Every trip from the Anchorage area to Fairbanks reminds me of all the other trips on this road.
For some reason, I always forget how horrible this drive can be!
It is a very long trip.
Once outside of Wasilla, the road becomes a narrow winding two-lane road.
Fost heaves cause frequent rolling bumps.
I attempted to knit on the road, but the incessant bumps and turns left me a little car sick!
I did manage to knit at the hotel in the evenings and in the mornings
and was able to turn this...
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| LazyKaty Shawl - pre-trip |
into this:
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| LazyKaty Shawl - post trip |
Tourist Season is May 15 to September 15.
That means that all the little tourist stops are closed September 15- May 15.
It was hard for us to find a spot to stop for meals.
I wasn't able to take a lot of pictures because I had a seat in the middle of the 12 passenger van.
We stayed at the Super 8 that may very well be the dirtiest hotel I've ever stayed in.
The sign out front should have been our first clue:
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| "Hiring Hosekeepers" other side said "ring hoekeepers" |
Thursday we headed out to North Pole, Alaska.
A cute little town that has taken the belief that Santa lives at The North Pole to heart.
The little town is decorated in Christmas year round.
The street lights are shaped and painted like candy canes
(sorry, sitting in the middle of the van does not make for good photos!).
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| There is a very strong Russian influence in Alaska. I love Russian Nesting dolls, and like those that have different dolls inside. The one I coveted was $69.95 -- maybe next trip. |
After North Pole we drove to Chena Hot Spring Resort - another long, narrow, rolling road!
My advice, if you should ever get up there, is to go inside the Ice House before the Hot Springs!
My camera is not waterproof, so no pictures in the Hot Spring Pool.
It was heaven and in spots the water was HOT.
I can't wait to bring my husband with me next time!
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| A "sculpture" made with moose antlers. |
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| The "ice skating pond" that never freezes over because of the hot springs. |
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| One of the massage cabins. |
After Chena Hot Springs we had dinner at the Pagoda Restaurant that was featured on Drive'Ins and Diners. The meal was WONDERFUL!
Friday morning we drove home. Back down the long, narrow, winding, bumpy "highway".
I layed in the hot springs and allowed water in my ears.
I road home not feeling well and realized I had acquired an ear infection.
We stopped in the town of Nenana where, every spring, they have the "Nenana Ice Classic".
One can purchase a ticket for a couple bucks and guess the time the tripod will move.
Those that guess the date and time win the pot.
We also stopped by the general store, where you could get just about anything! Even Beaver Pelts!
It snowed on our way home.
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| Yep, this from my seat! |
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| Hurrican Gulch - a quick pit stop and picture taking. Further south than the snow, rain was coming down pretty hard. |
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| We had lunch at Trapper Creek Trading post. |
I enjoyed our trip, but am glad to be home.
I am nursing my ear infection (thankfully I happened to have the back-up antibiotics my doctor gave me for a possible ear infection when we went on our Carribean Cruise last year!).
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