Monday, June 30, 2014

Alaska Day 38 In Denali “Tek” Rain

Yes, it rains in Alaska so we got prepared for it…..but..it didn’t rain until after the cook out.DSC_0074

Mark has some fresh halibut for all to have.  DSC_0076DSC_0082DSC_0077

Some ate a little too much…DSC_0079 DSC_0080 

I forget when but Wendy had a birthday a few days ago.  We like birthdays when there not ours. DSC_0064 DSC_0056  DSC_0073DSC_0085 DSC_0081

We went to a few of these little talks about the birds and bees, etc.  They were given by park volunteers and were outstanding.DSC_0092

See ya…..

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Alaska Day 37 In Denali Bus Ride

We started our bus ride about 8:30 AM that went further into Denali…DSC_0001 - Copy  DSC_0023 DSC_0020 - CopyDSC_0028 DSC_0034 DSC_0041 DSC_0051 DSC_0053 DSC_0059 DSC_0066  DSC_0073

and so forth……

See ya….

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Alaska Day 36 Into The Denali Wild “Tek”

DSC_0016 DSC_0020 DSC_0022 DSC_0024 DSC_0033 DSC_0052DSC_0042 DSC_0043 DSC_0047 

And so forth…………..

See ya………….

Friday, June 27, 2014

Alaska Day 35 En Route to Healy Area

We woke up to rain again.  It’s the heavy drizzle type rain which is better than what it could be.  This is manageable. 

Fourteen of us (7 rigs) are moving to the Denali Motel and RV Park in the Healy area.  After 9 days of not having water or dump here, it’s time.

Getting there… it was only 40 miles BUT it had several  construction zones of gravel/mud roads.  Thus the rig and the Jeep have a lot of wet dirt/mud on them from the road.DSC_0002

We arrived at the Denali RV Park & Motel about 10:30 AM.DSC_0007 They had changed our sites that I had reserved. They moved us into two of three sites that Ed or I couldn’t fit in. After a trip back to the office we got two sites that we could fit in. Butch had no problem. These kinda tight sites are full hook up (30AMP) with cable and free WiFi which wasn’t too bad for $39 + tax. One night here then into Denali we go.DSC_0008 DSC_0009

We drove the Jeep into Denali NP and got our passes for tomorrow, no problem since we already had made the reservations months ago.  A few others went and got their passes too..

That evening we (Krutys/Fords) went out for dinner.DSCN0293

Ed kept looking down at his stomach.  He couldn’t believe how big it was before he ate.DSCN0283 DSCN0281

The meals were OK.  Nothing to put into the blog about.

 

This is the bus replica of the bus that a kid lived in a movie called “Into The Wild”.  The actual bus is about 10 miles from here out in the boonies.  The movie is about a lost soul that gets caught up into doing his own thing in Alaska eventually.  DSCN0287 DSCN0289 Just a little fixer upper.DSCN0290

Ed said he could fix this up for him and Sandy.DSCN0291

Oh, here’s Sandy after talking to Ed about backing the RV.DSC_0005

I’m not sure what signal that is.  Carol has used it also.

OK, tomorrow we go into Denali National Park 29 miles. No cell phones, no WiFi – MiFi – You Fi, It’s a big dead zone for all phones.  So, I will do a blog for each day but will not be able to post them until we come back out July 2nd or so.

See ya if the bears don’t get us……….

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Alaska Day 34 Anderson Last Day

Today is our last day here at this neat little city park in Anderson. We will leave with some great memories of this park and it's small group of locals that we met.

It's been 8 days since we have arrived so we have some house things to get ready for our 50 mile trip to Denali Motel and RV Park - one night. I think we will dump what little fresh water we have left tomorrow morning and fill up with some real good water from here. Not sure if we will dump our grey/blank tanks here since we are going only a short distance and will have full hook ups. These babies are just about full. Probably should.

The Jeep I got the bugs off the front and put the front bra back on. We know for sure there are two construction zones and 10 miles each of dirt/mud/rocks. We've drove over them already when we were doing some sight seeing.

