Talkeetna, Alaska Events

Hello to All,

Lots has happened in the last few days. Dorothy and Dave joined us on Friday. Had a nice shrimp pasta dinner with garlic bread that Jerry cooked outside and we ate outdoors. The weather has been unbelievably pleasant -- in the low 80s during the day and 60s at night. Hardly any mosquitos, though Dave and Dorothy had just come from Willow and they said they were nearly eaten alive by mosquitos there.

On Saturday, Talkeetna held their annual "Moose Dropping Festival." No --- they don't drop a moose; they drop the moose droppings. We were under the mistaken assumption that the "moose droppings" they use and actually sell were fake or made out of candy. Not so! They use ACTUAL MOOSE DROPPINGS in a variety of creative ways!!! And, get this -- people actually pay money for them! See picture of moose dropping earrings (decorated and painted). (Moose droppings with numbers on each one were also used for the "Moose Dropping" Contest later that evening.)

They held a 5K run that started at 10:30 a.m. Jerry entered it. There were 289 runners in the race. He came in third for his category (age 60 and over). The parade started at noon. See slide show for a brief overview of the parade.



There was music, lots of vendors selling all kinds of things, and the 37th annual "moose dropping" contest. You had to purchase a moose dropping with a number on it for $5 each. Duplicate numbers were then put into a bag and dropped from high in the air. The people holding the first 12 numbers closest to the center of the circle on the ground won money ($1,500 for first prize), and so did the one with the number farthest away from the circle ($300). See Jerry's video of the event that took place at 6 p.m.



Later that evening, Jerry grilled steaks with baked potatos and corn on the cob. Dorothy and I bought rhubbarb crisp from a vendor for dessert that evening. But, since the guys were too full to eat dessert, Dorothy and I encroached on their pieces after first eating ours. (We also ate rhubbard pie in the afternoon!) Now, we all were full!!

On Sunday, Dorothy, Jerry and I took the local Alaska train 55 miles into the wilderness and back again. (David had to stay with his dog, Moose.) Normally, one can see Mt. McKinley (about 45 miles away) at the end of the train run. But, with over 60 fires currently burning in Alaska, the view was shrouded in smoke and we could not really see the mountain.
Other than that, words cannot describe the scenery -- so here is a video that Jerry made of the ride.



Here is just one picture taken on our train ride.

Yesterday (Monday), Dorothy and Dave left to go north to Denali National Park. Jerry and I will visit the park later in August. We will head on Wednesday to go back to the Kenai peninsula to hang out there some more.

Again -- keep living the life you love.

Jerry and Mary