Saturday, June 16, 2007
Nome
Well where to start. The plane was an 18 seat Cessna, had to stoop over to go down the aisle. Twin prop, they supplied foam ear plugs and you needed them. The flight was smooth, the crew was great, got a chance to talk to them while waiting on the flight back.
Nome is really the end of the world as we know it. There are only 3 dirt roads out to smaller towns. Nome has 5000 residents which include miners, construction people and the usual support residents, i.e. shop keepers, gas stations, post office etc workers. Very friendly.. We were the only tourists in town, but apparently they do get cruise ships in during the summer. Gold is still found in the area and a new gold mine opened a yr and a half ago just out of town in the middle of berry country which of course means lots of bears.
We walked around town, there are 2 cabs and for $5.00 they will take you anywhere in town except the hospital and the high school. Don't know why the exception. There is a minimum security prison with 130 beds of which 112 are filled.
Nome is the 3rd largest city in Alaska, and had a judicial district #2 covering the entire coast. The people are very friendly, willing to talk about where they are from and why they stay there including all winter when the only way out is by plane.
The best thing about the trip was on the way back, Mt. McKinley loamed up out of the clouds to the south and we could see over 2/3s of it for over 30 min.
All in all worth the expense just in talking to people.
One more thing did you know that Wyatt Earp came to know and with a partner built a hotel? It burned down in the fire of 1937, but was rebuilt in a slightly different spot in order to widen the main st. - Front St. Will try to send a picture
Betty
Nome is really the end of the world as we know it. There are only 3 dirt roads out to smaller towns. Nome has 5000 residents which include miners, construction people and the usual support residents, i.e. shop keepers, gas stations, post office etc workers. Very friendly.. We were the only tourists in town, but apparently they do get cruise ships in during the summer. Gold is still found in the area and a new gold mine opened a yr and a half ago just out of town in the middle of berry country which of course means lots of bears.
We walked around town, there are 2 cabs and for $5.00 they will take you anywhere in town except the hospital and the high school. Don't know why the exception. There is a minimum security prison with 130 beds of which 112 are filled.
Nome is the 3rd largest city in Alaska, and had a judicial district #2 covering the entire coast. The people are very friendly, willing to talk about where they are from and why they stay there including all winter when the only way out is by plane.
The best thing about the trip was on the way back, Mt. McKinley loamed up out of the clouds to the south and we could see over 2/3s of it for over 30 min.
All in all worth the expense just in talking to people.
One more thing did you know that Wyatt Earp came to know and with a partner built a hotel? It burned down in the fire of 1937, but was rebuilt in a slightly different spot in order to widen the main st. - Front St. Will try to send a picture
Betty
Friday, June 15, 2007
Friday, June 15 Denali
Lots has happened in the last few days. Michael and I didn't get to fly to Eagle, it seems they had some paying customers so we got bumped. Oh well. The rest of the crew flew to Nome on Wednesday for the day (no room for us) but I'll let Betty report on that. So instead of flying around the countryside, we spent two days wall boarding a cathedral ceiling and starting the taping and mudding. Lots of fun! But I'm sure Bill appreciated the extra hands.
Left Fairbanks yesterday and come down to Denali. Today we took a bus tour of the park which is the only way you can get into the interior of the park. One gravel road that goes about 90 miles inside. We went to mile 62 and it took about 8 hours but we had a glorious day. Our driver and guide said our tour was a Grand Slam Plus. We were able to see 4-5 moose, caribou herds, fox, Dahl Sheep, Golden Eagles, Grizzlies and The Mountain. That made it a Grand Slam. The Plus was a wolf! Beautiful!! He loped along right next to the bus. Bad picture but better than nothing.
The guys are getting all excited because we are getting into Salmon country. The locals say the Kings are running really good right now. We will be here for another day and head toward Anchorage on Sunday. Should be some good fishing spots down there.
Left Fairbanks yesterday and come down to Denali. Today we took a bus tour of the park which is the only way you can get into the interior of the park. One gravel road that goes about 90 miles inside. We went to mile 62 and it took about 8 hours but we had a glorious day. Our driver and guide said our tour was a Grand Slam Plus. We were able to see 4-5 moose, caribou herds, fox, Dahl Sheep, Golden Eagles, Grizzlies and The Mountain. That made it a Grand Slam. The Plus was a wolf! Beautiful!! He loped along right next to the bus. Bad picture but better than nothing.
The guys are getting all excited because we are getting into Salmon country. The locals say the Kings are running really good right now. We will be here for another day and head toward Anchorage on Sunday. Should be some good fishing spots down there.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Rivercruise
Went on a 3+ hr riverboat cruise on the Chena River yesterday. Again a beautiful day, We are going to the UAF animal research farm today and a ways up towards the Artic Cirle, but won't make it all the way. Wednesday, Tom and I with Chris and Jim are flying to Nome, could only get 4 seats. Hope the weather is good so we can see alot and also it is only a 18 person plane so the fewer bumps the better.
Tom and Betty
Tom and Betty
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Saturday June 9
I guess it's been a few days! We've been staying here in Fairbanks and will be here until next Thursday. The first 3 days it did nothing but rain but I guess after such good weather all along the road, that's to be expected. The Chena River which flows thru the city has risen quite a bit and picked up a lot of driftwood. We've taken several rides out in the country, losing ourselves on the back roads, mostly gravel if you're lucky, otherwise mud. That's where a GPS and 4 wheel drive comes in handy! Saw a red fox but no other critters yet. Bill's place is really coming along. He has some beautiful land, full of birch trees. He is now in the process of wallboarding the interior. Our caribou burgers were great! Very rich, you certainly didn't want more than one.
Tuesday we may be able to join the mail run to Eagle, Ak which is on the border of Alaska and the Yukon. I hope it works out, that would be a fun plane trip. And on Wednesday, Tom & Betty and Chris and Jim are flying to Nome for the day. Unfortunately they got the last seats in the plane so we will find something else to do. Michael is thinking of driving up the Dalton Hwy to the Arctic Circle. It's about 200 miles from here and would be an all day trip, mostly gravel roads. But we would be in the tundra and that would be nice to see.
BTW, sunset is 11:30 and sunrise is at 3:15 today. However during that time, it never gets dark, just dusk. Bill says you get used to it.
Tuesday we may be able to join the mail run to Eagle, Ak which is on the border of Alaska and the Yukon. I hope it works out, that would be a fun plane trip. And on Wednesday, Tom & Betty and Chris and Jim are flying to Nome for the day. Unfortunately they got the last seats in the plane so we will find something else to do. Michael is thinking of driving up the Dalton Hwy to the Arctic Circle. It's about 200 miles from here and would be an all day trip, mostly gravel roads. But we would be in the tundra and that would be nice to see.
BTW, sunset is 11:30 and sunrise is at 3:15 today. However during that time, it never gets dark, just dusk. Bill says you get used to it.
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