Sunday, 21 June 2015 - Anchorage to McKinley

We all had a good night's sleep in Anchorage even though our luggage had to be ready by six. We cheated a bit, but did get it ready by 6:45 and the staff was very accommodating. A short coach ride took us to the railroad station where we boarded the train bound for the Princess McKinley Lodge. We had breakfast on the train and also a Moose Mary and Sharon had a Minty Moose Mocha. Tis the land of moose.

The train took us through areas of pure country and new housing developments that will serve as bedroom communities to Anchorage. We went through Wassila, but got no glimpse of Sarah Palin or her mansion in the woods. We then passed through Willow where the forests have been ravaged by fires. They and some other fires to the north have obscured the usually clear Alaskan skies. There were even some firefighters still present, but the train was moving too quickly to catch them in the photo.

 

We arrived at our destination of Talkeetna, the inspiration for the TV show Northern Exposure. It really was an Alaskan village that still retained it's sleepiness of the 60s.

Being parched after the train ride, we headed for the Denali Brewery where we had a pint of Chulitna stout. It was very similar to Guiness and was a refresing beverage for a very warm day.

Of course there's always some fooling around afrer a pint. No shortage of that here.

 

We booked a jet boat excursion on the Three Rivers - reminiscent of our Pittsburgh. The boats are powered by jet engines and can navigate in as little as 12" of water. They reach speeds on the rivers of 45 mph.

It was an such a beautiful day with clear skies and warm temperatures, perfect for seeing all the wildlife and shore topography. We were able to spot eagles in so many places. This is a new parent guarding the 250 # nest. They are such magestic creatures that is no wonder that they are our natural bird. Bald actually comes from the old English balde which means white.

 

The eagles are spotted in the trees and on the rivers.

On the shore were some holes that had been dug out of the sand/silt. As we watched we saw swallows flying in and out of them. The natural beauty of this state and its flora and fauna are so beautiful.

We walked for about a half mile on the trail as our naturalist, Jen explained some of the history of the trapping in the area. This is a bear-proof cache house in the woods. The ladder can be lowered and there are tin wrappings on the stilts so that the bear can't climb the polls.

After the tour, we disembarked the boat at our lodge for the night. We went to the room and then headed to the main lodge for dinner. The accommodation was comfortable and we looked forward to the 'morrow's adventure.

It would be best that the Bucs leave Washington, D.C. as soon as possible. Morton had a bad outing as our Pirates lost 9-2. No game tomorrow. Hope to listen to them on Tuesday on the coach.

 

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