Alaska Mapped

Out of Yukon coming into the country, Cheechako in Alaska. Post wifi in Tok, onto the Glenn where in a tavern a dozen beering Brits tell a story about BMW s similar to the @#$ “Minnie Winnies”. They are moving the bikes from L.A. to Valdez.Golden Era a bar hit.

Campground Porcupine Creek provides background sound for sleep accompanying an intermittent precipitation.

Down the Glen from overcast to blue through few tiny settlements bracketed by speed zones. Navigating winding roads up close and personal with the mountains, and views of close to distant misted forested valleys. At Glennallen, the British BMWs are fueling for Valdez. When the sun breaks, branches and boulders gleam and glitter dew. Deep breaths scented of Alaska air “kiss my blood, and my blood kiss me”. USB Watson DNA story during drive, “Restless Fires” to drowse with river background. Alaska is an insomniacs wet dream.

Welcome to Anchorage sign paired with yellow “Caution” moose icon. Dozens of drivers being stopped for seat belt violation. Anchorage Museum elegant design (Chipperfield) and diverse exhibits.

The combined Lake Hood and Lake Spenard are configured in a strange contorted shore, conveniently ideal for float planes. Frequent sounds of float planes on lifts and lands accent the ambiance at the Alaska Aviation Museum. Alaska pilot “Hall of Fame” has suspiciously many words like “crashed”, “missing” etc. Suspended Waco, sulking UH-1H near a “Banana”, a Grumman Goose, Widgeon (!) and a forlorn PBY among other aircraft. Lake Spenard watered wet dog. Kincaid Park, site of the first operational Nike-Hercules Unit, now cautions visitors about animals with bear awareness display. The center, itself a remodeled silo, has an observation deck that, for this day, has graduation gathering, (attempted) kiting, golf Frisbee, groundskeepers marking sports fields, concrete bunkers and the ocean bay. Last stop for the day, a dive into Darwin’s Theory. Repeat Eagle River Campground.

Highway 1 down Turnagain Arm through the Chugach to Seward. Whales, Stellar seals, and sea otters highlight a continuous parade of fauna of Resurrection Bay.
Memorial Day weekend and the campground fills rapidly and, soon, surrounded by multi room mobile vehicles the lot is full. Evening

fishing fleet with future fresh fish and chowder catches displayed at the dock for the camera clicking sports paparazzi (guilty). Cleaning is being done on the next dock, trimmings dropped to the water below. People can be seen running in practice up Mt. Marathon for the (brutal) marathon. Alaska Sealife Center aquatic exhibits assorted fishes, glassed, schooled, swimming harbor seals and walrus. A rainy day and downtime connectivity proffered wifi at Sea Bean Chai tea and biscuit among foreign tongues. Golden Era garnering attention at the square tour bus gathering. A strong bay breeze takes the kite flying the length, frantically, line secured under beach stone, tugging fighting the reel in. Seward’s Public Library and Museum inside reflects local history with an outside reflection of locations contrasting ‘history here now”. Magically and overnight a cruise ship appears departing in evening.

Immersed among urban “camping” but escaping Seward early Memorial Day from predominantly Anchorage urban assault demography remote controlled jeeps.

First memorial day visitor 2016 for a light rain walk among the bored animals of the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Society. Walking to witness among the fenced presently bored moose, bored animals, to see this while Golden Era is alone. Is the future to visit animals scorned by Ravens? REI sales sandals, Keen for feetgasm. Moose Tooth pizza with dear friends and off to the land of Palin in the form of Nancy Lake Campground. The spoiler sounds of personal watercraft and shouts of profanity on Nancy Lake late into the evening. USB Watson (of Watson and Crick) irritating in a nearly pleading read.

The “High One” First Peoples translation of Denali and even from a distance an apt name. A registration at the Denali Visitors Center and off to Savage River Campground. On a hike along the Savage river where someone snags instead of graylings. Hikers numb their legs wading across the river with stories of “big bear here last week” (substitute moose for bear as needed).

North out of Denali, crossing the Tanana at Nenana, passing Skinny Dick’s Halfway Inn (closed), ridge views south of the still imposing “High One”, into Fairbanks. At the airport (looking for aviation museum) derelict DC 3s peak out of foliage and fence. University of Alaska Museum of the North exhibits of history and art, background views of the valley to the south. Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) feed in a field at Creamers Field State Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. In Pioneer Park, the Pioneer Aviation Museum with suspended planes, a maintained UH-1H and curious collection of crashed aircraft remains. A once regal SS Nenana, a paddle wheel houses local history with amusingly hokey dioramae. The Pioneer Museum 5 star packed with history, antiques and photos. Music planned to start (1900) but wind and rain force a scrambling cancellation. Camp at Chena River Wayside in fatigue.

Sound sleep for a start to Chena Hot Springs Rd. Slowly exploring sites along the route to a soak in the outdoor pool. Few folks here are of the country and several different tongues comment . Trout fingerlings ripple the surface, a small lake seven miles from the springs.

Morning medicinal soak seven miles the Chena Springs before destination North Pole, the Santa themed town with candy cane city lights, family attractions and fantastic Little Richard’s Family Diner . Further along the road, fighter jets roar up runways of Eielson AFB, a fright for Golden Era. Back through Tok to Tetlin Junction onto Taylor Hwy 5. At West Fork Campground, mosquitoes rule forcing outdoors indoors.

On the road to Chicken, gold panners work the valley along the banks of “Mosquito Fork” “60 Mile River” or “Walker Fork”.
Beyond Chicken, a steady downpour muds the dirt road gaining altitude to the Top of the World. A brief break allows the sun to rainbow the vast distant hills below.

Alaska Mapped

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