In September 2022, daughter Jill and I traveled north to Alaska – a 12-day adventure from Seward to Fairbanks. Click HERE to read a short introduction to our epic trip.
This story is the eighth in a series about the sights we saw and the experiences we had as we traveled through The Last Frontier.
This story is the eighth in a series about the sights we saw and the experiences we had as we traveled through The Last Frontier.
Fairbanks, Alaska (September 10, 2022) In his poem To a Mouse, Robert Burns wrote “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley” – often go awry. Little did I know when Jill and I planned our Alaskan adventure how apropos these words would be.
In my last story, The Wonderous Lights Unfurled, I wrote about the magical experience that Jill and I shared as we watched the aurora borealis dance and morph in the night sky.
This was to be our last shared experience, as yesterday’s sniffles transformed overnight into a nasty cold. Jill was down for the count, and for the rest of our trip, I flew solo on the sights and attractions we had planned to see together.
In my last story, The Wonderous Lights Unfurled, I wrote about the magical experience that Jill and I shared as we watched the aurora borealis dance and morph in the night sky.
This was to be our last shared experience, as yesterday’s sniffles transformed overnight into a nasty cold. Jill was down for the count, and for the rest of our trip, I flew solo on the sights and attractions we had planned to see together.
Jill was up when I awoke this morning – our digs a prefab igloo at Borealis Basecamp, located north of Fairbanks.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Awful,” she replied. “I have a stuffy nose and scratchy throat, the chills and a fever, and I was up all night.”
I felt terrible, as there was little that I could do for her.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d make a cup of tea for me,” Jill said. “We booked a reindeer encounter this morning. You’ll have to go without me.”
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Awful,” she replied. “I have a stuffy nose and scratchy throat, the chills and a fever, and I was up all night.”
I felt terrible, as there was little that I could do for her.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d make a cup of tea for me,” Jill said. “We booked a reindeer encounter this morning. You’ll have to go without me.”
Rudolph always knew he was a little different, but he
let his light shine regardless of what others said.
~ Anonymous
let his light shine regardless of what others said.
~ Anonymous
The reindeer encounter at Borealis Basecamp was an opportunity to meet and greet three of their resident reindeer – Aurora, Borealis, and Dwight. Dwight? I thought. Really?!
It had rained overnight, and it was drizzling and breezy when I left our igloo. The 42-degree temperature felt more like the mid-30s. And while my four layers, from a thermal undershirt to a waterproof jacket, didn’t make me impervious to the cold, I was warm enough to endure the outdoors for the next hour.
I met my guide, Dakota, at the Adventure Center, and from there she led me on a quarter mile walk along a dirt road to the reindeer pen. The ground was sloppy from the rain, and while Dakota sported knee-high mud boots that allowed her to walk the mucky road with impunity – Lucky her, I thought –, I stepped carefully around the mud in my ankle-high Merrells...lest the ground suck off my shoes!
“Do you have any experience with reindeer?” asked Dakota.
“Only for dinner,” I replied with a chuckle. “My daughter and I stayed at Alyeska Resort last week, and one night I had reindeer Bolognese over house-made pasta.”
“What did you think of it?”
“I loved the first several bites,” I said, “but soon I was overwhelmed by the taste. It wasn’t gamey, but it did have a wilder flavor than beef. I finished my dinner, but reindeer was one and done for me.”
“Many people feel the same way,” Dakota remarked. “Still, it’s one of the healthiest game meats you can eat.”
Well, maybe I’ll give it another try.
“Here we are,” said Dakota.
‘Here’ was a metal pen, and inside the pen – actually, two pens – were the three reindeer.
“Our reindeer are gentle,” Dakota said as she handed me a five-gallon plastic bucket half-filled with feed. “Feel free to pet them…but stay away from their antlers, as they are sensitive to the touch. If you’re ready, let’s go in.”
