June 27th - Wed - to Copper Center
We had a short drive today to the Copper Center area, Klutina river to try some salmon fishing. We dry camped in an RV park right on the Klutina river. Larry caught a nice sockeye salmon. The fishing is kind of crazy and Terry gets irritated with it. People are standing about 8 feet apart on the edge of the river and it is a challenge not to tangle lines. When you catch a fish, because of the current it wants to come to shore down a bit from where you are standing. Some people don’t even stop fishing so you can land your fish.
The weather was lovely until about 6 when it poured rain for a while and then sprinkled a while longer. We sat out for a bit with a small fire and then called it a day.
June 28th - Thurs - to Tok/Beaver Creek
We left early this morning for the drive to Tok. We shopped a bit, had lunch with Larry & Barb and then parted ways for a few days. Larry & Barb are going on the Top of the World Hwy to Dawson City. We continued on the Alaska Hwy towards Haines Junction where we will head to Haines, AK. We were going to stop at Border City but a guy working at the service station/RV park ticked Terry off so we kept on driving. Crossed the border into the Yukon and stayed at Beaver Creek.
The road is terrible! There are many frost heaves so the going is slow or else you are throwing out the anchor all the time.
We chatted for quite a while with a couple from Vermont. They make about 300 gallons of maple syrup each year so it was fun to find out more about that process.
June 29th - Friday - to Haines Junction
Hit the laundromat before leaving this morning. A lady working at the RV park said the road is worse towards Haines Junction and she was right. Some of the highway is gravel (under construction) and is actually nicer to drive than the paved sections. Except for the fact that they water the gravel to keep the dust under control so we ended up covered in mud.
Thanks to Marg’s recommendation, we stopped at the Kluane Museum of Natural History on the way and really enjoyed it.
We washed off the worst of the dirt on the truck and 5th wheel at the wash station in the RV park before we set up. I walked out to the truck for something and smelled some wonderful Chinese food cooking so we splurged and went out for dinner.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
June 21st to 26th - Seward/Valdez
June 21st - Thurs - Seward
We aren’t sure how long we will be staying here and a caravan is arriving on Sunday to take over the spot where we are camped. So we have been watching for someone to leave the waterfront row. Terry spotted someone packing up so I went with a lawn chair to reserve the spot and then helped pack up so we could put in the slides and move. We discovered that we can pack up very quickly! So now we have a “waterfront lot” - lovely view!
Clem & Marlene, Larry & Barb and we went for a drive and walk to Exit Glacier. Some higher trails were flooded and we did not want to get our feet wet so just walked to the bottom of the glacier. Did a little more sightseeing with the group and then we went to the library so I could post to the blog. I also got some halibut recipes from Marv’s website and picked up a couple of ingredients. Clem & Marlene fixed some halibut (boiled in water with sugar & salt added, dip in melted butter) and shared it with all of us. VERY good! I had put together one of Diane’s recipes so we shared it with Clem & Marlene for the rest of dinner.
June 22nd - Friday - Seward
We were rudely woke up this morning by inconsiderate neighbors packing up to move at 5:10 am. Their diesel pickup ran until they actually left at 5:45! The rig next to them pulled out right after they did. I told Terry that we should call Clem & Marlene as they were hoping for a front row spot because their current spot is in the caravan area. We figured no one would be coming in that early so thought we would call later. A little bit later, Terry heard something and someone had put a chair out to save the spot next to us. Terry threw on some clothes and parked our truck in the vacant spot while I called Clem (now close to 6:30). They used the opportunity to dump their holding tanks and moved in a couple spots down from us.
Larry & Barb left this morning to head for Valdez. We went exploring and shopping this afternoon. I just finished putting together a chicken casserole for dinner when Marlene came over to ask us to join them for some of their delicious halibut for dinner. We played a few games of dice after dinner.
June 23rd - Sat - Seward
We went fishing again today with Marv, Diane, Steve, Renee, Steve & Renee’s daughter and her husband (Jessica & David). It was rainy and cold all day. Terry caught the only halibut. We caught 30 “rock fish” (a type of cod) which are really fun because when you hit a school everyone gets fish on at the same time. Also got 2 quillbacks, a true cod and a flounder. We did some sightseeing too as Renee, Jessica and David did not fish. We got right up to the base of a glacier that came down to the water and watched it calve for a bit. We kept one fillet from the halibut and fillets from a couple of the rock fish and gave the rest to Marv & Diane.
We were so cold and wet when we got back that we made hot rum and went and visited with Clem & Marlene for a while before making dinner and hitting the sack early.
June 24th - Sunday - to Palmer
We are heading to Valdez but it is quite a long trip for one day so we decided to stop at the PA park (save money when we can!!) in Palmer where we stayed previously. I needed to pick up some groceries and wanted to avoid the high prices like I had to pay in Seward. I also took the opportunity to wash the smelly jackets that we wore fishing.
June 25th - Mon - to Valdez
The scenery on the drive from Palmer to Glenellen and then to Valdez is incredible. The clouds lifted for a while so we could see all the mountains but unfortunately came down again so we missed some. I am sure everyone will be tired of mountain pictures anyhow!
We stopped for fuel in Glenellen and I made a late breakfast. Terry visited the visitor info center and was told about a spot 14 miles down the road where a lot of sockeye salmon were being caught. We took a slight detour and saw a lot of people fishing but decided to fish on the way back since Larry & Barb were expecting us.
After setting up and relaxing for a bit, Larry took us on a quick tour of the town (doesn’t take long!) and we stopped at the Elk’s club for a drink. I had them make a Brave Bull for me (tequila and Kahlua for anyone who does not know me well!) and they made it in the same size highball glass that they used for Bloody Marys. When Terry ordered another round he included a second drink for me - mistake! I somehow got ribs ready to boil and Terry took over while I had a nap. Amazingly, I was OK by the time the ribs were done and made Texas toast and ate dinner.
June 26th - Tues - Valdez
Larry & Barb went on a glacier tour today. We used the rare RV park that allows vehicle washing (the one we are staying in) to wash both the 5th wheel and the truck. We had some pretty stubborn bugs on the 5th wheel.
Went browsing through the town and then found a spot where we could pick up some wood for a campfire tonight. Hate spending $5 for a very small bundle of firewood.
Beautiful day today - sunny and breezy. Our campsite is right on the water again and I have been watching a couple of sea otters bobbing around just off the shore behind us.
We aren’t sure how long we will be staying here and a caravan is arriving on Sunday to take over the spot where we are camped. So we have been watching for someone to leave the waterfront row. Terry spotted someone packing up so I went with a lawn chair to reserve the spot and then helped pack up so we could put in the slides and move. We discovered that we can pack up very quickly! So now we have a “waterfront lot” - lovely view!
Clem & Marlene, Larry & Barb and we went for a drive and walk to Exit Glacier. Some higher trails were flooded and we did not want to get our feet wet so just walked to the bottom of the glacier. Did a little more sightseeing with the group and then we went to the library so I could post to the blog. I also got some halibut recipes from Marv’s website and picked up a couple of ingredients. Clem & Marlene fixed some halibut (boiled in water with sugar & salt added, dip in melted butter) and shared it with all of us. VERY good! I had put together one of Diane’s recipes so we shared it with Clem & Marlene for the rest of dinner.
