Sanko's Sojourns

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Unfortunate Event

We arrived in Anchorage last night and spent the last night in our RV. Tuesday we rented a car and drove around Anchorage looking for places to fish . Rick and I fished for a total of four hours and I caught the only fish which was at least two inches long. When we got to the airport my unfortunate incident happened. Rick went through security with no problem. When I went through security the TSA people went nuts. I was pulled to the side and had to answer questions. The problem was I forget my big mama botany knife in my carry on luggage. After a short period of time they decieded that I was not a terrorist, they made me go back and check my carry on luggage with the knife. This is the second time I left this knife in my carry on luggage, the first time TSA missed it. Unfortunately this was not my lucky day
LAST BLOG SUNDAY, JULY 12.

Our last blog will be Sunday, July 12.

Bridal Vail Falls

Sanko & bear

Thompson
Pass

Sunday, July 5, 2009

The many leaflet Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus)
This is the largest most beautiful lupine I have ever seen. It can be described as
SEX ON A STEM. But many people would a problem with this plant, its an escaped exotic that
could be invasive. It still deserves to be along the roadsides with the natives.

Worthington Glacier, Thompson Pass

Yesterday, George and I celebrated Independence Day at Thompson Pass, marveling at the diversity of Alpine flora there. Pictured here is the Worthington Glacier, one of many in Alaska in a state of retreat. The massiveness of glaciers, and of the landscape itself, is nearly impossible to capture in photographs or to express in words. Some of these glaciers are hundreds of feet thick. Last week on my flight over Mt. McKinley, we landed on the Ruth Glacier at an elevation of about 5500 feet. The pilot commented that most climbers carry ropes 300 feet in length, because that is the depth of the average glacial crevasse fall! George resembled a Mountain Goat (Dall Sheep) as we botanized the tundra, putting in a solid 6 hours in the pass. While we saw many fascinating flowering plants and ferns of the Alpine, if there was one plant that stole the show, it had to be the Spring Beauty, Claytonia sarmentosa. Strikingly resembling our native species, C. caroliniana and C. virginiana, except that the flowers at 3/4 " appeared to be on steroids!

Thompson Pass Wildflowers

Two species of dogwoods are
found in Alaska, this is called
Swedish Dwarf Cornel (Cornus
suecica). This one has dark
center and Cornus canadensis has a yellow center, they love to hybridize.
The Blue Flag is Iris setosa and the flower is 4 inches across. WE HAVE AT THE GARDEN.