Caribou Inuulitsivik

      The first in our series of Alaskan Cuisine, both for us and you  We have never tried caribout before.  This is another of the more lean wild game meats, lending itself to different cooking styles, including this recipe. Venison, elk, reindeer, or moose can be substituted.   Our steaks were small 4 ounce tenderloins wrapped in bacon. Recipe is for 4 people, but you may want to consider it for only  two,  it is that tasty.

4 Caribou Steaks
1/4 tsp. peppercorns, crushed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 cup red wine
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

      Saute' the caribou over high heat in the butter and pepper until browned.  Add the beef broth, red wine, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer until tender.  Thicken juices with a roux or heavy cream and add red pepper.  Mushrooms and other veggies can be added.  The bacon wrap will come off as it cooks, just work with it when serving.

 

      We found the Caribou Steaks to be fairly tasty and tender.  Taste was similar to venison.  The thickened broth was served over mashed taters with fresh peas on the side.  We really wanted to dine 'al fresco', but you know bears......they don't like to share. 

"Manage the meat, let the meat cook, and you'll get fantastic results"  

Guy Fieri

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Bright Lights, Big City, and TorFlex Axles

Tlingit Salmon Art (courtesy of Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center)

      After departing Valdez we headed north back to Glennallen and then west arriving in Anchorage.  We stopped overnight hallway across the Glenn Highway at Grand View RV Park.  We really don't drive LONG days anymore since we don't have to.  Full hookups with military retiree discount at $34/day.  It also offered a great view of Sheep Mountain Dall Sheep Reserve just across the road.  You can sit back at the end of a long day behind the wheel and watch these magnificent rams as they loiter on the hillside.  Only pitfall to our plans this trip:  no sheep. They turned out to be on the other side of the mountain where we caught a glimpse of them crossing the pass.

      The Glenn Highway is an impressive stretch of even more scenery (is that possible in Alaska) including the Matanuska Glacier.  On a map Anchorage is the transportation hub of the state.  Eventually you get here either from the north or east and you must go through here to get to the prized Kenai Peninsula.  We will take the opportunity to get any major shopping or repairs done here as well as visit some friends and relatives this time.  It was also time for me to refill prescriptions and this is where we will investigate a new source of reindeer meat.

      We always stay at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson at the Fam Camp on base.  It is the joining of the Elmendorf AFB and Ft Richardson facilities.  Located on base it is secure, but nowhere near isolated from the wildlife.  On our last trip we saw a grizzly on an outer road and a moose right in camp.  In fact today when we checked in for our visitors pass on base they told us they were on the lookout for a grizzly sow scavenging around near the Ft. Richardson side, but probably wouldn't bother us where we were.  You have to remember this is Alaska, their land.  We're just visitors.  60 full hookups at $30/day.  Showers and laundry as well.  Located in the woods across from the base hospital it is quiet. www.militarycampgrounds.us/alaska/elmendorf-afb-famcamp?highlight=WyJlbG1lbmRvcmYiLCJlbG1lbmRvcmYncyIsImFsYXNrYSJd  I did increase my water input filtration system as they had been having water problems on base due to nearby construction.

JBER Fam Camp

      We stayed here 10 days.  Not only are we across the road from the JBER Hospital, but also next door to the new Alaska VA Healthcare System which includes a brand new medical center, a sweet facility and it increases a bit my faith in the system to do what's right.   Thankfully, we didn't need it this trip.   

      The first day we hit the 'Bastion of Modern Civilization" Walmart as well as the Base Commissary and refilled groceries and prescriptions.  We also went down to the Annual Anchorage Soup Kitchen Slammin' Salmon Derby Fundraiser on Shipp Creek.  It was a fun time for everyone there and lots of good fish were caught.  All prizes are donated and all proceeds from the sale of derby tickets go to the relief efforts for the Anchorage Soup Kitchen.   

Crowds line the river to watch

20.4 pound King caught late on the first night

Anchorage Soup Kitchen Slammin' Salmon Derby

      We got our mail forwarding while here as well.  There were several different moose around the area and a black bear as well.  No troubles for us, but gave Roux a good cardio vascular workout.  Right before we left the ADFG came out with their rubber bullet guns and scared two young black bears deeper into the woods.  Apparently they hadn't learned their fear of man yet and were doing a little shopping of their own.  I spent a day down on Turnagain Arm scanning the cliffs for Dall Sheep, but the only ones in view were far above the road.  

