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North to Alaska By RV 2021
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
may. – ago. 2021

North to Alaska By RV 2021

With the US-Canada border closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to ship our RV and toad to Anchorage and fly ourselves there to embark on a 14-week trip ... including the travel time required to get us to/from Tacoma. Leer más
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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    New road sign makes a nice backdrop for a selfie — Dalton Hwy, AK.
    Scenes from the road — Dalton Hwy, AK.Scenes from our 2001 Dalton bus trip & flight over a Denali glacier — AK.

    Detour to the Dalton Highway

    3 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    When we came to Alaska for the first time in 2001, we did a Princess CruiseTour.

    The cruise was southbound from Seward, Alaska to Vancouver, BC, Canada. The ship portion of the trip was preceded by a week-long, train/bus/airplane land tour that took us from Anchorage to Denali NP and Fairbanks by train; up the Dalton Highway — aka the Haul Road — by bus ... a two-day trip with a break in Coldfoot; and back to Anchorage from Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay by plane.

    For two people who don’t much care for group tours, we chose to make an exception because Mui wanted to be able to focus on the scenery and experience instead of the road.

    Since we have been on the full length of the haul road — 415 miles from where it junctions with the Elliott — we have no plans to drive it this time. But we couldn’t resist a short detour today — 11 miles in ... 11 miles out.

    The road follows the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and goes through the Brooks Range and the North Slope. It was built as an access road while the pipeline was being constructed. It remains as the only road access north ... both for freight haulers and for recreational travelers who want to reach the Arctic Circle, and further, the Arctic Ocean.

    75% of the road is unpaved ... a combination of rough gravel and/or chip seal. The short distance we drove today was all chip-sealed and in very good shape.

    It was tempting to keep going for 56 miles to where the pipeline crosses the Yukon River ... and where we had a box-lunch picnic in 2001. But it would have added over 100 miles to our already 300-mile+ day trip. In hindsight, it would have made for a more exciting drive than the one we did on the Elliott today.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Semipalmated plover ... here for the breeding season — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.
    Pair of common mergansers out for an evening swim — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.Prickly wild rose — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.

    Day 32 Ends With a Stroll @ Olnes Pond

    3 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    We returned to the campground from our Elliott Highway day trip to find a lot more people than there were when we left.

    It’s only Thursday, but the locals have come out to “stake out” sites for this weekend. One RVer has put his rig in one site, lawn chairs in another site, and his tow vehicle in yet another site ... holding them for the rest of his group, I assume. There are lots of ATVs parked near the trailers, but no one has been riding them ... something for which we are grateful.

    The only noise is from three dogs in one site who bark incessantly at the smallest movement halfway down the road in either direction. I get that they are supposed to be on alert to protect the occupants, but this is ridiculous.

    Anyway, since we were in the car all day with little in the way of exercise, we went for a stroll around Olnes Pond ... stretch our legs and check out the birds along the shoreline.

    According to the US Fish & Wildlife service, “Alaska is home to more than 470 species of birds.” Most of these birds are migratory ... here for the breeding season.

    Today, we saw lesser yellowlegs; a semipalmated plover ... a first for me; a merganser pair; and other waterfowl too far to identify.

    Even though we weren’t very active today, we’re exhausted. Methinks an early night is in order.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Bald Eagle on the lookout — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.
    2Semipalmated Plover — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.Lesser Yellowlegs — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.1Alaska Bluebells — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.1Dandelions — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.Reflections on the mirror-smooth water — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.A "we are at Olnes Pond with our RV & toad" selfie — Olnes Pond in Fairbanks, AK.

    Quiet Morning @ Olnes Pond

    4 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    The receipt that the registration machine spit out when we paid the campground fees two days ago indicated that we had the site until 11:59a today. And by golly, I was going to make the most of every minute of that time before checking out.

    It was only 42F when we had breakfast around 8:00a ... so we ate indoors. But by the time I was ready to relax on the patio with my thermos of hot tea, the temp was up to 55F. Armed with the Thermacell mosquito repeller, I made myself comfortable, opened my Kindle, and read ... trying to tune out the dogs that were still incessantly barking from a nearby site. No adults around so the ATVs were still thankfully silent.

    Mui had just joined me when a commotion overhead had us glancing up to see what was happening. Two mew gulls were trying to keep a bald eagle at bay. And they did. Anything to protect the nest … I still have no idea where it was hidden. It was such an unexpected sight that I never even thought to click on the phone for a video.

    There are multi-use trails in the forest … and mosquitoes, too. Though our Thermacell unit does a pretty good job of keeping these pests at away from us, we decided to just do another walk around the edge of the pond.

    That turned out to be a good decision as we immediately spotted the bald eagle perched atop a tree, keeping an eye on things. I got a couple of photos before it flew off. But minutes later it perched atop another tree … got my best shots from that spot. We saw eagles on the mudflats along Turnagain Arm earlier in our trip, but this has been our closest encounter yet this year … and an unexpected one since I didn’t think they lived this far in the interior of the state.

