10

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, AUG 9 & 10:

      A couple of lazy days, due to the weather.  Friday was awful – heavy winds almost all day, blowing in cold air and terrible dust clouds.  I took advantage of the day to get  a 50,000 mile tune-up on my hair.  I followed DeAnn’s advice (my hairdresser back home) – she advised me that when I needed to get it cut & colored, to find someone around who looked like they had a good haircut, and ask them where they went.  I felt awkward doing that, but I couldn’t stand my hair any more, and we still have several weeks to go til we’re home, so I went up to a gal in the Fred Meyer store in town Friday morning and boldly asked her and told her why I was asking.  She was super nice – asked where we’d been on our travels, etc.  And she led me to a very nice salon, which could work me in that afternoon, with a young gal who was just back to work after maternity leave.  She seemed a little nervous, but took her time and did a great job, especially following DeAnn’s color formula she wisely sent with me!  The rest of the day we just read and relaxed. 

     Started raining in late afternoon, rained all night, and til mid-afternoon on Friday.  Big puddles all around the campground.  Finally stopped around 3:00.  And the sun appeared!  It was an absolutely beautiful late afternoon and evening.  When it’s clear and the sun is shining in Alaska, it’s just glorious.  Sometimes, though, you’ve just gotta wait for it.  Especially this time of the year.  Of the 3 summer months, August is definitely the rainiest.  We knew starting out that June was driest summer month. . . thus the decision to visit the Inland Passage first, so as to maximize our chances for drier weather there.  Trouble is, can’t be two places at the same time . . . so now we’re visiting coastal rainy areas later on in the summer.  Oh well . . . we either find inside things to do when it’s too wet to go outside – e.g., museums – or else just stay cozy & dry inside the RV and read & relax.  On days when it’s only lightly raining or misting, we just wear our rain jackets.  And on those sporadic sunny, or even partly sunny days, we  are most appreciative!    

      We took advantage of the break and went into town.  It was too late to do anything really active, but we could at least walk around town.  Our intent was to visit the Colony House Museum.   One all-but-forgotten piece of American  history took place here during the 1930’s.  During the height of the Depression, FDR’s administration decided to offer some badly-hit farmers in the upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, & Michigan) a chance to start over in Alaska.  For a $3,000 low-interest 30-year loan, they would be given 40 acres, a house, a barn, and an outbuilding.  The Mat-su Valley (short for Matanuska & Susitna Rivers and refers to the entire Palmer-Wasilla valley area) was chosen as the “colony” site because of its agriculture potential.   Palmer was just a tiny trading post at the time.  A little over 200 families were selected.  They took the train to San Francisco or Seattle, and then sailed on Army ships up to Seward, and then the train to Palmer.  Plots were assigned by lottery, and government-hired workers were assigned to build their houses, barns, etc.

       About 60% returned home within a year – it was a very challenging environment, even for these farmers used to harsh winters.  But 40% stayed, and Palmer owes much of its growth and stability to those folks.  The Colony House is a restored home from one of those original colonists.  We got there too late to get in, but could see the outside. 

 

We walked over to the Church of One Thousand Logs (or United Protestant Church) build by those settlers in 1937, entirely out of logs, including the altar. 

 

 

     It felt so good just to be able to be outside that we just walked around the town.  It’s a typical small town (pop. around 6,000), unpretentious but proud of its heritage and contributions to the state, and has a strong community spirit.  It reminded us a little of Wrangell, only larger.

     There was a classic car show going on downtown, with live music, food booths, etc.  We made our way over to that, and got a couple of hot dogs and sat down at a picnic table and enjoyed the band (a good rock band!)  and watching the crowd.

 

Typical small town mixture of folk you’d see at any small town event, except with an abundance of sweatshirts, jackets, and even knit caps (in August).  And, oh yes, when you looked around, the scenery . . .    

 

 

      It was a very relaxing, enjoyable evening.  We’re glad we did it.  Made for fond memories of this town.

 

                                         Scenes along the Matanuska River as we headed home:

 

We’ll pass by it as we work our way north again from the Kenai Peninsula.  If the weather is good, we might stop again and do some kayaking and/or hiking.  If we hit it just right, the State Fair is held here later in the month.  (They hold the fair late in order to give farmers the optimum growing season for those famous 75+ lb cabbages.)   If not, we’re glad we were able to spend some time here.  It’s another example of the “real” Alaska.