We saw a MOOSE

May 30, 2014

This was our most uneventful day.   In Fairbanks, we went to a University of Alaska Large Animal Research Station, with muskoxen, caribou and reindeer, but as we pulled up, the gates were closed and they were having their Grand Opening for the season May 31, the next day.    But ,we were able to see some of the muskoxen through the fence. 

 

We then drove from Fairbanks to Denali National Park.  It was only 125 miles but took us about 4 hours.   Four times during the drive, they had traffic stopped, the roads became gravel and it was one way traffic, so we had to get in line and follow a Pilot Car.  The roads were wet down for dust control, so they were a muddy mess.   We went 3,500 miles without a rock hitting the windshield but as we were sitting, waiting in line for the cars to pass so that we could go, a semi buzzed by way too fast and a rock hit the windshield hard.   We thought it would have broken the windshield, but it just but a  star/ding in it.   They told us that 80% of the motorhomes would come back with a cracked windshield.  We are now one of the statistics. 

 

Stopped at a trading post and met a woman who told us her life story.  We just took a picture of the bear and left. 

 

We pulled into Denali and the winds across the bridges down into the park were so strong, it almost blew us off the road.  A little scary there for a bit.  We saw all the Princess Cruise ship buses going in every direction for their excursions.   We saw the Princess Lodge, where dad and Arlene stayed on one of their cruises.  We drove past that busy section and entered the park, were we were able to secure a spot in Riley Campground tonight and Savage River tomorrow night.   Because it is a weekend, we decided we better reserve something for tomorrow night too.  We may stay over on Sunday night as well, depending on what we do the next couple of days.   There are buses and trips we can book, so we are looking to see what we might want to see while we are here.

 

We were just cutting up the veggies for a good beef stew tonight and there was a knock on our door, and a young ranger told us a Moose and her two babies just walked through our campsite about 10 minutes earlier and asked if we wanted to see the baby’s hoof prints.   I took pictures of them, but you need a trained eye to really know what you are looking at.   She said they would probably come back this way, but since we are parked here, they were not sure what path she might take.   I am on MOOSE WATCH.

 

May 31

Well, no moose siting’s at our campsite.  I watched a squirrel about 2 feet from our window eating.  He was so light, he could hang over the end of the branch without falling off.  

 

There was one other wild animal.   Tom is ready to disown me.

Before we left the camp site, I made my own little Inukshuk.   We have seen many of these along the highways.   They are rock sculpture  forms from unworked stones used by the Inuit Indians as a form of communication.  

 

We walked up to the Visitor Center and found out we could drive most of the way that the free bus would take us though the Park, otherwise the shortest tour was 5.5 hours long.  

 

Tom’s stomach was not in the mood for a 5.5 hour bus tour with no bathroom on board, and being dependent on their scheduled stops, so we decided to drive it ourselves.  The vistas were just beautiful once again!

 It was on our way to our next camping site anyway.   Lucky for us, as we drove 15 miles up the mountain towards our next camping spot for the night, we saw two cars on the side of the road taking pictures of a bull moose feeding in the bushes on the side of the road.   We stopped and watched it for about 10 minutes.   He didn’t seem to mind we were there.    

 

 

 

Right before that, Liz called me on my cell phone, but since we were heading into the high mountains, we lost signal just about when we said Hi.   Sorry Liz.

This camp area cleared out for the day, and there are only about 5 RV’s in the whole area.   We expect it to fill up tonight, since it’s a Saturday night.  We took a really long walk along a Trail, (with our bear spray handy) and then headed towards Savage River.    We were able to see Mt. McKinley and a beautiful mountain range view as well.    This is why we did this trip, to see the country we have only experienced from a cruise ship.

 

There was much more evidence of beetle rot on our walk.

 

It really clouded over this morning and rained for about 15 minutes,, so I decided to take a little nap with the wind and the sound of the rain hitting the motor home, but it was so short, I was disappointed.  

 

 It cleared up and there is blue sky with only a few clouds, the wind kicks up every once in a while, but overall, it is so pleasant out, its 64 now, about as warm as it is going to get today.   Tomorrows forecast is showers for most of the day, so we will probably head to Anchorage.   We really have not done any touristy stuff so we might do that in Anchorage.   I think I want to go on a whale watching boat and maybe rent bikes or Segway’s and go on a town tour.   We will play it by ear.