Our 2011 Alaskan Adventure: 07/30/11

To start today we have to go back to yesterday. On the drive from Tok to Fairbanks we had 2 separate moose sightings the first just outside of Tok was a mother and her calf. Pretty exciting but we were clipping along at 65mph and couldn't get slowed in time to get a picture. The second sighting was a BIG bull moose with a HUGE rack off the right side of the road. We had a little more warning on that one. Lon and Pam were in the lead when a pickup ahead of them crammed on his brakes. Lon spotted the bull and hit the engine and air brakes, Pam grabbed the camera trying to get the shot. Tail gunner Jerry was changing Willie Nelson CDs at the time and almost rear ended the Britton toad and rig. Gail paralyzed with fear and throwing herself between the impending collision and Heidi totally abandoned the shot. Needless to say there is not a photo of the TROPHY moose. Pam was so irritated with her little point and shoot camera, upon arrival in Fairbanks she went and bought a new "real" camera.

Much is made of the long summer daylight hours of Alaska. On June 21 of each year they have 21 hours, 45 minutes of daylight. Okay, we're not here then but close. Using no artificial light these photos were taken last night/morning at 11pm, 1:30am, 4:00am respectively.

Jerry and Gail decided stay to with Heidi at the RV park.

Lon and Pam opted to go exploring. First a visit to the Alaskan Pipeline (very impressive)

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System was designed and constructed to move oil from the North Slope of Alaska to the northern most ice-free port in Valdez, Alaska.
Length: 800 miles.
Diameter: 48 inches.
Crosses three mountain ranges and more than 30 major rivers and streams.
Cost to build: $8 billion in 1977, largest privately funded construction project at that time.

Construction began March 27, 1975 and was completed May 31, 1977.
First oil moved through the pipeline on June 20, 1977.
More than 16 billion barrels have moved through TAPS.
First tanker to carry crude oil from Valdez: ARCO Juneau, August 1, 1977.
Tankers loaded at Valdez: 19,625 through April 30, 2008.

Not sure what this was about, neighborly squabble perhaps?

Then they went to check out the Silver Gulch Micro Brewery

After which came a ride on the Discovery III paddle wheeler that provides a 3.5 hour trip on the Chena River and some history of old Alaska:

The Chena River is a 100-mile-long (160 km) river in the Interior region of the U.S. state of Alaska. It flows generally west from the White Mountains to the Tanana River near the city of Fairbanks, which is built on both sides of the river. The 2300 mile-long Yukon River flows from both the Tanana and Chena Rivers.

They had free coffee and donuts. Lon thought he was "back on the job".

Due to the vast size of the Alaskan wilderness, airplanes are a critical mode of transportation and cargo movement. 1 in every 60 Alaskans is a licensed pilot. We were treated to a float plane departure near our boat.

It's not unusual to see float planes on the rivers or airplanes parked next to a house.

We had a demonstration of sled dogs by David Monson husband of the late Susan Butcher, Four Time Iditarod Sled Dog Race Champion. He talked about the dogs, training and his beloved iconic wife.