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 fourth in a series about the sights we saw and the experiences we had as we traveled through The Last Frontier.
This story is the fourth in a series about the sights we saw and the experiences we had as we traveled through The Last Frontier.
Talkeetna, Alaska (Wednesday, September 7, 2022) This was the fifth day of our 12-day road trip though Alaska...and it’s been everything that Jill and I had hoped for.
We spent the first full day in Seward, a port city in southern Alaska, where we enjoyed an exhilarating cruise through the Kenai Fjords. From Seward we drove to Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. Jill and I rode an aerial tram up Mt. Alyeska, where we delighted in stunning views of the surrounding mountain peaks and valley, and then luxuriated in the resort’s unique Nordic spa. On Monday, we stopped in Palmer on our way to Talkeetna to tour The Must Ox Farm. It was a unique experience – a close encounter with “the bearded ones” as we wandered this 75-acre sanctuary.
And now we’re in Talkeetna, located two hours north of Anchorage. It’s a small town that offers a lot to see and do. Jill and I made good use of our time yesterday and today, and I am glad to have you along to share our experiences!
This trip to Alaska was the fifth daughter-father getaway for Jill and me. Over the past five years, we’ve traveled to Ireland, North Carolina, New Mexico, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Dakota. (I know what you’re thinking: Howard, you said “fifth”, but you listed 6 destinations. Right you are, but we combined Georgia and South Carolina in one trip.)
Each getaway was a great adventure. We packed our daily itineraries with sightseeing and other activities from morning to night. On some travel days, in fact, I would say that our itinerary was intense.
This trip, though, was different. On most days, we scheduled one activity, largely because we had to leave room in our schedule to drive to our next destination. Did we miss a ‘top ten’ place of interest in Seward, Talkeetna, or other destinations? Sure, as each offered many ‘see and do’ experiences. Did it matter to us? No, because we knew we couldn’t do it all, so we selected experiences that WERE ‘top ten’ at each destination. I LOVED the pace of this trip, and so did Jill.
Well, enough of my waxing poetic. On to Talkeetna.
We spent the first full day in Seward, a port city in southern Alaska, where we enjoyed an exhilarating cruise through the Kenai Fjords. From Seward we drove to Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. Jill and I rode an aerial tram up Mt. Alyeska, where we delighted in stunning views of the surrounding mountain peaks and valley, and then luxuriated in the resort’s unique Nordic spa. On Monday, we stopped in Palmer on our way to Talkeetna to tour The Must Ox Farm. It was a unique experience – a close encounter with “the bearded ones” as we wandered this 75-acre sanctuary.
And now we’re in Talkeetna, located two hours north of Anchorage. It’s a small town that offers a lot to see and do. Jill and I made good use of our time yesterday and today, and I am glad to have you along to share our experiences!
This trip to Alaska was the fifth daughter-father getaway for Jill and me. Over the past five years, we’ve traveled to Ireland, North Carolina, New Mexico, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Dakota. (I know what you’re thinking: Howard, you said “fifth”, but you listed 6 destinations. Right you are, but we combined Georgia and South Carolina in one trip.)
Each getaway was a great adventure. We packed our daily itineraries with sightseeing and other activities from morning to night. On some travel days, in fact, I would say that our itinerary was intense.
This trip, though, was different. On most days, we scheduled one activity, largely because we had to leave room in our schedule to drive to our next destination. Did we miss a ‘top ten’ place of interest in Seward, Talkeetna, or other destinations? Sure, as each offered many ‘see and do’ experiences. Did it matter to us? No, because we knew we couldn’t do it all, so we selected experiences that WERE ‘top ten’ at each destination. I LOVED the pace of this trip, and so did Jill.
Well, enough of my waxing poetic. On to Talkeetna.
Just the Facts
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The town of Talkeetna (pop. 1,000) is situated at the confluence of three glacially-fed rivers – the Susitna, Chulitna, and Talkeetna. It was no wonder, then, that the town’s name, loosely translated from its Alaska Natives’ name, meant “where the rivers meet.”
Talkeetna, like many small towns in Alaska, was established – the year was 1916 – when the Alaska Railroad made its way north from Seward to Fairbanks. Several of the buildings in the Talkeetna Historic District, including Nagley’s General Store and Fairview Inn, were built in the early 1900s. |
We arrived Monday night for a two-night stay at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, built on a ridge that overlooked the town. Jill and I had hoped to glimpse Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, and other mountains in the Alaska Range, from the backside patio. “The views of Denali from the patio are breathtaking,” I read online before we arrived. Unfortunately, the mountains, located more than 100 miles to the north-northwest, were shrouded in clouds throughout our stay.
