Friday July 15

Mountain View RV, Palmer, AK

8:30AM   57°F

Today we're taking a side trip to Hatcher Pass to visit the historic Independence Mine. The trip up the Pass was spectacular and not for those with height issues.

We hiked around this mine. The parking lot in the distance is where we parked. Interesting place. Only a couple hunfred million of gold was taken out of the 79 miles of tunnels. All the mine ore trains were battery operated.

 Employees 250 men at its top production years.

most of the sorting operation has collapsed.  The company just closed one day, no notice. Mine stopped producing so they pulled the plug. Everything was left just the way it was and people left.

The Road out of the Pass comes out on the Park HW north of Palmer.

We had lunch at the Noisey Hoose in Palmer.

Still light so we pull out the Rockhounding Alaska. 

1st stop Buffalo Creek. 6.5 miles on a primitive Toad. Due to high water and a raging sream we couldn't get to the collection area but saw some large moose tracks. No moose just tracks.

Next stop : Wishbone Hill. Tools some creativity figuring out the directions in the book but finally found it.  Tailing dump from a coal mine. Petrified wood everywhere. A good stop.

Tomorrow we head to Wangell-St Elias National Park area.

Thursday July 14

KENAI Princess RV 

9AM.  54°F  Rain

Today we head back around the Turnagain Arm to Anchorage to is if we can get the tire fixed or replaced.

When we were at the visitor center yesterday I asked a ranger if there were any 'real' gold panning areas in the Chugach Park. She said that her boyfriend has had luck along the Turnagain Arm between 20 Mile River and Peterson Creek at low tide but to be careful not to go out too far because there is a tidal bore when the tide comes back in and the sand can turn to quicksand...

So of course we stop in that area and the tide is out. So we grab our panning tools and climb down the bank not onto sand but some of the nicest potters clay I've ever seen. Undeterred we start walking trying to figure out how to pan thus stuff when the water is hundreds of yards out in the Arm. Well there is 20 Mile River at little way up the highway so Bob heads that way. He gets to a depression and starts down...do you know what wet clay is like to walk on- think wet ice. Bob feet start into the depression when the rest of Bob is trying not to. Luckily younger brother Jim grabs on and is able to haul the mud covered older brother to safety 😁🙃😁. Trust me I'll pay for sharing.

We give up panning on Turnagain Arm and continue on the Anchorage. 

Our first stop in Anchorage is Alyeska Tire that advertise Michelin tires. They don't carrying that brand (thank you internet). Next stop Alaska Tire ( we called first to ensure that they had the model Tire so we could match the spare rather than buy 2 new tires). They had them in their warehouse downtown but come in and they would evaluate the plugged tire to see if it could be salvaged.

They said they could replug it and we didn't need a new tire. GREAT! They go to work. When done we pull the rig over close to the door of the garage so they can use their power tools. As the mechanic is putting the tire back on he notices another rock, pulls it out and yup another leak. They plg that one and we're on our way.

A quick stop at Mickey D's ...but wait Mickey has no parking for a trailer and we're too big for the drive thru...second Mickey D's yup no parking there either BUT there is a Self Stoage place next door. So we pull in there walk back to McD, have lunch, reclaim our rig from storage and quickly leave town.

It's early so we debate starting down the Glenn Highway but opt on staying in zpalmer overnight and spend the afternoon doing laundry.

Mt View RV Park in Palmer, Alaska for one night and grab the laundry and head to the park laundry. Seems like Thursday is laundry day. We get in line and wait an hour for a couple of washers to be free. Time to read right: Nope. We were talked to by a very friendly woman from Oklahoma.  It don't quite remember any of the one-sided conversation but it was so friendly that she stayed after finish her laundry and was still talking when we finished our laundry and left. But we did get a recommendation from another lady also being talked to see Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine ( a State Historical site).

