The Fourth Week
24/25th August
We arrive in the second biggest city of Alaska – Fairbanks - on a bright sunny afternoon, locate the log cabin visitor centre located on the Chena River and pick up information of points of interest here. After talking to a helpful staff member and receiving information we decided to have an ale; on his advice and recommendation, in the local pub across the river, from the centre, in a very old group of buildings. A good move and nice to relax after a few hours of driving time and plan activities for the rest of the day. We decide to visit the acclaimed Pioneer Park, on arrival we discover that we can overnight the RV there, a pleasant enough location, so this will be home for the next two nights.
The park is set in a 44 acre facility and offers a variety of activities relating to the history of interior Alaska. It houses museums, gold rush town, pioneer cabins, a native village, a pioneer air museum (a must naturally), an art gallery, the SS Nenana, an old paddle steamer, all these exhibits encompassing a snapshot of the lives of the early pioneers who came to Fairbanks in about 1901 seeking their fortunes. We spend time wandering through the park, discover there is an hour of live entertainment nightly at the gazebo. Tonight there is a story telling session at 7 p.m. So an entertaining hour spent listening to some amusing yarns. Back to Ronnie for dinner and over to the park to the palace theatre where we enjoy a very good burlesque style show, theatre setting is well done in the theme of olden times and décor. Very entertaining and interesting day.
http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/ParksandRecreation/PioneerPark/attractions/attractions.htm
The next morning we drive over to the University of Fairbanks to visit the museum and learning centre. The university itself is quite huge, we eventually discover the museum and spend large part of the day here, many exhibits and headset that allows an audio narration of everything on display. The art gallery there is funded by a very generous benefactor. A lady who owned a coal mine, and the mine is still operated by her ancestors 80 years on. About 1 million tonnes a year.
http://www.uaf.edu/museum/
We stay another night in the Pioneer Village car park, more looking around the village. The gazebo night tonight was an hour of country style music, most enjoyable. We finished the day with a round of put put golf which was fun.
26th August
We leave Fairbanks today, on road towards Anchorage. Tonight we stop at Denali Rainbow Village park which is some 200 kays from Fairbanks, and a delightful little town full of log cabins, lots of tourists, stunning scenery once again seen en route. Denali is also the name of the immense national park here. The beautiful Alaska Mountain Range and Mount McKinley sits on the horizon here. Pure Magic. We pull into an RV site and decide we will stay there for two nights and explore the national park here.
It’s a nice day so decide we’ll explore by bike, lovely ride through beautiful scenery to the visitor centre stopping on the way to watch some folks go off on a rafting expedition along the river. Our cycle ride is quite delightful through the lush forest, quite hilly in places so a good exercise stint as well seeing everything at a slower pace and in close proximity as opposed to driver/passenger seats in Ronnie.
We visit the Murie Science Centre. http://www.alaskageographic.org/static/420/mslc-science-and-research
Back on the bikes, we carry them across the railway line and ride past the air strip, ride in, and the National Parks Service have the best STOL machines on the tie down. Meet a pilot who just came in via his C185; retired United captain with a cabin in Willow about 80 nautical away. Doing a little day trip to pass the time!
We continue the ride and find a trail that leads to Horseshoe Lake, secure the bikes and do the hike down to the lake. We were hoping we may have seen some wildlife here, our only sighting was a ground squirrel collecting nuts for the winter. Noel helped him out with a handful, his good deed for the day. Squirrel said ta and we went on our way. Evidence of beavers at the lake area where they had constructed a 30 metre dam/lodge. Thus the saying, “working like a beaver” becomes a reality. Walk back to the bikes and cycle back – well timed as it started to rain just as we got back to Rocinante. After lunch and a rest we wander through the village and gift shops etc.
27th August
Leave Denali. En route to Trappers Creek, we park and take a 4 k walk to Savage River. A good walk. Only wildlife sighting is an Arctic Ground Squirrel. Mount McKinlay mountain range here. 17 highest mountains in the US are in this Alaskan Range in front of us. Mt McKinlay at 20,400, being the tallest.