June 22nd - Friday - Seward
We were rudely woke up this morning by inconsiderate neighbors packing up to move at 5:10 am. Their diesel pickup ran until they actually left at 5:45! The rig next to them pulled out right after they did. I told Terry that we should call Clem & Marlene as they were hoping for a front row spot because their current spot is in the caravan area. We figured no one would be coming in that early so thought we would call later. A little bit later, Terry heard something and someone had put a chair out to save the spot next to us. Terry threw on some clothes and parked our truck in the vacant spot while I called Clem (now close to 6:30). They used the opportunity to dump their holding tanks and moved in a couple spots down from us.
Larry & Barb left this morning to head for Valdez. We went exploring and shopping this afternoon. I just finished putting together a chicken casserole for dinner when Marlene came over to ask us to join them for some of their delicious halibut for dinner. We played a few games of dice after dinner.
June 23rd - Sat - Seward
We went fishing again today with Marv, Diane, Steve, Renee, Steve & Renee’s daughter and her husband (Jessica & David). It was rainy and cold all day. Terry caught the only halibut. We caught 30 “rock fish” (a type of cod) which are really fun because when you hit a school everyone gets fish on at the same time. Also got 2 quillbacks, a true cod and a flounder. We did some sightseeing too as Renee, Jessica and David did not fish. We got right up to the base of a glacier that came down to the water and watched it calve for a bit. We kept one fillet from the halibut and fillets from a couple of the rock fish and gave the rest to Marv & Diane.
We were so cold and wet when we got back that we made hot rum and went and visited with Clem & Marlene for a while before making dinner and hitting the sack early.
June 24th - Sunday - to Palmer
We are heading to Valdez but it is quite a long trip for one day so we decided to stop at the PA park (save money when we can!!) in Palmer where we stayed previously. I needed to pick up some groceries and wanted to avoid the high prices like I had to pay in Seward. I also took the opportunity to wash the smelly jackets that we wore fishing.
June 25th - Mon - to Valdez
The scenery on the drive from Palmer to Glenellen and then to Valdez is incredible. The clouds lifted for a while so we could see all the mountains but unfortunately came down again so we missed some. I am sure everyone will be tired of mountain pictures anyhow!
We stopped for fuel in Glenellen and I made a late breakfast. Terry visited the visitor info center and was told about a spot 14 miles down the road where a lot of sockeye salmon were being caught. We took a slight detour and saw a lot of people fishing but decided to fish on the way back since Larry & Barb were expecting us.
After setting up and relaxing for a bit, Larry took us on a quick tour of the town (doesn’t take long!) and we stopped at the Elk’s club for a drink. I had them make a Brave Bull for me (tequila and Kahlua for anyone who does not know me well!) and they made it in the same size highball glass that they used for Bloody Marys. When Terry ordered another round he included a second drink for me - mistake! I somehow got ribs ready to boil and Terry took over while I had a nap. Amazingly, I was OK by the time the ribs were done and made Texas toast and ate dinner.
June 26th - Tues - Valdez
Larry & Barb went on a glacier tour today. We used the rare RV park that allows vehicle washing (the one we are staying in) to wash both the 5th wheel and the truck. We had some pretty stubborn bugs on the 5th wheel.
Went browsing through the town and then found a spot where we could pick up some wood for a campfire tonight. Hate spending $5 for a very small bundle of firewood.
Beautiful day today - sunny and breezy. Our campsite is right on the water again and I have been watching a couple of sea otters bobbing around just off the shore behind us.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
June 19th & 20th - Seward
June 19th - Tues - to Seward
Got an early start today for the 180 mile drive to Seward. Had to dump tanks and get fuel, arrived in Seward about 12:30. We are staying at the city RV park on the beach - water & electric but no sewer hookups. Our spot is on the front row of the second level so we have a wonderful view of the water and mountains out the back windows. Clem & Marlene’s rig is here too but they are out somewhere.
After lunch we went with Larry & Barb to the Alaska SeaLife Center. Very nice facility - part aquarium and part science “exhibits”. Hit the Safeway for booze & food and then back to the rig for Happy Hour(s) and dinner.
Terry’s friend Marv Thompson, his wife Diane and their friends Steve and Renee came by about 8:30 when they finished cleaning fish from their charter trip. Marv used to live in Spokane and fished many steelhead tournaments with Terry. Now he is a guide and operates charters out of Seward. We are going to join Marv tomorrow to fish for halibut.
June 20th - Wed - Seward
Foggy this morning. Could not see anything on the 2 hour trip out to the spot that Marv picked to fish for halibut. No luck at the first spot so we moved after just under an hour and got into a great spot. We switched from herring on halibut poles (boat anchored) to lures on lighter salmon poles that we jigged while the boat drifted slightly. Another guy on the trip (Dustin) and I got fish on at the same time just after we put our poles out. Dustin got his in quickly while I was blaming myself for being wimpy and not able to wind mine in even after Marv tightened up the drag. We found out why when the fish got close enough to the surface and sent Marv running for the harpoon and 410 shotgun. It was big! Turned out to be 95 pounds. Marv didn’t get the first harpoon through and the fish took off for the bottom again. So I had to wind it in again - I thought for a while that I would not be able to do it but with a few rests and advice from Terry I got it in. Then I got my “souvenir” from Marv - the 410 shell that was used to shoot the fish before they bring it in the boat. Large live halibut have very powerful tails that can do serious damage.
After the pictures at the boat dock (with an appreciative audience!) and getting our fish filleted, we came back to the RV park and did some bragging to Larry & Barb and Clem & Marlene and shared some halibut with them. Diane had asked us to join them for dinner and we got to sample some of the fresh halibut.
Got an early start today for the 180 mile drive to Seward. Had to dump tanks and get fuel, arrived in Seward about 12:30. We are staying at the city RV park on the beach - water & electric but no sewer hookups. Our spot is on the front row of the second level so we have a wonderful view of the water and mountains out the back windows. Clem & Marlene’s rig is here too but they are out somewhere.
After lunch we went with Larry & Barb to the Alaska SeaLife Center. Very nice facility - part aquarium and part science “exhibits”. Hit the Safeway for booze & food and then back to the rig for Happy Hour(s) and dinner.
Terry’s friend Marv Thompson, his wife Diane and their friends Steve and Renee came by about 8:30 when they finished cleaning fish from their charter trip. Marv used to live in Spokane and fished many steelhead tournaments with Terry. Now he is a guide and operates charters out of Seward. We are going to join Marv tomorrow to fish for halibut.
June 20th - Wed - Seward
Foggy this morning. Could not see anything on the 2 hour trip out to the spot that Marv picked to fish for halibut. No luck at the first spot so we moved after just under an hour and got into a great spot. We switched from herring on halibut poles (boat anchored) to lures on lighter salmon poles that we jigged while the boat drifted slightly. Another guy on the trip (Dustin) and I got fish on at the same time just after we put our poles out. Dustin got his in quickly while I was blaming myself for being wimpy and not able to wind mine in even after Marv tightened up the drag. We found out why when the fish got close enough to the surface and sent Marv running for the harpoon and 410 shotgun. It was big! Turned out to be 95 pounds. Marv didn’t get the first harpoon through and the fish took off for the bottom again. So I had to wind it in again - I thought for a while that I would not be able to do it but with a few rests and advice from Terry I got it in. Then I got my “souvenir” from Marv - the 410 shell that was used to shoot the fish before they bring it in the boat. Large live halibut have very powerful tails that can do serious damage.
