This is going to be a quick one. We are still in Palmer, AK and plan to stay for a few more days! We are so impressed with the Palmer area. The combination of mountains and farmland make it absolutely gorgeous, there are lots of things to do to keep you busy, and the crowds are much lighter than in other parts of the state! It is a win, win, win!
Today, we took a hike to the top of Bodenburg Butte, via the West Butte Trail. This is a short, but very steep hike up to a beautiful viewpoint of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and the Knik Glacier. We were quite a distance from the glacier, but even from so far away, it was easy to tell how truly massive it is. We would really like to see it closer, but the only way to do that is via airplane or guided ATV tour, and I’m sure you can imagine that those aren’t the most budget-friendly options. We will get a closer look at some different glaciers later on in our trip, though, both by boat and by road, so stay tuned!
We have also found some nice food and drink options in the area. Last night, we celebrated Independence Day at Big Dipper Homemade Ice Cream, indulging in fireweed and honey ice cream in some of the best waffle cones we have ever had. The waffle cones had just the right amount of crisp without being crunchy, and the ice cream was delicious, too. It had a very light flavor and we enjoyed trying something new. We had no idea that fireweed is edible until now! For those of you who don’t know, fireweed is a tall, showy wildflower that is quite common around Alaska. It gets its name because it is often one of the first plants to return to a fire-burned area.
Tonight for dinner we hit up Matanuska Brewing Company. The food was decent and the beer was fantastic. We have tried several of their canned beers from the grocery store and those, along with the ones we tried tonight at the brewery, all get the thumbs up from us! Well, from Jeff, anyway. Heather isn’t much of a beer drinker.
The next couple of days look rainy, but that is ok. We have work we would like to get done in and around the camper, and some down time will be nice, too! Sometimes, a rainy day is just what we need to force us to slow down, do the chores we have been putting off, and take the time for a good book, some YouTube videos, or even just a good old nap!
Until next time!
