The weather pattern on our trip thus far has generally been crisp clear mornings with afternoon showers. Today, when we needed a clear morning to tour Denali Park and see Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest mountain at 20,320 feet, we awoke to solid overcast skies and rain.
We departed the Denali Suites and headed for the main highway. En Route we saw a mother Moose and her two calves. Mother ignored us and kept eating. The calves looked for anywhere to run.
We Entered Denali National Park under partially clearing skies and had lunch. Lane and I opted for the Reindeer stew; it was pretty good. Tim and Sylvia chose a more conservative fare, a chicken sandwich on Panini bread.
After lunch, we rode 15 miles into the park to the end of the public road, where it rained on us again. Only tour buses are allowed to proceed beyond the end of the public road. There are several tour packages available from three hours to thirteen hours. One really needs an entire day to see and appreciate the beauty and grandeur of Denali Park. We just didn’t have the time.
We departed the Denali Suites and headed for the main highway. En Route we saw a mother Moose and her two calves. Mother ignored us and kept eating. The calves looked for anywhere to run.
We Entered Denali National Park under partially clearing skies and had lunch. Lane and I opted for the Reindeer stew; it was pretty good. Tim and Sylvia chose a more conservative fare, a chicken sandwich on Panini bread.
After lunch, we rode 15 miles into the park to the end of the public road, where it rained on us again. Only tour buses are allowed to proceed beyond the end of the public road. There are several tour packages available from three hours to thirteen hours. One really needs an entire day to see and appreciate the beauty and grandeur of Denali Park. We just didn’t have the time.
While in the park, we met a fellow motorcycle rider from Chino, California, on a Honda Goldwing pulling a home-made camping trailer that he built out of wood and plastic. He had just returned from Prudo Bay on the Arctic Circle. He said that he sleeps in it every night, "You know bears and all." I have news for him, bears can open a locked car without so much as a can opener. His wooden trailer would offer no protection if they were so inclined to munch on him. I didn't mention it to him, but I was thinking that they could use his trailer to bury his remains after the bears ate him. It kind of looked like a rolling coffin to me. But then he was riding a Honda, and there is no accounting for taste.
We are trying to advance our schedule some to squeeze in a fishing trip in either Homer or Seward, AK. We never did get to see anything but the bottom of Mt. McKinley, maybe next time. We were told that the summit only makes rare appearances. We did however see another female Moose and her two calves as we left the park.
Leaving the park, we headed south for Anchorage, some 250 miles away. We arrived at the Anchorage Howard Johnson’s Hotel at about 1930 hours (7:30 pm), where Lane had a connection through his security consulting work. In fact, Lane is actually doing some consulting work in Anchorage during our visit. Must be a tax write off thing.
We had a late supper, which is getting to be our habit, at Phyllis’s (sic.) Cafe and Salmon Bake near our hotel. After some deliberation over the extensive menu, we decided on the special of the day, all-you-can-eat Snow Crab. Let me tell you, the four of us can put away some fresh Snow Crab. The California Chardonnay wasn’t too bad either. We finished gorging ourselves and walked back to the hotel just in time to see the first sunset we have seen since entering the Yukon Territory and Alaska at just about midnight.
Tomorrow, we have oil changes on the bikes scheduled at the House of Harley, the local Harley-Davidson dealer in Anchorage. It seems odd to be changing oil again after only two weeks, but we have put 4,000 miles on the bikes over the course of the last eleven days. Tomorrow will be a down day in Anchorage for some rest and relaxation, and to allow Lane to complete some of his work.
Leaving the park, we headed south for Anchorage, some 250 miles away. We arrived at the Anchorage Howard Johnson’s Hotel at about 1930 hours (7:30 pm), where Lane had a connection through his security consulting work. In fact, Lane is actually doing some consulting work in Anchorage during our visit. Must be a tax write off thing.
We had a late supper, which is getting to be our habit, at Phyllis’s (sic.) Cafe and Salmon Bake near our hotel. After some deliberation over the extensive menu, we decided on the special of the day, all-you-can-eat Snow Crab. Let me tell you, the four of us can put away some fresh Snow Crab. The California Chardonnay wasn’t too bad either. We finished gorging ourselves and walked back to the hotel just in time to see the first sunset we have seen since entering the Yukon Territory and Alaska at just about midnight.
Tomorrow, we have oil changes on the bikes scheduled at the House of Harley, the local Harley-Davidson dealer in Anchorage. It seems odd to be changing oil again after only two weeks, but we have put 4,000 miles on the bikes over the course of the last eleven days. Tomorrow will be a down day in Anchorage for some rest and relaxation, and to allow Lane to complete some of his work.
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