From Fairbanks to Denali

We rose early to put our bags out at 6:30 am for transport to Denali. Julie went back to sleep but Sue, Nick and Mary enjoyed the hotel’s buffet breakfast. At 8:30 we met our next bus driver for the 2.5 - 3 hour trip to Denali. We were seated near the rear of the bus and about 40 minutes out of town when we heard a loud clunking noise. Several people said "What was that" but the driver made no comment, apparently oblivious to the sound. A bit later, the driver said, watch for the sign on this upcoming bar. Then about a minute on, the driver said I’m seeing warning lights and pulled over. He got out to check and it must have been bad as he climbed back on and pulled us over to an area with a passing lane. Jen told us another bus would be coming soon to pick us up and pointed to the bar up ahead called Slippery Dick’s Halfway Inn. Unfortunately she said it was too dangerous for us to walk on the side of the road. Many jokes ensued about Uber Eats delivering from Dick’s, etc. 

Meanwhile, Sue and Julie were attempting to secure tickets for the Eagles show at the Sphere. It was challenging with long queues and spotty cell service. At one point there was no service and we lost our place in line. We finally got in for our desired weekend and tickets were either obstructed view or too expensive. We finally succeeded in buying somewhat reasonably priced tickets for the final weekend’s shows. 

The new bus came and we boarded and got on our way. While driving, we saw several moose, including a mother and two calves. We arrived at the Holland America owned hotel complex and were each given $25 vouchers for our bus trouble. We dropped our bags in our rooms (small but comfortable) and headed for Denali Square - a walkable center with shopping, restaurants and bars. We ordered lunch and sat on benches for a presentation on life in Denali by a local woman. She had many interesting slides with photos of the seasons. The year round residents are a tight knit group with many activities to keep busy. 

At 5 pm we went to the Music of Denali Dinner Theater. We had hearty family style dishes served by energetic waitstaff who then sang and danced in the show. Our waitress, Angie, was from Waukesha, Wisconsin, and had a lovely voice. At one point Rose’s husband, Larry, was pulled onstage and dressed up in hat and beard as part of the schtick. It was mildly amusing. 

After the show, outside in the square, a husband and wife performed Johnny Cash songs. We enjoyed beverages and a beautiful evening surrounded by mountains and lush forests. We turned in early as our Denali wilderness tour leaves at 6:40 am and we must meet the bus at 6:30. We are hoping to see the great mountain and lots of wildlife.