Day 23 - July 6th, 2010 Talkeetna to Seward, AK

Today was a good ride past Anchorage and down thru the peninsula to Seward.  Weather cooperated even though going over Moose Pass into Seward was shockingly cold for only being 4000 feet high.

Stopped at Wasilla hoping to have breakfast with Sarah Palin but she was busy.  So a quick coffee and danish and south to Anchorage.  We'd forgotten what a big town was like with the associated traffic congestion.  Stopped at Alaska Leather to look around and buy a couple motorcycle accessories.  Signed the official log for the Dust to Dawson rally we'd attended earlier in Dawson City.  Will purchase the official group midnight photo once we return home.

Always neat driving along the coast south of Anchorage.  Heavy traffic but great views.

In Seward, we camped at the public campground ($10).  Hundreds of campers here right on the ocean bay.  View was great with numerous style boats including cruise ships entering the harbor.  We'd learn later that an off-shore storm was forcing boats and sailors to take refuge in the harbor for a few days.

Shot pool and ate a great meal uptown.  Talked for a few hours to a tug boat crew from San Diego that were taking cargo north along the coast to Nome, AK.  Interesting life and quite lucrative.

Picture shows Mount Seward that the town is built up against.  Anually, there's a running race to the top and back.  Record is 43 minutes and 23 seconds.

Seward was also the start of the original Iditarod sled dog race to Nome, AK. I believe it now starts north of Anchorage and alternates routes each year. Much safer these days with all sleds having GPS location senders, required rest periods, vets to check the dogs at each stop, and required gear and food. And the dogs each have two sets of foot booties required on each sled. Still a long, tough, lonely race across frozen lakes, streams, and tundra.

In the morning, we'd see a cruise ship dropping off thousands of tourists into the town.  Glad we were there on an off day.