7-3-2011 Fairbanks with Bec and BrianB-Univ of AK Lge Animal Research Ctr

No, this is not Becca and her hubby!!LOL  They arrived 7/2/2011 and we started our tours the next day.  Went to the University of Alaska Large Animal Research Center, but it was closed for the day.  Followed the fence around through the woods and this was waiting for us.  Musk-ox, huge huge animals.

6-25-2011 Chicken, AK to Fairbanks

 Stayed at Eielson Air Force Base Campground.  Deeply wooded but with a nice lake.  Al hoping to go fishing for a bit.

Highway started out not so good for a bit, but then OK.

For our Sturbridge friends, check out Rolly and Bonnie's truck!!  I think it's the first time Rolly's truck has ever been so dirty, and it will be the last I'm sure.

Mildred the moose (Al's name for her).  Saw Millie driving in and out of the base.  Guess her favorite food was located in these big lots.

Cheno Hot Springs Resort.  Not really a natural hot springs like Liard Hot Springs, but quite a resort and well kept up.

Private hot springs for the ducks.  Water temperature was 156 degrees!!!  They seemed to love it, didn't bother them in the least.

    Moved to Ft Wainwright Army Base for a week.  Will spend a few days with the kids here, before going to Denali Natl Park.

 Will be together with Bonnie and Rolly  from now till we get to Homer, and a few other places.  Good people and fun.  Nice having another couple to have meals with also.  Lots of teasing going back and forth!LOL

6-24-2011 Dawson City to Chicken, Alaska

In the clouds again, but totally awesome!

The road was totally dirt.  And the rigs looked like it at the end of the day!

Rolly and Bonnie on the other side of the hill.

Road washout...one lane.

Awesome views.

One of only 3 business in Chicken, AK.  This lounge had ball caps hanging from the ceiling and walls.  Quite a collection.

Chicken was named by miners because they couldn't spell Ptarmigan.  An active mining town, everything "chicken" is here.  Very remote, nothing there just the 3 businesses and a couple of campgrounds.  But everyone you meet travelling through Alaska asks "Did you stop at Chicken"?  Suppose it's the combination of such a small stopover, and the challenging roads to get there LOl....  

6-24-2011 Dawson City Ferry Across the Yukon River

Small small ferry to cross the river, the George Black Ferry, which was free of charge.    It runs 24 hours a day.  It carries vehicles and passengers, and connects to the Top of the World Highway, Yukon Hwy 9. As you can see, the land part of the ramp was dirt.  Day before there was a wait of at least 3 hours, but today Rolly and Al were the first ones in line so no problem.   Thank goodness no motorhome caravans the day we left.

Only the two of us could fit on the ferry.

Other side of the river, same kind of ramp.

6-22-2011 Diamond Tooth Gerties, Dawson City

Fun place to go.  First night saw one show, second night saw later and then midnight shows.  Can can girls, a great singer, slot machines and poker tables.  Weekly Texas Hold Em Poker Tournaments.

"Bona fide dance hall queen Diamond Tooth Gertie. During the Gold Rush of 1898, in order to distinguish herself from numerous Klondike kings and queens, Gertie Lovejoy wedged a sparkling diamond between her two front teeth. Any discomfort this caused paid dividends. Instead of working the creeks for her riches, Diamond Tooth Gertie made her fortune by mining the lonely prospectors who readily opened their gold pokes in return for her affections. In Dawson City today, Gertrude Lovejoy’s moniker lives on at the town-run Diamond Tooth Gertie's Casino."

6-22-2011 Dawson City, Yukon

Dawson City is a fun place to go.  Really old time western town with dirt streets, etc.  First went to see the Dome, as the sun was shining and knew it would be beautiful.

 It is called the Midnight Dome because for decades people have gathered on the top of the hill to watch the midnight sun and the changing colors of the night sky.

Our friends Bonnie and Rolly.  We haven't decided yet which guy is "Lewis or Clark"....Rolly or Al? LOL

Our campground...rigs are back left of the blue roofed building.

Second day, Rolly and Bonnie took a tour of Dredge #4 while Al and I panned for gold.  No, we won't be coming back with new rigs, no luck!!

Dredge Number 4...built in 1912, largest wooden hull bucket line dredge in No. America.  These buckets and smaller ones are used for outdoor decorations in different towns, sometimes empty sometimes with flowers, etc.

Attended the early show at Diamond Tooth Gerties, a madam from times gone by.  Great show.  $10 ticket for 3 (different) shows per night.  Decided just to do the early one tonight and tomorrow night the two late ones.

  

6-22-2011 Whitehorse to Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Sun all the way.  Arrived somewhat late.  Many thanks to Rolly and Bonnie for they are used to leaving in the middle of the night, 5 a.m.LOL, and they have accommodated us with a somewhat later hour and a happy medium for us both :)

 These pictures are of fireweed.  This grows first after a fire, and is simply gorgeous.  These pix do not do it justice.  We saw a lot on the side of the roads, and a few large patches here and there.

6-20-2011 - To Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

First, there has been no internet service throughout Canada for me (would be if I wanted to pay big bucks LOL).  So getting the blog caught up now.  Met our friends Rolly and Bonnie at our campground in the morning and caravaned together to Whitehorse.  Rainy, but road is paved so not so bad.  Watched our friends bikes go up and down on the back of their rig.  You can tell they are a bit younger than us, carrying bikes along.

Went to the Fish Hatchery, but too early for fish in the ladder.  Fish swim almost 2000 miles up the Yukon River.  The power dam keeps them from getting up stream, so the fish ladder allows them to climb all the way up the ladder to get above the dam so they can get to their spawing area.  Amazing.

Attended an evening Vaudeville Show, Frantic Follies.  Al was chosen to take the garter off one of the can can ladies!!  That garter went right on the rearview mirror when we left the show, and hasn't moved since.LOL  We had been to the show in 2004, changed a bit, but still good.  No pix of the show today.

6-19-2011 To Continental Divide Campground, between Watson Lake and Teslin

Had to wait an hour before the gas station opened to make sure we had enough fuel.  Stations are few and far between and require planning.  Good thing Al is good at that!!  Left Dease Lake Campground, no shoulders on the road, some gravel, some paved,  long, winding, hilly,  etc.  Al spotted 2 foxes but too quick to get a picture.   Arrived at the Continental Divide Campground.  Rig and car filthy, only had a chance to wash the car.

It truly is amazing the number of byciclist we have seen maneuvering these roads!!  Not an easy feat at all.

 

Evidence of a previous fire.   We have seen the fire areas we drove through in 2004.  Amazing how it comes back.

We will hook up with our friends tomorrow to travel together.  Wait till Rolly sees how dirty the car is.  Good thing he can't see it till we get together, he'll quit driving!!!LOL

6-17-2011 Hyder AK and Stewart, BC

Catch of the Day!!!

Al......Fish

Took a 17 dirt... mile ride in Hyder, stopped just short of the end of the road.

Most definitely not my fav, as I'm afraid of heights and this was winding and up and up!

These are the glaciers at the end of the road, what they call the thumb.  The end of the road was the top!!!

Alaska's first masonry storehouse building, part of an Army Corps of Engineers expedition to Alaska.  The monument to the left resembles the Washington Monument and marks the international boundary. 

Downtown Stewart, paved streets....quite different than the dirt roads of Hyder.  But both resemble what one would picture as an old western struggling town.