Day 3- Leaving Delta Junction - July 29, 2008

Day 3 - Leaving Delta Junction, AK....

The day started off with a cold, windy morning.

We then ate a huge breakfast at one of the town's famed restaurants called Poorboy's, where we sat at the bar and heard "Brown Sugar" by the Stones.

I knew it was going to be a good day, despite the cold rain and the 8 miles of construction leaving the town.

Fairbanks, was much more clear and warm.  The Walmart Super Center was huge!

We ate the the Chowder House, which I highly recommend if you ever make it to Fairbanks.  I had the smoked salmon chowder.  Beck had the corn and halibut chowder.  The spoon stood up in the bowl. Now that's chowder! (see picture below).

We had been scanning ponds, fields, and woodlands for wildlife, but then

one of the trip highlights was as we approached the town limits coming into Fairbanks.  A moose and her two babies walking along the fence next to the highway.  (Female moose are called cows....and yes, teh correct plural of moose is moose, even though everyone will understand you if you choose to say mooses or meese..my favorite).

As we approached Denali National Park, we were taken by the beauty and vastness of its mountains, many of which we could not see the peaks of, as they were hidden in the clouds.  Then the wind and rain picked up again. 

I was disappointed to look out of the back of the cabin-style hostel where were staying to see the view pictured below.  It consisted of snow capped mountains behind us, and right next to the cabin was a blue fast running glacial run-off creek...yes, I said blue.  I don't know if the photos can show how blue it really was.

We are hoping the weather is more kind tomorrow for our trip into Denali. 

Stay tuned for more to come.

Jeff