Denali, Alaska

This is a picture of the road as we are approaching Denali.  You can see the road off in the distance.  I shows you the depth and curves of these mountains.  We were in a road construction area a lot of the time. They have a limited time in the summer to repair roads. so 

These two pictures are right before the town of Denali.  The Nenana River runs through Denali.  We crossed it several times but one bridge was so high I could not look down the first time we crossed it.  The river is no ordinary river.

This is Denali.  It was very touristy but beautiful in it's setting.  The food was definitely out of this Greenwood, SC girl's price range.  By the way, the day we arrived and the day we left the weather was perfect.

This was at the visitor's center in the Denali National Park.  I touched a bear.  On our second day we took an 8 hour bus tour, 66 miles through the park.  It rain the whole time and was so cold.  But I do not have any regrets.  The object was to reach the Elieson Center to view Mt. Mckinley.

John  is standing at a look off point at about 5,000 feet.  The drop was unbelievable.  The bus traveled along the edges of this road with no barriers, guard rails or anything and all the time it was climbing and climbing.  I did look out the window but it was not easy.  I had no idea what to expect and I am glad I didn't.  Our bus driver was older than us, that caused me some concern. You can see we are having quite the adventure and I am truly loving it.  I am not complaining I am just trying to give accurate details.

This is what the rest stops looked like.  I am not good with port-a-potties.  But that's just me.

There is some caribou in the picture.  Two, I think.

John is standing in front of a quilt of Mt. McKinley at the Elieson Center.  We could not see Mt. Mckinley because of fog and rain clouds.  I local lady made the quilt.  It was too pretty for words.

I am sitting by a musher's sled while trying to get warm.  I was so cold that day.

On the way back down that "road" we witnessed two bears eating a caribou. They are in this picture but you probably can't see them.  They would be in the far left center.  The ranger told that they would have to close this area to hikers for a while.  It would be to dangerous for them.  I was surprised he even used the word dangerous.

Fairbanks, Alaska

The top two pictures were made in North Pole Alaska.  It is 13 miles south of Fairbanks.  And yes, we saw Santa Claus.

John and I spent the 4th of July at the Pioneer Park Gold Rush Town.  The park had a street that consisted actual old homes and buildings that had been moved there and preserved.  John is standing in front of one of them.  And for a short time he became an eskimo.  The Alaskan Governor was there to honor the Alaskan military.  It was a very patriotic experience that reminded us that although we were 5000 miles from home we were still in America.

Of course we learned everything we could about the Alaska Pipe Line.

This is a couple we met on the way to panning for gold.  They are the Warrens from Murphysboro, TN.  The experience was a lot fun and we plan to meet up with them again on our trip back home. They were in Alaska to take a cruise.

Here we are panning for gold.  The spent the afternoon riding a train and getting the history of gold mining.

I didn't exactly hit it rich.  But John's mother load is below.  He had it put into a pendant for me.  Sweet huh.  His gold flicks are worth $37.00

Tok, Alaska - First Stop in Alaska USA

There was very little to see in Tok, Alaska.  This is the RV park where we stayed.  Jordan and Huck Woody (called Alaska's Sweetgrass) entertained the campers with an up close and personal concert.  They performed country/bluegrass music.  It was very enjoyable.

 We ate some yummy Halibut at Fast Eddy's (the only restaurant in Tok).

 The road in Canada as we entered Alaska were very  bad and dusty.  John does like for his babies to be dirty.  Boone and I had to wait around while he washed the truck and 5th wheel.  To kill time we made his picture.  We have the cleanest rig in Alaska.

This is Tok's library.  Most the buildings look like this one.

This is the day we arrive in Alaska - July 1, 2013

We are traveling to Tok Alaska for a two night stay.  This will be a hard day.  We will encounter bad roads with pot holes and dust and travel over 500 km.  Oh, but what beauty.

We saw our first Grizzly.  We stopped and put the windows down for a better look. Our Chicken Little Boone barked and scared the Grizzly away.  You don't know how funny that was really was.

These are pictures of Lake Kluane.  It is not possible to exaggerate on the size of this lake.  It was surrounded by mountains and the road follows around and along side it for ever.  Everything on the Alaska Highway goes on and on and on.  But always beautiful.

This how the road was for miles before we reached the Alaska border patrol.  We by the way they were much more pleasant than the Canadian border patrol.  Needless to say each time we go through we put on our best behavior face.

This is my very disappointing picture of the Welcome to Alaska sign.  It came up as we made a curve and another RV was on our tail.  We couldn't stop. The main thing is we are here!

Whitehorse, Yukon - June 29, 2013

We met up with our friends from Greenwood who are traveling with one of the tours.  As we were setting up camp Eric and Kathy came out of their RV which was next to us. (small world, huh) It was an awesome surprise since we were not suppose to see them until Fairbanks.  The four of us spent the day and evening together.  We ate breakfast at the Burnt Toast, lunch at Takhini Hot Springs, and dinner at a Mexican place.  Believe me when I say how great is was to see friends 4000 miles from home.

The above pictures are of the Klondike river boat.  We watched a film explaining the use of riverboats and the hardships during the time the river was the only way to transport between Whitehorse and Dawson City. This just a sample of the pictures we made.

A totem pole in downtown Whitehorse.

The only high rise log cabin in existence.  Neat don't you think.

These pictures are of Miles Canyon.  It is the most beautiful site I have seen so far.  See the people on the path across the water.  That should give some idea of the vastness you are looking at.  There is a suspension bridge we crossed over to the other side.  My camera quit so I didn't get that picture.  I experienced every emotion from shear delight to the fear of falling. 

We thoroughly enjoyed Whitehorse and getting to experience it with friends.