    No sooner had we moved on from the eagle that a movement overhead caught my eye. I looked up to see three sandhill cranes in flight. I was so dumbfounded that again I neglected to click on the phone for a video. I came to Alaska hoping to see these birds at Creamer’s Field sometime during our stay in Fairbanks. I never expected I’d see them in flight at Olnes Pond.

    The rest of our stroll yielded sightings of the same birds we saw yesterday ... lesser yellowlegs; a semipalmated plover; sandpipers; and mergansers.

    It’s now 11:00a. We’ve packed up the rig and are ready to leave. But first, we’re going to enjoy our last hour here with a picnic along the shoreline.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Site 8 ... Moose Loop @ Glass Park/Ft Wainwright — Fairbanks, AK.
    Site 8 ... Moose Loop @ Glass Park/Ft Wainwright — Fairbanks, AK.

    Day 33 Ends @ Glass Park in Fairbanks

    4 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    When we can, we like to hub-and-spoke our explorations from a single base as it gives us a sense of being settled, if only for a short time.

    The first and last time we were in Fairbanks was when we stayed here overnight on our 2001 Princess CruiseTour. On that occasion, we visited a Trans-Alaska Pipeline interpretive center; panned for gold at the El Dorado Gold Mine ... struck gold, but not enough to retire; and went on the Riverboat Discovery tour to see the Wedding of the Rivers ... amongst other things.

    This time we plan to do other things from our base at Glass Park, one of the two RV campgrounds at Fort Wainwright, the Army Post here in Fairbanks. We chose this campground over the one at Eielson AFB because this one takes reservations.

    Being a mere 21 miles from the city, we had a short drive from Olnes Pond. The drive would have been about that much had we not had to backtrack to another gate because the main gate on Gaffney Road was closed for construction. Thank goodness for GPS and Google.

    Although check-in was not until 4:00p, we were allowed to go to our site on the Moose Loop early ... it was only 1:00p. Our site — #8 — is one of the few here that has water/electric ... no sewer at any of the sites, but there is a dump station at the ODR (Outdoor Rec Center).

    The gravel site is quite spacious ... even with a cabin placed in the back, waiting to be permanently installed. Not sure if they are planning to make this campground cabins-only, or if they are simply adding the cabins as an alternative for those who want to stay here without an RV. The newbie at the check-in desk was clueless about what’s going on.

    We’ve got considerable distance between us and the neighboring sites ... no one yet to our left where there is a lot of brush and trees to provide privacy. The site to our right is occupied ... totally visible to us, but no one is staying in the trailer from what we can tell. No SatTV since the sky to the south is blocked by trees, but plenty of channels with the off-air antenna. Cell signal is decent with T-Mobile/GCI.

    All in all, this campground will make a good base to explore the city and some of the other nearby places.

    My only complaint ... the laundry facility is at the ODR Building ... not close enough to walk there with a full load of laundry. But that’s a problem for tomorrow since Mui has taken the car to run errands and reprovision the larder. With a Costco, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, Commissary and Base Exchange all within close driving distance, he’s in heaven.

    I was going to sit on the patio, but we’ve had a rain shower come through, so everything is wet. I’ll just wait until tomorrow to do so.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021

    Day 34 Also Ends @ Glass Park

    5 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    A beautifully warm, blue sky day in Fairbanks. We didn’t do anything special and I have no photos or stories to tell.

    Though Mui got the toad washed yesterday when he was out running errands, the RV was still filthy. Since they allow car washing at this campground, that’s what he had in mind to do. I know better than to get in his way when he’s got his mind set on something. Besides, I built in some down time for our stay here, so today ended up being one of those days.

    We had a leisurely morning ... breakfast indoors ... morning tea on the patio with a bit of reading. Then, we hauled the laundry over to the ODR building and while I was taking care of that, Mui gave the Cruiser a good wash. I know, it will get dirty again ... but at least it’s bright and shiny for our stay here at Glass Park.

    Since tomorrow is Sunday and the locals will be out playing again, we’re going to go off to explore the Steese Highway ... another long drive, but hopefully one that will be an improvement over the Elliott. Then, when the locals go back to work next week, we’ll go out and explore the city. I’m especially anxious to visit Creamer’s Field to see the sandhill cranes.

    ———————————

    By the way, the mosquito population is growing ... and I think some of them are biters. To keep them out of the Cruiser, we put the Thermacell right outside the door to create a "dome" at the entry point ... seems to have worked, so we'll continue this practice.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Old gold dredge near Chatanika Lodge — Steese Hwy, AK.
    Chatanika River ... where we might have boondocked had we not gone to Olnes Pond — Steese Hwy, AK.Mile 36.6 Pond ... one of several ponds named for their location on the highway — Steese Hwy, AK.Long Creek Trading Post (closed) — Steese Hwy, AK.One of several gravel pits on this road — Steese Hwy, AK.Spring blooms are just starting to appear — Steese Hwy, AK.Eagle Summit ... popular spot on Solstice Day — Steese Hwy, AK.1Yes, the snow can get that high and higher in the winter — Steese Hwy, AK.Panorama of Birch Creek — Steese Hwy, AK.