      We found some local honey for Barb's allergies, some Lingonberry Jam for a future Finnish Reindeer recipe, and of course a couple souvenir shirts for the grandsons. We also sent some Reindeer hot dogs and polish sausage to a friend of ours picking up the mail.  We also picked up  several pounds of Reindeer Breakfast Sausage, Polish Sausage, and a couple packs of Caribou Steaks. We've never tried Caribou and we wanted to compare this market with the one we have bought our reindeer at before in Tok.  We even caught a movie one afternoon.  

    We're still trying to whittle down the freezers prior to our Kenai Peninsula Adventure so we aren't eating out much.  While here I prepared Reindeer Sausage Rice Casserole, Quail/Sausage/Boudin/Gator Gumbo, Gator Crockpot Meatballs, and Cornmeal Biscuits with Chorizo Gravy among a few others.  

Reindeer Sausage Rice Casserole

Italian Gator Meatballs

Corn Biscuits w/Chorizo Gravy

      Unfortunately there were some maintenance issues with which to contend.  Back in Great Falls, MT I replaced a tire on the left front of the RV.  It was wearing oddly on just the inside track and beginning to scallop.  The other three tires were fine.  I attributed this to a faulty tire.  On arrival in Anchorage (nearly 3500 miles later) I noticed that now the left rear tire on the RV has developed the same wear pattern, yet the left front is wearing fine.  Both right side tires are wearing normally as well.

    Needless to say I was concerned about the cause.  One wheel or one on each side:  bearings?  overweight?  WTH?  I check the GVWR several times each trip, we're fine.  But these tires are both on the SAME SIDE, which could also mean wheel alignment.  Not common on RVs, but it does exist.  The problem is finding someone who can deal with this.  There are NO Camping World and few major RV repair facilities in Anchorage, but there are some I contacted.  They, of course suggested overloading or perhaps alignment.  I sent the pictures and they referred me to another repairman who came out to take a look.  I love these mobile guys.  He looked underneath, told us there is no damage to the system, but our axles may have become tweaked and may need to be replaced once we get back.  He said we're safe and replacing the tire for now will be fine.  We have the TorFlex axle system which is not your typical axle.  www.dexteraxle.com/products/torsion-axles  It is a more flexible type of setup, but when damaged, cannot be fixed.  It must be replaced.  To order the axles here would take upwards of 2 months or more.  Needless to say we will keep a close eye on this during our 7 week sojourn thru the Kenai and before we head home.  Funny ending to the week:  I was doing laundry while Barb cleaned the RV and while I was folding a load out of the dryer something caught my eye.  I turned to see what it was and about 15' away a young black bear was passing the doorway and stopped to look at me.  I just stood there; he left ambling away through several campsites before disappearing into the closet timber.  Alaska.  

      Fun filled week in A-town.  Diesel was a heavenly $2.99 per gallon here.  Heading south now, around Turnagain Arm and towards somewhere, but definitively on the Kenai Peninsula.

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to it's old dimensions."

Oliver Wendel Holmes

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The Mother of All Gumbo

      I am still working on whittling down the freezers so I took a look at what I might use to make a pot of something.  I came up with a lot.  A sort of cornucopia of gumbo.  This (made for more than one meal) Gumbo is dedicated to that.  Sorry, I had no okra.  This is cooking on the road.

INGREDIENTS (or what I had in the freezer)

4 quail, deboned and chopped coarse
2 boudin, grilled, then sliced into 4 chunks
1 lb chopped gator meat
1 small chunk Tasso
2 links garlic sausage
File' powder to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon parsley
1 cup Roux
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 chopped onion
3 chopped green onions
chicken broth
1/2 cup brown rice
1 bell pepper chopped
Tony Chacheres to taste

Chopped Quail, Gator, Boudin, Garlic Sausage & Tasso

      Debone the quail, chop the gator, boudin, tasso, and garlic sausage, and set meat aside.  I like to grill or fry my boudin for a bit to make a crust on the outside before cutting.

      Put about a tblspn of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a hot sauce pot and swirl.  Make the roux.  Add all the meats and Tony's Seasoning to braise for 10 minutes, stirring.  Then add the garlic and stir.  Add the celery, bell pepper, and onion.  Stir while they sweat, 5 minutes.  Add enough chicken broth to cover the mix, adding water as needed.  Add the seasonings; feel free to taste test each for quantity.  This is especially important for file' powder.  bring to boil.  Bring to a boil, then turn down immediately to low; add rice, cover and simmer for 90 minutes or until you just can't stand it anymore. 

Simmerin'

      Serve topped with chopped green onions and add Tabasco or your choice of dragon's blood for heat.  This came out perfectly thickened so no rice was used.  We also had no cornbread so we used up our leftover garlic knot rolls.  She was GOOOOOOOD.

