If you’re just tuning in to our Alaska adventures, here are the links to Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X Part XI, Part XII, Part XIII, Part XIV, and Part XV. Where did we leave off last? The trip was/is winding down. Ack! After a not good chill-out, chill-over phase, we went ZIP-LINING! It’s fantastic to get outside your comfort zone.
After zip-lining, we were hungry and tired and exhilarated and hungry and tired. We had several destinations still cut out for the evening. For one, dinner. For two, dessert somewhere special. For three, our awesome bed & breakfast – Grace and Bill’s Freedom Hills B&B. For four, moose-viewing, obviously. We managed all of those things, of course. First of all, Grace and Bill’s. I don’t believe I met Grace, sadly, or the two girls. Bill was a wealth of information on anything moose, Talkeetna, and Alaska. I could have talked to him for 17 hours, but that would have been 17 hours of not going to the places he described!
First, dinner. We thought about heading back to Denali Brewing Company, but then drove by Latitude 62 to check out their menu. It was awesome! We sat at the bar and ordered way more food than we could eat, even after hours of zip-lining.
I believe I got halibut, again. Salmon and halibut were common themes. I also got soup and there were fries and non-alcoholic drinks, and alcoholic drinks, and a funny waitress who muttered the “F” word at one relevant point and was so much fun.
Then we were approaching sunset on our last official overnight of Alaska, so we had the usual “dessert or moose-seeking first” debate. You know how it is. Food. Sleep. Romance. Moose. There’s an order to everything! In this case, moose first. Bill at the B&B told us about a bear attacking a moose just down the street from our place, and leaving the giant moose head there for days. I did not want to see that, but I also did, so we went to search. We didn’t see it. Whew. We wandered along some places near the restaurant. The late sunsets still tripped me up. It felt like afternoon – especially after an early(ish) dinner.
The fancy place to stay is Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. On a clear day, it has Denali views. On any day, it has tons and tons of tourists – often older people off of cruise ships. The staff there is loving and patient, and like at Disney World, they wear nametags with their cities of home. We sat at the bar, ordered drinks and dessert, and took it to eat around the lodge lobby fire. SO GOOD. I remember swirls of chocolate, and wondering if I’d ever stay there in the future. Perhaps. Perhaps it’s not my style, though. Grace and Bill’s Freedom Hills B&B seems more my thing, no matter how rich I might get one day. From winning the lottery, or course. Or discovering some new moose breed. Or ice cream. I don’t know. A girl can dream, right?
Once the sun got lower, we went around and around Grace and Bill’s neighborhood, hoping to find moose. We never did see moose in Talkeetna (don’t worry – we’re not done with moose in Alaska yet), but we did stumble upon interesting sights.
What else can you really say? We ate, drank, drank, ate. We looked for moose. We zip-lined. It had only been 24 hours in Talkeetna thus far. We had dinner and dessert. We found an abandoned comm. satellite station. I know I can’t wait to get back to Talkeetna one day. The tourist season was ending so it was mostly locals. We were ahead of the northern lights, though. I’d even do the endless night, to see the northern lights. And you KNOW I’m all about sunshine. Sacrifices.
Next up – just one more full day in Alaska. So much still standing between us and a hug from our kids. Moose. Another moose. Bypassing boring Wasilla for something decidedly not boring. More salmon, more excitement, holy cow moose – I miss it.
Aw, can’t believe only one more full day to report about, but still what an adventure you have had up to this point and can’t wait to see the last day in all its glory now!! 😉
I’ll just have to go back – for the sake of blogging it!!
Oh my god, these pictures! I can’t get over these pictures. I love that your guys went to the Bartlett Earth Station too!
The best part is that we accidentally stumbled upon it while looking for moose! And suddenly.. EARTH STATION!
Alaska is a major vacation since it actually requires an airplane, so this year I’m hoping to get Alan on board with visiting old friends in D.C.–a fairly cheap vacation, since so much of DC is free and no airplane is required. But the very next major vacation, I’m telling you, we are going to Alaska. And I will download ALL of these posts as my travel guide.
I remember when DC was just a three hour drive from where I grew up!
I can’t wait until your next major vacation!!
Aww the photos. So, so lovely!! You had an amazing agenda. That B&B sounds so dreamy. And yes, I’d probably eat and drink a lot too if I were you.
You’re almost done blogging your “travel diaries”.. I’ve so many pending ones from my last trip. Whew.
I am happy I still have pending ones too. Otherwise I’d be sad! And then time for a new trip!
My mom and dad are heading to Anchorage to visit her family in April. I didn’t get an invite, but that’s okay. It’s a bad time for me to try and make the trip anyway. I’d still love to get back some day and to be able to take my kids!
It’s quite a big trip to take. I bet you’re invited anyway! Maybe one day you’ll take the the kids there! That’s now my dream. To go as a family.
Your photos are just so beautiful. Alaska is a photographer’s delight, isn’t it? I would imagine a diet full of salmon and halibut is quite healthy. I love fresh fish, but I still love a big, juicy burger. We just got a Shake Shack and I’m kind of excited about trying it out!