    Steese Hwy: Along the Road

    6 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    Today was the second of our long toad-driving days exploring Alaskan Highways in the area that dead-end at rivers.

    The first one was a few days ago — the Elliott Hwy ... from our base at the Olnes Pond Campground. The river in that case was the Tanana. Frankly, we didn’t think that road was worth the time we spent driving 304.6 miles R/T. But as I noted then, if you don’t do it, you don’t know.

    The highway we drove today was the Steese ... from our base at Glass Park @ Fort Wainwright. This time the river was the Yukon. We felt the 322 R/T miles we put on the toad was worth it as there were enough “rewards” along the way ... both scenery and sightseeing-wise.

    Here are a few of the general stops we made.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    1Mui making friends with a grizzly — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.
    Prospector/Trapper Cabin (1893-1952) — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.Quilt ... Symbols of Alaska ... made by the locals — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.Beadwork items — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.Miller House Winsor Organ (dates prior to 1920) — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.Badger fur coat — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.1941 Ford truck w/farm tractor engine — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.Bits and pieces in the barn — Circle District Museum in Central, AK.Crooked Creek (iPhone long exposure) — Central, AK.Time to drive the last section of the Steese to Circle — Central, AK.

    Steese Highway: Central

    6 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Central, so named for its location within the Circle Mining District, is an unincorporated community on the Steese Highway.

    There’s not much in the way of sightseeing here, but the Circle District Historical Society Museum was open ... displays covering the history of the area; fossilized remains found in and around creeks where miners worked their gold claims; mining equipment and household items; and other bits and pieces.

    Before leaving Central, we went inside Central Corner — through the door with the sign saying “Entrance ... to Everything.” Yup ... bar, food, lodging, gas, propane, gift shop, groceries. We topped off at the single pump and treated ourselves to a couple of ice cream sandwiches before continuing on to Circle.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    At the end of the road in Circle — Steese Hwy, AK.
    The Mighty Yukon ... in Circle — Steese Hwy, AK.A "we made it to the Yukon in Circle" selfie — Steese Hwy, AK.2A quickie video capture of the Mighty Yukon in Circle — Steese Hwy, AK.

    Day 35 Ends @ the Yukon River

    6 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    The distance from Central to Circle may only be 34 miles, but it took us nearly 1½ hours to drive that portion of the gravel road. Unlike the earlier section of gravel — from about the midway point of the Steese to Central — this section was in really — and I mean, really — bad shape ... lots of big potholes that had us doing some interesting maneuvers to avoid them.

    We ran out of road when we reached Circle — so named because the miners who established it in 1893 thought the location was on the Arctic Circle. In fact, it is about 50 miles south of that imaginary line. Between the summer fires of 2009, the flood that covered the area in 2013, and the pandemic of 2020 ... well, the area has suffered a great deal and felt like a ghost town today ... regardless of the few locals we encountered.

    The road dead-ended at a dirt picnic area on the banks of the Mighty Yukon ... Alaska’s largest river ... born in Canada ... draining into the Bering Sea after traversing the state east to west. We had come prepared for a picnic here, but one table was in use by the locals ... the other one was upended near them for shade. So, we ate in the car and then stepped out to chat with the trio and take our photos.

    The return drive on the Steese was uneventful. As is par for the course, we didn’t make many stops on the way back. And once we put the gravel section from Circle to Central behind us, we made good time.

    If one has the time and inclination to do so, the Steese would be a good day drive ... long but good. Especially when the summer wildflowers come into full bloom in a week or so.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Baby Ravens in Nails (R. Dowdy) — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.
    Scene from the Autumn diorama — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.Athabascan Chief's Basket (salmon skin, dentalia shell, glass beads, moose skin) — MTC&VC, FairbanksInupiaq; ivory & whale bone — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.Winter Ends When ... — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.Beautiful beadwork — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.Koyukon Athabascan Masks — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK."In Flight Meals" (S. Jamieson) — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.Peeking inside the Gould Cabin — Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Ctr in Fairbanks, AK.

    Fairbanks: Morris Thompson Cultural Ctr

    7 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    “We are the land between the mountains, where ancient rhythms of the natural world flow as they have for thousands of year. Our lives are part of the cadence, entwined with the change of the seasons and the life of the land. This is our story. This is how we live ...”

    Today was the day we set aside to explore Fairbanks and visit a museum or two. What a gorgeous day we had to do so ... the high of 74F felt at least 10 degrees warmer in the sun where there was no shade relief. The beautiful weather, in fact, contributed to a few changes to our plans for the day.

    We started out by visiting the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center. Not that we needed any brochures or anything. Rather, we wanted to check out the exhibits describing life in the Interior and the cultures of the region.

