July 15: Today was a bright, sunny day—a pleasant change from the clouds and rain we’ve had over the last couple of days, which made for a much more scenic drive back to Anchorage! If you’re wondering why the second “pass” on a circuit, just remember that there are far fewer highways in Alaska than there are in the lower 48;  thus, there are few options for getting anywhere by road, and a lot of retracing results.  On the way, we had a delicious lunch at Summit Lake Lodge (I had a veggie burger and blackberry pie). There are some photos below of the lovely flowers that were cultivated and abundant around the lodge building. When we arrived in Anchorage, we stayed at the same RV park we’d stayed in the first time we were there. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived today, I was not feeling well and skipped the potluck dinner that was scheduled for that evening.

July 16: This morning we were given a tour of the Alaska Zoo. It’s a rescue and rehabilitation facility for animals that are injured and/or cannot survive in the wild for any of a variety of reasons. Our guide was very articulate and informative, and we learned a lot about how the personnel at the zoo care for and rehabilitate the animals as best they can while always respecting their “wildness.” There are photos below showing some of the animals we saw, including wolves, coyotes, tigers, porcupines, polar bears, moose, owls, eagles, hawks, and others.

July 17: Once again I was not feeling very well, so “hibernated” most of the day. Dave went out for a bicycle ride. Less than a mile from our RV park near downtown Anchorage, he encountered a young bull moose. Others in our group had seen the moose in the park as it grazed between a golf source and children on a playground.