It’s like.. a playground for photographers. Kids in a candy store. Unreal!
I’ve never tried Shake Shack but I heard it’s better than Five Guys! We had one under our hotel in Brooklyn last spring but never got a chance to try it. Please please report back to me!
Beautiful photos! That abandoned satellite place is kind of spooky. I love salmon and halibut, so having that all of the time would pretty much rock!
I peruse menus all the time and if I see salmon on it, I’m like, “That’s it. Let’s go there. I need to try it!” I’m not sure where our fresh fish comes from – but I think mostly Boston.
Have you ever seen the show Northern Exposure? It’s the only other thing, besides your trip, that has made me want to go to Alaska. Although the show was actually filmed near my house, and I’ve been there. But anyway, your trip was so amazing!!!!
Yes! Cassidy gave me the whole box set one Christmas. I LOVE the moose in the opening credits, and yes, it was filmed near you. But where did they get the moose? Are there moose in WA?
Love the pictures of the lake! The reflections on the water are so dreamy and make me think of watercolors 🙂
Thank you! It was so dreamy there. I can still remember the stillness and the smell of the lush woods around it.
I have been diligently enjoying your Alaskan Adventure; the pictures are breathtaking I feel as if I’m on vacation with you and your beautiful family. If there is a zip-line I’m doing it, I fell in love with zip-lining in Costa Rica, and now I crave flying through the air like a bird. What a crazy Alaskan Gun Sign, it feels like the wild west lol. Love all the pictures you have a great eye.
I have been enjoying your comments the whole while!! Thank you!!!
Next time, come with us! In all seriousness, I want to bring the kids sooo badly, although they can’t zipine yet.
Doing it in Costa Rica sounds like a dream!
Whoa! I have never been anywhere where you had to check in fire arms. That’s a little scary! Sounds like a fun place and really love all your photos. Looks so calm and serene- that’s what I need right now!
I have honestly never seen a sign like that!! Although I remember weird signs in South Dakota – and people could still smoke there in restaurants!
I just love living through your photos and I know that I will be visiting one day just because of you. BTW, I’m not sure I would want to see a moose head just laying around after a bear attack either, I’m surprised you still went to check. The food looks delish and I’d love to try all new things I haven’t had before if I go. 🙂
It was like a trainwreck. I didn’t really want to see the moose head, but I also was so intrigued. Ultimately, I’m glad I didn’t. I saw a freshly killed moose once in my life, by a hunter, and it still bothers me.
I’ve yet to Zipline 🙁 There are a few not far from here so maybe this year 🙂
I really like eating fish like Alaskan Salmon and Halibut, but we don’t see Halibut much in this town.
Alaska has very liberal gun laws.
I LOVE salmon. Don’t I sound like GiGi? I can have it for breakfast – scrambled with eggs – or for any other meal. SO GOOD.
As for the liberal gun laws, I would imagine you’d need them out there!
I love how you broke this up in installments… makes me look forward to each one! Also I eat salmon! Not often, but it’s one of the only fish I eat (and thus, ending my streak as a true vegetarian, though I typically only eat a few times a year).
Also not sure I’m ready for moosehead either. Glad you skipped that part. Or that you couldn’t find the head. You know what I mean 🙂
Love love your photos and story telling, my sweet. XOXO
That’s awesome! Is the term “pescatarian?” Something like that.
I’m glad we missed the moose head, but if we had seen it, I wouldn’t take or post pictures! Promise!!
I’ve always wanted to zip-line. I think I’d be terrified, but I’d do it! And that food looks delicious. I’m hungry now.
We actually have zip-lining near our house, I’ve now discovered. I wonder if it’s in Texas? Probably! Everything’s bigger there!
We ate, drank, drank, ate – and ziplined. Sounds like a perfect day. Gorgeous pictures!
Sadly, I didn’t drink alcohol but Cassidy did!!
Oh you make me crave a vacation with Shawn – just the two of us. We haven’t been just the two in forever.
That picture of the lake with the tree reflection…is absolute perfection.
It was our first long one in.. ever! I do want another one, and I also want the kids to see Alaska. I want to travel so much.
What a great law…guns and drinking should never mix. That makes me wish there were laws like this in Arkansas. Occasionally you hear of shootings at nightclubs and I imagine it’s a bad combination of egos, alcohol, and guns.
Wow! Really? I don’t know that anything like that happens here. It reminds me of the wild west with shoot-outs.
Yowza, you definitely don’t see signs like that in Massachusetts. Or what I presume is a mushroom?! (Whatever that multi-colored plant-looking thing is.)
I don’t even know what it is! I presume the same, though.
Such beautiful pictures, Tamara. I loved the nature pics. So contemplative. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! That’s how it felt.
It must be nice to continue enjoying and reliving your trip months after you left. Just gearing up for next time. 😉
So what time did the sun set in Alaska?
oh goodness! that firearm sign. wow…definitely not at home! i can’t believe the series is coming to a close soon. i’ve been enjoying the posts.