    Definitely well worth the time.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    1

    A-Wander in Fairbanks

    7 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    From the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center, we headed off for a stroll along the River Walk ... 1.5 miles. Somehow, though, we got sidetracked off the path and ended up meandering around the city.

    If not for the beautiful weather encouraging a change to our plans, we might have found our way back to the River Walk. Instead, we decided to have lunch so we could make the 2:00p tour at our next stop.

    Alas, lunch was a bust. The first place recommended to us by the VC was closed for construction. The second place was closed for lunch. The third place was closed on Mondays. The fourth place — Lavelle’s Bistro — was open and we went in. We were OK that the service was slow ... we’d been warned about it. But the food, when it was served, wasn’t worth the wait. I guess this falls into the “you win some, you lose some category.”

    —————————————

    The white church pictured is the Immaculate Conception Church. Constructed in 1904, it was originally situated on a “non-choice” lot. In 1911, it was rolled across the ice and set where it is located today.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The musk ox that re-established the Alaska herd first came to this research station in the 1930s.
    This bull musk ox is still shedding its underhair, called qiviut, which makes the heat intolerable.It's all in the eye ... musk ox @ LARS — UAF in Fairbanks, AK.Female musk ox have a thinner head boss and more delicate horns ... LARS — UAF in Fairbanks, AK.1Ruth, the reindeer calf, with her mama @ LARS — UAF in Fairbanks, AK.Reindeer profile @ LARS — UAF in Fairbanks, AK.Ruth, the reindeer calf, was shy, but came up to introduce herself @ LARS — UAF in Fairbanks, AK.Male and female musk ox skulls @ LARS — UAF in Fairbanks, AK.Circular channels inside the skull of the musk ox help to warm the frigid air it breathes in.

    Oomingmak & Reindeer @ LARS

    7 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Blue skies ... sunshine ... and a temp of 74F today. Overcast and rain the next few days. Hmmm.

    So, we decided to jiggle our plans and go to LARS — the Large Animal Research Station — operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. One can wander around the front pen area without a guide. But to have a better chance of seeing the animals and learn about them, one must take a tour ... given twice a day ... at 10:00a and 2:00p.

    The only species at LARS now are musk oxen and reindeer ... the latter with a cute calf named Ruth. I was hoping for a few more large animals, but the tour was interesting nonetheless.

    The blazing sun made the day intolerable for both the musk ox and the reindeer, so they were hiding in the trees. But a few of them took the “branches of leaf” bribe our guide carried with her and came up to the fence line. We wrapped up the tour in the “touchy-feely” tent where we had a chance to fell the hides of both species and study their skulls.

    Overall, a good opportunity to learn about whatever species happen to be at the research station at the time one visits.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A brown bear & display of mammoth tusks welcome visitors to the Museum of the North — Fairbanks, AK.
    "After the Hunt" (C. Fejes) @ the Museum of the North — Fairbanks, AK.Blue Babe ... steppe bison roamed AK 100,000 to 10,000 years ago ... Museum of the North — FairbanksGwich'in Athabascan Baby Belt (H. Solomon) ... Museum of the North — Fairbanks, AK.Effie ... the fossil remains of a very young Pleistocene mammoth ... Museum of the North — FairbanksYup'ik window made of seal intestine ... Museum of the North — Fairbanks, AK.Skeleton of a bowhead whale harvested in 1963 during the autumn subsistence whale hunt at Pt Barrow.Gwich'in Athabascan moose hide dress ... Museum of the North — Fairbanks, AK.An "homage" to the "Great Alaska Outhouse Experience" (C.N. Buchanan) ... Museum of the North."Spirit Raven III" (J. Hoover) ... Museum of the North — Fairbanks, AK.

    University of Alaska Museum of the North

    7 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Drained from our tour @ LARS — the sun was brutally hot even though the temp itself was comfortable — we headed over to the UAF Museum of the North for a breather and a bit of cultural experience.

    The museum, located on a high ridge ... with views of the Alaska Range and Denali, is home to some wonderful exhibits ranging from the wildlife of Alaska, to the people and land of the state.

    We spent two hours at the museum ... barely long enough for a quick look-see. But we caught a great many of the featured highlights, including Blue Babe, a steppe bison that’s been dated back 50,000 years; and a 43-foot long articulated skeleton of a bowhead whale that is suspended from the ceiling lobby ... virtually unveiled just a few hours before our visit today.

    The Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery on the second floor is not to be missed ... and we didn’t.

    P.S. I forgot to look to see if Denali was showing herself ... though I did notice that at least parts of the Range were “out.”    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Lone Sandhill Crane mixed in with the Canada Geese — Creamer's Field, Fairbanks, AK.
    Lone Sandhill Crane mixed in with the Canada Geese — Creamer's Field, Fairbanks, AK.Sandhill Cranes strutting their stuff with more in the background — Creamer's Field, Fairbanks, AK.1As the sandhill cranes fly off, we leave to go home -- Creamer's Field, Fairbanks, AK.

