Today we drove from Valdez to about half-way between Glennallen and Palmer along the Glenn Highway (there is no town where we stopped). Unfortunately, the weather was not very cooperative today and was overcast and raining for most of our drive. However, Penelope was very nice to us and didn't wake up until 7AM, allowing us to sleep in. It was a good way to start our day.
After a scrambled eggs breakfast, we headed North from Valdez along the Richardson Highway. Passing through Keystone Canyon, we were surrounded by waterfalls. The road was under construction, though, so photo opportunities were limited. The road then climbed up to Thompson Pass, where we saw a very wet bald eagle sitting on a snow plow guide pole. Our plan was to stop at a State Recreation Site to check out Worthington Glacier, but when we got there, it was closed due to unmelted snow. We stopped anyway and could see the glacier, but the trail to get close to the glacier would have needed snow shoes, so no hiking for us.
We continued on the highway and stopped to check out the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. It is large and looks like a very long snake going as far as you can see in either direction. After some quick photos (it was cold and wet), we headed toward Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Unfortunately, the clouds kept us from seeing much along the way. We stopped at the visitor center, where the ranger gave Penelope a sticker, which made her very happy. Luckily, the clouds lifted just enough for us to see one of the three main mountains in the National Park. Penelope also walked most of a short loop trail all by herself. We had lunch in the parking lot in the RV, then continued on our way. As expected (and planned), Penelope fell asleep right away.
Shortly after the visitor center, we switched onto the Glenn Highway, which heads back toward Anchorage and will take us to the road to Denali. We were disappointed with the bad weather and low visibility, which kept us from seeing the striking scenery around us. However, as we drove, the skies started to clear somewhat, and we could see the bottoms (but not the tops) of the mountains in the Chugach Range. We were lucky enough to see a few more glaciers from the highway and some stunning (bottom of the) mountain views. Surprisingly, there were almost no turnoffs, so we had to take it all in from the road and couldn't get many good photos. Once we passed through Eureka Summit, some view points started to appear, so we could stop for photos and leg stretches.
We stopped for the day at Grand Views Campground, which has pretty good views, and may even be grand on a clear day. We paid extra for a "premium" site with a fire pit, so I built a fire (with help from Katie) and we cooked our dinner of fresh salmon and zucchini in foil pouches in the flames. Right as we were done cooking, the rain returned, so we retreated into the RV to enjoy our excellent Alaskan fish. The rain let up enough for Smores, but surprisingly Penelope was not interested in roasted marshmallows. Maybe it is an acquired taste. We were also very proud of her for being very good around the fire. She even helped gather kindling.
Now the rains have returned, so time for bed.