Being a big garden fan, I really want to go to the Alaska Botanical Gardens.
Lane is less enthused and volunteers to take a nap in the car.
Ok, that’s fine. I certainly am capable of touring a garden on my own. Except, of course, this one at this time: While the gardens themselves are open, the Lowenfels Trail (and its scenic views of the Chugach Range) is closed to individual visitors due to excessive grizzly bear activity.
I stand by the bear warning sign a l-o-n-g time. It is a gorgeous day, perfect for being here, but the idea of sharing the gardens with grizzlies isn’t very appealing. (Those of you who know me may recall from the Botswana trip that I’m actually quite terrified of large mammals of any sort and grizzlies seem particularly frightening right now.) Do I REALLY want to see these gardens?
A trail leads from the grizzly warning sign off into the woods. I assume the gardens are back there somewhere and cautiously make my way down the path.
It is peaceful and lovely here, with dapple sunlight falling all around me, but having a few more people around would be nice. . . I’m sure that a bear is going to come lumbering out of the woods at me at any moment.
The gardens have a lovely mix of gorgeous super-sized plants – the yellow loosestrife is as tall as I am and the celery is taller still!
And not a bear in sight.
