Yesterday was the beginning of Palin's three day good-bye tour.

Some in the audience were there to catch a glimpse of Palin in her role as a national celebrity more than to support her political views.

Ozzy Cruz from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and a New York City resident who gave his name only as “Tom,” traded a camera back and forth, trying to snap photos of each other near Palin.

The two men had traveled down for the day from Talkeetna after hearing about the picnic. Dodging a question about whether they agreed with Palin’s politics, the two men said they found her “fascinating.”

Others, such as Wes Hamrick, relayed his admiration for the governor and his dreams for the future in song.

“In 2012, I’ll give you a hint. Alaska’s pit bull will be our president,” he sang in a tune titled “North to the Future.”

At the end of the song, the Big Lake resident shouted: “Sarah Palin for president!”

A teenage boy replied as loudly, “Obama!”

During the picnic, Palin said she was glad to be in front of her hometown as she kicked off a trio of picnics before she leaves office.

“This is my last time to speak to the Valley community as your governor,” she said. “I appreciate the support you have shown me and my family. I love you, and God Bless America.”

Another picnic will be held in Anchorage today and the third is scheduled for Sunday in Fairbanks, when Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell takes over as governor.

It still cracks me up that there are those people who really believe that Sarah Palin has a snowball's chance in hell of earning the Republican nomination to run for President much less actually have a chance to win the general election. She has handed her potential opponents a warehouse full of ammunition to use against her, and only the most uneducated, mentally deranged Palin-bots could possibly hope that she was still viable.

But if you were looking for the place to find just that kind of person, well then Wasilla is definitely the mother lode.

Sadly I, and most of my fellow progressive blogger friends, could not attend. But have no fear, intrepid progressive blogger Phil Munger donned his bullet proof vest and waded into the sea of Palinista's on our behalf. And this is what he saw.

And Mudflats had some "boots on the ground" there as well. (Great job AkPetMom!)

Today starting at noon will be the "soon to be ex-"Governor's second leg of her good-bye "here have a hot dog" tour. Anchorage will undoubtedly have the toughest, least supportive crowd, of the three and I am sure that Sarah is already pacing her living room in anticipation of the negative signs she will be subjected to and the possibility of running into one of those dreaded progressive bloggers.

And well she should because the rest of us will certainly not miss this opportunity to get our final look at the person who has dominated our blogs for the last ten months.

I am bringing my daughter to help capture the festivities on film and may even bring my iconic sign for one last hurrah. I am looking forward to a celebratory, but respectful, crowd of people who are going to be a lot of fun to interview and interact with.

If you are in Anchorage I hope you can come and help us to give our Governor the send of she deserves.