DAY 28; THE ROAD TO DENALI

We had a good time in Fairbanks and one interesting bit of trivia we learned is that the average resident is only 27 years old.  I'm guessing that's at least partly due to the large military presence as well as the University.  I saw one young woman, obviously military, wearing a t-shirt that said on the back "Pilots without maintainers are just guys in cool jackets and sunglasses."  We left Fairbanks this morning and are staying overnight in a Campground about 9 miles south of Denali National Park.  We are scheduled to spent three nights in Denali and hope to view the 20,000+ foot summit of Mount McKinley and see lots of wildlife.

WILD FLOWERS IN DENALI

WILD FLOWERS

MOUNTAINS IN THE McKINLEY RANG

THE DARK COLORED SKINNY SPRUCE TREES IN THE FOREGROUND HAVE VERY SHALLOW ROOTS AND TYPICALLY GROW IN POORLY DRAINED ROCKY SOIL.  QUITE OFTEN THEY ARE AN INDICATION OF PERMAFROST AND THEIR PRESENCE WAS ONE CLUE THAT  PROSPECTORS USED WHEN LOOKING FOR GOLD 

DAY 27: THE CHENA HOT SPRINGS

We awoke to beautiful sunshine and 50 degrees, however as the day progressed the temperature reached 78 and it  really felt warm.  Nancy did laundry, I did clean-up chores and Ben and Bonnie went to yard sales.  The local car club brought their cars to the campground again today and one of them was a 1958 Rolls Royce.  I struck up a conservation with the owner and his wife and he said "go ahead and set in it if you want"; well being a car guy I couldn't resist.

LOTS OF COTTONWOOD TREES SURROUND OUR CAMP SITE AND IF YOU  LOOK
CLOSE YOU CAN SEE THE  "COTTON" LIKE SEED PODS HANGING IN THIS TREE

THE WHITE ON THE GROUND ARE COTTONWOOD TREE SEED PODS AND THE AIR IS FULL
 OF THE WIND BLOWN COTTON WHICH IS CAUSING EVERYONE'S ALLERGIES TO FLAIR UP

After lunch Nancy and I drove to the Chena Hot Springs about 75 miles out of town.  We hiked one of the nature trails and saw a beaver dam.  I took a tour and learned that the electricity used to run the resort is generated using geothermal powered electric turbines and all the building are geothermal heated.  They have a geothermal heated green house which supplies all the vegetables used in their restaurant and to feed the staff of 70 two meals each day.  The green house has the greatest temperature differential of any green house in the world, maintaining a  toasty 80 degrees even when it is -55 degrees outside.  Nancy and I toured the Aurora Ice Museum and the ice sculptures were truly amazing.  On the way back we saw a very large moose  drinking from a roadside pond.

GEOTHERMAL POWERED ELECTRIC TURBINES

TOMATO PLANTS IN THE GEOTHERMAL GREEN HOUSE GROW 12 FOOT HIGH AND PRODUCE FOR 10 MONTHS

INSIDE THE ICE MUSEUM

ROSE ICE SCULPTURE 

COCA COLA BEAR ICE SCULPTURE

NANCY & DON BESIDE AN ICE CHRISTMAS TREE

DAY 26; EL DORADO GOLD MINE

This morning Bonnie, Ben, Nancy and I met Erika and Kaden at the El Dorado Gold Mine where we rode the train and panned for gold.  Nancy and I found gold worth $65 and Nancy had it made into a pendent.  Little Kaden had a great time, especially looking at the excavation and mining equipment, but best of all riding the train and having cookies.  After lunch we explored the Fairbanks Pioneer Village and enjoyed the log cabins which had been moved to the site from the old downtown area.  There were outdoor exhibits of mining equipment as well as several indoor museums and  of course shops.  To cap the day we went to the Pikes Landing Restaurant for an excellent seafood dinner.

MINERS BUILT  CABINS ON SOUTH FACING SLOPES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HEAT FROM THE SUN.

DON & NANCY PAN FOR GOLD

BEN SHOWS-OFF THE GOLD HE FOUND

KAYDEN AND HIS MOM ERKIA IN FRONT OF THE LOCOMOTIVE OF THE TRAIN HE LOVES TO RIDE

THIS OLD "STEAM" SHOVEL DISPLAYED AT THE PIONEER VILLAGE HELPED DIG THE PANAMA CANAL AND WORKED IN HAWAII BEFORE MOVING TO ALASKA TO WORK

DAY 25:THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

Today we made the trip to the Arctic Circle and it was a 421 mile round trip by Jeep.  We traveled the Elliott and the Dalton Highways and I'd estimate about 50% was paved, however much of the paved portion had frost heaves and dips (one area was even called "the roller coaster road").  When we left the Elliott Highway and started up the Dawson Highway a sign read "HAUL ROAD-Heavy Industrial Traffic" indicating that the road serves as the only land supply route to  Berring Sea and is used primarily by heavy trucks.  There are many long steep grades, sharp turns, damaged road surfaces and lots of dust. The highway parallels the Alaskan Pipeline which is 50% below ground and 50% above ground much of which  can be seen from the Dalton.  We saw Loons, a Black Bear and even a Snowshoe Rabbit.

A SECTION OF THE ALASKAN PIPELINE.  THE SHINNY METAL COVERS INSULATION WHICH IS INTENDED TO KEEP THE HEATED OIL FROM COOLING TOO FAST AS IT'S PUMPED THROUGH THE PIPELINE.  THE SUPPORT POSTS EXTEND 30+ FEET DEEP TO GET BELOW THE PERMAFROST.  THE PIPELINE IS SUPPORTED ON SLIDES WHICH ALLOWS THE PIPELINE TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT GROWING LONGER OR SHORTER TO ALLOW FOR AMBIENT TEMPERATURE CHANGES RANGING FROM +80 TO -50 DEGREES.

AS THE HEATED OIL TRAVELS THROUGH THE PIPELINE IT COOLS AND WAX SEPARATES FROM THE OIL AND  ADHERES TO THE INSIDE OF THE PIPELINE.  THE DEVICE PICTURED IS A PIPELINE "PIG" WHICH WHEN INCERTED INTO THE PIPELINE AT A PUMP STATION,  MOVES THROUGH THE PIPE AND SCRAPES OFF THE WAX.

 FROST HEAVE DAMAGE AND DUST ON THE DALTON HIGHWAY

NANCY AT THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

A SIGN INSIDE THIS TRADING POST IN JOY, ALASKA READS:
"THERE'S NOT A SINGLE MOSQUITO  IN JOY, THEY'RE ALL MARRIED WITH LARGE FAMILIES."

DAY 24: MUSEUM OF THE NORTH & VISIT W/FRIENDS

THIS GRIZZLY DISPLAYED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA'S "MUSEUM OF THE NORTH"
 STANDS 8' 9" TALL AND WEIGHED 1,250 LBS.

POLAR BEAR

BISON

EAGLE

SO VISCOUS IS THE WOLVERINE THAT THEIR ALASKAN INDIAN NAME MEANS "KING"

MEET KADEN GRANT.  WE ENJOYED A COOKOUT THIS EVENING WITH KAYDEN, LITTLE BROTHER NOAH, MOM ERIKA, DAD JON AND JON'S PARENTS.

DAY 23: RIVER BOAT TOUR & NORTH POLE

LOG CABIN ALONG THE CHENA RIVER

WE TOOK A RIVER BOAT TOUR OF SOME OF ALASKA'S INTERIOR ABOARD THE "DISCOVERY III"

ALASKAN INDIAN GIRL IN NATIVE HAND SEWN PARKA

"FISH WHEEL" WHICH IS TURNED BY RIVER CURRENTS AND SCOOPS UP SALMON  

FILLETED SALMON HANG ON DRYING RACK

RAIN DEER ARE DOMESTICATED CARIBOU 

PIPER SUPER CUB "BUSH PLANE" PONTOONS ARE REPLACED WITH SKIS IN WINTER
ONE IN SIXTY ALASKANS ARE PILOTS

SOD ROOF FISH CAMP CABIN

DAVIS MONSON HUSBAND OF THE LATE SUSAN BUTCHER, FAMOUS FOUR TIME IDITAROD  DOG SLED RACE WINNER TELLS US ABOUT TRAINING SLED DOGS.  DAVID HIMSELF HAS WON THE YUKON QUEST DOG SLED RACE WHICH STARTS AT FAIRBANKS AND ENDS OVER A 1,000 MILES LATER IN WHITE HORSE, YUKON.

WHEN THERE IS NO SNOW DAVID USES A MODIFIED FOUR WHEELER AS A SLED
DOG TEAMS CAN REACH SPEEDS UP UP 30 MPH

SUSAN BUTCHER'S DAUGHTER IS ALSO  INVOLVED IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS OF TRAINING AND RACING SLED DOGS.  SHE HAS TO "MUSH" 300 MILES THIS YEAR TO QUALIFY FOR THE IDITAROD RACE IN 2012.

DON AT NORTH POLE, ALASKA

DAY 22: FAIRBANKS

We arrived in Fairbanks mid-morning today and got settled in the River's Edge Campground after buying fuel and groceries.  On the trip to Fairbanks we saw portions of the Alaskan Pipeline and passed through some of Eielson Air Force Base.

A PORTION OF THE ALASKAN PIPELINE

I've been asked about fuel availability and cost. When away from larger towns after leaving the "lower 48" fuel is available about every 200 miles at Mom and Pop businesses typically with two pumps or even an above ground tank.  You really can't price shop and just have to pay the high prices.  I've listed our diesel fuel stops with prices below; the Canadian prices are reflected in US dollars computed after the transactions were debited on our electronic banking site and include the currency exchange rate and debit card transaction fees. 

05/23/11 SHELBYVILLE, KY                  4.03
05/25/11  DES MOINES, IA                    3.859
05/26/11 RAPID CITY, SD                      4.029
05/31/11 COLUMBUS, MT                      3.969
05/31/11 GREAT FALL, MT                     3.959
06/01/11 SHELBY, MT                            3.959
06/03/11 ZIGZAG, AB                              4.38
06/06/11 FORT ST. JOHN, BC                 5.15
06/08/11 WHITE HORSE, YUKON           5.42
06/13/11 FAIRBANKS, ALASKA              4.369