More Denali and Fairbanks

Horseshoe Lake at Denali National Park

This is our third night in Fairbanks at the Chena River RV Park.  Much thanks goes to John for telling us about this convenient campground.  After 6 days in Denali with limited groceries, camping across from a Safeway and Fred Meyers grocery was appealing.

We have been doing city stuff…..visiting the University of Alaska Museum and the Pioneer Park both of which are located close to this campground.  Also managed to get everything clean but the Casita….the truck got washed, the clothes, our bodies and I got a haircut!  Also bought lots of groceries….we were down to a few leftovers.

Absolutely pigged out at the Mayan Mexican restaurant the first night here and, while walking the next morning, we found the Loose Moose Café which had a caribou sausage omelet with pancakes.  It’s embarrassing how much we ate!  Like we had not been in a restaurant for weeks….but, don’t think that we have had anything but fast food….other than hubby’s excellent grilling.

Chena River site…nestled in between the white spruce and quaking aspens.

Pioneer Park had been our destination before John told us about Chena River.  It’s city run and they allow RV’s to stay in the parking lot for $15 a night.

There’s a restored train car from President ? visiting when the railroad was completed back in the 20’s.

We also toured an old paddlewheel full of dioramas.

(This is where the laptop battery died last night.  Resuming post this AM at Starbucks in the Fred Meyer grocery.

Woke this AM contemplating going to Wal-Mart and buying a new laptop…no Best Buy in Fairbanks!)

Anyway, back to Pioneer Park!  There were flowers everywhere.

While riding the bus at Denali, our driver discussed an exhibit at the University of Alaska’s Museum.  This is the 100 year anniversary of the first successful climb of Denali and the exhibit has pieces of the journals kept by the four climbers.  Imagine the hardships of climbing a 20,320 foot mountain in 1913!   And there was a spiritual connection…..one of the climbers was Hudson Stuck, the Episcopal arch deacon of Fairbanks.  He started the whole project to raise money for his church!

At the Museum.

Inter Tidal Pools by Steve Gordon

 

In Nenana, a town close to Fairbanks, we met another person, Joanne Fairbanks, with an inspiring story.

Her  shop, The Tripod Gift Shop, was next to this visitor center.

We were buying t-shirts and chatting when I spied a book at the check-out.  She said it was her story of how she drove to Alaska, alone, in the winter, 40 years ago!   It’s a memoir that I could not put down.  She’s now pushing 70 with the feistiness still obvious!

The book “Alaska, the Land of M&M’s (Men and Money)” can be purchased here.

Our campsite at Riley Creek…Denali.

Waiting for the bus! Denali.

More from Denali……Arctic Ground Squirrel

Savage River Hike   Denali

I’m going to find a way to return to Denali……….it’s energy is already calling me back.

Heading out today….will get to Tok in a day or so and then it’s the long trek back through Canada.  

Plan to post some travel statistics soon.