We left our home in Centertown, Missouri at 10:30 AM yesterday, Monday. We arrived in our hotel room at 11:50 PM Alaska time, 2:50 AM Missouri time. It was a LONG day.
Prices are HIGH in Alaska. 2 breakfast buffets were $37.97. It was okay but not nearly as good as an $8 country ham breakfast from Triple D Diner in Crossville, TN. After breakfast we boarded a bus and at 8 AM we left for a riverboat cruise. Our sternwheeler riverboat, the Discovery III, displaces 280 tons and can operate in water that is only 42" deep.
Lots of interestng narration about the sites along the river. The most interesting was a kennel that bred and raised sled dogs. The guy who owns the place came out to talk to us while the boat "idled" next to the riverbank. He had a good size 4 wheeler sitting near the shore. They brought out 8 sled dogs and harnesed them to the 4 wheeler. As soon as a dog was in harness and they moved on to harness the next dog the dog in harness would throw himself against the harness try to pull te 4 wheeler by himself. They actually had to tie the 4 wheeler to an anchor to keep the dogs from running off with it. Once all 8 dogs were harnessed the guy got on the 4 wheeler, untied the anchor rope and the dogs were off and running. The guy said the dogs would pulll the 4 wheeler about 20 mph on the straight sections of the path.We watched them pull him around the perimeter of a small lake, probably about a mile. When they got back as they unharnessed the dogs the dogs ran to the edge of the water and jumped into the 45 degree water for a swim. When they took off with the first set of dogs the other dogs still in outdoor pens went nuts. The guy said it was because they knew they were soon going to get a chance to pull the 4 wheeler.
More happended along the trip but typing on my tablet is a pain. We docked back where we started at noon and had a great lunch at the place. A hearty beef stew, steamed vegetables, salad, good bread and a brownie. All served family style at long table with benches on both sides.
Then it was back on the bus and a trip to an old gold dredge and mining site. A train and open passenger cars took us around the site and we learned a lot about Alaska gold mining. They gave everyone a small sack of gravel, maybe half a cup, and we "panned" for gold. After you washed out the gravel you put your small flakes of gold in a little container and took it to the Assayers Office. The gold Kathy & I found is supposed to be worth $35 at todays gold price. We have it with us.
The Alaskan pipeline runs through the old gold mining area. We walked under it going in and out. We learned a lot about it.
Then it was back on the bus and back to the hotel for a nap. We walked a few blocks to a Thai restaurant for supper. Kathy had some kind of soup, a HUGE bowl, which she said was good. I had a cashew beef stir fry. The waitress asked if I wanted it "mild"and i told her medium. Wrong choice. It was good but to spicy to really be enjoyable.
Time to go. Have some photos I would like to include but Kathy just shut the balckout curtains and left me in the dark. Its 10PM. Tomorrow we board the bus for a 3 hour bus ride to Denali (at least one stop along way) and a 2 night stay there.
God is good, may He bless you and yours.
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