I haven’t posted to this blog for a couple of days for various reasons. First of all, we seem to get sleepy at night and fall asleep before we can finish the day’s journal. Second, internet access is available but mainly in the lobbies of the hotels. So, being conservative and modest, we don’t want to expose ourselves in our PJs in the midst of all of the tourists. Thirdly, it takes a lot of time and coordination to get a day’s journal written, insert photos and publish it. We would rather spend this time being tourists. Rest assured, though, that our journals will be on our website a couple of weeks after we get back.
So here’s what I am going to do so that you know that we are still on our trip and enjoying it. I’m going to fill this blog with photos and add sketchy comments to them.
20090728 – Fairbanks Area Tour
The day can be summarized with these activities: River cruise, miner’s lunch, tour of of gold dredge mine and panning for gold at the El Dorado Mine.
This is the Discovery III, our stern wheeler that took us on a cruise on the Chena River out to an Indian camp and back.
On the right is a sled dog training facility. Notice the dogs lined up to pull the cart.
On the left is an Athabaska Indian modeling a traditional woman’s winter coat.
On the right is a reindeer with mega antlers.
On the left is the table where we ate a miner’s lunch – beef stew and biscuits.
On the right is John and Ann outside of the El Dorado Mine where we panned for gold. Ann and my combined gold dust was worth $30.
20090729 – Fairbanks to Denali
Today we took the train in a special observation car to Denali.
In the left is a photo of the special observation car that we rode in. It was designed for Holland America Lines.
On the right is a view of the train going around a corner. Alaska Railroad runs the train while Holland America and other tour companies attach their cars to it.
In one of the towns along the way, there is a contest to guess when the spring breakup occurs on the river. The photo on the left shows the mechanism that determines the exact time the breakup happens.
On the right is a photo of the Denali train station.
On the left is a photo outside our cabin area. We have adjoining rooms with the Bensons.
On the right is a photo I took trying to get a picture of Mt Denali (McKinley). Lots of fireweed but no mountain.
20090730 – Denali
Today we went on an 8-hour bus tour into Denali National Park.
On the left is a moose in the bushes. Two of them had just walked across the road.
On the right is a Willow Ptarmigan.
Grizzly cubs and a mother bear.
A caribou.
Ann, John and Ellen in front of our bus.
Below is a panorama in Denali.
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