After the pictures at the boat dock (with an appreciative audience!) and getting our fish filleted, we came back to the RV park and did some bragging to Larry & Barb and Clem & Marlene and shared some halibut with them. Diane had asked us to join them for dinner and we got to sample some of the fresh halibut.
Monday, June 18, 2007
June 17th - 18th - Homer
June 17th - Sun - to Homer
We got an early start, dumped our tanks and filled up with water at a service station and had a nice drive to Homer. We are staying on the Homer “Spit” - a long, narrow spit of land curving into Kachemak Bay. Apparently it is narrower than it was previously as it sank 4 to 6 feet during the 1964 earthquake.
The Spit is lined with shops and charter boat places so we went wandering, had lunch, took a nap break and then drove along a road on a bluff above Homer for amazing views of the town, Spit, water & mountains. We saw people fishing at the end of the Spit where there were clouds of seagulls floating on and diving into the water. They (the people!) were catching flounder and bass. Then we watched people fishing in a man-made “Fishing Hole” and catching salmon. Decided we would try fishing tomorrow.
Terry & I walked along the beach at 9:30 pm and collected agates. The sun was still way up in the sky.
Pat & Rick were visiting Dad in the hospital today and used their cell phone to call me so I could talk to Dad. He is in the surgical ward and seemed in good spirits even though he gets only ice chips to suck on. He starts on a liquid diet tomorrow.
June 18th - Mon - Homer
Larry & Terry tried the Fishing Hole this morning and I went along to supervise. Think we were a little late as the tide was quite far out - no luck.
We made reservations yesterday (using our coupon book) for a boat tour to Gull Island/Katchemak Bay and then have lunch at the Rookery Restaurant across Kachemak Bay. We left at noon with only 2 other “guests” on the boat. Circled Gull Island which is a nesting area for 7 species of gulls. Even with hundreds of gulls flying overhead and 7 people outside on the boat, no one was hit with any “gull missiles”. We saw some sea otters - much larger than any of us thought they would be.
We had a good lunch in an unexpectedly nice restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Very relaxing.
After the mandatory “nap time” when we got back, Terry & Larry went fishing again under my capable supervision. We saw several King salmon being caught but again no luck for us.
The weather here has been cooler with a breeze/wind most of the time. But only a bit of rain this morning so not too bad.
We got an early start, dumped our tanks and filled up with water at a service station and had a nice drive to Homer. We are staying on the Homer “Spit” - a long, narrow spit of land curving into Kachemak Bay. Apparently it is narrower than it was previously as it sank 4 to 6 feet during the 1964 earthquake.
The Spit is lined with shops and charter boat places so we went wandering, had lunch, took a nap break and then drove along a road on a bluff above Homer for amazing views of the town, Spit, water & mountains. We saw people fishing at the end of the Spit where there were clouds of seagulls floating on and diving into the water. They (the people!) were catching flounder and bass. Then we watched people fishing in a man-made “Fishing Hole” and catching salmon. Decided we would try fishing tomorrow.
Terry & I walked along the beach at 9:30 pm and collected agates. The sun was still way up in the sky.
Pat & Rick were visiting Dad in the hospital today and used their cell phone to call me so I could talk to Dad. He is in the surgical ward and seemed in good spirits even though he gets only ice chips to suck on. He starts on a liquid diet tomorrow.
June 18th - Mon - Homer
Larry & Terry tried the Fishing Hole this morning and I went along to supervise. Think we were a little late as the tide was quite far out - no luck.
We made reservations yesterday (using our coupon book) for a boat tour to Gull Island/Katchemak Bay and then have lunch at the Rookery Restaurant across Kachemak Bay. We left at noon with only 2 other “guests” on the boat. Circled Gull Island which is a nesting area for 7 species of gulls. Even with hundreds of gulls flying overhead and 7 people outside on the boat, no one was hit with any “gull missiles”. We saw some sea otters - much larger than any of us thought they would be.
We had a good lunch in an unexpectedly nice restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Very relaxing.
After the mandatory “nap time” when we got back, Terry & Larry went fishing again under my capable supervision. We saw several King salmon being caught but again no luck for us.
The weather here has been cooler with a breeze/wind most of the time. But only a bit of rain this morning so not too bad.
June 14th to 16th - Soldatna
June 14th - Thurs - Soldatna
Yesterday evening Larry said there would be a minus low tide today and we all decided to go clamming. So last night Terry & I went shopping (after the others had retired for the night) and got a clam shovel, rubber boots for Terry and none for me as they did not have small sizes.
This morning we all got fishing licenses and Clem, Marlene, Terry & I got waders as they were only a dollar more than the rubber boots and they had small sizes. Then we all drove to Clam Gulch and tried our luck - not so good. The razor clams that we did find were mostly very small. But we had fun and waded through the water “because we could”! We had all packed a lunch so we found a picnic area and ate. We stopped at quite a few places to check out possible fishing spots and to get prices for charters - out of our budget.
Had such a strenuous time that we relaxed the rest of the day!!
My Dad had surgery again on the 12th to try to supply blood to his legs. He is doing well. Warm feet and a discernable pulse in both feet.
June 15th - Friday - Soldatna
We went exploring/sightseeing with Clem & Marlene today. We went to Kenai and visited with Dalbert & Linda who we met in Dawson Creek & Whitehorse. They are working at an RV park for the summer. We continued to the end of the road north of Kenai (past Nikiski), stopping for pictures and to check out fishing streams. Lunch in Kenai before heading back.
After a short break, we took off again to Kenai Landing about 10 miles out of Soldatna. It is an area that used to be a cannery. Two large buildings are now shops and a restaurant/bar. We had to check out the bar (Alaska Amber) before coming back to the inevitable Happy Hour(s).
Larry & Barb went on a guided salmon fishing trip today. Barb caught a 12 lb King - the only one caught by the 4 people in their boat.
June 16th - Sat - Soldatna
Terry & Clem used a discount coupon and went on a guided salmon fishing trip this morning. They had to be there at 5:30 am for the trip that started at 6. At 6:02 Terry had a fish on (King) and by 6:05 he had the 16 lb fish in the boat. The daily limit for King salmon is one so he had to spend the rest of the 6 hours watching the others try to catch fish - which they did not do. We split the salmon with Marlene & Clem. We ate some for dinner tonight - very good. Clem & Marlene left for Seward right after the guys returned.
Exciting time at the laundromat this afternoon! Actually, I took our computer along and put captions on pictures so I can get more on the internet tonight.
We were planning on going to Homer tomorrow for a couple of nights and then someone staying here told Terry that it was “like California” with no parking and full RV parks. So Terry thought we should just do a day trip which is what Larry & Barb were going to do. While Terry was paying for another night here, I was reading brochures and thought there was more to see & do in Homer than we could do in one day. So we discussed it with Larry & Barb, made a couple of phone calls, and we are all going there tomorrow with our rigs to stay for a couple of nights. Here we go again with changing plans!!
