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North to Alaska...

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  • ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    @Vikings, Sun coming up on the same side of the trailer would be a shocker! Sure 'ya didn't have some Zombies give 'ya a 180* in the middle of the night? :o Just kidding. Sounds like you're having a great time, and making some awesome memories! Keep the pictures comin', and thanks for the beautiful scenery shots!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • VikingsVikings Member Posts: 147
    We left Kenai City Sunday and arrived in Talkeetna that afternoon.  
    Turns out Talkeetna is the launch point for all climbs of Denali….therefore it is a pretty neat eccentric town.  Though 15 miles off the main road it is worth a visit.  My friend Jason, would appreciate the funky accommodations available…me too if on a ride with him!

    Monday we drove north to Denali.  A viewing site 40 miles south of park entrance gave us our first glimpse of the mountain.  But so far away you don’t realize how big (20,300 ft) it really is.



    Here August helping grandpa stabilize trailer.  Solar suitcase working well.  



    That first afternoon we drove into interior as far as allowed, 15 miles, and did some rock climbing.  The second photo is of our car (roof rack sets it apart) from the rocks…August enjoyed this though grandma may not have.  On the way back to campsite we spotted out first grizzly.


    Tuesday morning we got on the bus to ride 90 miles into the interior of park…right away we spotted a moose trotting along 50 feet from the road. 


    Our second grizzly and two cubs were spotted about an hour later, and about a half mile away…note the one cub standing up wondering what all those people on the bus were so excited about.  Congrats to Mary Kay for being the one to spot this remarkably blond grizzly, or brown bear as they are called in the park.  Yes...we zoomed this.   

    Here is one of the best views we got of the mountain…telephoto was used but the road gives some perspective. 





    Caribou…


    We got off bus at Eielson Visitor Center…other wise we would have spent 12 hours, vs 9, on bus but, if out, the view of the mountain would have been superb.  But from above photo you can see we had a great view earlier. 

    The treat of the day occurred when we got off the bus 9 hours later and walked back to our Riley Creek Campground site and discovered a moose, and with two calves, within 30 feet of our site.  First photo zooms in on one of calves, and second is their view of us.  Really, just 30 feet.  Camp site host was there keeping everyone calm. Turns out calves were born in area on May 5…seems the area is more safe from wolves and other predators considering development.   


    Wednesday we slept in, showered and hiked up to another much closer visitor center, then rode another bus a mile or two to a sled dog center for a demonstration.  These are working dogs that help rangers patrol park in winter.each dog runs about 900 miles each season…  They have 33, produce about 3 to 5 pups a year (one litter) and retire them at about age 9 or 10…whereupon they are adopted out for remainder of their 15 year life. 



    That night we attended a ranger talk about perils caribou face due to global warming…50% of arctic lakes have disappeared due to melting permafrost and during their demise produce methane gas which puts 3 times the amount of carbon into atmosphere as does man through burning of fossil fuels.  God save us….
    PS...30 years ago kids represented over 50% of attendees at ranger talks...tonight we had about 75% baby boomers at talk....whatever that says. 

    Tonight we are in Anchorage.  We see museum tomorrow and put Auggie on plane Saturday morning.  Then we head home…

    Perhaps we are pumped because we had our grandson with us but I think Denali was the highpoint of this trip.  I cannot recommend it enough….

    Kim and Mary Kay
    Kim & Mary Kay,  2016 CS-S,  Spokane, WA


    Map of Provinces I Visited

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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    I luv this thread!!! I look forward to your adventures every time I see you've posted. Wonderful!
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Great perspectives, and thanks so much again for sharing your adventures!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Finn12Finn12 Member Posts: 22
    So awesome to hear of your adventures!  Thank you for sharing with us all.
    2017 T@B CS-S Max White with Plum Metallic towed by 2019 BMW X3
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  • irvingjirvingj Member Posts: 335
    Still have AK on our "to do" list....

    As an aside, some 30 years ago I was involved in a refrigeration/restaurant supply business. Really wanted to oversee the installation of a couple of truckloads of equipment I sold to Camp Denali! The fellow who was running things back then lived in Cornish, NH, just a few miles south of us, in the winter. Absolutely floored me when he said the park was "about the size of Massachusetts"!!

    Still kick myself for not taking him up on the offer to hop on the converted school bus for transport of the last few items they picked up from us in Lebanon, NH. Total shipping costs were more $$ than the equipment, I think!

    Really enjoying the pics of the little T@B making the trip, thanks!
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  • VikingsVikings Member Posts: 147
    Irving...we heard "the size of Vermont"...yeah, it is big and we have been in only a few small portions of state!  
    I suspect many of us "kick" ourselves for not hopping on that proverbial bus 30 or 40 or 50 years ago...
    Kim & Mary Kay,  2016 CS-S,  Spokane, WA


    Map of Provinces I Visited

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  • VikingsVikings Member Posts: 147
    Friday morning in Anchorage I gave the TV new oil she had been doing such a good job, while Mary Kay did up some laundry.  The Alaska Native Heritage Museum was next…collection not as extensive as we expected but they have several full size examples of the types of housing natives used.  Most floors were 3-5 feet below surrounding ground level for protection from elements.  

    Early dinner, as we had to be up early to get grandson on plane, was at Moose’s Tooth pizza, part of Broken Tooth Brewery…excellent pizza and beer…even at 430 pm we had to wait 30 minutes for a table.   

