Fairbanks Here We Come!

We departed Eagle River Tuesday morning at 5am to make sure we arrived in Fairbanks on time to board the Riverboat Discovery just before 2pm. Along the way we took photos, and left plenty of time for lunch and sightseeing on the drive north. There are no words to describe the spectacular scenery as we drove through mountain passes in the clouds. We arrived in plenty of time to board. Gosh it was hot!

During the 3 hour leisurely narrated cruise, with 800 friendly passengers, we visited a Native Alaskan village and legendary dog musher Susan Butcher’s kennels. The float plane take off and landing demonstration was another cruise highlight. It was a sunny, warm 91 degree day!

We met friends, the Phillips, for dinner at a quintessentially Alaskan restaurant, Pike’s Landing, and will be ever grateful to Sue’s childhood friend, Dorothy Jones, who opened her home to weary travelers for a good night’s rest.

The next day Dorothy and Rev. Phillips joined us for breakfast where we described for Sue a “typical” Alaska man, and explained why and how Alaskans’s plugged in their engine heaters in the winter. All things a visitor to Alaska should know! Ask us for the photo of a "typical Alaskan man." Photobomb?

After a spirited logistical discussion about traveling to the North Pole, we all piled into Dorothy’s car for the short 30 minute ride. An hour visit in Santa Land included photos with Santa and personalized Santa letters for young relatives and friends.

We returned to Fairbanks, following a military convoy, (Alaska has a number of military bases and Fort Wainwright is in Fairbanks. The military presence is notable and stores and restaurants proudly advertise military discounts.), said goodbye to our new friends and left for Chena Hot Springs Resort.

Chena is a rustic lodge and camp site about 2 hours straight up a mountain on a 2 lane washboard road. Wilderness on all sides with the Chena River running alongside. (Ptarmigan can be seen roadside. Ptarmigan are the Alaska state bird) The resort is at the end of the road. We checked into the Moose Lodge, donned arctic coats for a 45 minute visit to the Aurora Ice Museum and ended the day with a long soak in the healing waters of the hot springs. We were able to truly disconnect since the resort does not have internet service.

Tomorrow Denali National Park to view the wildlife. Breakfast in the Chena dining room at 7:30am!