Voile' on the table she goes

"Mama would cook a dish and we'd go Mama w'ats this here, hanh?  and she'd say children dats a mus-go.  It mus go down yo throat"

Justin Wilson

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Impulse Power

Wrangell St. Elias Mountains

      We leave Tok now exploring Alaska as we did last trip, but differently, deeper, more off the main roads.  We are looking for the things we didn't see from the open road 5 years ago.  We both look to increase our photo time and I especially want some good wildlife shots.  Initially our compass route is south, along the Wrangel St. Elias mountain range area and National Park.
www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewinglocations.wrangellstelias

      Not only America's largest National Park, this area is the home of one of the largest concentrations of Grizzly Bears in the United States.  We traveled south along the park to Glennallen where we boondocked for the night.  We had debated a day trip to the McCarthy Kennecott Copper Mine east into the mountains, but decided to push on to Valdez.  I don't remember this stretch of the highway being this bad, but there were plenty of frost heaves and 'road damage' to last me a lifetime.  Tack onto that nearly an hour waiting in line for the 'follow me' truck in two separate construction zones.   It was a long day.  In all fairness it is Alaska and summer is construction season.  Healthy entrée for us on our overnight.  Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli and Blue & Gold Sausage w/garlic toast.  The leftovers  also provided us our arrival meal in Valdez as well.

Spaghetti Squash Pork n Broccoli w/Garlic Toast

      The arrival into Valdez, AK is nowhere near what you'd expect.  Most travelers look at the map when coming to Alaska and see Valdez is the just at the end of a road and decide to skip it.  DON'T DO THIS!You spend most of the journey winding and climbing through the spectacular scenery of the Wrangell Mountains and valleys next to the famous Copper River.  Then suddenly you top Thompson Pass in the Chugach Mountains where you are immediately struck by the beauty and remoteness of the location.

Richardson Highway Glennallen to Valdez

      Although it is only 2670' feet above sea level, it is the snowiest place in Alaska, averaging more than 500 inches of snow per year on average!  From here it is only 29 miles into the village of Valdez, but it is down hill with plenty of workouts for your brakes.   I love my diesel exhaust braking.  It is a spectacular view on the ride down, but you are grateful when the road levels out. We stayed just NE of town near the airport at the Valdez Glacier Campground.  Another retired/active duty perk near the glacier with 30/50 amp electric and a central dump.  There is a central water station for your freshwater tank.  They do have very good hot showers as well.  This entire valley is a WATCH FOR BEARS area.  They are common here.  Also, part of the campground was closed to due to two Bald Eagle nests.  Roux didn't do any solos.
www.militarycampgrounds.us/alaska/valdez-glacier-campground?highlight=WyJ2YWxkZXoiLCJhbGFza2EiLCJ2YWxkZXogYWxhc2thIl0=
No reservations, first come first serve with a central pay kiosk as you enter at $30 per day.  Located at the base of the Chugach Mountains, it is nice and quiet with it's own waterfall.

Valdez Glacier Campground

We were the first guests of the year so much of the landscaping wasn't quite up to snuff yet, but we were happy with our spot.

Alyeska Pipeline River Crossing 

      This is also the terminus of the Alyeska Alaskan Pipeline.  Oil from the north slope makes its way 858 miles all the way to this place to be loaded onto tankers bound for the lower 48 refineries.  The pipeline is an intricate network of above ground, buried, and even singularly bridged throughout it's entire journey.  It takes 12 compressor stations to maintain pressure for the oil to make it from beginning to end.  As of January 2019 it transported 17,834,110,634 barrels per day.  Yeah, that's right 17 trillion PLUS barrels per day.  It is a National Security Area and as such you're not getting within a mile of this place.  During our visit, they uploaded about 2 tankers per day for shipment to refineries.

Valdez Terminus Picture courtesy of Alyeska Pipeline Co. 

      While here I got my fishing license as I brought my surf rod and wanted to do some ocean bottom fishing.  Valdez is not an easy place to fish from shore unless the salmon are running.  Bottom fish such as rockfish, flounder, and halibut tend to be further out.  Barb and I also did a bit of shopping and site seeing.  The weather was beautiful.   It was nice to be back in the land of Safeway and Oaken Keg......one stop shopping.  The area around the town and harbor abounds with mountains, snowfields, glaciers, and waterfalls.  Nicknamed the Switzerland of Alaska it is easy to see why.  There are plenty of eagles here as they stick around to feed on the scraps of the charter fleet.

Fishing (not catching) on the Valdez Jetty

      While here we enjoyed Catfish Sandwiches, Shrimp Corn Maque Choux, and Braised Oxtails over Mashed Taters among others.  Whittle, whittle, whittle away at that freezer.

