Fairbanks, AK

June17, Day One

We finally have internet & it's not 3:00am Central Standard time. Sue, Nick & Julie took the "red eye" to Fairbanks from Chgo via Seattle on Sunday. Got to our hotel after 3am CST,  midnight here. It was still light out though the sun was getting ready "to set", for one hour.  Poor Mary Keating, Julie's roommate, who had arrived the day before from California, was sound asleep. Met up with our group at 7:30am. Julie doesn't DO 7:30, at least not graciously! 

Got on a bus and headed to the Discovery 3 steam boat on the Chena River. Started at the "Trading Post" (always substitute tourist gift shop) then boarded 4 decker facsimile to the original steam boat (still docked nearby). Learned that Fairbanks started as an accidental trading post & then grew with the discovery of gold. (Although it's the second biggest city in Alaska it's a sleepy, small town). We saw the inauspicious Cripple Creek which is the richest gold bearing river in North America (the world?) Watched a seaplane take off/ land alongside us on the river. We learned that there are more pilots per capital than any other state. 1 in 80 Alaskans has a pilots license - with only 4 major paved highways in this, the biggest state in the Union, air travel/commerce is more important than vehicle travel. 

There are over 3 million lakes (take that Minn with 1,000🤪) which all freeze over in October. (And stay that way til late April, early May).  Stopped near the Trailbreaker Kennel where they raise and train sled dogs, including the all time world champion, Granite. They treated us to a simulated run with a modified (no engine) ATV - very cool! They don't say "mush" by the way - that's from a movie.

We passed the Tanana River, the largest glacier fed river in the world and then stopped at an historic Chena village  (today, largely a recreation) which was informative & interesting. Saw reindeer, which are domesticated Caribou, & learned that both the males & females grow antlers. Unlike horns, antlers are dropped every summer. We saw pelts from so many animals here that change color from white to dark, winter to summer. Charming guides explained the culture and customs of the Alaska native people and even modeled traditional clothing. Back on the boat, the salmon run was described, and a smoked salmon dip was offered as an appetizer. It was sunny and in the low 80s.

Off the boat, a group lunch was served in a dining hall flanked by gift shops. Then back on the bus for a trip to the Gold Dredge 8, where tour guide Jen floated fantasies of paying for our vacation. First we had an educational presentation from Tim, an Alaskan legislative aide, on the Alaska pipeline. Its length is 800 miles, crossed 3 mountain ranges and more than 500 rivers and streams. Lots is underground. The tall people were able to touch it. 

Then we boarded a train and learned about the placer mines for getting gold. Lots of digging and water is involved. We disembarked the train and were given little bags of dirt that we put in pans, wet and shook. Dipped and shook. Dipped and shook. Some were more successful than others. Details are spared but Julie won the prize for the least amount of gold on the whole bus.  We pooled our gold and had it put into a charm that Sue is wearing. There's talk of passing the charm along ala the traveling pants.

Back at the hotel we chilled for a bit then walked about half a mile to the Lavelle restaurant for dinner. Tasty but slow service. Walked back - it was 9 pm and 70 degrees and still light out.  We are most appreciative of the blackout curtains. Tomorrow we head for Denali