We decide to get dinner in town and we find Pizza Ria Delphi. Now Bib and i have reputation of harassing waitresses so I decide to explain to the waitress about this New England TV shore about 2 brother that make unannounced visits to restaurants and evaluated the food, service and price (Phabtom Gourmet). So when she comes to the table I ask her if she's ever been to New England to start and before getting started she says "OH No I've never been out of the Country". I look at Bob and say "I think I've found someone Kathy ( my sister-in-law) could beat at a geography challenge.  SORRY KATHY🤣

We explained that New England referred to ME,NH,VT,MA,RI, &CT all part of the USA.

"Wow never knew that".

The pizza was great!

Wednesday July 13

KENAI Princess RV Park

8:30AM. 56°F   Overcast but dry

7,688 miles

Today we're  heading to the port town of Whittier.  Access to this town is through a 2.5 mile  one lane tunnel that goes beneath the Portage Glacier. Since 2002 when Pat and I were here the Glacier has recede.

we pay the toll of $13. To use the tunnel and arrive in the town and other than a Princess cruise ship there is nothing in this town. There is an abandoned US Government building that was built in to 1950's sa a cold war army installation was used 3 years and then just abandoned.  It was built so that in the winter no one had to leave the building. It had housing, commissary, bowling alley, movie theater, school... the average snowfall is 12 feet.

The fish Hut that was there in 02 is now a coffee shop. We couldn't find a place to eat (they wouldn't let us luch on the Grand Princess 😩🙃, so we waited until the tunnel changed directions and left.

On the way out of the area we stopped at the Chugach Mountains Recreation visitor center.

Watched a short movie about the area and believe it or not ran into an old friend from out childhood. He was glad to see us and agreed to take a photo together.

That right Smokey the Bear what a treat!🤪🤪🤪😁

On the way back to Cooper Landing we tried gold panning again. This time at Bertha Creek. No luck this time either but we met a dad and his son (Jackson) that were prospecting also. Great family,  military, currently stationed in Anchorage.

This dad ( sorry I don't recall his name) warned us about this plant that was growing everywhere. It's called Cow Turnip and it's can be very irritating to the skin if touched.

We tried one last panning location at the junction of Quartz and Crescent creeks

NOTE: Don't believe anyone that says there is gold in every stream in Alaska. It just ain't so!!!

Burgers at the trailer for dinner 👍

Tuesday July 12

Kenai Princess RV Park. 8:50AM. 56°F

Raining

Today we're heading to Seward and the

Major Marine Tours. We have tickets for the 6-hour Holgate Glacier Tour.

At 11 AM, we pull away from the pier and head to sea. It's too bad it's rainy and overcast because we can't see the mountains that surround Seward. We spot a few sea otters but no whales or orcas on the way out. 

The Holgate Glacier reaches the salt water and calves ice into the fjord.

The ice sheet up the side of the mountain is part of the Holgate Glacier. 

For reference we're on the Holgate Arm of the Aialik Bay of the Gulf of Alaska. . The coast here is very rugged with no beaches. Just ocean and quickly rising rock. The Holgate Arm is about 1,000 ft.

There's a river flowing out from under the right cave. This where all the good rocks are 🤣

After leaving the Glacier we go in search of wild life. The first is a colony of Sea Lions.

We did spot a couple humpback whales but I did get them on my phone.

There were also puffins all around but nothing close enough to get a decent photo.

Even though the weather didn't cooperate we had a great day.

When we returned to Seward  we stopped at the fishing pier and took a few photos of the catch.

This last photo is a halibut. At $16/lbs that's a valuable fish (that cart is about

5 ft long and 3 ft wide).

We had dinner at the Chinook Restaurant right at the pier. King Crab came in two sizes 1 lb (including shell) $90. and 1 1/2 lbs $130. We had fish and chips (halibut).

Monday July 11

Princess Kenai RV Park

9 AM.  57°F.  Partly cloudy

Heading to Soldatna to get the tire repaired or buy a new one...and then to several beaches along Cook Inlet.

No tires and no one has time to attempt a repair. We decide it will have to wait until we return to Anchorage. 