Continued beautiful weather - 75 today. Changed into shorts this afternoon.
We sat and chatted after dinner with a couple from California who pulled in beside us today. Don’t know if we will have wifi in Homer so want to get caught up tonight.
Yesterday evening Larry said there would be a minus low tide today and we all decided to go clamming. So last night Terry & I went shopping (after the others had retired for the night) and got a clam shovel, rubber boots for Terry and none for me as they did not have small sizes.
This morning we all got fishing licenses and Clem, Marlene, Terry & I got waders as they were only a dollar more than the rubber boots and they had small sizes. Then we all drove to Clam Gulch and tried our luck - not so good. The razor clams that we did find were mostly very small. But we had fun and waded through the water “because we could”! We had all packed a lunch so we found a picnic area and ate. We stopped at quite a few places to check out possible fishing spots and to get prices for charters - out of our budget.
Had such a strenuous time that we relaxed the rest of the day!!
My Dad had surgery again on the 12th to try to supply blood to his legs. He is doing well. Warm feet and a discernable pulse in both feet.
June 15th - Friday - Soldatna
We went exploring/sightseeing with Clem & Marlene today. We went to Kenai and visited with Dalbert & Linda who we met in Dawson Creek & Whitehorse. They are working at an RV park for the summer. We continued to the end of the road north of Kenai (past Nikiski), stopping for pictures and to check out fishing streams. Lunch in Kenai before heading back.
After a short break, we took off again to Kenai Landing about 10 miles out of Soldatna. It is an area that used to be a cannery. Two large buildings are now shops and a restaurant/bar. We had to check out the bar (Alaska Amber) before coming back to the inevitable Happy Hour(s).
Larry & Barb went on a guided salmon fishing trip today. Barb caught a 12 lb King - the only one caught by the 4 people in their boat.
June 16th - Sat - Soldatna
Terry & Clem used a discount coupon and went on a guided salmon fishing trip this morning. They had to be there at 5:30 am for the trip that started at 6. At 6:02 Terry had a fish on (King) and by 6:05 he had the 16 lb fish in the boat. The daily limit for King salmon is one so he had to spend the rest of the 6 hours watching the others try to catch fish - which they did not do. We split the salmon with Marlene & Clem. We ate some for dinner tonight - very good. Clem & Marlene left for Seward right after the guys returned.
Exciting time at the laundromat this afternoon! Actually, I took our computer along and put captions on pictures so I can get more on the internet tonight.
We were planning on going to Homer tomorrow for a couple of nights and then someone staying here told Terry that it was “like California” with no parking and full RV parks. So Terry thought we should just do a day trip which is what Larry & Barb were going to do. While Terry was paying for another night here, I was reading brochures and thought there was more to see & do in Homer than we could do in one day. So we discussed it with Larry & Barb, made a couple of phone calls, and we are all going there tomorrow with our rigs to stay for a couple of nights. Here we go again with changing plans!!
Continued beautiful weather - 75 today. Changed into shorts this afternoon.
We sat and chatted after dinner with a couple from California who pulled in beside us today. Don’t know if we will have wifi in Homer so want to get caught up tonight.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
June 8th to 13th - Palmer,Whittier,Soldatna
June 8th - Fri - to Palmer
We did not see all of Mt McKinley (Denali) on our bus tour so we stopped several times on the way to Palmer to try to get a better view. But the clouds hung around all the way so only got another picture of part of the mountain.
We arrived at the RV park in Palmer about 3, Clem & Marlene were here and set up. Larry & Barb and Terry & I made a quick trip to nearby Wasilla for booze and groceries. Happy hour, dinner and another Happy hour(s) rounded out the day.
June 9th - Sat - Palmer
Barb & I needed to do laundry and since the RV park has only 4 washers and dryers (dryers outside in a lean-to), we decided to all (6 of us) go to Palmer to do laundry and watch a parade for “Colony Days”. The parade started late and was longer than we thought it would be so it was 2:00 before we headed for Hatcher Pass and some lunch. The scenery was great and we stopped several times on the way back to get pictures of Susitna River that ran alongside the road. Because we had such a late lunch, no one had dinner. We just sat outside, fought the mosquitoes, had drinks and snacks and enjoyed our Buddy burner. Anyone reading this who does not know about our Buddy burner and wants to know, send us an email or a comment on the blog.
June 10th - Sun - Palmer
It is so nice that Larry has a truck (Chev, of course!) with a bench seat so all 6 of us have been able to ride in one rig.
We all went to Anchorage today. Spent an hour at an outdoor “craft” market and then found a park to eat our picnic lunch. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm with a slight breeze.
Then we went on a tour of the Musk Ox farm just up the road from Palmer. The musk ox are not terribly fond of the warm weather so they were mostly lying in the shade of trees and we didn’t get very close views of them.
Marlene, Barb & I went on a nice walk to a nearby lake before sitting in the sunshine to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. It was warm enough while I was cooking dinner to turn on the air conditioner.
June 11th - Mon - near Whittier
Our plans to all leave by 9:00 this morning got a little derailed. Clem & Marlene were putting in their slides and raising the front jacks to hook up when they lost power to the slides and jacks. We all tried to figure out what could be wrong (owner’s manual, testing all power, etc) but to no avail. So we helped them move slides and jacks manually and they said for us to go on while they tried to make an appointment at an RV service center. Larry & Barb and we had to get propane which happened to be right beside an RV service place. So Terry went and spoke with a technician and he told Terry that it probably was a fuse on the battery. We drove back to the campground to find Clem & Marlene gone as it was after check-out time. We got them on their phone and Terry told Clem what he had found out. A ways down the road we got a call from Clem saying they were on the road and not too far behind us as we had waited for Larry & Barb to get some groceries. It was the battery fuse and Clem was able to temporarily fix it with a wire.
We are staying at a government campground just out of Whittier. It is lovely - treed, large spots, widely spaced, fewer mosquitoes than Palmer and firepits. While dinner was cooking, Terry & I went for a 1 ½ mile (one way) bike ride on a beautiful concrete/boardwalk/asphalt trail alongside a river that went to a lake and a visitor center. We all sat around a fire after dinner.
June 12th - Tues - Whittier
Larry & Barb and Terry & I went on a boat cruise out of Whittier to view glaciers and wildlife this afternoon. The short trip to Whittier is interesting - it includes a 2 ½ mile, one-way tunnel that is shared by the railway. It costs $12 round trip for a car/truck, $35 for an RV. Clem & Marlene followed us to Whittier and we all checked out the shops, etc before we left on the boat.
The weather was nice for the trip. Overcast but no rain - better color in the glaciers and not so much glare in pictures. Again, we didn’t see much wildlife - lots of nesting gulls on a mountain side, a couple of eagles and some sea otters. Saw only one small piece of ice fall off a glacier.
After dinner, we again sat around a fire.
