Calling?  Obsession?  too much Reality TV?

Think it’s ’cause Alaska’s so big, so rural.  Being isolated, folks count more on each other, make do with what they have.  Strong sense of community, similar to my own childhood.  And of course the Into the Wild manifesto which inspired my Life 2^nd Half – that feeling anything is possible.  We’re not stuck.  Dream BIG.  Life is meant to be lived.

Alaska, the Last Frontier.  Hopefully outta my system next 5 years; that’s the strategy.  Reality – I enjoy my creature comforts.  Fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, accessibility to the Rockies.  In Colorado, they’re our playground.  They don’t cage us in – mountains, road-restrict Alaskans.  Made my list (pros/cons) & bought another plane ticket.  LOL>

Denver-Seattle, Seattle-Anchorage, Anchorage-Cordova ✈️

Most isolated of my Alaskan pilgrimages.  Fishing community, economy-wrecked by the Exxon-Valdez oil spill.  Birds are back, fish numbers up – shellfish ‘bottom dwellers’ gone.  Decades ago, but nothing surviving the inlet’s ocean floor.  For us tourists, you’d never know.  Beautiful scenic Prince William Sound; inland, massive Lake Eyak.

Touchdown Cordova.  Long travel day.  3 nights stay at The Reluctant Fisherman.  Missed, not planned?  Transportation.  No Lyft, no Uber.  ONE guy taxi service, 4pm to 4am.  Cash $$ haggled to tag-along other vacationers’ arranged transport.  Mudhole Airport 12 miles from port.  So where’s my rental?  Folks, it’s a one street town.  Population 2500.  Who knew?  Alaskan adventuring on FOOT this holiday.

Hotel dinner.  Black-out curtains & sleeps (limited night, 11pm-3am).

Up about, walk about.  Baja Taco – by far, THE place to feed.  Bib pickup @ the Community Center.  Grocery provisions.  Two-mile walk to Lake Eyak.  Big beautiful QUIET Alaska.  Dig the isolation.  50-50 culture split: Inuits or Anglos in fishing boots.  Moms, kids.  Teens in trendy boot brands.  But all wearing tall/to-your-knee Gorton Fisherman garb.  Fashionistas & dockworker alike.  ‘Deadliest Catch’ Fashion Week.

Downtown shops.  And yep, a museum (surprisingly HUGE, paid for by Exxon).  Better understanding how/why/from where we came.  Eyak, Tlingit, Chugach Eskimo.  Sarah Palin’s Russian neighbors.  LOVE LOVE history.  Afternoon NERD escape.

Big, wild, beautiful ALASKA ❤️

Salmon JAM Festival starts tonite (music JAM not fish jelly) – I’d festival bus to Mt. Eyak tomorrow, after marathoning.

 

 

Cordova Historical Museum

 

Lake Eyak (Cordova)