2012-9 Scenic Alaska
Hello
All,
Arriving back in Anchorage, Alaska, we were greeted by Barb’s sister at the airport. She drove us to her home where we spent a couple of days catching up with them and ourselves. It was nice to be able to kick back and relax while visiting with her and her husband. We were then driven the 172 miles to our daughter’s house in Nikiski, by one of our son-in-laws. Nikiski is located on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.
Our daughter had been flown back to Alaska after spending a month in the physical therapy wing of the hospital in Seattle. She was accompanied by her sister on the trip. Upon arriving back in Alaska she was checked into a live-in physical therapy center in the town of Soldotna. In the facility she would have 24-7 nursing care and daily physical therapy sessions. We would be staying at her home in Nikiski and using her car to visit her. Nikiski is about 25 miles from Soldotna.
Our plan was to spend 6 to 8 hours a day with our daughter accompanying her to physical therapy sessions and lending emotional support at other times. However, on our fourth day of being there our daughter once again started suffering severe back pain. She was rushed to the Soldotna Hospital located across the street. The hospital contacted Dr. Kim (Chief of Neurological Surgery Service at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA) who had performed the procedure on her a month earlier. He said he wanted her medivaced back to Seattle post haste. Arrangements were made, and within hours Barb was accompanying her on the Lear jet medivac flight to Seattle.
Numerous procedures were performed at the hospital in Seattle and it was determined that the repair of the arteriovenous malformation (AVM) a month earlier was holding and it was not causing the pain. However, a second AVM was discovered on the other side of her spine. She was once again rushed into surgery where Dr. Kim was able to repair the second AVM. A few days later Barb and our daughter flew back to Alaska and she returned to the live-in therapy center in Soldotna.
We won’t go into all the day to day events that took place other than to say our daughter was working hard at her recovery. This was the 3rd time she would have to recover from being paralyzed and it was emotionally challenging. After spending the day with her we would take drives through the countryside. It was a great way to unwind, and with the long Alaska summer days, daylight was never a problem. We had our cameras with us and snapped photos when the opportunity presented itself. On weekends we checked our daughter out of the facility whenever possible to take her on drives or to get a meal out of the facility. Below are some of the photos we snapped here and there in scenic Alaska.
Fireweed is prevalent throughout the Kenai Peninsula and many other areas of Alaska. It adds some nice color to photos.
Arriving back in Anchorage, Alaska, we were greeted by Barb’s sister at the airport. She drove us to her home where we spent a couple of days catching up with them and ourselves. It was nice to be able to kick back and relax while visiting with her and her husband. We were then driven the 172 miles to our daughter’s house in Nikiski, by one of our son-in-laws. Nikiski is located on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.
Our daughter had been flown back to Alaska after spending a month in the physical therapy wing of the hospital in Seattle. She was accompanied by her sister on the trip. Upon arriving back in Alaska she was checked into a live-in physical therapy center in the town of Soldotna. In the facility she would have 24-7 nursing care and daily physical therapy sessions. We would be staying at her home in Nikiski and using her car to visit her. Nikiski is about 25 miles from Soldotna.
Our plan was to spend 6 to 8 hours a day with our daughter accompanying her to physical therapy sessions and lending emotional support at other times. However, on our fourth day of being there our daughter once again started suffering severe back pain. She was rushed to the Soldotna Hospital located across the street. The hospital contacted Dr. Kim (Chief of Neurological Surgery Service at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA) who had performed the procedure on her a month earlier. He said he wanted her medivaced back to Seattle post haste. Arrangements were made, and within hours Barb was accompanying her on the Lear jet medivac flight to Seattle.
Numerous procedures were performed at the hospital in Seattle and it was determined that the repair of the arteriovenous malformation (AVM) a month earlier was holding and it was not causing the pain. However, a second AVM was discovered on the other side of her spine. She was once again rushed into surgery where Dr. Kim was able to repair the second AVM. A few days later Barb and our daughter flew back to Alaska and she returned to the live-in therapy center in Soldotna.
We won’t go into all the day to day events that took place other than to say our daughter was working hard at her recovery. This was the 3rd time she would have to recover from being paralyzed and it was emotionally challenging. After spending the day with her we would take drives through the countryside. It was a great way to unwind, and with the long Alaska summer days, daylight was never a problem. We had our cameras with us and snapped photos when the opportunity presented itself. On weekends we checked our daughter out of the facility whenever possible to take her on drives or to get a meal out of the facility. Below are some of the photos we snapped here and there in scenic Alaska.
Fireweed is prevalent throughout the Kenai Peninsula and many other areas of Alaska. It adds some nice color to photos.
Fireweed
starts blooming about two thirds of the way up the stalk. It continues to bloom
throughout the summer with blooms working their way to the top of the stalk.
Sourdoughs say that once the blooms reach the top of the stalk the first snow
will fall in 30 days. As you can see in the following photo the blooms still
have a long way to go.
This
is the “Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary,” Russian Orthodox Church in Old
Town Kenai. The first church was built here in 1840.
This
is the Six Mile Creek Gorge. It is a popular whitewater kayaking and rafting
destination in the summertime. Gold was discovered in the creek in 1895.
We
found this rustic cabin interesting. Note the TV antenna, king crab shell
mounted under the peak of the roof and antler door handle.
You
can run into moose almost anywhere on the Kenai Peninsula. The part hanging
down from the throat is known as a dewlap or bell.
This
photo was taken near midnight. As you can see it doesn’t get real dark with the
sun just below the horizon. This is known as “civil twilight.”
Here
a guide is taking a party of fishermen down the beautiful Kenai River. While the
river is only 82 miles long it is a world renowned fishing destination, known
for its many different salmon runs, rainbow trout and the beautiful blue-green water.
Fishing
from the bank of the Kenai River this fisherman scored a nice male sockeye salmon
(also called red salmon). He was fishing for fun and released the fish back
into the river after we snapped his photo. We both said he really looks like a
“happy-chappy.”
These next five shots
were taken in Portage Valley, about 50 miles south of Anchorage. It is such a
scenic area. The valley was carved out by glaciers. Portage Glacier lies at the
end of the valley.
There
are numerous small lakes in the valley that make for some wonderful reflection
photos.
There are several
“hanging glaciers” in the mountains surrounding the valley. A hanging glacier
is one that only comes part way down a mountainside as seen in the following
photo. The milky color of the lake in the foreground is from the finely ground
glacial silt in the water flowing into it.
At the end of the
valley is Portage Glacier, although you can’t see it because it is receding and
the road ends at Portage Lake. Burns Glacier is visible from the lake as seen
in this photo. Portage Glacier is around the point in the distance and to the
right. There is a visitor center located on the lake where you can purchase
tickets to take a boat cruise to get close to the face of the glacier. Also in
the photo you can see some of the icebergs from Portage floating in the lake.
Beautiful
Summit Lake below is located about halfway between Anchorage and Kenai by
highway. It is an awesome setting within the Kenai Mountains. Note, the
Fireweed blossoms in the photo have reached the top of the stocks—you know what
that means!
Summit
Lodge on the lake is a great place to stop for a meal or just to take a break
when traveling between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. Good food with lovely
Alaskan décor.
This
is a shot of Lower Summit Lake just a few miles down the road from its big
sister.
We
found these brilliant Livingston Daisies planted around the Soldotna Hospital.
They close up at night and only open on sunny days. While they are a full sun
plant they really like Alaska’s cool summers.
It
is not unusual to see Totem Poles around Alaska. This one was in someone’s
front yard and we liked how colorful it was.
We’ll
pick up on the rest of our stay in Alaska in our next little blurb.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns