Drove up the highway again and today is more sunny and Denali is showing herself!! Yea!!
I am at the Visitor Center now and running out of laptop battery so I will just post some pics:
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Mike in and around Denali Park waiting for Louisa to join!
Well I'm camping in Denali National Park at the Riley Campground near the entrance to the park. The past two days I've driven the 15 miles to the end of where they normally allow vehicles except for Park Buses and vehicles with a pass like the one we'll have on the 7th to drive to the farthest drive in Campground.
Yesterday I saw a moose on the road ahead of me- first clues were two stopped cars who were watching it- then I saw the massive rack and big body. He moved off into the brush on the right hand side of the road- I tried to snap pics- one is far away and the other is too mush bush I think....
When I got to the end of the road sadly the mountain was not visible- too many clouds. I took some pics and drove back through the stunning vistas and countryside. The Fall colors are coming out in golds and some reds, beautiful!
I visited the Sled dog kennels and saw some dogs and some puppies sleeping and chatted with the Rangers, they are very down-to-Earth and appreciate their responsibility as well as the Joy there is in this amazing place.
After the kennels I went to the main visitor center and saw the exhibits, watched a movie and bought a detailed Topo map of an area I think Louisa might like to hike. It is the Eileson Visitor Area about a 3 hour buss ride past the cutoff point in the Park. That will be 2 hours for us since we will be starting an hour in and should give us plenty of time to do both of the popular day hikes they have.
My first night in the area was Sunday before the Holiday and Denali Campgrounds were full so they directed me to a private campground about 7 miles away that was great- 12 bucks a night, isolated with a view and free hot showers! Bingo!!
Now I am getting very comfortable in old TAO 7- we are good companions heading down the road and camping. I'm starting to make some fancy meals- tow nights ago I made a Rib Eye pot roast with Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots and onion and last night I made a Quiche from scratch using a box mix crust that I did out side on the picnic table to prevent messing the van up inside!
Here are some pics:
Well I'm camping in Denali National Park at the Riley Campground near the entrance to the park. The past two days I've driven the 15 miles to the end of where they normally allow vehicles except for Park Buses and vehicles with a pass like the one we'll have on the 7th to drive to the farthest drive in Campground.
Yesterday I saw a moose on the road ahead of me- first clues were two stopped cars who were watching it- then I saw the massive rack and big body. He moved off into the brush on the right hand side of the road- I tried to snap pics- one is far away and the other is too mush bush I think....
When I got to the end of the road sadly the mountain was not visible- too many clouds. I took some pics and drove back through the stunning vistas and countryside. The Fall colors are coming out in golds and some reds, beautiful!
I visited the Sled dog kennels and saw some dogs and some puppies sleeping and chatted with the Rangers, they are very down-to-Earth and appreciate their responsibility as well as the Joy there is in this amazing place.
After the kennels I went to the main visitor center and saw the exhibits, watched a movie and bought a detailed Topo map of an area I think Louisa might like to hike. It is the Eileson Visitor Area about a 3 hour buss ride past the cutoff point in the Park. That will be 2 hours for us since we will be starting an hour in and should give us plenty of time to do both of the popular day hikes they have.
My first night in the area was Sunday before the Holiday and Denali Campgrounds were full so they directed me to a private campground about 7 miles away that was great- 12 bucks a night, isolated with a view and free hot showers! Bingo!!
Now I am getting very comfortable in old TAO 7- we are good companions heading down the road and camping. I'm starting to make some fancy meals- tow nights ago I made a Rib Eye pot roast with Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots and onion and last night I made a Quiche from scratch using a box mix crust that I did out side on the picnic table to prevent messing the van up inside!
Here are some pics:
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Hi there all! It's Sunday, September 2nd now and I am very near Denali National Park- I've slowly been wandering the 121 mile or so in small bites- first day only 40 miles or so to a Parking (P) pullout that was hidden from the road by a copse of trees- great free campsite! Sun even came out!!
It has been rainy and cold here and looks like it will be the remainder of my visit- Fall is on us hard here. The colors are changing and there are beautiful reds and golden yellows among the green and brown of the forest and along the roadside. Very pretty especially when the Sun breaks through and shines on a part of the forest around me which is dense and seems to go on and on. There are also some very tall mountains with snow capped peaks that reach into the gray and black overcast sky.
The van is keeping me dry and warm when I use the heater on the stove or when I cook- got up to over 80 degrees in there when I baked a meatloaf and a potato for an hour at 400 degrees. That was a very tasty dinner and took the chill out as well!. I had filled up with propane that day and it took 4 gallons so I figure I am good for awhile with a 15 gallon tank.
Last night I stayed at a meadow campground near a river in Anderson, AK. There was a group staying there that dress in Medieval clothing with swords and crowns and things like that- they are called the Society for Creative Anachronism - here's a link if you'd like to know more:
Society for Creative Anachronism
I asked them if I could take pictures of them and they were ok with it, but it felt weird so I only took a couple. The had the covered picnic area with the fireplace so i kept to myself in the van. The campground had a plug in which I used for once hopping the battery would get a better charge- with the rain the solar panel isn't cutting it and when I don't drive the alternator can't help it.
Plugged in alos meant charging the computer and the phone and being able to watch movies without running it down. I had a simple dinner of leftovers (refried beans, meatlof and baked potato burritos with fresh onion and my favorite hot sauce!) and went to sleep late not caring if I get an early start.
When I left the medieval folks were debating whether to call it a weekend because of the bad weather, I thought the King would just decide.....huh.
I intend to stay in Denali National Park tonight- right now I am at the Denali Princess Lodge to use the WiFi to post this and catch up on business.
Here are some pics, before I left Fairbanks I went to Pioneer Park and so there are some pictures from there of the Sternwheeler ship and the Aviation Museum.
It has been rainy and cold here and looks like it will be the remainder of my visit- Fall is on us hard here. The colors are changing and there are beautiful reds and golden yellows among the green and brown of the forest and along the roadside. Very pretty especially when the Sun breaks through and shines on a part of the forest around me which is dense and seems to go on and on. There are also some very tall mountains with snow capped peaks that reach into the gray and black overcast sky.
The van is keeping me dry and warm when I use the heater on the stove or when I cook- got up to over 80 degrees in there when I baked a meatloaf and a potato for an hour at 400 degrees. That was a very tasty dinner and took the chill out as well!. I had filled up with propane that day and it took 4 gallons so I figure I am good for awhile with a 15 gallon tank.
Last night I stayed at a meadow campground near a river in Anderson, AK. There was a group staying there that dress in Medieval clothing with swords and crowns and things like that- they are called the Society for Creative Anachronism - here's a link if you'd like to know more:
Society for Creative Anachronism
I asked them if I could take pictures of them and they were ok with it, but it felt weird so I only took a couple. The had the covered picnic area with the fireplace so i kept to myself in the van. The campground had a plug in which I used for once hopping the battery would get a better charge- with the rain the solar panel isn't cutting it and when I don't drive the alternator can't help it.
Plugged in alos meant charging the computer and the phone and being able to watch movies without running it down. I had a simple dinner of leftovers (refried beans, meatlof and baked potato burritos with fresh onion and my favorite hot sauce!) and went to sleep late not caring if I get an early start.
When I left the medieval folks were debating whether to call it a weekend because of the bad weather, I thought the King would just decide.....huh.
I intend to stay in Denali National Park tonight- right now I am at the Denali Princess Lodge to use the WiFi to post this and catch up on business.
Here are some pics, before I left Fairbanks I went to Pioneer Park and so there are some pictures from there of the Sternwheeler ship and the Aviation Museum.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Dalton notes second day
Woke up rested at 5 am and fired on the furnace- took awhile, but it warmed up nice. I stayed snug in bed watching the sky lighten up and thought about the drive.
I’m still trying to take it easy- I don’t want a flat tire or to break something that’s 41 years old on the van. After making coffee and doing my morning chores I set off around 7 or so and headed North again. I’m still staying in D2 and around 35 mph, but some sections were good enough to go 40 and I even got into D once for a short while, but there were also steep sections where I dropped into D1 and some bad mud and potholes in one stretch that had me going slow and careful.
After about an hour and 15 minutes I saw that I had been climbing and was at almost 2,000 feet. Suddenly there was a thick mist that became fog with very little visibility. One of the Ice Road drivers- the only woman- had been killed on Friday in the fog- she'd missed a turn and had a rollover so I was mindful that fog messes up the truckers so it can't be good for me. I saw a photo opportunity sign for a rest stop about a mile down the road and pulled in there to see if the fog will lift before proceeding. Caution pays!
After waiting an hour with no clearing I began to drive slowly and carefully away and I found that as I descended the fog gradually cleared to a light rain. Soon I came to a section that looks like two lane blacktop, but it is really just a series of potholes strung along a double yellow line. Driving this was swerve and avoid and stay slow so if you hit one you didn't blow a tire.
The sad thing was that it looked like a really good road so you wanted to make time on it, as soon as you tried though it hit you with a nest of potholes and forced you onto the oncoming lane or to dance around them. Nerve-racking.
If you got a flat heaven help you if its on the driver's side- you'd be out in the highway trying to fix it unless you faced the wrong way on the left side (which would probably be the safest thing to do). If you have a breakdown there is a $1,000 dollar flat fee on top of the distance towing fee for anyone who comes to get you here- really a stiff penalty for screwing up!
I was using my GPS reading out the distance to Coldfoot Camp to get an idea how close I was to the Arctic Circle pullout. 45 minutes after leaving the rest area I finally got there and found a three car line to get pictures!
Three cars from a Rally Club that had run the AlCan 5000 decided to make the run up here to the Arctic Circle and were memorializing the occasion. I chatted with one of the drivers while I waited- they had started in Kirkland, Washington.