    Day 36 Ends @ Creamer’s Field

    7 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Creamer’s Field is a migratory waterfowl refuge ... world renowned.

    It is located in Fairbanks ... on the grounds of a former dairy farm that, during its years in operation, attracted migratory waterfowl. When the dairy was put up for sale in 1966, the local community raised money and bought the farm fields to protect the land and preserve it as a refuge.

    My primary interest in visiting Creamer’s Field was to see the sandhill cranes that come here for the breeding season. I got my wish ... though they were in a field that visitors are not allowed to enter.

    Our visit here this evening was a quickie look-see. I hope to squeeze in a visit one morning to hike the trails and perhaps see more birds and cranes and waterfowl.

    Hopefully, it will be far quieter in the morning than it was this evening ... way too many people with big, barking dogs. I can’t imagine the birds found the noise any less invasive and irritating than we did.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Dinner @ the Pump House — Fairbanks, AK.
    The Pump House overlooks the Chena River — Fairbanks, AK.1A tasty meal @ the Pump House — Fairbanks, AK.Your Heart Is Mine ... My Heart is Yours — my interpretation ... @ the Pump House in Fairbanks, AK.

    Day 37 Ends @ the Pump House

    8 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Mui chipped a tooth while we were @ Denali NP. Nothing serious, but he wanted to have it checked out to make sure there wasn’t an underlying issue that needed to be looked at.

    This morning was his appointment, so we set the day aside for further provisioning, chores, and errands, including a haircut for me. The wait at the barber was too long, so Mui’s going to try again for his cut tomorrow when the shop opens up.

    The weather was overcast and much cooler today ... with occasional rain showers ... one of which started just as we arrived at the Pump House for dinner. No al fresco dining on the terrace as planned.

    The restaurant is housed in a reconstructed pump house associated with gold mining operations in the area ... with an ambiance reminiscent of “... an 1890s Gold Rush motif and atmosphere which was associated with the ‘Rip Roaring’ but still Victorian Era in Fairbanks.” The place was hopping — especially the Oyster Bar in the Senator’s Saloon. Glad we had a reservation ... sorry we didn’t get to dine with a view of the Chena River.

    ————————————

    For those interested in such things ... Mui ordered a red Zinfandel from Oregon; I ordered the Kassik’s Beaver Tail blonde beer. We shared an order of Fried Alaskan Barley-Coated Calamari served with two sauces ... marinara and lemon butter. My main course was an herb-crusted halibut with pan fried potatoes, spinach, portobello mushrooms, apples, grape tomatoes, asparagus ... in a lemon butter sauce. It was good, but I’ve had better halibut elsewhere. Mui was very pleased with his reindeer medallions, served with a berry demi-glaze, polenta, and chef’s veggies. For dessert, we shared a chocolate mousse ... tasty, but the portion was too big for just the two of us.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Picnic ... with a view through the windshield — Chena Hot Springs Road, AK.
    Beautiful pond-scape; too bad the moose didn't stick around — Chena Hot Springs Road, AK.Dwarf Dogwood — Chena Hot Springs Road, AK.Birch Grove — Chena Hot Springs Road, AK.Plenty of rusty stuff around the Chena Hot Springs Resort — Alaska.The Ice Museum @ the Chena Hot Springs Resort — Alaska.The Ice Museum @ the Chena Hot Springs Resort — Alaska.Mui enjoying a dip in the hot springs pool — Chena Hot Springs Resort, AK.A relaxed sled dog at the kennels of the Chena Hot Springs Resort — Alaska.Mui gets a bison head ... I get a carved bear — Chena Hot Springs Resort, AK.

    Day 38 Ends @ Chena Hot Springs

    9 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Our original plan called for us to take the Cruiser to Chena Hot Springs after we leave Fairbanks, stay overnight, and then continue on with our road trip. We changed those plans a few days ago and decided to drive the 56 miles x2 as a day trip. Turns out that was a good decision.

    The Chena Hot Springs Road has got to be the worst road of our trip thus far ... except for the section of the Steese between Central & Circle. Not only is there a section of the road being torn up completely for re-paving, but also about half the road is nothing but frost heaves. It made for a very washboardy drive.

    A picnic overlooking one of the many ponds along the road ... eaten, alas, in the car due to the mosquitoes; a wander amongst ice sculptures at the Ice Museum ... we skipped the appletinis served in glasses carved out of ice; a dip in the hot springs pool ... Mui went on his own as I’m not much for pools (thermal or otherwise); a wander around the resort grounds and a visit to the kennels ... while I was waiting for Mui; dinner at the lodge restaurant ... excellent halibut fish & chips.