I used silicone lubricant spray on the one slide out gear do hickeys that we’ve been having trouble with.  Just under couple of weeks before it goes in to a Winnie dealer in Anchorage for adjustment.  Hope it makes it.  I also sprayed the jack legs.  Since these aren’t HWH jacks that require a special lubricant, I went ahead and sprayed them with the fast drying lubricant.  What the hell…..why not…

We got a short shopping list we need to get before we go into the wilderness of Denali. It's short because we will have to get these items like from a gas station/convenience store. Number one it's in Alaska and two it will be in a tourist area so items will be even higher than the normal high. Hey, it's hard to make a sandwich without bread or tuna on toast without bread. Life is hard............don't you feel sorry for us up here near Denali, Alaska away from all the hustle bustle of grocery stores, probably NOT!

It continued to rain until late morning or should I say a hard drizzle mostly if there is such a thing.  It stayed cloudy all day.  Definitely not good solar weather.  Glad we got electricity here.

We sat out at the fire with everyone until dinner time.  Carol & I decided to go to the “steak” place down the road.  KC/Shelia and Jon/Sue were already there.  We tired their cheeseburger & onion rings.  Damn were they good.

When we returned back to camp just about everybody had retired to their rigs so we did too.

See ya……

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Alaska Day 33 Anderson Steak Night

Well, well, we had 4 more Loosey Goosey members show up on this rainy day.  KC and Shelia Mix along with Steve & Nancy O’Bosky.  That puts are number of members here at 16.  Find the park – they will come.

It rained pretty dog on good all day and until the next morning about 4 AM.  We got the biggest puddles around but they are all on low spots in the gravel so there is no mud.

Their is this little pub down the road on Parks Hwy at MM 280 called the Clear Sky Lodge that claim to have the “Best Steaks in Alaska .”  This place looks like you might stop if you were the stereo Harley motorcycle rider type.  DSC_0001Ed & I went in around noon and informed that 16 people wanted to come there for dinner.  “No problem, I won’t be here” the bartender replied.  She did smile but meant it….

  Royal Crown plant holders…DSC_0002

So about 5 PM 16 Loosey Goosey members showed up to put them to the test of The Best Steak in Alaska.  They had one waitress, one cook and one bartender – all the same lady - the owner.  She was on the ball…outstanding in every category.  She had done this a few times like in the hundreds.  15 members ordered steak and one order Halibut fish and onion rings.  Do you believe that one person comes to a steak house and orders fish.  Well, I like halibut and it was good.  Those that got the steak agreed that it was a damn good steak hands down.  Special thanks to KC and Shelia and their dog Molly.

BEFORE DSC_0003

DURINGDSC_0007

AFTERWARDSDSC_0008

It was great and a good time was had by all.

That evening we started a fire and we sat out until the wee hours what ever they are…

All is good…..

See ya…

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Alaska Day 32 Still In Anderson

Yep we must like the piece and quiet here at this campground in Anderson.  Again nothing going on.  It’s so quiet that animals don’t even come around, Just some skeeters do a fly over ever once in a while.  They were bad this morning (9 AM) but they went away later.  At our nightly social get together there were none.  We kinda started missing them – NOT!  Some people sat out until after 10 PM and had a nice fire going. 

Earlier today Loosey Goosey members David and Lois showed up.  I believe we are up to 7 rigs now.  Don’t know what happen to the O’Bosky group.  Kinda miss the British Mark & Wendy couple.  Never could understand what they said but it sounded nice.

Eight of us made reservations for the ATV rides July 2d.  Tried to make reservations for the Jeep ride but the company couldn’t guarantee one out of two people (couple) would drive.  The hell with that!  I’m not paying $100 bucks to ride in the back seat when I got a Jeep.  We will just take our own 4X4’s down the same road/trail.  Carol & I went down it last time.  I think the Denali Jeep tour company has gotten big and are doing tour buses and don’t really need to accommodate the smaller groups/individuals any more.  Oh well, pooey on them.

This is day 8 without a water or dump hook up.  After today it will be one more full day and a wake up to go.  We do have electric and that’s nice.

No sightings of animals around the campground today or any other day by anyone.

Oh, Kim Waddle took this picture of our Baby at 2 AM.  Nice… Though I think I will ask her what she is doing watching our rig at 2 AM.Nenana 06-24-2014 (13) f

See ya…..