We both woke up really early - still on Eastern time - but that's OK because our luggage was being picked up at 6:30 a.m.! So we had a big buffet breakfast at the Bear Lodge, then while Nell got organized, Marie took a little walk at the nearby Wedgewood Nature Sanctuary... thinking it might not be too wise to be walking alone, quietly, in a nature sanctuary in Alaska.
It was just a short ride to the Chena River, where we boarded the 4-level paddlewheel riverboat, Discovery. From the river we watched a piper cub circle around and land, saw mushers in training for the Iditarod, and stopped to see an Athabascan village. There were more mushing dogs there, and some examples of Athabascan camp life. We saw beautiful beaded fur clothing and how to make dog food out of chum salmon, and also got books signed by the author of GRANITE, David Monson. We rode all the way down to the Tenana River and then turned around and enjoyed a scenic ride back, eating smoked salmon h'or doevres on the way. Lance Mackey was back at the dock, with one of his champion sled dogs. He has won both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod several times. Back at the dock, we went into the "40 below room" to experience what 40 degrees below 0 feels like. It's cold.
After enjoying a miner's lunch, served family style from cast iron pots, we boarded the bus for a 3 hour ride to Denali, stopping for a little shopping in Nenana, a truly depressing little native Alaskan town. Our bus driver (Ian from Georgia) pointed out that there are more caribou in Alaska than there are people. What's the difference between a caribou and reindeer? One can fly.
Arrived at Denali just in time to find our room and then head out for our Alaskan Adventure Walking Tour - so far the best part of this trip! We drove a short distance up the side of a mountain, then Kevin stopped and got out our trekking poles. Oh, no! We need trakking poles for this "leisurely walk!" He said, "follow me," and straight up we went. We chewed spruce pitch, ate wild cranberries, blueberries, lingenberries, and soap berries (not good!) Kevin pointed out all kinds of lichen, including frog skin (which was green), folded sun (which was yellow), fairy puke (which was white with pink dots), and old man's beard (which looked like a grey, old man's beard). We learned to use the trekking poles to go up and down steep grades. Saw fabulous views of the Alaskan range, glaciers and snow in the distance, evidence of dall sheep and moose, and 88-year old remains of a forest fire. We learned what to do if a bear should cross our path (which has happened, but fortunately not to us.)
We finished off this marvelous day with a marvelous salmon dinner, accompanied by 1960's music. Does it get any better than this?
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