Anchorage at last

Survey: Doesn't this picture look better upside down? (i flipped the camera over, pointed and shot...)

The local surveyors, enforcers, greeters... Beautiful animals!

The dips, humps, pot holes, graded curves and gravel road repair "patches" are hard enough in the summer... Probably a brutal Ice BAJA racer track in the winter

Local tracker might say: these tracks are fresh, and it has a GOOD amount of meat to offer up...

Nice!

rear view mirror shot; drove parallel to that range in an East to West-ish heading
First real city since Calgary (although Juneau was pretty close and very cool, thanks again for the crash pad David). Nowhere to pitch a tent within at least a 1 hour drive, and hotels are RIDICULOUS up north in tourist season. The Fairfield in by Marriott, that my sister works for, was trying to charge $195 per night/single occupancy. A few weeks ago on the East coast, we were paying $59 for double occupancy. Oh well... I've been in a few cities before; I know how this works. Analyze the geography of the city. Know where the airport is, the city core: both real estate elite, commercial hotspots, and then the edges of that good ole American "zone". The spot where you find a lot of the marginalized people. Each city has them, and there is no set definition of standards within these zones as each city has their own puppet masters. They zone 'their' area to kind of coral the cultures, traditions, ways of life, religious and political views that they want to cut off... I pull over at the edge of town right on the water, and look at my options.
A. there are a LOT of cool day trip destinations here
B. I need to get National Parks Pass, do some laundry, and restock supplies
C. I miss hot showers, electric and wifi (preferably with a desk and chair)
Lets scope out some real estate for a few days... find a place that'll give me 7 days for same price as Marriott's 2. 8 short walking blocks from "downtown". I'll take it. I think a week up here is in order. The local at the desk is very cool, and as soon as I scope the very average (amenities wise) room with a king size bed, and drop a few things off, we started chatting it up. Rick is father of 6, and works 2 jobs. An avid fan of fishing, hunting, and other various other activities with his family. I tell him a bit about my traveling self... he interludes:
Hey, you want to tear up some ATV trails on tues morning?
-You got an extra?
My buddy does... I'm sure if you slide him a few bucks, he'd go with us.
-Hell yeah, I'm down
Do you know how to shoot?
-I almost brought my 30/30 Winchester lever... why?
Well, I like for every one in our crew to have a rifle just in case... Bears start at 900 pound adults around here. Some much bigger...
-(I think to myself my k-bar and the gas pedal on the ATV will probably enough for this trip, PROBABLY) If you got an extra, I know how to work it.

The chartered flights around here rule the skies. Probably scares off most of the aviary species. Tours range from 1 hour to Deluxe package. Some trips land on icebergs, others simply give you an aerial of McKinley and whatever areas your little heart desires. Not sure, but I suspect most of these charter companies run 2 or 3 eight hour shifts. I mean the light at this time of year allows for around the clock flights. Going to plan out my week, and get a few things done. Have no fear, Dante's mechanical glitch was a relatively easy fix. I still endorse Dodge power... Having a great time!