Heading East and South
We took Jason to the Anchorage International Airport today - August 25th. We had a wonderful time while he was with us and Ken and I were both sad to see him go. Now it is time to start the trek to head out of Alaska and down to the lower 48 states.
After leaving the airport, we headed across towards the Glenn Highway which goes through Palmer and connects with The Richardson Highway and then to the Tok Cutoff. This route will have us traveling on the eastern side of the Denali National Park.
Palmer has a population of 5,574. This nice little community is both a bit of pioneer Alaska as well a
s a modern-day commercial center for the Matanuska and Susitna velleys - collectively referred to as the Mat-Su Valley. Palmer was established about 1916 as a railway station on the Matanuska branch of the Alaska Railroad. Before that, the area had long been used by Athabascan Indians and starting in 1890, the site of a trading post run by George Palmer. In 1935, Palmer became the sit of one of the most unusual experiments in American history: the Matanuska Valley Colony. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration, one of the many New Deal relief agencies created during Franklin Roosevelt's first year in office, planned an agricultural colony in Alaska to utilize the great agricultural potential in the Matanuska Valley, and to get some American farm families - struck by first the dust bowl, then the Great Depression - off government help. Social workers picked 203 families, mostly from the northern counties of Michigan, Wisco
nsin and Minnesota, to join the colony, because it thought that the many hardy farmers of Scandinavian descent in those 3 states would have a natural advantage over other ethnic groups. The colonists arrived in Palmer in the early summer of 1935, and though the failure rate was high, many of their descendants still live in the Matanuska Valley.
s a modern-day commercial center for the Matanuska and Susitna velleys - collectively referred to as the Mat-Su Valley. Palmer was established about 1916 as a railway station on the Matanuska branch of the Alaska Railroad. Before that, the area had long been used by Athabascan Indians and starting in 1890, the site of a trading post run by George Palmer. In 1935, Palmer became the sit of one of the most unusual experiments in American history: the Matanuska Valley Colony. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration, one of the many New Deal relief agencies created during Franklin Roosevelt's first year in office, planned an agricultural colony in Alaska to utilize the great agricultural potential in the Matanuska Valley, and to get some American farm families - struck by first the dust bowl, then the Great Depression - off government help. Social workers picked 203 families, mostly from the northern counties of Michigan, Wisco
nsin and Minnesota, to join the colony, because it thought that the many hardy farmers of Scandinavian descent in those 3 states would have a natural advantage over other ethnic groups. The colonists arrived in Palmer in the early summer of 1935, and though the failure rate was high, many of their descendants still live in the Matanuska Valley.We had been in Palmer on our "inward" trip to the Kenai Peninsula when we took the trip over the mo
untain from Wasilla in July so we didn't see any need to stop for anything. Instead we continued on up the Glenn Highway and then the Old Glenn Highway until we came to the Knik River Recreation Area. John and Fran were staying there for the night and as it was getting late, we found a spot and set up for a night or two.
untain from Wasilla in July so we didn't see any need to stop for anything. Instead we continued on up the Glenn Highway and then the Old Glenn Highway until we came to the Knik River Recreation Area. John and Fran were staying there for the night and as it was getting late, we found a spot and set up for a night or two. The Knik River Recreation Area is basically a gravel moraine along the Knik River that is utilized heavily by ATM's and dirt bikes. There are moun
tains surrounding the area and it is beautiful, but if you are looking for a peaceful spot by the river - forget it. They are out on their toys early morning until late at night. Thankfully, it was a week night and there were only a couple groups there and they left the following morning - along with John and Fran. They are heading back to Denali National Park and that area to meet up with some friends. We most likely won't see them again until after the first of the year when we are all in Arizona. Ken and I stayed two nights in this area before heading back out on the Richardson Highway.
tains surrounding the area and it is beautiful, but if you are looking for a peaceful spot by the river - forget it. They are out on their toys early morning until late at night. Thankfully, it was a week night and there were only a couple groups there and they left the following morning - along with John and Fran. They are heading back to Denali National Park and that area to meet up with some friends. We most likely won't see them again until after the first of the year when we are all in Arizona. Ken and I stayed two nights in this area before heading back out on the Richardson Highway. A note about the pictures - I didn't take too many on the way to the Knik River Recreation Area as it was getting dark and also because the area from the airport to the recreation area is mostly suburban sprawl - lots of houses and businesses. The rock however was something that made me giggle. It was the size of a good baking potato and had it not been for the fact that rocks get heavy the more you collect, I left it there instead of brining it with me. Darn! I love rocks!!
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