Day 39: Sunday, July 11th Goodbye Fairbanks Hello Denali

  • Jul 11, 2010
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We took one more walk around Chena River State Park, filled up our water, and headed out on the Parks Highway towards Denali.

We stopped by the Nenana Visitor’s Center for lunch.

The roofs of many of the log cabins are covered with sod.  Sod was used in order to soak up the rain water in lieu of a shingled roof.  Dirt was a great insulator keeping the cabin warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  We also learned about a unique contest here.

This tripod is placed two feet into the Tanana River each winter. It is 300 feet from shore and connected to a clock that stops as the ice goes out.  In 1917 railroad engineers bet $800 guessing when the river would break up.  Last year, in the classic’s 94th year, the winners shared the prize money of $279,030.  Tickets are sold throughout Alaska from Feb 1st through April 5th.  A guess costs $2.50.  You have to guess the time when you think the ice will break, down to the minute.

We are here.  We are finally getting to visit the park that one of our cats is named after.  Our other cat is named Teton.  We have been to the Tetons on a past adventure, but never here.  Scott originally wanted to propose here, but his families’ RV vacation plans fell through when the RV company went out of business.  He proposed instead in Zuatanejo (spelling?) Mexico ten years ago yesterday.  Somehow the double digits makes me feel old.  Our anniversary is in three days.  We will be together fourteen years and married for nine years, but Scott will tell you the dating years don’t count.  I think he doesn’t like to think about the double digits either. :-)

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