No matter, though, as we were here to see and experience Talkeetna. Maybe – just maybe – we will catch sight of ‘The High One’ tomorrow or Friday when we visit Denali National Park.
I covered the evening we arrived (Monday) in my last story, so this story begins yesterday morning.
I covered the evening we arrived (Monday) in my last story, so this story begins yesterday morning.
After a fairly comfortable night’s sleep (I never got a truly good night’s sleep when I traveled), I showered, dressed, and headed to Base Camp Bar, located in the lobby, where I bought a cup of coffee and yogurt parfait. I found an open rocking chair in front of a big picture window that looked out towards the cloud-covered mountains. I sipped my coffee and ate my parfait, as I slowly rocked back and forth with a book on the national park in hand.
Jill was in the mood for a heartier meal, so she opted for the breakfast buffet at Base Camp Bistro, one of two on-site restaurants.
Jill was in the mood for a heartier meal, so she opted for the breakfast buffet at Base Camp Bistro, one of two on-site restaurants.
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By midmorning, we were on our way to explore downtown Talkeetna, widely considered “to be the inspiration for the television show Northern Exposure.” I haven’t a clue, as I never watched this show. Perhaps you did. If so, maybe you will see something in the photos below that jog memories of this comedy-drama series from the ‘90s.
The weather was cool and wet – mid-50s, slight breeze, and off-and-on drizzle. Jill and I dressed in layers topped with water resistant windbreakers. |
A three-by-three block area of downtown is known as the ‘historic district’. Main Street (photo below) runs through the center of town and is flanked by South Alley on one side and North Alley on the other. All three were bisected by B Street at the far end, C Street in the middle, and D Street at the near end. This area was very walkable – perhaps a mile in total.
At the lodge this morning, I pocketed a free brochure titled Historic Walking Tour. Inside was a map that marked 19 noteworthy sites. Now, as Jill and I stood at the near end of South Alley, I opened the brochure to begin our self-guided tour.
(I know what you’re thinking: Ugh! No way will I read about 19 sites, noteworthy or not. Don’t worry – I’ve included only a handful, with a few sentences on each.)
At the lodge this morning, I pocketed a free brochure titled Historic Walking Tour. Inside was a map that marked 19 noteworthy sites. Now, as Jill and I stood at the near end of South Alley, I opened the brochure to begin our self-guided tour.
(I know what you’re thinking: Ugh! No way will I read about 19 sites, noteworthy or not. Don’t worry – I’ve included only a handful, with a few sentences on each.)
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The Territorial Schoolhouse was built in 1936 – one of many constructed across the Alaska Territory (before Alaska became a state in 1959) by the U.S. Government. This two-story schoolhouse, now a historical museum, had a single classroom on the first floor for grades one through eight. There were living quarters on the second floor, where each of the school’s 15 teachers lived until the school closed in 1972.
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Ole Dahl, a trapper and miner who immigrated from Norway in 1906, built this one-room log cabin for his wife Anna, two children, and himself in 1916. Talk about close quarters for four people! The open door invited me to look inside, so I did. Bed, chair, wash basin, cast iron stove, small wooden barrel for kindling, snow skis, and a few more items. According to a U.S. census, Ole Dahl and his family still lived in this cabin in 1940.
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Horace Nagley built a general merchandise store, his second in Alaska, near the Talkeetna River in 1916. In the late ‘40s, the then-current owners, two gentlemen named Barrett and Kennedy, moved Nagley’s to its present location on Main Street, where they operated as B&K Trading Post. The store, which reverted to its original name in 1997, is “the longest continually operated general store in the Northern Susitna Valley.”
Jill and I peeked inside and…I spotted fresh fruit, something I had hungered for since we arrived in Alaska. I bought the last banana and one of several Gala apples in a basket. They were oh-so-good! |
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The Sheldon Community Arts Hangar was built in the 1940s by famed bush pilot Don Sheldon, who “pioneered the technique of glacier landings on Mt. McKinley during the 1950s and 1960s.” The hanger was refurbished and repurposed as a community center and venue for the arts – theater, music, and dance, a chili cookoff, book readings, and more.