    And that wraps up today’s visit to the Chena Hot Springs.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A "we are at the Fountainhead AAM" selfie — Fairbanks, AK.
    1917 Ford Model T Snow Flyer — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.1910 Stanley Model R Steam Roadster — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.1911 Ford Model T C-Cab Depot Hack — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.1919 McFarlan ... owned by W. Reid, the "American Valentino of Silent Movies" — Fountainhead AAM.1927 Lincoln Model L Imperial Victoria — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.1920 Argonne Model D 2-Pax Roadster — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.1932 Chrysler Imperial Series CL Convertivle Sedan — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.1904 Buckmobile Runabout — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.Beautiful clothes accompany beautiful cars — Fountainhead AAM in Fairbanks, AK.

    Day 39 Ends with Antique Autos

    10 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Today — our last day in Fairbanks — we went to see the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Having seen other museums of a similar nature, we almost did not go. But I had a 2-for-1 coupon in my Alaska TourSaver app, reducing the price to $15 for the two of us, so we figured we would check it out.

    The museum is on the grounds of the Wedgewood Resort. The cars on display are considered historically significant ... all produced in the US prior to WWII. One of the featured cars is the first one in Alaska ... from when it was still a territory. The vehicles represent developmental achievements in the auto industry ... from steam to electric. All but three of the cars are in full operational condition and go out for drive every so often.

    In addition to the autos, there are historic photos of vehicles in Alaska decorating the walls. And an interesting addition is a collection of vintage clothes on display ... matching the model year of the cars.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Caught Santa kissing Mrs Claus — Santa House @ North Pole, Alaska.
    Christmas themed tile murals decorate the exterior of the Santa Claus House — North Pole, AK.We're smiling because we're not on Santa's naughty list — Santa House @ North Pole, Alaska.Getting cozy with Mr & Mrs Snowman — Santa House @ North Pole, Alaska.Santa's 100+ year-old sleigh — Santa House @ North Pole, Alaska.

    North Pole: Not on the Naughty List

    11 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    We’ve been to the North Pole twice now.

    The first time was with a nuclear icebreaker ... in 2014. That trip was to the “real” North Pole ... at the tippy top of the world.

    Today, our second visit, was to North Pole, Alaska ... right off the Richardson Highway. It’s where the tag line reads, “Where the spirit of Christmas lives year round.” It has streetlights painted to resemble candy canes. It has street names such as St Nicholas Drive and Mistletoe Drive. It has places named the North Pole Hotel, the Santa Claus House, and the Antler Academy ... this last one is where Santa’s reindeer reside when they are not flying around the world!

    From what I understand, the developers so named the place in the hopes of attracting a toy manufacturer that could rightly say that their toys were made at the North Pole. I don’t think the plan worked.

    Anyway, after a quick peek at the Santa Claus House, where we purchased an ornament for our Xmas tree, we continued down the Richardson Highway    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Meet "Alasquito" @ the Knotty Shop — Richardson Hwy, AK.
    2Colorful flower baskets on the port of the Knotty Shop — Richardson Hwy, AK.Lynx and ptarmigan are part of the wildlife display @ the Knotty Shop — Richardson Hwy, AK.

    Meet Alasquito

    11 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    A few miles south of North Pole is a gift shop — the Knotty Shop ... not to be confused with “the Naughty Shop.” It’s right off the Richardson Highway ... easy in ... easy out.

    Seldom do we stop at places like this. We made an exception this time because I had read that the burl sculptures in the front yard made for a good photo op. That’s where we made the acquaintance of “Alasquito.”

    Since we had stopped anyway, we wandered into the shop. Not to buy any knick-knacks mind you. Mui had noticed the ice cream sign!    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    The Trans-Alaska Pipeline — Richardson Highway, AK.
    2The Trans-Alaska Pipeline & the Alaska Range — Richardson Highway, AK.The Trans-Alaska Pipeline & the Alaska Range — Richardson Highway, AK.The Trans-Alaska Pipeline coming southbound down a hill — Richardson Highway, AK.The Trans-Alaska Pipeline — Richardson Highway, AK.

    Alyeska on the Richardson Highway

    11 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    When a pipeline stretches 800 miles — from one end of the state to the other — one is bound to encounter glimpses of it here and there.

    When we traveled the Dalton Highway in 2001 — from Fairbanks to Deadhorse on the Arctic Ocean — the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, aka the Alyeska Pipeline, was a constant companion. On our road trip this year, we’ve so far seen it on the Elliott and the Steese highways ... and today, on the Richardson Highway.

    I wonder how many more times we’ll be saying “look there’s the pipeline again.” After all, we still have a lot of miles to cover until we reach the pipeline terminus in Valdez.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Glimpse of the Alaska Range on the Richardson Highway, AK.
    Mountain & lake scenery along the Richardson Highway, AK.More of the Alaska Range from the Richardson Highway, AK.Aptly named Rainbow Ridge & McCallum Creek — Richardson Hwy, AK.Rainbow Ridge — along the Richardson Hwy, AK.

    Mountains & Rivers Along the Richardson

    11 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    The Richardson Highway is some 366 miles long. It connects Valdez in the south with Fairbanks in the north. Much of the road is rightfully designated an Alaska Scenic Byway.

