Continued from the previous page.

REI was next on the route I plotted through town. This chain is one of our favorites but we don't often travel to cities that have REI stores so it's a special treat for us to shop there. Not only are they stocked with great outdoors products, their service is also outstanding. Here's an example.

When I tried to reattach the legs to one of my convertible pants this morning I realized the zipper was broken. An essential piece had broken off, probably in the washer or dryer a couple days ago.

I took them back to REI to see if they could fix them but they gave me a new pair instead at no charge -- identical color and size, since they are still one of the current colors. The fella in customer service said this is one of the perks of our REI membership.

Colorful flowers outside the federal courthouse in downtown Anchorage

I also bought another pair in a different color. They are great for hiking and other casual activities. Since our entire lifestyle is very casual, I mostly live in convertible pants/shorts or jeans.

COLORFUL DOWNTOWN FLORAL DISPLAYS 

Anchorage is known for its beautiful displays of cultivated flowers and other plants in its parks and other public spaces.

An earlier entry about the city greenhouses showed where the flowers are grown. I've shown lots of  pictures of flower beds already in June and July from city parks along the Coastal Trail, flower baskets and beds at the downtown visitor center,

 

and the Anchorage Museum:

 

 

One of two city workers who were tending the beds near the museum July 23

Impatiens, begonias, zinnias, and more

 

 

A type of coleus?

Most of those photos from the museum grounds I haven't shown you before. I took those on a rainy day (July 23), as well as these displays across 7th Ave. at the federal courthouse complex:

 

 

 

Since I'd seen those floral displays recently I didn't go back to those locations again today. Instead, I headed for Delaney Park and Town Square.

It was easy to find free parking near I Street and 10th Ave. along the Delaney Park Strip. The linear park is a block wide and about 20 blocks long. I walked around and took photos of the veteran’s memorials, MLK, Jr. memorial, and numerous flower beds:

The Delaney Park Strip has acres and acres of grass. The Chugach Mtns. are in the background.

 

Orange = dahlias

The next three photos show the nice military veterans' memorials at Delaney Park:

 

 

This memorial is for Martin Luther King, Jr.:

 

Town Square Park is in a busier downtown location at 5th Ave. and E Street. I couldn’t find any street side parking so I didn’t get any pictures there.

SHIP CREEK AREA

Then I parked at the Ulu Factory next to Ship Creek. On the way down to it I took photos of two imposing Alaska Railroad buildings:

 

I didn’t have time to do a factory tour, although a five-minute tour was offered for just me. Maybe next week:

I walked to the spectator bridge over Ship Creek to look for salmon. I didn’t see any salmon swimming upstream but could see about a dozen optimistic people fishing:

 

I returned to JBER for a perm at the Stylique Salon in the BX (Base Exchange) and to shop at the commissary, where many grocery items are cheaper than even WalMart and Sam's Club.  

Jim went to Lowe’s and the BX in the evening. He spotted a male moose with antlers on base but didn’t have a camera with him to take pictures. He also saw a female moose at JBER with her baby recently, too.

Next entry:  photos of gorgeous flowers at the Alaska Botanical Gardens

Happy trails,

Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, and Cody the ultra Lab

Previous       Next

© 2012 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil