We got back to the RV about 11 p.m. - still broad daylight. During the whole trip my nose ran and my head stayed stuffed up, my eyes felt squeezed and blurry. This was even though I had taken medication the day before and on the trip. I had my own person trash bag.
Our driver, Laura, explained that in some areas of Alaska especially around Fairbanks, people have problems getting good water or getting their land to perk for a septic system so if you're not on city utilities, you dig an outhouse hole. She and her husband are building a new house where they will have to have the water tanker bring them about 15,000 gallons every three months. They spend their weekends digging their outhouse hole. Five inches down they hit permafrost and have to wait as a few more inches thaw, then they will dig that out, wait for another couple inches to thaw, then dig until they get past the permafrost. So all those beautiful homes along the river probably have to use outhouses!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Long Awaited Artic Circle Trip
Bright (and I do mean bright!) and early (5:45 a.m.) we were standing in front of the RV park office waiting to be picked up by our Northern Alaska Driving Tour of the Artic Circle. We made several rest stops on the way. The first was at Joy, AK, at the Great Alaska Trading post run by the founding family (all 23 of them). Hours later we stopped to pick up the pre-ordered lunches at the Yukon River Camp, then continued on to the Finger Mountain Rest Stop (we ate on the bus to save some time). About 18 miles (an hour later!) we got to the Artic Circle. After photos of our driver, Laura, welcoming us to the Circle, she took group pictures for everyone.
The Dalton Highway (the Haul Road) is far worse then the Alaska Highway. It was built to be the supply road for the building of the pipeline. On this road truckers have the right of way - other traffic pulls over to let them pass both going the same direction or in opposite directions. The scenery changes from heavily forested miles in all directions to tundra with only a few trees as far as you can see and back again. We were all expecting to see much more snow than was there.
Once when we stopped, the door wouldn't open (it opened hydraulically out, down, then slide back alongside the bus. Frank got it to open and we had no further trouble with it. Then when we stopped at a rest area without toilets, the one in the bus wouldn't open! The door had gotten locked some how (probably all the bouncing and rocking along the road). Laura found the key and opened it for the relief of several passengers (including me!)
The Dalton Highway (the Haul Road) is far worse then the Alaska Highway. It was built to be the supply road for the building of the pipeline. On this road truckers have the right of way - other traffic pulls over to let them pass both going the same direction or in opposite directions. The scenery changes from heavily forested miles in all directions to tundra with only a few trees as far as you can see and back again. We were all expecting to see much more snow than was there.
Once when we stopped, the door wouldn't open (it opened hydraulically out, down, then slide back alongside the bus. Frank got it to open and we had no further trouble with it. Then when we stopped at a rest area without toilets, the one in the bus wouldn't open! The door had gotten locked some how (probably all the bouncing and rocking along the road). Laura found the key and opened it for the relief of several passengers (including me!)
Enjoying the Sights around Fairbanks
The overnight low was 41.
The sternwheeler, Riverboat Discovery III, left the dock at 8:45 a.m. to cruise down the Chena River. We stopped at the dog sled kennels of Susan Butcher to "talk" a while with the new owner, Jesse. Later we talked to Dixie, a native Indian, about curing salmon when at the summer fish camps. She filleted a large salmon and got it ready to smoke in about 30 seconds! Later she told us about the beading designs on native clothing and the significance. She has a chief's coat on display in the Native Arts museum of the Smithsonian. We also watched a bush pilot take off and land on a sand bar in the middle of the river, then he took off and landed on pontoons in the river.
The sternwheeler, Riverboat Discovery III, left the dock at 8:45 a.m. to cruise down the Chena River. We stopped at the dog sled kennels of Susan Butcher to "talk" a while with the new owner, Jesse. Later we talked to Dixie, a native Indian, about curing salmon when at the summer fish camps. She filleted a large salmon and got it ready to smoke in about 30 seconds! Later she told us about the beading designs on native clothing and the significance. She has a chief's coat on display in the Native Arts museum of the Smithsonian. We also watched a bush pilot take off and land on a sand bar in the middle of the river, then he took off and landed on pontoons in the river.
The Days are LOOOONNNNGGGG!
The days are getting longer and longer. Sundown was after midnight and sunup was around 3:30 a.m. And cold!! When we got up this morning it was all of 23 degrees.
After laundry was done, we took off for Fairbanks which is about 125 miles further north of Denali.
From the visitors center in downtown, we travelled to Pioneer Park(formerly Alaskaland) now owned by the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
We saw a vaudville version of the founding of Fairbanks that was really, really, good.
Sunset tonight is suppose to be at 12:01 a.m. and sunrise will be at 3:37 a.m. Forecast high is 61, the low 43.
After laundry was done, we took off for Fairbanks which is about 125 miles further north of Denali.
From the visitors center in downtown, we travelled to Pioneer Park(formerly Alaskaland) now owned by the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
We saw a vaudville version of the founding of Fairbanks that was really, really, good.
Sunset tonight is suppose to be at 12:01 a.m. and sunrise will be at 3:37 a.m. Forecast high is 61, the low 43.
Denali National Park
We were very lucky yesterday to get a campsite in the first (closest to the Wilderness Access Center where all the tours leave from) loop of Riley Campground.