June 13th - Wed - to Soldatna
We all went to a Wildlife Conservation Preserve this morning. Started out with a couple of really scrawny looking moose, no bears to be seen, wood bison way off in the bush. Then a guy came by on a 4-wheeler and “woke up” the animals. I think they recognize the 4-wheeler as the deliverer of grain and all come running. So we went back and saw the bears, the wood bison (huge animals), all the elk, more bears, deer and a couple of owls.
Uneventful drive to Soldatna on the Kenai peninsula where we are staying at an Elks club “RV park” (parking lot). We have 110 electricity, no water hookups but you can use a hose to fill your tank. The price is right at $13 a night and we can get wifi in our rig. We all stopped at Fred Meyer on the way in where there is a dump station.
Took it easy this afternoon - went driving and grocery shopping with Clem & Marlene and then I got a haircut and Marlene got a shampoo/blow dry which she promptly redid when she got back! The guys were in the Elks bar when we got back - paying for the RV spots and picking the local brains for fishing info.
We did not see all of Mt McKinley (Denali) on our bus tour so we stopped several times on the way to Palmer to try to get a better view. But the clouds hung around all the way so only got another picture of part of the mountain.
We arrived at the RV park in Palmer about 3, Clem & Marlene were here and set up. Larry & Barb and Terry & I made a quick trip to nearby Wasilla for booze and groceries. Happy hour, dinner and another Happy hour(s) rounded out the day.
June 9th - Sat - Palmer
Barb & I needed to do laundry and since the RV park has only 4 washers and dryers (dryers outside in a lean-to), we decided to all (6 of us) go to Palmer to do laundry and watch a parade for “Colony Days”. The parade started late and was longer than we thought it would be so it was 2:00 before we headed for Hatcher Pass and some lunch. The scenery was great and we stopped several times on the way back to get pictures of Susitna River that ran alongside the road. Because we had such a late lunch, no one had dinner. We just sat outside, fought the mosquitoes, had drinks and snacks and enjoyed our Buddy burner. Anyone reading this who does not know about our Buddy burner and wants to know, send us an email or a comment on the blog.
June 10th - Sun - Palmer
It is so nice that Larry has a truck (Chev, of course!) with a bench seat so all 6 of us have been able to ride in one rig.
We all went to Anchorage today. Spent an hour at an outdoor “craft” market and then found a park to eat our picnic lunch. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm with a slight breeze.
Then we went on a tour of the Musk Ox farm just up the road from Palmer. The musk ox are not terribly fond of the warm weather so they were mostly lying in the shade of trees and we didn’t get very close views of them.
Marlene, Barb & I went on a nice walk to a nearby lake before sitting in the sunshine to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. It was warm enough while I was cooking dinner to turn on the air conditioner.
June 11th - Mon - near Whittier
Our plans to all leave by 9:00 this morning got a little derailed. Clem & Marlene were putting in their slides and raising the front jacks to hook up when they lost power to the slides and jacks. We all tried to figure out what could be wrong (owner’s manual, testing all power, etc) but to no avail. So we helped them move slides and jacks manually and they said for us to go on while they tried to make an appointment at an RV service center. Larry & Barb and we had to get propane which happened to be right beside an RV service place. So Terry went and spoke with a technician and he told Terry that it probably was a fuse on the battery. We drove back to the campground to find Clem & Marlene gone as it was after check-out time. We got them on their phone and Terry told Clem what he had found out. A ways down the road we got a call from Clem saying they were on the road and not too far behind us as we had waited for Larry & Barb to get some groceries. It was the battery fuse and Clem was able to temporarily fix it with a wire.
We are staying at a government campground just out of Whittier. It is lovely - treed, large spots, widely spaced, fewer mosquitoes than Palmer and firepits. While dinner was cooking, Terry & I went for a 1 ½ mile (one way) bike ride on a beautiful concrete/boardwalk/asphalt trail alongside a river that went to a lake and a visitor center. We all sat around a fire after dinner.
June 12th - Tues - Whittier
Larry & Barb and Terry & I went on a boat cruise out of Whittier to view glaciers and wildlife this afternoon. The short trip to Whittier is interesting - it includes a 2 ½ mile, one-way tunnel that is shared by the railway. It costs $12 round trip for a car/truck, $35 for an RV. Clem & Marlene followed us to Whittier and we all checked out the shops, etc before we left on the boat.
The weather was nice for the trip. Overcast but no rain - better color in the glaciers and not so much glare in pictures. Again, we didn’t see much wildlife - lots of nesting gulls on a mountain side, a couple of eagles and some sea otters. Saw only one small piece of ice fall off a glacier.
After dinner, we again sat around a fire.
June 13th - Wed - to Soldatna
We all went to a Wildlife Conservation Preserve this morning. Started out with a couple of really scrawny looking moose, no bears to be seen, wood bison way off in the bush. Then a guy came by on a 4-wheeler and “woke up” the animals. I think they recognize the 4-wheeler as the deliverer of grain and all come running. So we went back and saw the bears, the wood bison (huge animals), all the elk, more bears, deer and a couple of owls.
Uneventful drive to Soldatna on the Kenai peninsula where we are staying at an Elks club “RV park” (parking lot). We have 110 electricity, no water hookups but you can use a hose to fill your tank. The price is right at $13 a night and we can get wifi in our rig. We all stopped at Fred Meyer on the way in where there is a dump station.
Took it easy this afternoon - went driving and grocery shopping with Clem & Marlene and then I got a haircut and Marlene got a shampoo/blow dry which she promptly redid when she got back! The guys were in the Elks bar when we got back - paying for the RV spots and picking the local brains for fishing info.
Friday, June 08, 2007
June 4th to 7th - Fairbanks, Cantwell, Denali
June 4th - Mon - Fairbanks
We spent time this morning checking out the coupon book online. Unfortunately, we paid full price for a couple of attractions here in Fairbanks but I’m sure it will more than pay for itself.
We picked up the discount book and took advantage of one of the offers by going to the Dredge #8 site. In addition to a dredge tour and gold panning (again!), there were several buildings to explore - warehouses, bath house and living quarters now with informational displays.
We met Max & Eva and Max’s son David at the Salmon Bake which is a buffet. It was a lovely day and we were comfortable sitting under the trees for dinner. The food was good but not exceptional - salmon, halibut, cod and prime rib along with the usual salad bar, beans, etc.
We heard from Clem & Marlene this evening. They had some trouble with their truck and their 5th wheel and are in Whitehorse. We told them that we will carry on to Denali/Cantwell and meet them in Anchorage which will give them some time in Fairbanks.
June 5th - Tues - to Cantwell
Left for Cantwell this morning - 27 miles south of the Denali Park entrance. We are staying in a PA park where Larry & Barb (met in Fairbanks) are staying. The Parks Hwy that we drove today had some rough sections and one slight construction delay. By the time we got set up it was time to join Larry & Barb for happy hour.
June 6th - Wed - Cantwell
Finally pulled out the golf clubs this morning and went to Black Diamond golf course in Healy with Larry & Barb. It is advertised as a “unique” 9 hole course. Should always be warned by that word! The fairways were pretty much mowed pastures and the grass on the greens was an interesting mixture of grasses mowed by an ordinary lawn mower. Halfway through the first hole we all agreed that we were not going to keep score. But the sun came out and we had fun.
We stopped at Denali for shopping and a late lunch. Since we didn’t really want dinner, I made some crème brule and invited Larry & Barb over for dessert.
We heard from Clem & Marlene late this afternoon. They are in Anchorage! There obviously was miscommunication between Clem & I when we spoke on Monday. We paid here for 3 days so now they are waiting for us!
June 7th - Thurs - Cantwell
We all went on a bus tour of Denali park today. We went 63 miles into the park (private vehicles can only go 15 miles) and it took 8 hours! This was the less expensive, less structured tour - take your own lunch and water as there is nothing to purchase on the drive. The driver told us a lot about the park, history, animals, flowers, etc on the ride. There were several scheduled stops and we stopped for any animal sightings which were not as numerous as everyone hoped. We saw 5 or 7 grizzlies (may have seen one sow & cub going in and coming out), 3 cariboo, a nest of nearly grown ravens, many Dall sheep too far away to see legs without binoculars, rabbits, ground squirrels and various birds. The scenery was wonderful and anyone checking out pictures once I can get them posted will probably get tired of mountains!
We spent some time with Larry & Barb going through maps, books and pamphlets trying to figure out where we want to go and what we want to see. We are going to Palmer (37 miles from Anchorage) from here - another PA park. Spoke with Clem again. They are not happy with their RV park in Anchorage so they are going to meet us in Palmer.
We spent time this morning checking out the coupon book online. Unfortunately, we paid full price for a couple of attractions here in Fairbanks but I’m sure it will more than pay for itself.
We picked up the discount book and took advantage of one of the offers by going to the Dredge #8 site. In addition to a dredge tour and gold panning (again!), there were several buildings to explore - warehouses, bath house and living quarters now with informational displays.
We met Max & Eva and Max’s son David at the Salmon Bake which is a buffet. It was a lovely day and we were comfortable sitting under the trees for dinner. The food was good but not exceptional - salmon, halibut, cod and prime rib along with the usual salad bar, beans, etc.
We heard from Clem & Marlene this evening. They had some trouble with their truck and their 5th wheel and are in Whitehorse. We told them that we will carry on to Denali/Cantwell and meet them in Anchorage which will give them some time in Fairbanks.
June 5th - Tues - to Cantwell
Left for Cantwell this morning - 27 miles south of the Denali Park entrance. We are staying in a PA park where Larry & Barb (met in Fairbanks) are staying. The Parks Hwy that we drove today had some rough sections and one slight construction delay. By the time we got set up it was time to join Larry & Barb for happy hour.
June 6th - Wed - Cantwell
Finally pulled out the golf clubs this morning and went to Black Diamond golf course in Healy with Larry & Barb. It is advertised as a “unique” 9 hole course. Should always be warned by that word! The fairways were pretty much mowed pastures and the grass on the greens was an interesting mixture of grasses mowed by an ordinary lawn mower. Halfway through the first hole we all agreed that we were not going to keep score. But the sun came out and we had fun.
We stopped at Denali for shopping and a late lunch. Since we didn’t really want dinner, I made some crème brule and invited Larry & Barb over for dessert.
We heard from Clem & Marlene late this afternoon. They are in Anchorage! There obviously was miscommunication between Clem & I when we spoke on Monday. We paid here for 3 days so now they are waiting for us!
June 7th - Thurs - Cantwell
We all went on a bus tour of Denali park today. We went 63 miles into the park (private vehicles can only go 15 miles) and it took 8 hours! This was the less expensive, less structured tour - take your own lunch and water as there is nothing to purchase on the drive. The driver told us a lot about the park, history, animals, flowers, etc on the ride. There were several scheduled stops and we stopped for any animal sightings which were not as numerous as everyone hoped. We saw 5 or 7 grizzlies (may have seen one sow & cub going in and coming out), 3 cariboo, a nest of nearly grown ravens, many Dall sheep too far away to see legs without binoculars, rabbits, ground squirrels and various birds. The scenery was wonderful and anyone checking out pictures once I can get them posted will probably get tired of mountains!
We spent some time with Larry & Barb going through maps, books and pamphlets trying to figure out where we want to go and what we want to see. We are going to Palmer (37 miles from Anchorage) from here - another PA park. Spoke with Clem again. They are not happy with their RV park in Anchorage so they are going to meet us in Palmer.
Monday, June 04, 2007
June 3rd - Fairbanks
June 3rd - Sun - back to Fairbanks
Took our time returning to Fairbanks and finding the PA park that a couple that we met in Dawson City (Max & Eva) told us about. The park is halfway between Fairbanks and North Pole. We are staying here at least a couple more days - hopefully will hear from Clem & Marlene soon.
The outline maps of the US and Canada that we have on our slide are sized to fit together but the Alaska portion was not to scale (too small). So we took the Alaska fill-in map to Office Max and had it enlarged so we could attach it to the Yukon where it belongs. Terry is happy now!
We went walking around the RV park after dinner and ended up talking with 2 couples traveling together - one from Texas and one from NY - for a long time. They told us about a discount/2 for 1 book for Alaska that we will have to check out.
The park we are in is kind of run down but has wifi at each site and we can pick up many TV channels with the antenna - good for passing some time while we wait. Max & Eva are here and we are going to dinner with them tomorrow at the “Salmon Bake” in Pioneer Park.
Took our time returning to Fairbanks and finding the PA park that a couple that we met in Dawson City (Max & Eva) told us about. The park is halfway between Fairbanks and North Pole. We are staying here at least a couple more days - hopefully will hear from Clem & Marlene soon.
The outline maps of the US and Canada that we have on our slide are sized to fit together but the Alaska portion was not to scale (too small). So we took the Alaska fill-in map to Office Max and had it enlarged so we could attach it to the Yukon where it belongs. Terry is happy now!
We went walking around the RV park after dinner and ended up talking with 2 couples traveling together - one from Texas and one from NY - for a long time. They told us about a discount/2 for 1 book for Alaska that we will have to check out.
The park we are in is kind of run down but has wifi at each site and we can pick up many TV channels with the antenna - good for passing some time while we wait. Max & Eva are here and we are going to dinner with them tomorrow at the “Salmon Bake” in Pioneer Park.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
June 1st - 2nd - Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs
June 1st - Friday - Fairbanks
Went to Pioneer Park this morning. It is a theme/amusement park right in Fairbanks - very nice. There are a couple of rows of old log buildings that have been moved in from other spots and are now shops. The origin of the buildings is displayed on each one. There is a sternwheeler, an aviation museum, a native museum, a kids playground, miniature golf , an art center, square/round dance building and a little train that circles the site. There is a huge “salmon bake” restaurant complex - all you can eat. It includes a huge water feature, old mining equipment, separate buildings for cooking/seating/beverages/dessert, wood carvings, raised gardens and gift shop. The weather was gorgeous!
We went on the Discovery III paddle wheel boat cruise this afternoon. It included 2 bush plane take off/landings (one on floats, one on wheels on a sandbar), a sled dog compound with Susan Boucher’s daughters and a salmon drying demo. These were all done on the shore (while we were on the boat) with microphones on the participants. Then we disembarked at a native “village” and were taken in groups to 4 different displays/talks of northern culture. After time to wander around, take pictures and ask questions, we got back on the boat for the return trip. The narrator was very good, the whole thing was very well organized and it was well worth doing.