    Today we drove only about 167 miles of the Richardson. A long enough distance for Mui to say that thus far it is his favorite amongst the roads we’ve driven on this trip. I have to agree. The mountains ... the streams, creeks, and rivers. They all added to our pleasure. As did the nice weather-day that ranged from cloudy, to partly cloudy, to partly sunny, to full sunshine.

    We’ll be driving a few more miles of this road tomorrow, but the section south from Paxson is going to have to wait until later in our trip.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Our boondock is going to be somewhere down there — Isabel Pass on the Richardson Hwy, AK.
    The Gulkana Glacier is in the notch in the middle — Isabel Pass Boondock on the Richardson Hwy, AK.A "we are boondocking at the old Isabel Pipeline Camp" selfie — Richardson Hwy, AK.The Cruiser & Toad like camping with a view — Isabel Pass on the Richardson Hwy, AK.A 180 of our Isabel Pass Boondock (taken the next morning) — Richardson Highway, AK.

    Day 40 Ends @ a Boondock w/Glacier Views

    11 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    When we left Fairbanks this morning, we had no particular destination in mind. Our loose plan was to head down the Richardson Hwy to Paxson or thereabouts ... boondock somewhere along either the Richardson or the Denali highways or camp at Tangle Lakes Campground where the Denali Highway switches from pavement to gravel.

    What we ended up doing instead essentially upended our plans as the boondock we settled on at Isabel Pass was supposed to happen on our way back north on the Richardson.

    It was the view from a turnout of that did the trick ... mountains and Gulkana Glacier ... wide expanses of open land. It’s a decision that we are happy with ... one that will, as a bonus, give us a few additional days for a slower pace later in our trip.

    The drive to get to our boondock where the former Isabel Pipeline Camp used to be was rough gravel, but we bravely ventured forward. Slow and easy. We passed three other campers, but all were dispersed and didn’t take away from the feeling of being “alone” in the wilderness.

    We went just far enough that we had an unobstructed view of the scenery without losing sight of the glacier, which is perched atop Ice Fall Peak. Our spot, we think, was once the concrete foundation of one of the old pipeline camp buildings ... made it easy to level ourselves.

    Nothing like a peaceful boondock to end a day on the road.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A "we enjoyed Summit Lake" selfie — Richardson Highway, AK.
    A "we enjoyed Summit Lake" selfie — Richardson Highway, AK.Panorama of icy Summit Lake — Highway, AK.Hoping for an aerial view, I climbed a steep road but only got a partial view because of the brush.Icy Summit Lake from the boat launch turnout — Richardson Highway, AK.Icy Summit Lake from the boat launch turnout — Richardson Highway, AK.1Panoramic video of Summit Lake — Richardson Hwy, AK.

    Icy Summit Lake

    12 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    We woke up thinking we would hike to Gulkana Glacier this morning. But the river of ice was in the shade and it would stay that way most of the morning.

    So, we postponed the hike and decided to go for a drive with the toad ... check out Tangle Lakes Campground on the Denali Highway and see if we wanted to move there on Sunday ... compare the campground to some of the boondock sites to see if one of them might be preferable.

    But before we got there, we had a spectacular spot to enjoy — Summit Lake!

    Seven miles long, the lake is right alongside the Richardson Highway ... making for easy viewing. The lake gets its name from its location near the water divide that drains the Gulkana River into the Copper River ... which empties into Prince William Sound. In the other direction, the Delta River flows into the Tanana ... which then joins the Yukon ... which empties into the Bering Sea.

    We’d heard that Summit Lake had a beautiful setting. What we didn’t expect was all the ice floes — thin ones, admittedly — covering parts of the lake. A late break up? Or was the ice coming down one of the rivers? No one to ask the question. No one to answer the question. No matter ... we can’t resist ice ... so we dallied here for a while before continuing down the road.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Expansive view of the Alaska Range & Seventeen Mile Lake — Denali Hwy, AK.
    Mountain views along the Denali Hwy, AK.Mount Hayes & the Maclaren Glacier — Denali Hwy, AK.Alaska Range along the Denali Hwy, AK.Maclaren River — Denali Hwy, AK.Mt Hayes & Maclaren Glacier from the Maclaren Bridge — Denali Hwy, AK.View of the Alaska Range from the Maclaren Summit — Denali Hwy, AK.1Closer look at the Alaska Range from the Maclaren Summit — Denali Hwy, AK.A distant peak and glacier in the Alaska Range — Denali Hwy, AK.

    Denali Hwy: Part I ... Mountains Galore

    12 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Denali Highway is a 134-mile road that connects Paxson, on the Richardson Highway, with Cantwell, on the Parks Highway.

    When we first began planning our road trip, we intended to leave Anchorage and drive up to Paxson via the Glenn and Richardson highways ... then turn east and drive the length of the Denali Highway to join the Parks Highway. And head north to Denali National Park from there.