Back to the Rockhounding Alaska  book...

The first beach is Salamatof Beach which is actual owned by Conoco-Phillips but allow locals to use the beach. The rules are you can only pick rocks below the high tide mark. It's low tide so we're in business. These beaches have agates according to the Book but the picture they show look suspiously like chalcedony.  Starting to wonder if the author is a rockhound or a travel agent.

While at this beach there are guys with fork light and atvs up and down the beach. So I walk over to query about their activities.

 Turn out the forklifts are holding nets that are anchored out in the water. They are fishing for "Reds" the guys says. He obvious figured I had no idea what reds were he said Sockeye Salmon.  They were pulling in their nets as the tide was starting to come in. I got the impression this was a low tide activity only.

After collecting a sampling of beach rocks we head to Beach #2: Nikiski Beach.

As we walk on the rocky beach a couple was come up the beach. I asked them if they found anything interesting and if they were locals. Turns out they were visiting fron Saudi Arabia. Originally from Chicago but now in the middle east and their first trip to Alaska.

Same type of rocks so we headed out to grab something to eat. Bob read that each community had a favorite cuisine some were Vietnamese, some Thai, and some BBQ. Guess which one Bob opted for. Yup BBQ. Following the guidebook the first BBQ place listed is now a Cannabis shop, the second we never found and the third we drove by twice. It was a drive-thru only

Shack. So we drove in. The owner operators are summer only people. She lived worked and retire in Soldatna and he is an Oklahoman. So we drove to Alaska to have Oklahoman BBQ at Black Jaxx BBQ.

It was very good. If your ever in Soldatna I recommend you stop by and have ribs, chicken and pulled pork or brisket.q

Sunday July 10

Tatlanika Gift Show and RV Park

8:30AM  61°F. Overcast: clouds and smoke

We have now travelled 7,030 miles.

The wildfire came within 1 mile of the campground but stayed on the other side of the Nenana River.

Since stopping here we have wondered how the owners could maintain a very large gift shop miles from anywhere.  Well we came back to grab something we forgot one day and found 6 cruise line busses at the shop. Princess, Royal Caribbean, Viking,, Holland America, and Norwegian.  People climbing over everything to get their Alaskan trinkets.

Anyway today we head to Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. It's raining and traffic is typical Sunday traffic coming back from your favorite weekend getaway. We stop at Hurricane Gulch rest area to cook breakfast. Sorry no pics of the gulch it was raining too hard to walk back up the highway to take one.

The next stop is at Mt Denali North Viewing Area. Other than the weather this may explain our not siting the 20,310' Mt Denali while in the Park. IT'S NOT THERE.

We're about 130 miles south of the Park and now we get the viewing area. I was going to include a photo of Mt Denali or at least what you'd see Trust if the clouds weren't there 🤪

As it's Sunday there are no tire service businesses open in Anchorage so we continue on.

Once below Anchorage the is one AND only one road to the Kenai Peninsula. This road goes around Turnagain Arm. Check it out on a map on a normal day it's 2 hours from Anchorage to Cooper Landing. But not on Sunday afternoon in July and public services has decided to replace 20 miles of guardrails. That right 20 miles of backup, one lane with escorted cars...

But it's a beautiful drive.

We land at our Kenai base camp: Princess Kenai RV park.  The lodge up the hill from the RV park was where Pat and I stayed 20 years ago. 

Bob and I had dinner at the lodge. After dinner I asked the tour desk if anyone remembered our tour guide from back then. Believe it or not she and her husband just retired a few years back and still live in the area. He became the GM of the lodge a position held for 15 years. I actually talked to her on the phone. Of course she had no recollection of Pat and I . Just one more act to prove my insanity.

Saturday July 9

Tatlanika Gift Shop and RV

8 AM  57° overcast

Firefighters and equipment have moved on. We've been told that the area is still hot.

This morning were again following the book and heading to several location on the Denali Highway that goes through the Alaskan Range from Cantwell to Paxton. Round trip is about 230 miles.