We met a couple on the boat (Larry & Barb) and asked them over for a drink. They are from Monroe, WA and are staying in a different RV park. While we were sitting outside in the wonderful sunshine, a couple that we met briefly at the RV park in Dawson City stopped by. We had given them some tickets that we did not have time to use. By the time everyone left, we were barbequing dinner at 9:00 which doesn’t matter since the sun is still high in the sky.
June 2nd - Sat - to Chena Hot Springs
Did laundry this morning before we left for Chena Hot Springs. It is a 60 mile drive with the first 20 miles pretty bumpy. When we got there, we found that the RV accommodations left a lot to be desired. No electricity or water and primitive (rough, uneven), small spots for $20. Swimming was $10 each and ice museum $15 each with an extra $15 for their Appletini in the ice bar. We decided that since we had already experienced the hot springs at Liard that we would not stay there. So we tried a little gold panning (no luck!!) on the way back to a government campsite where we got a very nice spot for $10. Scrounged through the woods for enough firewood for the night. Could have purchased firewood for $5 for a small bundle but that would be too easy. The camp host here is from Vancouver, WA.
Mosquitoes are becoming more plentiful, especially here in the woods. Mostly warm and sunny today with a couple of very brief showers.
Went to Pioneer Park this morning. It is a theme/amusement park right in Fairbanks - very nice. There are a couple of rows of old log buildings that have been moved in from other spots and are now shops. The origin of the buildings is displayed on each one. There is a sternwheeler, an aviation museum, a native museum, a kids playground, miniature golf , an art center, square/round dance building and a little train that circles the site. There is a huge “salmon bake” restaurant complex - all you can eat. It includes a huge water feature, old mining equipment, separate buildings for cooking/seating/beverages/dessert, wood carvings, raised gardens and gift shop. The weather was gorgeous!
We went on the Discovery III paddle wheel boat cruise this afternoon. It included 2 bush plane take off/landings (one on floats, one on wheels on a sandbar), a sled dog compound with Susan Boucher’s daughters and a salmon drying demo. These were all done on the shore (while we were on the boat) with microphones on the participants. Then we disembarked at a native “village” and were taken in groups to 4 different displays/talks of northern culture. After time to wander around, take pictures and ask questions, we got back on the boat for the return trip. The narrator was very good, the whole thing was very well organized and it was well worth doing.
We met a couple on the boat (Larry & Barb) and asked them over for a drink. They are from Monroe, WA and are staying in a different RV park. While we were sitting outside in the wonderful sunshine, a couple that we met briefly at the RV park in Dawson City stopped by. We had given them some tickets that we did not have time to use. By the time everyone left, we were barbequing dinner at 9:00 which doesn’t matter since the sun is still high in the sky.
June 2nd - Sat - to Chena Hot Springs
Did laundry this morning before we left for Chena Hot Springs. It is a 60 mile drive with the first 20 miles pretty bumpy. When we got there, we found that the RV accommodations left a lot to be desired. No electricity or water and primitive (rough, uneven), small spots for $20. Swimming was $10 each and ice museum $15 each with an extra $15 for their Appletini in the ice bar. We decided that since we had already experienced the hot springs at Liard that we would not stay there. So we tried a little gold panning (no luck!!) on the way back to a government campsite where we got a very nice spot for $10. Scrounged through the woods for enough firewood for the night. Could have purchased firewood for $5 for a small bundle but that would be too easy. The camp host here is from Vancouver, WA.
Mosquitoes are becoming more plentiful, especially here in the woods. Mostly warm and sunny today with a couple of very brief showers.
Friday, June 01, 2007
May 27th to 31st - Yukon to Alaska
May 27th - Sun - to Dawson City
We left the Alaska Hwy for the Klondike Hwy to make a loop to Dawson City. Still a good road but had to slow down and watch for frost heaves and gravel patches. The only wildlife that we saw was 2 swans in a small pond. There were some interesting mountains with odd bald patches but otherwise the scenery was not as spectacular as we have seen. The highway climbs to the Miners Range which is, according to the Milepost, “plateau country of the Yukon, an immense wilderness of forested dome-shaped mountains”. The highway starts following the Yukon River after a while.
We are staying in an RV park just out of town so we checked out the town after setting up. Had to pay a short visit to the “casino”! The park advertised cable TV (needed when it is raining!) and wifi. When we got back we discovered that we received 2 TV channels (badly) and no wifi. Surprise - the wifi is only available after June 1st but we did not think to ask when we checked in and they certainly did not let us know.
May 28th - Mon - Dawson City
Started out rainy today so we went into town to wander around. We spent about an hour in the museum. On the way back to the rig for lunch, we drove up a hill called Midnight Dome. It has amazing views of Dawson City, the Yukon River valley and the goldfield areas.
After lunch we stopped by Claim 33 to visit Darlene who is a friend of Cecile & Alan’s. We chatted with her a while and she showed us around the place. Then we continued on to a tour of Dredge #4. It was a great tour of an incredible piece of machinery. We tried a little gold panning at the city’s free claim but the water in the creek was pretty cold and it is hard on the back having to lean over so far to not stand in water so we didn’t last very long at that.
We took in the 8:30 show at Diamond Tooth Gerties. OK but not great. Spent just a few dollars in the slot machines and called it a day. Actually, we could literally “call it a day” for a while - the sun was still up just after 10.
May 29th - Tues - to Tok
We started the day with a ferry ride across the Yukon River. It is part of the Alaska highway system so it is free. It is a very small ferry and made Terry slightly nervous. We ended up being the only rig on the ferry and everything went fine. There is no “dock” on shore. The landing ramp is just set down onto a graded section of the riverbank and off you drive.
Part of the highway that we drove over is called Top of the World Highway and it lives up to it’s name. You drive along the top of a mountain ridge for a long ways and have amazing views on both sides of the road. You cross into Alaska about halfway through and have to clear customs. The agent asked us NOTHING about what food items we had so all my clearing out was for naught.
The road surface got worse after we crossed the border. It was dirt in places, not even gravel. There had been rain so some parts were a little muddy which made both vehicles a mess.
There have been large forest fires along this road. I took a couple of pictures but it is hard to capture miles of entire mountains charred by fire.
We stopped at Chicken, AK for lunch. Funny little place but we had a good lunch. They have no electricity or sewer system but while we waited for lunch to be prepared I checked our emails on a computer in the café.
We finally got cell phone service in Tok but no internet access at our RV site. Could have connected in the laundry room but it was pretty cool in there so figured I’d wait.
May 30th - Wed - to Fairbanks
Not a long drive today so we took our time getting on the road. It was so nice to have cell phone service again that we spent some time on the phones. We stopped at several pullouts to take pictures and have lunch. The Alaska Hwy and the Klondike Hwy both have lots of “large double-ended pullouts” that are identified in the Milepost magazine. The magazine includes information about photo opportunities, trails and amenities at each pullout.