We pull in to Trappers Creek later in the day and drive past Wal-Mike’s, the second hand shop to end all second hand shops from a polar bear skin to farm machinery and a tame caribou in the front yard! No doors on any of the display areas, if Mike put everything away at the end of the day, it would take him till the next day to start bringing it out again! http://twopluseight.blogspot.com/2008/08/travelling-parks-highway-for-friday.html
Decide to drive on and find camp site for the night. En route we pass a pub in the middle of nowhere, Big Su Lodge & Cabins, so named because the Susitna River runs through this area. We stop for a beer in the very spacious and rugged Bar. Got talking to the locals including the owners of the pub who were quite happy for us to park here for the night; a good move not to drive on after imbibing for an hour or so. Patricia, the bar lady, chatted to us, what a life she has led. Just retired from the military after 20 years. She held the rank of Commander in the Ranger Force and had just returned from 4 years service in Iraq and a year in Afghanistan where she was injured quite badly – she was shot – and that’s pretty bad. She even showed us her badly scarred back. We have met so many people from different walks of life on this trip!! Bears inhabit this area – but none seen or heard. http://www.bigsulodge.com/pokerrundetails.html
28th August
On the road again, our drive today is to Talkeetna. Lovely quaint little town here, many log cabins, main street is like a glimpse into the past. Talkeetna is the base for many of the climbing expeditions that challenge Mt McKinley in the summer months, the climbing season being mid May to July and over 1000 people attempt to climb McKinley each year during the climbing season. Very busy town, friendly locals and lots of tourists here. We drive on to Wasilla, approximately 95 k outside of Anchorage. Quite a large city, our overnight stop for today. We visit the headquarters of the Iditarod Sled Dogs Race, watched part of a film that was showing about the race and also saw dogs outside. http://www.iditarod.com/
29th August
Alaskan Transportation Museum is just on the outskirts of Wasilla. Now a famous City because John McCain’s running mate for Vice Presidential position if the Republicans win in November, is currently the Governor of Alaska and was until a year ago the Mayor of Wasilla. Governor Sarah Palin is a very popular lady in Alaska and will be a great boost to McCain’s race for President. Back to the Museum, 20 acres with everything from dog sleds to Diesel locos! Hearses to hay rakes. Plenty of planes from two DC3’s to a Fairchild C123 in mint nick.
We have discovered the Alaskan State Fair is on this week at Palmer, only 20 kays away. It is August and we’ve missed the Ekka, so decide we’ll go have a fair day. We drive into the fair car park, there are hundreds of RVs parked here – and for a fee of 15 bucks can stay the night. Good one. This is going to be home tonight. A great afternoon and evening walking around, lots of animals (just like the Ekka), music, we watched a great foursome country style music. In and out of the various exhibits, the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club had a great display and a good yarn was had!! Plenty of visiting tips for us travelers. Alaskan State Troopers had a big display and I had my photo taken with two of them. One just happened to be the Boss of Alaskan CIB and his 2 IC!!! They had their uniform Jackets on, so they were good for a pix! The fireworks at 10.15 PM just as the sun had set was a great way to end the day. I will expand on the Rat Racing at a later time over a beer! http://www.alaskastatefair.org/2008/index.html
30th August
We leave Palmer and head into Anchorage. Beautiful sunny day so after some shopping essentials we decide to drive on towards Seward where we hope to take a boat trip out to the glacier. We get as far as Bird Point on the Scenic Byway and meet Ken the Telescope Man on the viewing platforms that overlook the wide inlet from the ocean. It turns out that today is the best day for the Bore; a wave of water that races at about 12kmph up the inlet, since early July. At precisely 12 minutes to 5pm, a 1 metre wave is racing up the inlet rapidly covering the dry tidal flats as the 30 plus foot tide comes in. Foolhardy have surfed and windsurfed it. Captain James Cook named the inlet 200 odd years ago as Turnaround Inlet. Back to Ken. His magnificent 200mm mirror telescope and numerous lenses, allow him to comb the hill and pick up sightings of mountain goat and bear from the viewing platform. Clearly viewing a mountain goat munching on lichen over 4 miles away is a sight to behold. The closest was about 3 kays away near the top of the 3000’ hill beside us. He is a Mining supplies businessman during the week and his hobby is viewing wildlife at this spot and allowing people to see them. No money involved. He said it was his way to keep his blood pressure down!! We gave Ken a lapel pin of Australia with a kangaroo on it.
We continue our drive on towards Seward, most beautiful evening, dappled sunshine on the lush countryside and mountains. We pass a wild life centre, we’d had a recommendation to stop here so we drive in and see bear, bison, caribou, fox, bald eagle. Although the animal areas are secure to the public there is heaps of room for them to roam in a natural environment. Back to Ronnie and to look for a spot to park for the evening. Just ambling along when we came across a huge glacier (as you do) so we followed the road around to a good viewing point for photos. In fact we got some good ones from the roof of Ronnie. Eventually we found a great spot to camp for the night on a riverside bush track. Few other campers there and a nice bbq for dinner.
A week of varied adventures!!!
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