It had rained overnight, and it was drizzling and breezy when I left our igloo. The 42-degree temperature felt more like the mid-30s. And while my four layers, from a thermal undershirt to a waterproof jacket, didn’t make me impervious to the cold, I was warm enough to endure the outdoors for the next hour.
I met my guide, Dakota, at the Adventure Center, and from there she led me on a quarter mile walk along a dirt road to the reindeer pen. The ground was sloppy from the rain, and while Dakota sported knee-high mud boots that allowed her to walk the mucky road with impunity – Lucky her, I thought –, I stepped carefully around the mud in my ankle-high Merrells...lest the ground suck off my shoes!
“Do you have any experience with reindeer?” asked Dakota.
“Only for dinner,” I replied with a chuckle. “My daughter and I stayed at Alyeska Resort last week, and one night I had reindeer Bolognese over house-made pasta.”
“What did you think of it?”
“I loved the first several bites,” I said, “but soon I was overwhelmed by the taste. It wasn’t gamey, but it did have a wilder flavor than beef. I finished my dinner, but reindeer was one and done for me.”
“Many people feel the same way,” Dakota remarked. “Still, it’s one of the healthiest game meats you can eat.”
Well, maybe I’ll give it another try.
“Here we are,” said Dakota.
‘Here’ was a metal pen, and inside the pen – actually, two pens – were the three reindeer.
“Our reindeer are gentle,” Dakota said as she handed me a five-gallon plastic bucket half-filled with feed. “Feel free to pet them…but stay away from their antlers, as they are sensitive to the touch. If you’re ready, let’s go in.”
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We stepped into the first pen, which held Aurora and Borealis – Rory and Alis for short. I don’t mean any disrespect, but they were cows…which is to say, they were female reindeer. (You knew this, right?!) Alis was shy at first, but not Rory, who was ready for a handout – literally. Soon, both reindeer ate from my hand – and it was as much fun for me as it was for them.
The reindeer were stocky – thick necks, big hooves, and square noses. And they were covered in hair from their cloven hooves to their powerful snouts.
As I fed my new friends, Dakota said, “Reindeer have two layers of hair – a dense undercoat and a hollow top layer. The hollow hairs trap air, which keeps them well-insulated.” I slowly reached out my right hand with my palm facing down and stroked Rory’s back – something she seemed to enjoy. Her coat was softer than I expected it to be. |
This was rutting season (September to November), so Dwight (below), a bull, was in an adjoining pen by himself.
There was no doubt that all three deer recognized the orange Home Depot bucket for what it was – FOOD! – and they gorged themselves on as much feed as I offered! Clearly – well, at least for the moment –, I was their NBF.
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Dakota, an affable and well-informed young woman, shared other interesting facts:
- Reindeer were the only species of deer in which females have antlers too.
- They were excellent swimmers and could achieve and maintain a speed of up to six mph – the same as the fastest human swimmers. (Think Mike Phelps.)
- Their soft hooves became hard and sharp in the winter, which enabled them to break the ice as they searched for food.
- Reindeer have 25% more blood vessels in their nose than humans, which helped keep their nose warm in frigid air.
And then she added, “The densely packed blood vessels near the skin’s surface might even cast a rosy hue.”
“Bingo!” I exclaimed. “Rudolph DID have a red nose.”
Dakota giggled.
I can’t wait to tell Jill, I thought.
All too soon it seemed, I said goodbye to Rory, Alis, and Dwight, and then to Dakota when we reached the Adventure Center.
When Jill and I planned our trip, I pooh-poohed this reindeer encounter. Not manly enough, I thought when I spied the UTV tour and other outdoor activities at Borealis Basecamp. Guess what? This encounter was fun and educational, and I had a great time!
“Well, Jill,” I said when I got back, “that was special.”
“Tell me all about it.”
“Let me start with Rudolph,” I began. When I finished sharing what I learned and experienced, Jill gave me her ‘I knew you would love it’ look, and then said, “Let’s have lunch here before we head to Fairbanks.”
Both of us ordered the same meal - seafood chowder (which was delicious), sockeye salmon (which was tasty), and cheesecake (we shared a slice, it was okay).