We are staying at a nice RV park - in town but it is wooded and has a river running along one side. It has a wash station with a high boom for RVs so we cleaned up both rigs before parking and setting up. There is a Fred Meyer store nearby so we filled in some of the groceries that we used up before crossing the border. The RV park is associated with a motel which has individual cabins along the river as some of the rooms. When we were taking a walk we ended up talking with a couple from Ohio staying in a cabin and then they walked over a bit later to chat some more.
Wildlife watch: 1 fox
May 31st - Thurs - Fairbanks
It rained overnight and was a little cool this morning. We made the obligatory visit to North Pole, AK but browsing the gift shop that is mostly Christmas ornaments kind of loses it’s appeal when your Christmas tree is a foot high and permanently decorated! We did mail a couple of CD’s from there so they will have the North Pole postmark.
Checked out downtown Fairbanks and tried to get to the visitor center but there was no parking lot beside it and after 2 loops through one-way streets we gave up.
We went on the El Dorado Gold Mine tour in the afternoon. A little train takes you through a “permafrost” tunnel where a guy talks about old mining procedures and shows you a stack of prehistoric bones. Then he demonstrates an old rocker box as you continue through the woods. You end up at the main building where there is a working sluice box lined with benches for the visitors. A couple who have mined in Alaska for 25 years take you through this mining procedure. They run water through a flume, dump a bucket full of dirt & gravel in the hopper and run it down the sluice. Then they pick up a section of the sluice at the top, divide the gravel into 5 gold pans and employees pan out the gold. They all had gold in their pans and one had a very small nugget. Next everyone gets a small bag of paydirt and you move to the panning area where we all got a bit of gold. They weigh your gold and put a current value on it ($13 for both of us) in a large gift shop. They also feed you fresh baked cookies and coffee - went back for seconds! There was a trough of water in front of the gift shop with pans of gravel that you could just pan for free. Most people that we saw were getting nothing but I got 2 more little flakes.
There will be no sunset today! It sets just after midnight, so technically it is setting tomorrow!
We left the Alaska Hwy for the Klondike Hwy to make a loop to Dawson City. Still a good road but had to slow down and watch for frost heaves and gravel patches. The only wildlife that we saw was 2 swans in a small pond. There were some interesting mountains with odd bald patches but otherwise the scenery was not as spectacular as we have seen. The highway climbs to the Miners Range which is, according to the Milepost, “plateau country of the Yukon, an immense wilderness of forested dome-shaped mountains”. The highway starts following the Yukon River after a while.
We are staying in an RV park just out of town so we checked out the town after setting up. Had to pay a short visit to the “casino”! The park advertised cable TV (needed when it is raining!) and wifi. When we got back we discovered that we received 2 TV channels (badly) and no wifi. Surprise - the wifi is only available after June 1st but we did not think to ask when we checked in and they certainly did not let us know.
May 28th - Mon - Dawson City
Started out rainy today so we went into town to wander around. We spent about an hour in the museum. On the way back to the rig for lunch, we drove up a hill called Midnight Dome. It has amazing views of Dawson City, the Yukon River valley and the goldfield areas.
After lunch we stopped by Claim 33 to visit Darlene who is a friend of Cecile & Alan’s. We chatted with her a while and she showed us around the place. Then we continued on to a tour of Dredge #4. It was a great tour of an incredible piece of machinery. We tried a little gold panning at the city’s free claim but the water in the creek was pretty cold and it is hard on the back having to lean over so far to not stand in water so we didn’t last very long at that.
We took in the 8:30 show at Diamond Tooth Gerties. OK but not great. Spent just a few dollars in the slot machines and called it a day. Actually, we could literally “call it a day” for a while - the sun was still up just after 10.
May 29th - Tues - to Tok
We started the day with a ferry ride across the Yukon River. It is part of the Alaska highway system so it is free. It is a very small ferry and made Terry slightly nervous. We ended up being the only rig on the ferry and everything went fine. There is no “dock” on shore. The landing ramp is just set down onto a graded section of the riverbank and off you drive.
Part of the highway that we drove over is called Top of the World Highway and it lives up to it’s name. You drive along the top of a mountain ridge for a long ways and have amazing views on both sides of the road. You cross into Alaska about halfway through and have to clear customs. The agent asked us NOTHING about what food items we had so all my clearing out was for naught.
The road surface got worse after we crossed the border. It was dirt in places, not even gravel. There had been rain so some parts were a little muddy which made both vehicles a mess.
There have been large forest fires along this road. I took a couple of pictures but it is hard to capture miles of entire mountains charred by fire.
We stopped at Chicken, AK for lunch. Funny little place but we had a good lunch. They have no electricity or sewer system but while we waited for lunch to be prepared I checked our emails on a computer in the café.
We finally got cell phone service in Tok but no internet access at our RV site. Could have connected in the laundry room but it was pretty cool in there so figured I’d wait.
May 30th - Wed - to Fairbanks
Not a long drive today so we took our time getting on the road. It was so nice to have cell phone service again that we spent some time on the phones. We stopped at several pullouts to take pictures and have lunch. The Alaska Hwy and the Klondike Hwy both have lots of “large double-ended pullouts” that are identified in the Milepost magazine. The magazine includes information about photo opportunities, trails and amenities at each pullout.
We are staying at a nice RV park - in town but it is wooded and has a river running along one side. It has a wash station with a high boom for RVs so we cleaned up both rigs before parking and setting up. There is a Fred Meyer store nearby so we filled in some of the groceries that we used up before crossing the border. The RV park is associated with a motel which has individual cabins along the river as some of the rooms. When we were taking a walk we ended up talking with a couple from Ohio staying in a cabin and then they walked over a bit later to chat some more.
Wildlife watch: 1 fox
May 31st - Thurs - Fairbanks
It rained overnight and was a little cool this morning. We made the obligatory visit to North Pole, AK but browsing the gift shop that is mostly Christmas ornaments kind of loses it’s appeal when your Christmas tree is a foot high and permanently decorated! We did mail a couple of CD’s from there so they will have the North Pole postmark.
Checked out downtown Fairbanks and tried to get to the visitor center but there was no parking lot beside it and after 2 loops through one-way streets we gave up.
We went on the El Dorado Gold Mine tour in the afternoon. A little train takes you through a “permafrost” tunnel where a guy talks about old mining procedures and shows you a stack of prehistoric bones. Then he demonstrates an old rocker box as you continue through the woods. You end up at the main building where there is a working sluice box lined with benches for the visitors. A couple who have mined in Alaska for 25 years take you through this mining procedure. They run water through a flume, dump a bucket full of dirt & gravel in the hopper and run it down the sluice. Then they pick up a section of the sluice at the top, divide the gravel into 5 gold pans and employees pan out the gold. They all had gold in their pans and one had a very small nugget. Next everyone gets a small bag of paydirt and you move to the panning area where we all got a bit of gold. They weigh your gold and put a current value on it ($13 for both of us) in a large gift shop. They also feed you fresh baked cookies and coffee - went back for seconds! There was a trough of water in front of the gift shop with pans of gravel that you could just pan for free. Most people that we saw were getting nothing but I got 2 more little flakes.
There will be no sunset today! It sets just after midnight, so technically it is setting tomorrow!
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