SEP 28, 24 .. A VISIT TO BELUGA POINT, ON THE SEWARD HIGHWAY, RUNNING SOUTH FROM ANCHORAGE..

Beluga Point, is a rocky outpost jutting into the waters of The Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, just 14 miles south of Anchorage along the Seward Highway. 

It’s named for the white (Beluga) whales that are often spotted from this location as they make their way up and down the inlet. Interpretive signs and sculpted belugas are also featured at this point.

Patti and I so enjoy the drive down here and spending time watching all of the people who are visiting Alaska during the summer.

Beluga Point itself is not all that spectacular but visitors just love to explore it.

The Alaska Railroad, connecting Anchorage with Seward, Alaska, runs along the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet.

The above and below photos look Northwest out into Cook Inlet.

The two photos below look South down Turnagain Arm.

Below is a photo of our 1999 Chevrolet Suburban that I purchased brand new in April of 1999.

If you turn around 180°, you see the cliff on the East side of the Seward Highway here at Beluga Point.

Now for a look at how "brave souls" get out to the Beluga Rock.

Yes! You betcha! I myself have gone over and climbed the Beluga Point Rock but that was maybe thirty (30) years ago!

Ye Gods and Little Fishes. Me go down this incline at age 88 years!??

I no longer have the ability to safely do it today!

Here are a few photos I took of those "brave souls" now making the trek!

I have no idea why this gentleman did not lift his leg and go over the guard railing.

Well! Voila! Bravo! He made it under the guard railing!

Below you have "real youth" who have been out to the rock, climbed up and all over it, and are coming back "happy campers"!

Atta Girl! Throw your leg up and over the railing!

Big Smiles! Patti and I sure enjoyed ourselves celebrating the visitors successful journeys!

Cap and Patti

SEP 23, 24 .. AMAZING.. ANOTHER POST ABOUT OUR LOCAL LAUNDROMAT..

Exactly one month ago today, on Friday, August the 23rd, after a lot of hemming and hawing, I finally decided to publish a Post about my visit to our local Anchorage Laundromat.

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2024/08/aug-23-24-as-hugh-connors-would-say.html

Does a Post here on Google blogspot have "feelings"? If I was to write at the beginning above.. "Delete This Post Before Reading" would its feelings be hurt?

Anyway a month ago I took our major bedding to our local Laundromat to be washed. Patti did not accompany me last month. 

Under the below King Size comforter, are two sheets and a mattress cover along with a myriad of pillows with cases. 

One month ago, we had the below, "picture perfect" day.

Today, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, it was 105°F. 

Today, here in Anchorage, we had 52°F, with rain and dark skies.

We'll take cool and rainy every time! We can dress for that!

Today, Patti dropped me off and headed to the library to return some books and to check out some new ones. Patti returned to the Laundromat just as I was getting ready to put our washing into a dryer.

We had one, extra large, washer full of washing.

Will you just look at the below lady! 

I just loved the gigantic Red Bag!

Lord Love A Duck! She got all of her washing into five washing machines.

Our machine is the closest one on the left. These are two of the four largest washing machines in the Laundromat. 

Our bank of six washing machines.

After our washing was underway, I said to her as she was taking a short break, "Amazing! All of your laundry!" 

She replied (I actually had presumed this) that she has a business where she picks up people's laundry at their home, washes it, folds it, and returns it. I did not ask her what she charges.

I watched. Each machine costs $7.50. The two large ones cost $8.50. So she had to put thirty (30) quarters each into four machines and thirty four (34) quarters into the one extra large machine.

It took her some time to deposit one hundred and fifty four (154) quarters!

I know! Some one of you are thinking, "Only our Captain would be interested in all of this!"

Some other photos of this very large, clean, and pleasant Laundromat. 

Our large drier costs $2.50 for the first 20 minutes. Then, for each additional five minutes of drying time, it's 25 cents.

We purchased an additional ten minutes so our drying cost $3.00.

My second visit and I am on a first name basis with the manager, Antonia, her son A.J. and his son Lui! Great people!!

Time to say "Over And Out" for now.

Cap and Patti

SEP 22, 24 .. TODAY IS THE 2024 AUTUMNAL EQUINOX..

Today is the Autumnal Equinox. 

The Equinox occurs when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length. 

Two equinoxes occur during each year. The Vernal Equinox (Spring) and the Autumnal Equinox (Fall).

For those of us who live in Alaska, the 2024 Autumnal Equinox will occur today, Sunday, Sep 22, 2024, at 4:43am. In the Eastern Time zone it will occur at 8:43am.

For all, and maybe even more than you care to know about the equinoxes, please see the below Wikipedia link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox

In our recent post September the 16th, we asked: 

HAVE WE MISSED AUTUMN 2024?

Today, following weeks and weeks of mostly rain and dark skies, we had a great, traditional Autumn day. To celebrate both the Equinox and the really nice day, Patti and I went for a short walk to our local Sitka Street Park.

Odd, in the below photo, it looks like Patti is wearing a white face mask. It's a bit of an optical illusion!

You can see in the next photo below, that Patti is not wearing a mask.

Beautiful Autumn colors.

Patti and I really enjoy our local park. It is a very comfortable 12 minute walk from our Condo.

The children really love the "climbing rock".

No! Not every youngster is able to reach the top! 

There seems to be one, and only one, route up to the top. In these photos, that route is on the other side of the rock.

What surprises me is this. A youngster will carefully watch others successfully climb to the top of the rock.  Then, instead of attempting to emulate the successful climbers, they opt for other routes, none of which are possible.

The below young man was good. 

Patti and I have been watching youngsters climb the rock for decades, and we know REALLY good climbers. He's ranks as one of the best.

He and I really clicked when I told him how good he was. Also he wears his hair like I do and we kidded about that too!

The below photo looks up our street as we walked home from the park.

There you have it! Autumn on the day of the Equinox.

Cap and Patti

I went back into our photo archives and added the below, general interest, photos.

As I said above, the children really love the "climbing rock".

In addition to the above photo, in the below photo, my cap on top of my cane gives you an idea of the rock's height.

He looks lonely in the winter!

There you have it! Sitka Street Park in Anchorage, Alaska.