To view the photos click on “Photos August 2006” above. Alaska The weather in Fairbanks (<-- please click) was nice and the first week in August we spent on short excursions to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, a defunct gold mine (the “Old F. E. Gold Camp”), in Chatanika (see photos) and a trip to the University of Alaska Museum of the North (<-- please click). On August 8th, we picked up Mary (Chuck’s oldest sister) from the airport and with her, we spent the rest of our time in Fairbanks, visited Santa and his wife in North Pole, and celebrated Chuck’s birthday (August 10th) on a stern wheel riverboat cruise down the Chena river to where it meets the Tanana river and then back (see photos).  Along the way we visited an Athabascan Indian village, historic landing sites, and Susan Butcher’s sled dog training camp (<-- please click).   On the boat trip, we received word that Susan Butcher had passed away from leukemia only a few days before.

Further information about this  boat trip can be found at http://fairbanks-alaska. com/riverboat-discovery.htm Chuck’s birthday celebration continued at the “Alaska Salmon Bake” Restaurant  (<-- please click), where we enjoyed “all you can eat” salmon cooked on an open fire. It was raining on August 12th as we left Fairbanks, heading south through Denali National Park (<-- please click).  We stayed two nights at Denali  National Park at one of the park campgrounds.  It continued to rain and was overcast for most of the eight hour shuttle bus trip into the park, but there were short periods where the weather cleared up enough to see something besides clouds (see photos).   It never did clear up enough to see Mount McKinley (North America’s highest mountain).  The information from the Park rangers that there would be numerous unusual animal sightings proved to be false.  The animals had more sense than to be out in such weather!   It rained almost nonstop on the way further south to Anchorage.  Shortly before the exit ramp in Anchorage, a pickup truck pulled along side and the passenger motioned for us to pull over.  She appeared quite frantic and as we got out in the rain, we discovered that one of the RV tires had blown out.  Even though we have emergency road service, by the time they arrive, you can usually do it yourself and be on your way.  Later, at the tire dealer, the rim was also declared a loss.  The dealer said that it is common for a wet Alaskan rock to break into pieces and pierce a tire.  The weather was so bad that two days later, the road from Fairbanks to Anchorage washed out and was impassable for several days.  The Permafrost causes considerable problems on their roads.  (In Alaska, they say their four seasons are: (1) Almost Winter, (2) Winter, (3) Like Winter, and (4) Road Construction.) The following morning we took Mary to the airport.  It continued to rain and the clouds were so thick that we couldn’t see the mountains, although we knew they were there.   We stayed another week in Anchorage and had only one day without rain.  On that day we were able to see Mount McKinley in the distance.  We spent the rainy days at “home” and on the weekend visited a Greek Orthodox Church festival and then the 1964 Earthquake Memorial (see photos).  On the night before we left, we had Alaskan King Crab at Phyllis's Cafe (<-- please click)  which left us with a good impression of Anchorage, despite the terrible weather. On August 22d at 11:30 AM, we left Anchorage in the rain (Odometer=48393).  We drove northeast on Highway 1 (Glenn Highway) toward Glennallen and on to Tok (see photos) where Glenn Highway ends at the Alaskan (Alcan) Highway.  At this point, we were where we had arrived a month before.  As we crossed the Canadian border, we had driven 2358 miles in Alaska during the past month.  There were times, the roads were so bad that the computer table legs in the RV had broken.  We also had a broken keyboard, mouse and DVD player.  We spent three nights on the way between Anchorage, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon.  A special night was on Kloo Lake in Kluane National Park (see photos).  At supper and at breakfast we sat and watched the beaver and water fowl within a few feet from us, with no one else in sight. Our next stop was Whitehorse, where we stayed a few nights with water, sewer, electric and WiFi.  While there, Renée received an email from Michael informing her of a letter from Pensacola, FL that she had been selected as a juror and had to be in Pensacola on September 11th.  We have our vehicles registered in Florida and have a mail-forwarding-address there.  This was not only troublesome but somewhat humorous since there was no way we would be able to make it there by September 11th!  It was the weekend and nothing could be done about it.  We spent the time sightseeing (see photos) and on Sunday morning left in the sunshine, but that didn’t last long.  The day was somewhat rainy but by evening the weather was better and we stopped by a river in an abandoned rock quarry.  The following morning we found a small store in Coal River (three buildings in the entire settlement).  Renée bought a five dollar calling card so she could call Pensacola about the jury duty.  (Cell phones are useless on the Alaska Highway.)  After informing them that we are full-time RVers, she was immediately excused from jury duty.   Our next stop was Liard Hot Springs.   We hooked up in the campground then immediately went to the hot springs (see photos).  It was quite enjoyable and the following morning, we took another dip before heading further east.  That night we stopped in Fort Nelson, staying in the City Park and then the following night in Fort John at a spot where we have always been welcome and when there is nothing else available, the Wal-Mart parking lot. On August 31st, we crossed into Alberta (<-- please click), where we had a pre- planned stop at Wal-mart in Grand Prairie, so we could stock up the refrigerator and pantry before we would begin our trek into the Canadian Rockies.  On September 6th we were to meet our friend Dick from Las Cruces and we were to travel through the Canadian Rockies together. . To be continued in September….

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