Chena and Fairbanks

June 30, 2011

Yesterday we camped on the Chena River after spending some time in the hot springs at Chena.  It was very relaxing – sitting outdoors in a hot pool with about 20 other folks (mostly from somewhere in Europe). 

Later, while we were relaxing by the river, who happened to walk by but Nancy Olthoff whom we were meeting Saturday night in Denali Natl. Park.  Nancy and a friend walked by our camper and Nancy recognized Marty’s voice!  We spent the evening with them in their motor home since it was raining AGAIN.  It rained all night long – we’re really getting disappointed in all this rain.  We have had more rain here in the interior than we had in the rain forest of the South West!   One highlite of our drive back into Fairbanks from the Chena area was a large but young bull moose eating right alongside the road – I have a great pic of him taken with my 300 mm lens.  That thing is worth gold!

Bull Moose:

Today we spent the day in Fairbanks – ate b’fast out, dried our bathing suits and towels at a Laundromat, and visited a fabulous “Museum of the North” at Univ. of AK.  We spent 4 hours in there reading much about life in AK during various periods of time.  For me the most interesting part was a film about the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).  I think I finally understand a little better who we have them and that they exist at both poles at the same time.  Much of the rest of the museum emphasized various cultures in AK over the past 200+ years.

Now tonight we took a campsite right in the town of Fairbanks – we’re on the Western edge of the city in a State Rec. Area on the Chena River again, only this time we had to pay $17. 

Tomorrow our plans are to go to a research place for Northern animals – like Musk Ox and Caribou.  They have some of the animals and also give tours.  We also hope to go to a bird watching area that is popular.  We may head down toward Denali a bit, but may very well come back here again.