By 8am, we're all dressed, caffeinated and settled into the van...and heading north (at least the GPS says so) with the trapping of big-city life in Alaska being quickly left behind. In actuality - Anchorage was a kinda nice town, for what little we saw of it. Not the tall-building city-center I was expecting at all, and a lot of city parks. The weather was pleasant at 60 degrees, near-clear sky and light traffic...the trip was going well so far...too well!

First stop was a short hike to Thunderbird Falls in the Chugiak State Park. A mile up a seemingly well-used but for the moment underpopulated hiking path, me, Kim, the two kids and a couple thousand mosquitos trekked up through the heavily underbrush-laden forest path to the falls.... an unremarkable hillside falls in the shadows of the canyon, so the picture isn't much to look at. Kim and I, in light-colored clothing, snicker at the kids - in their dark outfits - with 99% of the skeeters swarming all over them...lesson learned.

Next stop, and remember I got two kids and no Harley this trip...is the Reindeer Farm in nearby Butte, Alaska. I stayed out in the Van for a short nap - not much of a reindeer fan, I'm afraid. Shoes carefully scraped off and sanitized (they're careful about Hoof n' Mouth disease here), we're off again headed north, on Old Glenn Highway.

Just north of town we drive past Rhonda's Cafe... you know me and restaurants named after the owner... so we U-turn and head back. Kim is fascinated by the jungle-like atmosphere with hundreds of plants and hanging baskets cascading from the ceiling and porches. The waitress, Rhonda's daughter, wears a Harley T-shirt as does many of the patrons. Feels like back home!

Up about 10 miles north of Palmer, we pull into the next tourist trap, the Musk Ox Farm. Another $20 for "donations" to the Musk ox conservancy Fund and we're in a pasture out behind the main barn with a double row of fencing between us and about 40 Musk Ox. Interesting on a curiousity level, but I suppose I should just consider the $20 a nice thing to do, cause the 'tour' wasn't worth it. They damned sure have a nice View of the Chugach Mountains though, huh?

Heading west on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway to connect back to the main road up to Denali - there aren't many main roads in Alaska - period. The northern section above Anchorage has a loop highway system that peaks at Fairbanks and returns south on a more easterly course. We're taking the loop clockwise. Once we hit Wasilla - one of the larger towns in this part of Alaska, but still small by most standards, we're on cruise control towards the 'burg of Talkeetna, "A Small Little Drinking Town with a Climbing Problem". Well - thats what the bumper sticker says. Talkeetna is about 15 miles off the main road on a spur road that is populated with seasonal climbers on Mount KcKinley. It's got a lot of local Alaskan history and full of quaint turn-of-the-century flavor to it.

They say about 1200 climers a year attempt the summit and about half make it....and about 1% die trying... seems to me they'd be better off staying back at the taverns in town, which there are a few of to choose from. In fact when we pull up to the Talkeetna Motel, I had to belly up to the Bar to check in... my kinda place! I was just downing the last of my Alaskan Amber when Kim came in looking for me - I suppose I did leave them out in the Van a bit longer than it would normally take to check in to the motel, but Becky - the Barmaid - was a friendly sort, ya know.

With key in hand, we cross the courtyard to Room #1, drop our stuff, set the batteries into the charger and start off on a walking tour of Talkeetna in search of dinner...and the kids in search of the not too elusive gift shops!

While we were in town, the local Volunteer Fire Department roared into town Code-3, helmets on, face shields down, rubber boots on and yellow attack jackets buttoned up to the collar. Screeched to a halt amidst sirens and flashing lights, hopped off their rigs and proceeded to water down the municipal garden. (Life must be rather sedate here in Talkeetna) Everybody was having a blast watching the spectacle and quite a crowd gathered... with the petunias well wet down and the practice drill over - we went about our business with the remainder of the townsfolk.

The kids find a sidewalk vendor selling gems and jewelry out of the back of his 1973 Pinto Station Wagon. Fun guy to talk to - says he lives out of town in a log cabin with no running water or electricity, but does have a solar-powered laptop and Internet connection. We exchange WebSite information and talk about the town of Talkeetna. About 250 full-time residents but no real government to speak of...in fact, he says pointing at the main intersection in town, even the stop sign is just a suggestion!

Before heading back to the motel, we stop off at the 'beach', for a last minute view of the mountain, still about 80 miles away...looks like about 10 miles away from here, but it is so massive, it will stay in our view for the next several days. McKinley is, by the way, still the tallest base-to-summit mountain in the world (not that it is likely to change), but not the tallest in elevation. Where we are here it is only about 300 feet above sea level, and the summit is over 20,000 ft.

Back at the motel, with the blankets covering the curtains to keep the midnight sun from glaring in the window (literally), we're off to bed.

 

 
For Information, contact:
Muthuh@Muthuh.com