The Denali Highway is a two car width gravel road. Our first stop is 78 miles down the Toad at Clearwater Creek. What we're looking for is called Flowering or Snowflake Feldspar. This is base rock

 (basalt) with feldspar crystals that look like, you guessed it, flowers or snowflakes.

We agreed that once we found one we'd move on. Well we both found  perfect specimens but somehow we continued to feed the mosquitoes. Bob found red, blue, and green rocks (think slate).

We move on the Alpine Creek Lodge for gold panning.

This was a major disappointment!!! We did have pulled pork sandwiches and a diet coke for lunch $30. The gold panning was lead by a 10 yr old who admitted that they seed the pans with a few flakes of gold. The amount of pay in the pan was about 1/2 a cup and the gold "flakes" we're the size of a single table salt crystal. My pan had one micro dot and Bob's three.

I took no pictures as I didn't want anyone to say jimbobadventures suggested this place.

On the way out one of the teens working there said that he heard air leaking from on of the tires. We checked the truck air pressure sensor and didn't see a problem and headed back. Within a mile the truck alarm sounded so back to Alpine Creek Lodge...They offered to put a plug in the tire for free. They were very friendly.  Plugged tire we again started our return trip.

On the way, we came across a baby caribou in the road. He had been separated from the heard and is now know as wolve feed. We saw no sign of the heard and thus little guy wasn't going to let us near him. Sorry for the blurry photo. He was running and we were moving.

Friday July 8

So the helos have disappeared this morning. Hoping that that's a good sign. Lwere rockhounding today. Following the Rockhounding Alaska book that we bought in Healy last night...

Our first stop (not in the book) is this layered till area on the Park Highway. 

A very difficult area because the ledge is steep with loose material and more could come down with a sneeze. We collected here until our calf muscles couldn't take the angle and constant shifting rocks.

Note: I haven't been showing what we're collecting because there usually covered with a thick layer of dust or mud. We store each collection area specimen in separate containers labeled and dated.)

Our next stop is Dry Creek. This is rock overload. Miles and miles of nothing but rocks. We spent a couple hours here. After too much sun we moved on. This area was in the book and recommended by the rock shop guy.

Suntrana Creek is an area which is a mixture of rock, clay, and shale known for fossils. Bob has been wanting to find some squidoids or shrimpoids. It's not really obvious from the photo but this is a canyon and a climb to get to where the fossils are hiding.

Back to the trailer for pork steaks and baked potatoes. 

Thursday July 7

Rivers Edge RV Park

Fairbanks, Alaska 11 AM.     65°F

Before leaving we did laundry and installed the replacement bathroom mirror. At it was a really good thing . I was starting to worry about Bob. He had a black mold growing on his face which wouldn't leave even after showering. Once the mirror was up he was able to cut it off with a razor 🤪🤣🤪

We headed south on Rt3 towards Denali National Park. I tried to book a campsite but couldn't find anything near Healy. So we found a place about 30 miles north:

The Tatlanika Gift Shop and RV Park just south of Clear, Alaska.

We're making this our base camp while in the Denali area. While getting set-up we noticed several helicopter in the area so of course we headed to the other end of the campground to investigate. At the river, the Nenana River, there was a Bell Ranger copter with a water bucket collecting water from the river. Seems there is a forest fire in the area and a couple helo were transporting water to help with fire suppression. 

Turns out the Clear Forest wildfire has burned 65,000 acres. We crossed the river to get a better look and  we noticed some great rocks along the river. After awhile a firefighting vehicle drove over to us. It was the Air Support Supervisor wondering what we were doing. We told her that we we rockhounding and ended up talking to her for sometime about our adventures.  As we departed I asked her to keep the fire away from the campground. She said she'd try really hard.

The fire was still a fair distance away so we headed for the Denali. About 1/2 way there our phones came to life with a mandatory evacuation alert for the area between Mile Markers 173 and 181. The campground was at 176. He headed back and were told by the campground that they would let us know if we needed to move but nothing at that point...

