8-10-2016 From Land to Sea

Our last view of Denali (fog)

before heading to Whittier on the train

to meet our ship for the cruise.

8-9-2016 Denali Park Wildlife

A tour-guided bus ride into Denali Park

allowed us to see LOTS of wildlife!

Bears (8)

Moose (8)

Grouse (2)

Caribou (dozens)

and a porcupine!

The bus driver would zoom in with her camera

and then record the wildlife we saw

and play it on the tv screens over our heads

so those of us on the other side of the bus

could see it too.

We could see the caribou with our naked eye

but they did not photograph.

8-8-2016 Fancy Schmanzy!!!

Many of the meals we had while on vacation

were chef prepared...

fancy schmanzy!!!

8-7-2016 Susan Butcher ~ Iditarod Champion

It was a THRILL to see this statue

of Susan Butcher's renowned lead dog, Granite

and to stand on one of her actual

Iditarod Sleds!

She is a legend in Alaska!

 Her daughter signed a book for us to give to our grandchildren.

8-6-2016 Climbing Denali

This photo is from a slide presentation

given my a woman who had actually climbed

to the top of Denali.

Her stories were amazing!

We actually got to SEE Denali looking like this

for about 5 minutes while riding on a bus,

but then it was shrouded by clouds

the rest of our vacation.

They say that less than 30% of the park's visitors

get to see Denali

so we feel lucky to have seen it

even tho we were unable to photograph it

while driving in the bus.

Here's a better photo from the park service on the www:

8-5-2016 Day Trip to Talkeetna

This town loves their moose!!!

8-4-2016 Denali/McKinley Lodge

Our view of Denali...fog.

We DID get to see Denali for about 5 minutes

while riding on a bus

before the clouds shrouded it again.

Chef herb garden out back...

I bought some yarns here...

sled dog, wolf and wild musk ox!

8-3-2016 PaddleBoat Ride

Susan Butcher's Iditarod Dog Training Camp

as seen from the paddle boat.

Reindeer on shore

as seen from the paddle boat.

Visited a Native American village on shore.

It was salmon season.

WOW...this moose was BIG!!!

8-2-2016 Fairbanks AK~Alaskan Pipeline & Panning for Gold

Our first stop was the Alaskan Pipeline.

Next stop...Gold Dredge #8...

 A flash in the pan!!!

8-1-2016 Fairbanks AK

This is how light it was outdoors at 9:30 p.m.

when we arrived!!!

Wilderness Lodge...

with beautiful gardens out back for the chefs...