    We didn’t do that. Why? Denali Highway doesn’t open for the season until 15 May or thereabouts. Our departure from Anchorage on the 19th was just a tad too early then to be on that road ... a road that is only 15% paved ... and one that is described as giving visitors a true wilderness experience.

    So, we jiggled our plans, did about 8 miles of the road from Cantwell ... to boondock at Joe Lake. And left the rest of the driving for this part of our trip.

    Remember how this drive was supposed to be just for the purpose of checking out the Tangle Lakes Campground and some boondock sites?

    Well, while the campground is nice, it didn’t ring our bell. Nor did the primitive camping sites mentioned in the Milepost. We should have turned back at that point to do our glacier hike as planned. Instead, we kept going on the Denali Highway. After all, we’d already driven 25 miles of the road. Why not move up our exploration of Denali Highway to today? Why not indeed?

    We had no idea how far we’d be driving. If the gravel/chipseal portion was as good later as it was at the beginning, we might even go all the way to the other end and back. That didn’t turn out to be the case, however. Around the 50-mile mark, the gravel became rough, with lots of potholes. Add to that the slushy rain we got along the way and the gathering storm clouds. Nope, not going to drive all the way. In the end, we did 70 miles before turning back.

    The scenery along much of the road was as spectacular as we’d been told, and the frequent stops to take photos made for a long day ... but we didn’t know then that it was going to become even longer.    Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    A sweet guard dog at Maclaren Lodge — Denali Hwy, AK.
    Swallows building nests under the Maclaren Bridge — Denali Hwy, AK.Short clip of swallows building nests under the Maclaren Bridge — Denali Hwy, AK.Lunch with a view — Denali Hwy, AK.One of the many lakes accessible off the main road — Denali Hwy, AK.Clearwater Creek ... rough and rowdy — Denali Hwy, AK.Shy moose calf grazing in the willows — Denali Hwy, AK.Mama moose keeping an eye on her calf — Denali Hwy, AK.Arctic lupines along the road — Denali Hwy, AK.

    Denali Hwy: Part II ... and More

    12 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Too many photos to share from our day on the Denali Highway ... hence, a second footprint.

    I regret, a bit, that we didn’t get to do the entire road ... but it is what it is. We have so much more to explore.Leer más

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  • North to Alaska By RV 2021
    This view of Gulkana Glacier from Denali Hwy changes our evening plans.
    Meltwater on the road ... we're on foot from here — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.1That's more than just meltwater ... methinks — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.Proof that I managed to cross the bridge over Phelan Creek — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.We finally spy the path across the lateral moraine — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.We can see the terminus ... we won't be walking to it — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.A "we did the Gulkana Glacier hike" selfie.Mui crossing the bridge back — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.I did say that the bridge was wobbly — Gulkana Glacier Hike, AK.

    Day 41 Ends with a Glacier Hike

    12 de junio de 2021, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 45 °F

    It was the view of Gulkana Glacier from the Denali Highway that decided our next move ... the one that would lengthen our day of exploration by three hours.

    We ended up not only driving a mile further into the boonies from our site at Isabel Pass, but we then also did a three-mile hike to the glacier. Double all those distances for the return! Good thing it doesn’t get dark this time of the year.

    The description I had read of the Gulkana Glacier hike said to drive the Isabel Pipeline Camp Road as far as we could, park the car, and continue on foot from there. The question was, how much further could we go? After all, we’d already driven about 1.5 miles to get to the spot where we were boondocking.

    Turns out that we could have shortened the hike by driving another mile from where we decided to park the car, but the meltwater running down the road scared us off. No matter, we needed the exercise.

    We walked on the rocky road best we could, staying right when the road branched off ... only because we figured the glacier was somewhere in that direction.

    When we came to Phelan Creek, which headwaters at the glacier, we found the “bridge” mentioned in the description of the hike. It was a wobbly thing over a fast-flowing creek with deep, silty water. It consisted of some guy wires, braided steel handrails (if you can call them that) and unevenly spaced wooden slats. Yikes. But we managed to cross over without mishap ... whew!

    Then we started climbing the hill mentioned in the description. Fighting our way through some heavy brush, that snagged on everything, we eventually found a path of sorts ... visible only by looking into the distance. All part of the adventure, right?

    We didn’t make it all the way to the glacier’s terminus. For one thing, from where we stopped, the terminus was still at least two miles away. For another thing, storm clouds were gathering in the direction from which we had come. Sure, we had rain gear on, but the rocky path would be a little too slippery if we were caught in a downpour. Not to mention what the rain might do to the level of the meltwater on the road. Besides it was already 7:00p ... it had taken us nearly two hours to just get to this point.

    So, we turned back. Having made note of landmarks along the way, we negotiated the path back without getting into the brush, wobbled our way across the bridge, and walked the rocky road back to where we had left the toad in record time ... one hour. Yay!

    We can now add wilderness hiking to our resume!    Leer más

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