Shrimp Corn Maque Choux

Braised Oxtail 

Apple Chicken Salad

      I had really planned on running off boondocking protocol some this week, but with only 4 hours of darkness...….the batteries stayed pretty full and really didn't get to show much drain.  Diesel here was $3.41.  Propane was a bit high at $35 for a bottle refill.  We averaged 14.4 mpg towing during our trip to and from here.  Sometimes I have to ask myself why I do this with our blog, much as some of you do as well I'm sure.  We have been blessed to be able to travel and enjoy it.  We only hope to inspire some of you to plan for and accomplish your own journeys.  Somewhere along the line I hope that we also provide some useful information, including restaurant reviews, camping, boondocking tips, and gas/diesel info.  I'm afraid, however, that you're stuck with my cooking pictures.  We head north and west from here now, on our way to Anchorage and beyond.

"If you think there are no new frontiers, watch a boy ring the front doorbell on his first date" 

Olin Miller

WiFi courtest of Verizon MiFi  

Recharging the Aurora Borealis......and ourselves

Welcome to Tok, Alaska

      We stayed a week in Tok, loving it.  We got our mail forwarding, groceries, and even recharged ourselves and the furbabies a bit.  They have been wonderful, never complaining the entire trip as long as they get their union CBA allotment of treats and outside time each day, voile'.....we love you mom and dad.
      I swear that every time we see the Northern Lights it brings my soul to oooohs and aaaaaahs at a whole new level.  We see them in Michigan from time to time, saw them constantly in Iceland when we lived there, and now our 2nd trip to the 49th state.  God's Amphitheatre.  We stayed at Sourdough Campground just south of town; our third time here.  There are other campgrounds in the area, but most are pricey or not nearly as nice.  Great new owners and facilities that offer everything.  Our full hookup pull through 'back in the woods' cost us only $249 for the week.  Everything is more expensive here, but for this RV Park with an overnight rate of $50 this weekly price is more than fair.  It is still a little early in the season so we were never full or crowded.  We took the effort and booked our spot for our return in late August.

www.sourdoughcampground.com/  As I said we picked up our 2nd mail forwarding of the trip.  A big SHOUT OUT to our good friend, Shirley.  Thank you.  This mail bag included a  couple of graduation cards, a TON of junk mail and a couple of Medicare and Blue Cross questionnaires as well as a jury duty questionnaire.  Geez, already?  We even got Barb all set up to start her Social Security this fall.  

Three Bears Grocery Tok

       I love the Three Bears Grocery in Tok.  A typical small country store that specializes in just about any and everything their customers want.  Locals and tourists alike, they provide quality staples at a fair price.  They stock everything from food to hardware to pharmacy to some big box items (washer, dryer, stove, fridge).  Three Bears Grocery is located at several locations within Alaska.  For us this means Reindeer...….usually sausage.  Barb LOVES to vacuum seal them in individual bags labeled Rudolph, Donner, Blitzen, etc.  She's as entertaining as the day I married her.....but hell, she's having fun.  We picked up 4 pounds to get us through the summer.  We'll get much more on the way out in August.

      Tok is the first major settlement once you enter Alaska and as such specializes in the service industry.  This means repair shops, fuel, propane, motels, hotels, shops, stores, but only 3 restaurants:  Fast Eddy's, Sourdough Cafe, and Jen's Thai Food (food truck).  Fast Eddy's is the only upscale facility.  Most any thing needing fixed can be done here.  Hell, I even got a haircut.  Also, the new owners at Sourdough CG really revamped the menu and now serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Check it out at the above website.  We feasted on their Reindeer Chili in Sourdough Bread Bowls.  The breakfasts are always top notch as well.

      During our stay I prepared Muffuletta, Crockpot Ham w/trimmings, Ham, Garlic Sausage and Kraut as well as a Chef's Salad. 

Muffuletta

Delicious Dearborn Crockpot Sliced Ham

Canadian Sausage, Kraut, and Taters

      We only got the one night with Aurora Borealis to enjoy, but they need the rain and we still have all summer.  With the exception of the two rainy days, it averaged mid 60s here during our week.  Diesel here was a remarkable $3.29.  6 days here and now we're OTR again,......IMPULSE POWER ONLY PLEASE.  Alaska awaits and for now the compass is tuned due south.  We look towards Glennallen and Valdez.  What awaits us?  Whatever we find, probably happiness.  

"Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you'd drop dead in 10 seconds.  See the world.  It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories"

Ray Bradbury

WiFi courtesy of Sourdough Campground