August 30, 2013 Friday
Day 55
Headed to the Palmer Farmers Market this morning. I just love Farmers Markets! This one was very small, but sweet. We bought some fireweed honey. It was raining / drizzling / cloudy, temps in the 50s.
Then we went to the Visitors Center, and there was the girl who had helped us yesterday, recommending things to do and where to get lunch. (She had recommended Humdinger Pizza). Well, when she saw us walk in, she smiled and said "Thanks! Humdingers Pizza just called and said they would give me a large pizza because you told them I referred you to them." She was so cute and happy; made us feel good.
We then headed off for a scenic drive to Hatcher Pass, elevation some 3,886 feet. Our drive took us on a windy, curvy road past rolling green farmland, the powerful, loud rushing Little Susitna River, green mountains with hints of fall color all around. On the way we took a side road, Archangel Valley Road which was beautifully scenic but the worst road - muddy gravel with huge potholes. We drove almost to the end when we literally couldn't go any further without risking getting stuck, then we turned around carefully and retraced our bumpy route.
All around we could see the last stages of fireweed, once brilliant hot pink, now white, puffy fluff on rust colored stalks. The white puffy fluff was flying all over in the air like snow. No wonder this plant is so prolific, millions of seeds are being scattered. The weather is varying between misting and raining.
Back on Hatcher Pass Road, we navigated through windy, steep curves and switchbacks, ascending to 3,886 feet. We spotted beaver dams and lodges in several of the ponds we passed. Stopped to tour around Independence Mine State Historical Park, the remains of a booming gold mining town from 1936-43. We learned about how the miners lived and worked here.
Continuing our drive we reached the summit and beautiful Summit Lake. The views were breathtaking, we were up in the clouds, it was 41 degrees.
We hiked a little, at the summit, then headed back to Palmer and to the State Fair again to see the giant vegetables and the 18th Annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off at 7pm.
The weigh-off festivities were getting into full swing, giant cabbages were displayed in the center of the Farm Exhibits Arena. The official scale was ready. We found good seats in the bleachers and watched the Cabbage Fairies throwing brussel sprouts into the crowd. The Cabbage Fairies were middle-age and older ladies dressed from head to toe like cabbages, and they were a hoot, haha!
Boy Scouts Cabbage Wranglers carefully carried each cabbage, one by one to the scale to be weighed, while each cabbage grower was interviewed onstage. One contestant was a former employee of Michael's when Michael was District Ranger on the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. It was such a shock, as he stood onstage and the mc announced his name, Michael said, "I know that guy!" After the judging they had fun reminiscing.
The winner, beating out all the adults, was 10 year old Keevan Dinkel. His cabbage weighed 92.3 pounds, and Keevan won $2000.
What a fun night!