We headed back to the Park. We drove into the Park from 15 miles and were turned back: private vehicles could go no further. I could convince the ranger that we were a public vehicle.  I guess Bob just didn't look like a bus driver.

Had dinner at Prospector's Pizza.

After dinner on the way to the truck Bob notice a rock shop that was still open. So we went in to prevent the owner from closing. He gave us information about the collecting area in the area and what to look for. We bought a copy of Rockhounding Alaska.

Got back to the campground and the fire was still on the other side of the river and the wind was blowing away from us.

Wednesday July 6

Fairbanks. 69°  9AM

Started the daywith the idea of fishing but we ended up at Lowes to purchase a piece of mirror to replace the mirror that didn't survive the Yukon roads.

After returning to the trailer to make sure that the back roads we were no doubt going to find ourselves on today didn't  claim it before it was installed.

We headed out to fish the Chena River outside the Fairbanks city limits. The only problem is there is no public access to the Chena River. Following the river  we ended up at the main gate of Fort Wainwright Army airfield. We weren't welcome and had to be escorted while making a u-turn.

We alter our route and continued on only to find another gate to the Fort. We ended up getting back on highway to get around the Fort.  Continued our search for a fishing spot. We did find the Chena River Recreation Area on a street corner and a couple of spot that we could cast from. After an hour we gave up and headed on. We came across a Dam but no water. It was a flood control levy that took us 56 stairs to reach the top to find do water on either side. It ran for miles.

 At the end we did find a very lovely recreation area with a beautiful river.

Still no fish...😩

On the way back we found ourselves on the campus of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.  We stopped at a museum but it was close to closing time so we visited a couple displays near the parking lot and head back to the trailer. 

Tuesday July 5

Fairbanks 9AM.  68°F

Rivers Edge RV Park on the Chena River

We've decided to spend a few days in Fairbanks so this morning we're headed to Dredge 8. This is a typical tourist stop. Historical site showing how gold dredging was done, how Miner's lived and of course an opportunity to pan a bag of paydirt. 

We each panned 2 bags of pay and each collected about $35. in Placer gold. Most people ( cruise ship riders) got frustrated with panning and just dumped the contents of their bag in the trough and headed to the gift shop. So after doing our 2 bags we started panning the material at the bottom of the trough and doubled our take 🤣. One of the extras at Dredge 8 is a display of the Alaskan Pipeline and the how it's constructed to avoid damage from earthquakes and to prevent permafrost disruption.

To get to the Dredge we rode this small gauge train.

I will say their presentation has not changed since Pat and I were here 20 years ago. Still informative and we had a good time.

We rode around looking for places to continue panning on our own but all the ground is posted. So we just explored the area and took it easy the rest of the day.

Monday July 4th

Forgot to mention the USA border crossing ang the moose we saw shortly after entering Alaska.

We woke up this morning in a time warp.

Imagine having only devices that depend on the internet to set the time. We know that we entered the first Alaskan time zone at the border but Bob had one time (9AM?), the trailer ( a satellite updated clock) had another (10AM)and I had a third different time (8AM). And sun position reading doesn't work well when the Sunrise is 2AM and is above the horizon until 11:30PM.

We're headed to Tok, Alaska to merge with the Alaska Highway after our side trip.

Breakfast at Fast Eddy's in Tok.

Alaska omelets with reindeer meat sausage.

Couldn't convince Bob to stay in Tok for the local 4th parade and events.

We did stop at the Gerstle Memorial  bridge/river to check out the rocks. After we continued on the Fairbanks.

Had dinner at one of the few places open on the 4th: Pizza Hut.

The was only one other group there so of course I had to ask them about local fishing spots but they were fire fighters from Missouri who come to Alaska each year during forest fire season.

land at River's Edge Campground, Fairbanks.

BTW: when we reached Tok our clocks all of a sudden were updated: it turned out that it was 7AM when we got up that morning...🤪