Here was our first "fun" outting in Alaska! We went a couple of weekends ago - July 21st I believe, on a little hiking trip! We stopped downtown first at the local festival that is open on the weekends all through the summer (mostly for tourists - ie us even though we technically live here now) We've been informed that during the winter, Anchorage is the "City of Lights" and apparently lots of people and business put Christmas lights out all winter long to liven things up. During the summer, however, it's the "City of Flowers" The pictures really do not show - but the flowers are GORGEOUS! They replant them every year - but because they get so much sunlight, they're super vibrant! The hanging balls (next to Josh's head) are my favorites!! You can't really see the yellow flowers growing on top.

Next, we headed out to a local favorite place to hike. It's just east of the city and it's named Flattop! It was a little more challenging than I expected (morning sickness, pregnancy, doggie and all...) but we managed to enjoy ourselves and get a few great pictures! Kudos to Josh for tagging back with me and encouraging me up the mountain ;) On the way up, we saw our first "horse" Hahaha.. I have to giggle and say, at first glance it does appear to be a horse and that was my sweet husband's comment... but after laughing, we soon realized it was a moose!!! Sorry you can't see him very well - we ventured off, as the tourists do, to get a bit closer to him - but this was as froggy as we were feeling! Cool though!!

On up the mountain, you got several views of the city!! You can see all of Anchorage in this photo! We're kinda looking from the Southeastern angle - the city kinda lies on the ocean like an acute angle... downtown, with the biggest buildings is about halfway up the top line in the angle. Elmendorf Air Force Base is just north and a little more east of downtown! I wish I could zoom in and show you everything :o)

Keep on traveling up... this is what you see through the little paths as you continue up the hike and around the corners.

Beautiful eh?? This is probably also about where I pooped out and we stopped to take a little break... eat a little PB&J and let Graci rest too! Yep, she made the hike with us!

And then, we made it safely back down to go home and rest! Don't think the festival corndog was the appropriate pre-hike meal - but it was way good!!! (K)