    Saturday Auggie took off for Seattle and we made it to about 18 miles south of Tok.  A bit wet Sunday morning.

    Then we traversed the Top of the World Highway on our way to Dawson City…below is pretty much what it looks like for miles.    But because of rain this photo is actually from a mountain top near Dawson City Monday morning.  



    You meet the nicest people pulling T@B’s…these folks, from Anchorage, with their daughter were also on their way to Dawson City for a night or two.  Photo in Chicken, Alaska…basically a mining camp.   

    Did I mention the rain?  And that the Top of world highway (about 75 miles) has a little pavement, some gravel, but is mostly dirt?    Only good thing…the rain kept it wet and the RV Park (another parking lot with hookups and showers) had a car wash so it rinsed off well.     We’d rubbed all the shine off this T@B when we brought her home in January 2016 so I was not too bothered by this.


    Monday we hung around Dawson City…only paved street is the highway along the river.  
    At museum we learned how to ‘pan for gold’ after running ‘pay dirt’ through a rocker.  Great museum.




    Robert Service, author of Cremation of Sam McGee, grew up in Dawson City and they have preserved his cabin, seen below. 



    Dawson City also hosted the author Jack London for 5 years before he had written anything…he was just another of the many who came here during the  gold rush in 1898, which lasted about two years, then the corporate guys got involved with dredges.  London’s cabin, built somewhere else has been moved here…again a way to capitalize on connection with author of Call of the Wild and White Fang.

    The history here is extensive…who knew they ran paddle wheel boats from Whitehorse down the Yukon to Dawson City?  Goods were shipped up to Skagway and then taken overland (eventually by a train) to Whitehorse and then floated down the river. 

    Below is a photo of Dawson City from that same mountain.    Klondike (of gold rush fame) River joins Yukon from the left.



    Finally this is what some of Dawson City looks like up close…I think things were thrown up in a hurry, with not much thought of permanence…there was all that gold to be mined!  Also this documents what the streets look like…I did not get a shot of the wooden sidewalks which were pretty neat and effective.  Mary Kay really thought Dawson City was quaint…in a very rustic sort of way.  

    Tomorrow we head south.  Kim and Mary Kay
    Kim & Mary Kay,  2016 CS-S,  Spokane, WA


    Map of Provinces I Visited

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  • ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    @Vikings, Quite the journey you folks have had! All with great photos, and a fantastic running commentary! Thanks once again for sharing. When you say you're headed south, does that mean back towards Spokane? Wherever you're headed, please do it safely. Hope you enjoy the trip coming back south as much as the trip going north! :) ( By the way....HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!) :joy:
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • MortyandDottieMortyandDottie Member Posts: 37
    edited July 2017
    an inspiring thread.  We are already dreaming of a Seattle to Juneau adventure next year.  Thanks for sharing
    Charles, Dee and the Dogs, Poulsbo WA

    2017 Silver on Silver T@B S Outback

    2017 RAM 1500 EcoDiesel
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  • HomebodyatheartHomebodyatheart Member Posts: 2,511
    @Vikings thanks so much for your wonderful pics and narrative! What wonderful memories and stories you will always have! You reminded me of a reading that was frequently shared by my captain when I worked up there (and I have on my bookshelf):
     "There are strange things done in the midnight sun
         by the men who moil for gold;"
    2017 T@B 320 Max S silver and cherry red, L@dybug ("Bug" aka my esc@pe pod), TV 2015 Toyota Highlander aka Big Red
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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    WOW! Thanks for sharing :)
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • AveyfamilyAveyfamily Member Posts: 1
    Vikings said:  



    You meet the nicest people pulling T@B’s…these folks, from Anchorage, with their daughter were also on their way to Dawson City for a night or two.  Photo in Chicken, Alaska…basically a mining camp.
    That's us! We had ourselves a nice little trip. It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing a little about your trip in addition to what's posted here. Pretty epic! 
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  • DonnabDonnab Member Posts: 60
    Thank you for taking me with you on the adventure! Appreciate the posts!
    Donna 2017  Maryland resident Colorado land owner outback white/black Toyota Tacoma  ; )
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  • 2Cougs2Cougs Member Posts: 917
    @Vikings- Kim and Mary Kay, thank you so much for taking us (and "the package") along on your wonderful trip!  We have so enjoyed the pics and posts.  Can't wait to sit down with you and hear more about your adventures.  Safe traveling home...
    2016 T@B CS-S silver with white trim and WSU themed
    Pulled by a silver 2017 Chevy Silverado
    Leaves on T@bventures from Spokane, WA


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  • ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    edited July 2017
    @Vikings, No questions, just another hearty thanks for sharing your adventure.
    An extension for the solar panel, I've found to be a must, especially for the thick tree-surrounded campsites! Amazon has a good variety of extention wires with MC4 connectors, and an excellent variety of lengths.
    Glad you're home safe & sound. Hope to see you folks soon!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • HomebodyatheartHomebodyatheart Member Posts: 2,511
    @Vikings congrats on an amazing journey! Thanks so much for sharing it, and Package, with us! I look forward to seeing you both again! Welcome home.
    2017 T@B 320 Max S silver and cherry red, L@dybug ("Bug" aka my esc@pe pod), TV 2015 Toyota Highlander aka Big Red
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