Leaving Valdez to Chitina, AK

​Well, the rain came down all night long. I got a fresh slate this morning at the dumpsite, a full tank of freshwater, and a nice hot shower. I felt like I was in good enough shape to hit the road, so I traveled for a few hours stopping at the same road construction as I did on the way down. I stopped at the tropical looking falls, including Bridal Veil, in Keystone Canyon. The misty drizzle and foggy air set quite the mood. Thompson Pass was completely socked in fog. It reminded me of blinding snow storm blizzards in New York as I travel very slowly with my flashers on. Worthington Glacier, was another stop where I enjoyed a little hike. There were large patches of snow along the trail. Even though it was very overcast, I could still see the tinge of blue in the glacier. After a little bit more travel, I pulled over for a lunch break along one of the many rivers and creeks. This one was running fiercely, and I watched many logs and tree trunks floating by rapidly, and as I continued to watch closely a section of the shore, more like a tiny island was ripped away from the shore with a tall tree, standing upright, floating until it finally toppled over. Whoa! I can see how mother nature will just carve out these things, regardless of how we fix our roads or our drainage ditches. I finally took the road towards Chitina. And when I made it, I entered a local art shop, a quaint, charming place with scarves, prints, paintings, pottery and wood carvings. I had my eye on a winter knit headband, which was actually knitted with 50% wool and 50% Alaskan sled dog fur. I bought it along with a bag of peanut brittle. I stopped briefly to meet ranger Vicky at the ranger station. She was quite the character as I entered while her earring was firmly hooked into her shirt. She pleaded that I help her out, which I did, and got her free. She’s from Michigan and was enamored with the Sylver Gypsy, so we got to talking about all sorts of things. She clued me in as to the best places for dispersed camping, as I make my way towards McCarthy. It was a fabulous day with great experiences and I’m definitely feeling better, although still adequately congested, and still a bit tired. I found what I think is one of the best dispersed sites ever, and I keep bumping up my list for the top 10 but this one is right up there!

































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