Hello from Anchorage! After about 5 days in Canada we decided, on the 26th, to devote an entire day to driving, in hopes that we would reach the United States that night. 14 hours later we crossed the border at 10 o’clock, feeling like it was 6 o’clock because the sun was still up! It was like Alaska was waiting for us. We cruised through the border patrol after a friendly conversation with the guard who seemed quite envious of the adventure awaiting us. We slept in Tok, AK that night at a lovely hotel. We pulled in around 11pm, grabbed a quick bite of much needed American cookin, and then fell asleep anxious and excited for our day tomorrow-Anchorage or bust! As Clayton woke up for a second at 5 am he noticed the sun was already up, and when we fell asleep the night before at 12:30 am the sun was still up…we started to wonder…did it ever go down?
A few hours after leaving Tok we were entirely speechless. We felt like we had been put smack dab in the middle of the Jurassic Park set. The greenery was extra full and dark, and the mountains stood beside the high way welcoming and big. Bigger than big. These things are huge! Coming from sea level, one was over 16,000 feet tall. At the base of some we saw our first sight of glaciers. Every turn in the road was greeted with a “holy cow!” or a “oh my gosh”. We could not believe how beautiful it was! We appreciate Canada’s hospitality but nothing would ever compare to the beauty in Alaska.
Soon enough we were pulling into Anchorage! Finally, we were here! The road, or should we say roads, to Alaska was a journey we will never forget. The sights we saw, the people we met, and everything we learned along the way created an experience of a lifetime. We both feel really lucky to have the opportunity to embark on such an unforgettable time in our lives. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers as we made our way here. We are lucky to report that we did indeed make it safely and are extremely excited for the next journey that awaits us…Anchorage.
We quickly realized after pulling into Anchorage that we didn’t really have anywhere to go in a city neither of us had ever been to. So what should we do? Eat & then decide. We stopped at Humpy’s, a local pub that was recently showcased on one of our favorite shows, Man vs. Food. We ordered the surf and turf (crab & steak!) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then it was off to find somewhere to stay. We drove around. And around. And around. After searching for some type of campground/RV park we landed in Eagle River, about 11 miles north of Anchorage. We pulled into the campground there and ended up staying at site next to the river and amongst the black bear warning signs for the next couple nights.
Each day we woke up ready to go find a place to live & explore the town. Two full days were spent driving around and around and around Anchorage searching for rental signs and checking out just about every available rental in town. We exhausted our search the first night with a couple hopeful places and a realization that we might have to up the budget. By the end of the second night in Anchorage we were getting tired of being homeless when we realized that a friend of a friend was happy to have us stay at her place until we found one of our own. Our new favorite guardian angels, Sheyna & her daughter Kea, welcomed us into their awesome home in the south part of town. Within 2 hours of meeting them we found out that Sheyna had to leave town for the next few days and needed a house sitter. How perfect! We conveniently needed a house! The timing was perfect. Plus the house sitting came with dog sitting we love doggies. Especially this one.
By the end of the search for a place of our own we had found an awesome apartment downtown. The location is great, Ashley can walk to work! The view is beautiful, we can see the Cook Inlet from the balcony! And the best part, it was ours if we wanted it! We love it and signed the lease today. We will officially move in tomorrow. The Roaring Glacier is so excited to be back to his normal self. And we are excited to have a roof over our heads, and a floor to sleep on (until we buy a bed)! Homeless no more.
We have had a lot of fun exploring the town, finding fun/delicious restaurants, visiting the weekend festival, and seeing how beautiful the surrounding areas are.
Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts, we really appreciate everyone’s support with our journey. We will continue to update the blog with pictures and stories of Anchorage and cannot wait for you to come visit!
Our new address: 540 L Street Apt #403
Anchorage, AK 99501
Woohoo! We made it. Thanks Roaring Glacier.
The happy border patrol into the states.
Light in the night. (It's 11:30 pm in this picture!) Crazy.
The bumpy Alaska highway in Alaska.
A beautiful turnout off the highway.
Holy cow! This place is gorgeous.
Zoomed out of the picture above.
Glacier! Right by the highway.
Sign reads: Anchorage Welcomes You.
Please excuse Ashley's goofy face.
Dinner at Humpy's! Delicious.
Part of downtown Anchorage.
Ashley's school! It is beautiful, inside and out!
Denali Montessori Elementary.
The weekend festival-over 300 local booths set up for free fun & entertainment. We went both days this weekend! It is a lot of fun.
Beautiful sunny day. Cloud free!
Our balcony is the 3rd one up.
Sheyna & Kea's dog, Abby. She's an awesome dog, we get to hang out with her for a couple days!
Down the street from our apartment.
This is the view from the Coastal Trail, a paved trail that runs along the coast, 3 minutes from our apartment. Great place to run in the summer and apparently a great place to cross country ski when the time comes.
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