It's Fall in Cantwell

The colors are changing rapidly here in Cantwell, Alaska.  We drove to Denali National Park and out the Denali Highway and it is absolutely beautiful.  Now I know why the words "purple mountains majesty" are included in the song "Oh Beautiful".  The Aspens first turn a bright yellow and then a few days later turn a brilliant orange.  The High Bush Cranberries are turning bright red and the Black and White Spruce keep  their vivid forest green.  The blueberries are still plentiful and haven't turned mushy yet, so Eileen and I are still trying to get out as often as we can to pick.  I even made Roger a home made blueberry pie.  As most of you know, I don't eat cooked fruit; so I'll have to take his word for it that it was good (that and the fact that he ate the whole thing). 

Denali National Park Tundra, Fall (August) 2011

Savage River Valley; Denali National Park; August (Fall) 2011

Denali Tundra, Fall (August) 2011

Roger and I have met a woman who grew up here in Cantwell and who has authored a book about her family homestead.  Alicia and her husband Ron come to the RV park to take showers and do laundry while they are staying at the homestead for the summer.  They spend their winters in Wyoming.  Alicia invited several of the local women; including me; to her annual Fall Tea.  The tea was held at her mothers' cabin not far from Alicia and Ron's.  The family homestead is still in tact and consumes many many acres of land which encompasses a lake, a beautiful creek, and spectacular views of Reindeer Mountain, Mt. McKinley and the tundra.

Alicia's mothers' cabin

Some of the local guests attending the Annual Fall Tea with Alicia (far right)

Alicia checking on the tea

Eileen McGurk in front of Alicia & Ron's cabin (just down the driveway from Alicia's mother's)

 

The original family homestead cache

View from Alicia & Ron's cabin

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but; our refrigerator went out just before Lindsay and Tom came to visit us.  We had to buy a 4 cubic foot college size one to get us by until the part for ours came in.  Well, the repair shop called and the part finally came in.  So on our days off this week, we headed for Fairbanks to get the fridge fixed and run errands.  We arrived the night before our appointment and spent it relaxing at our favorite campground next the Chena River  Bright and early the next morning we had the motor home into the shop and off we went knowing that it would take the better part of  the day to get repaired.

It was my birthday Thursday and we had plans that night to have dinner with our friends, Dean and Jeannie Theel, at the Clear Sky Lodge.  The lodge, which is located about 35 miles south of Theel's,  is supposed to have the best steaks in Alaska.  By late afternoon the RV repair shop called and told us that they wanted to keep the motor home overnight to make sure the refrigerator was operating correctly.  We called Jeannie and Dean to ask if it would be OK if we spent the night with them, went over to the motor home to gather some overnight items and off we went to Jeannie and Deans.  They are only about 40 miles south of Fairbanks (which is close by Alaska standards) so we were able to visit, have a little birthday cake that Jeannie was kind enough to make, and open my presents. 

Clear Sky Lodge is not kidding when they say that they have the best steaks in Alaska.  We all ordered the 14 oz. Rib Eye.  Well, I would have to say that not only were they much bigger than 14 oz's; but they had to be the most flavorful pieces of meat I've ever had.  I took the majority of mine home and even Roger had left overs.  After dinner, Mary; another friend of ours and the Theel's, who came with us got the whole bar/restaurant to sing happy birthday to me.  Too bad I won't be here to do the same for her when it's her birthday!

On the way back; Dean stopped at a spot where he knows of some trumpeter swans have made their home.  We were able to "get up close and personal" with them.  What a great way to end my birthday!

Trumpeter Swans 8-25-11

The evening ended with Jeannie, Mary and I playing a few games of Banana Gram.  I, of course, didn't win, but we had a great time anyway. 

It's Blueberry Season

This morning Eileen McGurk, Eileen's dog Molly, a friend of Eileen's who lives in Cantwell, and I climbed Reindeer Mountain to get to a special blueberry patch that Eileen found.  Reindeer Mountain is off the Denali Highway and has a spectacular view of Mt. McKinley and the town of Cantwell.  If for no other reason, it was worth the climb just for the view.  The blueberries are large, plentiful, juicy and very sweet.  It didn't take long to get a nice quart or more each.

Cynthia & Eileen hunting for their berries

Eileen with her container of precious berries - Molly is so envious!

Molly with her pick - a Moose bone!

My "stash" of blueberries - Yum!

I think that we'll be having blueberry pancakes soon.  Or, should I make a blueberry dessert; maybe both and I'll just have to go out and pick some more on Wednesday.  Oh, it's too hard to decide, maybe I'll just eat them right out of the container.  Yum!!

Activities While Lindsay & Tom Visited

The day after we visited the Eldorado Gold Mine, we took the Riverboat Discovery Tour.  This tour leads you down the Chena River in an actual working paddle riverboat.  Along the way you see beautiful houses; a float plane take-off and landing demonstration; the late Iditarod musher, Susan Butcher's cabin, dog kennels and a dog sled demonstration; where the Chena and Tanana rivers merge; and a Chena (Athabascan) Village.

