Our group of five landed in Anchorage at 11:00 am, rented a motorhome from GoNorth RV, bought groceries and supplies at a Walmart supercenter, and headed down Route 1 through the Kenai Peninsula.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Cecropia Moths Are Night-time Beauties
Most moths look very drab and boring. Many species have gray or tan wings with little or no other coloration. But not all of these night-time flyers are lackluster; some are actually quite colorful and beautiful. One of the most spectacular moths in North America is the large and colorful cecropia moth.
Traveling America By Van: Through Death Valley
We faced another campsite dash. Death Valley National Park accepts no campground reservations, so the plan was to get there as early in the day as possible. Unfortunately, that put us both on the interstate and in armpit Las Vegas during morning rush hour.
Alaska Adventure 2021: Halibut On The Sea Voyager
The highlight of our one-week Alaskan Adventure was to be a halibut charter in the Cook Inlet out of Ninilchik. I had spoken with the captain several times on the phone and was optimistic about success. But Alaskan weather intervened as it often does and after rising early and meeting at the boat, the captain said the weather was just too rough to go out.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Shy Gray Catbird
Some birds are seen but rarely heard. Others are just the opposite – heard but rarely seen! The gray catbird is one of those vocal, but very shy birds that people don’t often see. Aptly named, this gray-colored bird prefers to spend its time in thick underbrush and at least one of its many calls sounds like the lonely mew of a cat.
Traveling America By Van: Red Canyon And The Valley Of Fire
Utah Highway 12 passed through two red sandstone arches before we saw the sign for the Red Canyon campground. It had been an early start and a dash- this campground was first-come, first-served. We pulled in at 10 AM and found a site immediately.
Alaska Adventure 2021: Portage Glacier, Global Warming In Action
The Portage Glacier is just a few miles from Route 1, the main highway that transects the Kenai Peninsula. When I last visited the giant ice flow in 1986, a huge iceberg floated just off the parking lot, and the edge of the glacier was within plain view.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Bumblebees Are Important Pollinators
Everyone has seen bumblebees in their back yards or in their flower gardens. These large, plump native bees are covered in soft hair that makes them look (and feel) fuzzy. Often, those hairs are covered with a thick layer of pollen grains.
Traveling America By Van: Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase, And Escalante
We got off of I-70 onto Utah Highway 24. This was as desolate a piece of road as we had seen. I was glad I had filled up at the last gas station! We got to Hanksville, and were surprised by not one but two gas stations. We continued west, headed to Capitol Reef.
Alaska Adventure 2021: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Alaska and animals are nearly synonymous. Visitors and tourists enjoy seeing a moose or a black bear as much as a glacier or majestic mountain. Luckily, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) provides the opportunity to see many of Alaska’s iconic animals in a single location.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Burrowing Eastern Mole
Anyone who has spent much time gardening or cutting the lawn has probably encountered the tell-tale signs of an annoying yard pest: the Eastern Mole. Moles burrow through yards and leave a trail of destruction in the form of raised tunnels in the grass and large mounds of earth (molehills).
Traveling America By Van: Pueblos And Cliff Dwellings
A terrifying road, or exhilarating, depending on your point of view, leads up, up, up, to the top of Mesa Verde. Now a national park, 1200 years ago there were thriving communities living up here. Although modern Pueblo Indians dislike the term, anthropologists call these people Anasazi.