We left Wasilla about 8:30 in the morning headed for Valdez some 265 miles away.  So many pretty sights to see along the way.  First off isthe Matanuska River that is seen for miles along the road and the Chugach Mountain Range off in the distance.  Then we see beautiful Long Lake where a lot of people come to fish for rainbow trout and artic char.  We have never fished there but have stopped in the past just to enjoy the lake.  Next on the way is the Matanuska Glacier, I understand it is the largest glacier reached by car in Alaska.  All along the way are the beautiful mountain ranges and unique mountains.  There is Glacier Point (Lions Head) mountain near Sheep Mountain and then Gunsite Mountain, seen when driving south, on up the road a ways.  We passed by Eureka Lodge and air strip where we used to stop on our all day drives to Fairbanks years ago.
               After about 141 miles we came to Glenallen where we turned off the Glenn Hwy onto the Richardson Hwy toward Valdez.  There are beautiful views of Mt Drum and Mt Sanford, part of the Wrangell-St Elias mountain range, as you enter Glenallen.  First stop on the Richardson Hwy was the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park visitors center where you can get a good look at the mountains on a clear day.  It was hazy and the clouds were trying to hang on to the tops of those mountains most of the day.
            Worthington Glacier is quite a site to behold.  When you look at it from afar it has 2 legs to it but when you get up close you only see one of them.  It is a must see place when in the area.  You can't miss it as you see it for miles from the road but do stop in to the visitors area to almost walk up to it.   A few miles down the road you see Bridal Veil Falls on the left then 4 tenths of a mile further is Horsetail Falls which is real pretty.  In the winter it is quite a site to behold as it freezes over!       There is a Salmon spawning viewing area at Crooked Creek just before Valdez but there weren't any Salmon in it at this time so we went on to Valdez..  I've added some random pictures around town so you can get an idea what is there.  After a trip through town we went on down toward the oil pipeline terminal area.  On the way we got a real treat when we saw a grizzly bear eating grass along the road.  Got several shots of it especially when it sat down and continued to eat but I will put the best one here.  This is bear number 13 now.  Once we got to the end of the road it was turn around and head back the way we came.  It was along trip just to get you some pictures! Lol
        
                  Here is a picture of the Alaska Pipeline and Pump Station No. 12, I took  he picture on the way out.  Then some beautiful cloud formations I couldn't resist.  
        We were interested to see what the Knife Man had in the line of handmade Knives so we turned up this narrow road and went to see him.  They have quite a business set up back there on that road.  They go somewhere else in the winter but are there all summer long.  The wife makes handmade jewelry that is really beautiful.  We could not afford anything they had but sure enjoyed looking at their things and visiting with them. The people's names are Chuck and Cathy Bowen and their business name is C & C Enterprises.  
             I'm adding a few more pictures of the beautiful mountains and clouds and an old building that is rather bowed in the middle then I will get this posted.  I had it almost finished this morning and must have hit the wrong button or something as when I came back to work on it it was gone, whosh just dissappeared!  So I hope I have better luck this time.