“Bingo!” I exclaimed. “Rudolph DID have a red nose.”
Dakota giggled.
I can’t wait to tell Jill, I thought.
All too soon it seemed, I said goodbye to Rory, Alis, and Dwight, and then to Dakota when we reached the Adventure Center.
When Jill and I planned our trip, I pooh-poohed this reindeer encounter. Not manly enough, I thought when I spied the UTV tour and other outdoor activities at Borealis Basecamp. Guess what? This encounter was fun and educational, and I had a great time!
“Well, Jill,” I said when I got back, “that was special.”
“Tell me all about it.”
“Let me start with Rudolph,” I began. When I finished sharing what I learned and experienced, Jill gave me her ‘I knew you would love it’ look, and then said, “Let’s have lunch here before we head to Fairbanks.”
Both of us ordered the same meal - seafood chowder (which was delicious), sockeye salmon (which was tasty), and cheesecake (we shared a slice, it was okay).
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Less than 24 hours after we checked in, we checked out.
Welcome to Fairbanks
At 65 degrees north latitude, the sky takes on a capricious life of its own—a canvas
for the aurora borealis, the midnight sun, and sunsets and sunrises that last forever.
Here there are serious mountain ranges, pristine rivers and lakes, abundant wildlife,
and a certain poignant solitude that is found nowhere else on earth.
~ explorefairbanks.com
At 65 degrees north latitude, the sky takes on a capricious life of its own—a canvas
for the aurora borealis, the midnight sun, and sunsets and sunrises that last forever.
Here there are serious mountain ranges, pristine rivers and lakes, abundant wildlife,
and a certain poignant solitude that is found nowhere else on earth.
~ explorefairbanks.com
We drove south on Arizona Route 2, bound for Fairbanks, and within an hour, we reached River’s Edge Resort. It was midafternoon.
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River’s Edge – clean, quiet, and comfortable – was located on the southern bank of the Chena River, a 100-mile long tributary of the Tanana River.
We stayed in cute, one-room cottages – plural, because we each had our own. This was a first on our trip – separate rooms – and I believe it was my ‘saving grace’ insofar as Jill’s cold. While I developed mild symptoms, ‘mild’ was all it was. |
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The river’s edge – the actual edge of the river, not the resort – was picturesque. Lest you wonder why the sky is blue in this pic and gray in the photos above, I snapped this shot on my last day in Fairbanks, when the weather was considerably nicer.
When Jill and I planned our itinerary, we purposely kept this afternoon open – no sightseeing, attractions, or restaurants – so that we could relax ahead of a full schedule of activities each of the next couple of days. In hindsight, this proved to be a wise decision.
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We rested for a couple of hours – Jill in her cottage, me in mine – and then I went shopping for dinner at the local Safeway. Jill asked for (and I bought) a bowl of chicken noodle soup, a bag of pretzels, and a six pack of…ginger ale. For me? A to-go dinner: fried chicken, potato wedges, and cole slaw. With apologies to the Colonel, my meal was finger-licking good!
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My phone rang as I finished dinner. It was Jill.
“Dad, we booked two excursions tomorrow – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I can’t go, so I’ll put the tickets and location information in the Safeway bag and hang it on the front door of my cottage. Give me five minutes before you come by.”
I retrieved the bag, and then spent the rest of my evening on the phone with Debra (my soul mate and wife), scrolling through the day’s news, and reading more of The Hollows by Mark Edwards.
It was lights out at ten, the end of another fascinating day in Alaska.
“Dad, we booked two excursions tomorrow – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I can’t go, so I’ll put the tickets and location information in the Safeway bag and hang it on the front door of my cottage. Give me five minutes before you come by.”
I retrieved the bag, and then spent the rest of my evening on the phone with Debra (my soul mate and wife), scrolling through the day’s news, and reading more of The Hollows by Mark Edwards.
It was lights out at ten, the end of another fascinating day in Alaska.