Paddlewheeler Discovery

Float plane take-off demonstration

Float plane landing demonstration

Susan Butcher's daughter with sled dogs and kennels in background

Sled dog and puppies (oh yes, and a worker)

Hitching up the sled dogs for a ride, they know what's going to happen and get very excited.

Susan Butcher's Cabin (moved from it's original location)

A Chena River Village (Athabascan) cabin

A cache with (R-L) Wolf, Coyote, Linx, Red Fox, Grey Fox & Artic Fox

A beautiful hand made caribou beaded coat - unfortunately, I can't remember what the fur around the hood is.

A working Fishwheel (designed by the Chinese)

Smoking Salmon (this will be used by the Athabascan's)

Reindeer at the Chena Village. Reindeer are domesticated Caribou

Merging of the Chena River (fresh water) and Tanana River (grey silt infused)

Just one of the many beautiful homes along the Chena River

As you can see, we had a fun filled and very enlightened day on the Riverboat Discovery.  The next day we headed back to Cantwell; and discovered that the Termination Snows had fallen the day before.  Termination snow is the sign that summer is over and winter is soon to come.

Termination snow on the mountain near Cantwell

Termination snow

On Monday afternoon we headed to Talkeetna where Tom and Lindsay were boarding the Alaska Railroad for their ride to Anchorage.  Before their ride, we wanted to give them a little tour of this historic town and do a little shopping, eat a little homemade ice cream and pick up a couple of famous Roadhouse cinnamon buns.

Lindsay being silly in Talkeetna

Lindsay & Tom excited to ride the Alaska Railroad Train to Anchorage

It was late by the time we picked them up in Anchorage and made our way back to Cantwell, but we were able to get up the next morning for our all day bus ride 66 miles into Denali National Park.  Taking the bus is the only way that you can travel past the 15 mile mark into the park.  It is a beautiful ride and we were lucky enough to be able to hit the "Grand Slam", as they call it, where we see Grizzly, Moose, Wolf, Dall Sheep, and Caribou.  We also saw a red fox, magpie, many artic ground squirrels, and a snowshoe hare.  Too bad it was too cloudy to see The Mountain (Mt. McKinley) but when we got to the higher elevation of Eileson Visitor Center is was snowing.  Tom and Lindsay can now say that they were at a place that it snowed in August.

Grizzly dragging off a Caribou carcass

Red Fox hunting

Polychrome moutains with termination snow

Eielson Visitor Center

Blonde grizzlies forageing for berries

Tom and Caribou antlers

Lindsay with her "mean" face and caribou antlers

It was such an exciting day at Denali National Park, but Roger and I had a little surprise planned for Lindsay and Tom.  There is a beautiful restaurant atop of a mountain in Canyon called the Grand Denali Lodge and Restaurant.  We planned for weeks that we wanted to take them there as a special treat so that they could get one last spectacular view of what you always think of as "Alaska".

Roger and Lindsay on the deck of the Grand Denali Lodge

Tom and Lindsay with "Dexter" the grizzly at Grand Denail Lodge Restaurant

Our view from our table at the Grand Denali Restaurant

What more could you ask for; good food, a great view, and wonderful company!  We were sorry to have to drive Lindsay and Tom back to Anchorage the following day so that they could catch their flight back to the Twin Cities.  At least they got to see three more moose; a cow and her calf and a bull with his antlers and they got to get a glimpse of Mt. McKinley.

Mt McKinley South Viewpoint 8-10-11

Mt McKinley North Viewpoint 8-10-11

Mountains surrounding Mt. McKinley from North Viewpoint 8-10-11

We exhausted Lindsay and Tom, they need a vacation from their vacation; but they got the whirlwind tour of Alaska.  It sure was fun and we will miss them.  See you in late September!

Eldorado Gold Mine - Fairbanks

Lindsay, Tom, Roger and I drove to Fairbanks yesterday in the motor home.  We were able to get our beautiful spot at the campground.  After we got settled in at our spot, we left for our trip view the Alaska Pipeline and the Eldorado Gold Mine in Fox.  The viewpoint of the Alaska Pipline is really well worth the stop.

Pipeline Facts

Roger, Sue, Lindsay & Tom

Top of the Pipeline

Pig

 

 

After checking out all of the information about the pipeline, we headed for gold country.  We went on a great tour of the Eldorodo Gold Mine.

Train that we took to the mine

Conductor/Entertainer on train ride to the mine

Placer Mine

Gold Panning Demonstration

Old goldpanner with his gold that he got during the demonstration

Can I keep this 19 ounce nugget?

Lindsay & Tom - they've got Gold Fever

There is nooooo spitting at the train station, noooooo spitting!

We all found a little gold; Lindsay - $47.50, Tom - $15.50, Roger - $14.50, and Sue - $12.50.  Not enough to make me want to head up to Chicken and start mining.