Here's a link to info about them-2018 AlCan 500 Website
The car in the picture below apparently did an African Rally in the 1960's so another old vehicle being loved and driven- fun!
When it was my turn a nice couple who were walking their dogs offered to take my picture. They had spent the night at the same campground I had last night. The old van was really dirty for her pictures!
I got out and walked around checking out the sign and taking some pics of my sponsor's logo at the sign. They have some signage about the animals and climate up here and I took a few minutes to read them.
I decided not to camp there and to head back to Fairbanks while the day was still young and the weather was relatively good. Back in the van and heading South now after our successful run to this Geographic Point!
When I got back to Yukon River Camp I stopped in for a bathroom pit stop and also ate a delicious fresh salmon sandwich they made that was soooo good! Right across the road from the Camp was a tiny log cabin and rest area that was the Yukon BLM Post. I went over there and met a nice volunteer named Bob who gave me my official Arctic Circle Certificate and stamped it with his office stamp! Very cool!!
He told me that the bad two lane road was one of the worst sections and had been nothing but potholes earlier in the season, but had been resurfaced in July and was really good up until 3-4 weeks ago when the holes started opening back up. Should have come earlier I guess.
I feel a little bad about not going all the way the Deadhorse, but I think I used good judgement and I accept this Circle to Circle as the new challenge!
About 10 or 12 miles from the end of the Dalton I saw the guys in the Solar Electric Van pulled over with all of their solar panels out trying to harvest on a cloudy overcast day. This is going to take them forever!
After getting off the Dalton it was still almost a 2 hour drive back to Fairbanks and my Walmart squatter's post. Tonight I purchased a quiche to bake and some more items to justify my stay. The oven is working great and I baked some Tollhouse Cookies as well- Yum, made everything smell great. Watched a movie and then to sleep.
Pictures:
After waiting an hour with no clearing I began to drive slowly and carefully away and I found that as I descended the fog gradually cleared to a light rain. Soon I came to a section that looks like two lane blacktop, but it is really just a series of potholes strung along a double yellow line. Driving this was swerve and avoid and stay slow so if you hit one you didn't blow a tire.
The sad thing was that it looked like a really good road so you wanted to make time on it, as soon as you tried though it hit you with a nest of potholes and forced you onto the oncoming lane or to dance around them. Nerve-racking.
If you got a flat heaven help you if its on the driver's side- you'd be out in the highway trying to fix it unless you faced the wrong way on the left side (which would probably be the safest thing to do). If you have a breakdown there is a $1,000 dollar flat fee on top of the distance towing fee for anyone who comes to get you here- really a stiff penalty for screwing up!
I was using my GPS reading out the distance to Coldfoot Camp to get an idea how close I was to the Arctic Circle pullout. 45 minutes after leaving the rest area I finally got there and found a three car line to get pictures!
Three cars from a Rally Club that had run the AlCan 5000 decided to make the run up here to the Arctic Circle and were memorializing the occasion. I chatted with one of the drivers while I waited- they had started in Kirkland, Washington.
Here's a link to info about them-2018 AlCan 500 Website
The car in the picture below apparently did an African Rally in the 1960's so another old vehicle being loved and driven- fun!
When it was my turn a nice couple who were walking their dogs offered to take my picture. They had spent the night at the same campground I had last night. The old van was really dirty for her pictures!
I got out and walked around checking out the sign and taking some pics of my sponsor's logo at the sign. They have some signage about the animals and climate up here and I took a few minutes to read them.
I decided not to camp there and to head back to Fairbanks while the day was still young and the weather was relatively good. Back in the van and heading South now after our successful run to this Geographic Point!
When I got back to Yukon River Camp I stopped in for a bathroom pit stop and also ate a delicious fresh salmon sandwich they made that was soooo good! Right across the road from the Camp was a tiny log cabin and rest area that was the Yukon BLM Post. I went over there and met a nice volunteer named Bob who gave me my official Arctic Circle Certificate and stamped it with his office stamp! Very cool!!
He told me that the bad two lane road was one of the worst sections and had been nothing but potholes earlier in the season, but had been resurfaced in July and was really good up until 3-4 weeks ago when the holes started opening back up. Should have come earlier I guess.
I feel a little bad about not going all the way the Deadhorse, but I think I used good judgement and I accept this Circle to Circle as the new challenge!
About 10 or 12 miles from the end of the Dalton I saw the guys in the Solar Electric Van pulled over with all of their solar panels out trying to harvest on a cloudy overcast day. This is going to take them forever!
After getting off the Dalton it was still almost a 2 hour drive back to Fairbanks and my Walmart squatter's post. Tonight I purchased a quiche to bake and some more items to justify my stay. The oven is working great and I baked some Tollhouse Cookies as well- Yum, made everything smell great. Watched a movie and then to sleep.
Pictures:
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