We were also able to get seats on the 8 a.m. (they start at 7 a.m.!) six-hour tour up to Talkat. The bus driver was very informative without being too chatty. Right off we started seeing snowshoe hares all over the road and on both sides. The driver, Mark, warned us that it would be too dangerous for us if he tried to brake for them. It didn't take too long to spot our first moose, then 2 caribou. We also spotted two ptarmigans, the Alaska state bird, which according to Mark can't urinate because they have a silent P. Also we saw gulls, a mama horned owl with her two (maybe three) owlets in their nest really close to the bus, a grizzy who was too high up to really get a good look at, then a red fox slowly crossed the road in front of us then took off running. Several times we spotted eagles soaring around the mountain peaks. Dall sheep were everywhere once we got up over 3,000 feet. Just before we got to the turn around point of the tour, it started to snow, light flurries mostly. Right after getting back on the bus to return to the WAC, we saw a very large light brown grizzly meanering along the glacier track. Then later we saw two asleep on a hillside near the road. Then we saw a wolverine booking it across a snow covered field. He had crossed the road in front of us, then turned to look back, then ran some more, turned to look at us, ran some more. We could see him for a long time.
About half way back, a herd of caribou crossed the road in front of us. By this time the snow was getting thicker with fatter flakes. Just about the time we got back to the WAC, it had changed to rain. We decided to walk the 1/4 mile back to the campsite rather than wait half hour for the shuttle. We got back to the RV and the sun came out!!
We were also able to get seats on the 8 a.m. (they start at 7 a.m.!) six-hour tour up to Talkat. The bus driver was very informative without being too chatty. Right off we started seeing snowshoe hares all over the road and on both sides. The driver, Mark, warned us that it would be too dangerous for us if he tried to brake for them. It didn't take too long to spot our first moose, then 2 caribou. We also spotted two ptarmigans, the Alaska state bird, which according to Mark can't urinate because they have a silent P. Also we saw gulls, a mama horned owl with her two (maybe three) owlets in their nest really close to the bus, a grizzy who was too high up to really get a good look at, then a red fox slowly crossed the road in front of us then took off running. Several times we spotted eagles soaring around the mountain peaks. Dall sheep were everywhere once we got up over 3,000 feet. Just before we got to the turn around point of the tour, it started to snow, light flurries mostly. Right after getting back on the bus to return to the WAC, we saw a very large light brown grizzly meanering along the glacier track. Then later we saw two asleep on a hillside near the road. Then we saw a wolverine booking it across a snow covered field. He had crossed the road in front of us, then turned to look back, then ran some more, turned to look at us, ran some more. We could see him for a long time.
About half way back, a herd of caribou crossed the road in front of us. By this time the snow was getting thicker with fatter flakes. Just about the time we got back to the WAC, it had changed to rain. We decided to walk the 1/4 mile back to the campsite rather than wait half hour for the shuttle. We got back to the RV and the sun came out!!
Observations
People are walking around wearing tank tops, shorts, and flip flops even though it is only about 55 degrees in the sun. It's even colder in the shade, then add in the breeze! Brrr!!
Frank lost his set of keys after opening the RV when we again stopped at the WalMart this morning. We tore the RV apart looking for them. Luckily I had brought my set with me so while I was in the library, he went to Lowe's to have another set made. The new basement key doesn't work. We also found we did have a spare house key. I didn't think I had one with me.
One thing that is so odd here is the number of espresso huts everywhere! Even out in remote places along the highway, with nothing else around, sits an espresso hut.
Frank lost his set of keys after opening the RV when we again stopped at the WalMart this morning. We tore the RV apart looking for them. Luckily I had brought my set with me so while I was in the library, he went to Lowe's to have another set made. The new basement key doesn't work. We also found we did have a spare house key. I didn't think I had one with me.
One thing that is so odd here is the number of espresso huts everywhere! Even out in remote places along the highway, with nothing else around, sits an espresso hut.
From Homer back to Anchorage
Before leaving Homer, we took the scenic road out toward a Russian Farming Community. Coming back was the scenic view part with beautiful views of the mountains across the Kachemac Bay.
Retracing our route down, we were not far out of Homer when a moose started to cross the road in front of us. She ran along side for a while then retreated to the woods. We had been seeing eagles. A nest in a tree right next ot the road and a line of four or five eagles on a ridge along the shoreline.
We got to Anchorage during rush hour. We were headed to Wasilla to park overnight in the WalMart parking lot only to find signs posted every where saying no overnight parking - tow zone. As we had to get some shopping done, we went in anyway. The toilet paper was $2.88(I had paid $8+ in Homer for the exact same thing; then I saw all the scrapbooking Alaska stuff that I had paid for at various stopping places along the way was way cheaper! Kinda made me sick.
Retracing our route down, we were not far out of Homer when a moose started to cross the road in front of us. She ran along side for a while then retreated to the woods. We had been seeing eagles. A nest in a tree right next ot the road and a line of four or five eagles on a ridge along the shoreline.
We got to Anchorage during rush hour. We were headed to Wasilla to park overnight in the WalMart parking lot only to find signs posted every where saying no overnight parking - tow zone. As we had to get some shopping done, we went in anyway. The toilet paper was $2.88(I had paid $8+ in Homer for the exact same thing; then I saw all the scrapbooking Alaska stuff that I had paid for at various stopping places along the way was way cheaper! Kinda made me sick.
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