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Ben Nauman built the two-story Fairview Inn in 1923. Located on the corner of Main and D, it had the distinction of having the first bathtub in town. You can still book a room - $98 for a single queen and $149 for a double queen. No extra charge for a friendly ghost that some say haunts the second floor!
(That wasn’t so bad, was it?!)
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Jill and I were on the hunt for moose since we landed in Anchorage last Friday. Guess what? We spotted many moose in downtown Talkeetna, including these four (and one more that gave me a kiss!). As you can see, these were not run-of-the-mill moose, like Bullwinkle. Instead, they were folk art – wooden cut-outs that were colorfully painted by locals. Fun, fun, fun!
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We walked the length of Main Street to Talkeetna Riverfront Park, where we strolled along the water’s edge with a great view of where the 3 rivers – Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chulitna – mingled and merged. These rivers were the primary source of transportation for Alaskan Natives, trappers, miners, and frontier folks through the early 1900s. By the 1920s, though, the rivers had given way to the Alaska Railroad, as it was easier to transport supplies by rail than by river.
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I checked my watch as we left Riverfront Park. One o’clock.
“Jill, I’m ready for lunch,” I announced. “We passed several restaurants as we walked down Main Street, and I’m game for any of them.”
“Sure, I could eat too,” Jill replied. “Let me do a quick Google search.”
A few minutes later, she said, “The landing page for Homestead Kitchen says, ‘Come and enjoy a taste of Alaska where Alaska’s homesteading spirit is served up fresh. Simple ingredients. Hearty dishes.’ I like the sound of that. Let’s go.”
“Jill, I’m ready for lunch,” I announced. “We passed several restaurants as we walked down Main Street, and I’m game for any of them.”
“Sure, I could eat too,” Jill replied. “Let me do a quick Google search.”
A few minutes later, she said, “The landing page for Homestead Kitchen says, ‘Come and enjoy a taste of Alaska where Alaska’s homesteading spirit is served up fresh. Simple ingredients. Hearty dishes.’ I like the sound of that. Let’s go.”
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The rustic looking restaurant was located on Main between C and D. It would have been grand to eat on the patio, but the weather was dicey, so we ate inside.
Homestead Kitchen offered counter service – queue to place an order. As we stood in line behind other guests, we read the menu posted on a series of boards along the wall. |
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“It’s pretty crowded in here,” I remarked. “I see one open table. You order, I’ll grab it.”
“What would you like to eat?” Jill asked. “I’ll have the Denali loaded potato and a cup of seafood chowder,” I replied as I scurried off to the table. |
Jill soon joined me and placed two numbered flags on our table – one for her meal, one for mine. A server arrived, plates in hand, 15 minutes later.
Jill ate healthy – salmon over a bed of locally-grown microgreens and a small bowl of ancient grains dressed with a cashew sauce.
My loaded potato included a generous portion of pulled pork, topped with crispy onions, Alaskan amber beer cheese, and house-made BBQ sauce. Mouthwatering and absolutely delish, as was the seafood chowder – chunks of Alaskan salmon and cod, as well as veggies. Nothing like a hot meal to warm you up on a cool and damp day!
Jill ate healthy – salmon over a bed of locally-grown microgreens and a small bowl of ancient grains dressed with a cashew sauce.
My loaded potato included a generous portion of pulled pork, topped with crispy onions, Alaskan amber beer cheese, and house-made BBQ sauce. Mouthwatering and absolutely delish, as was the seafood chowder – chunks of Alaskan salmon and cod, as well as veggies. Nothing like a hot meal to warm you up on a cool and damp day!
After lunch, we backtracked on Main to B Street, and then turned left to reach the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station. Do you see the white board on the porch? On it was posted statistics for the recently ended three month climbing season (May to July) on Denali and Foraker: 1,132 climbers, 780 summits, 52 countries represented, etc., etc. Interesting!
We stepped inside and Jill…immediately found a comfortable chair to sit in (“Not my cup of tea,” she said as she walked away) while I meandered from one exhibit to the next. There was a lot of interesting info on Denali, including a short bio of Walter Harper, who was the first person to summit the mountain. He accomplished this feat in 1913 as part of a larger expedition.
It was time to explore some of the many gift and souvenir shops that lined both sides of Main Street. Designs by Shanda (metal art). Silverbear Sundries (soaps, teas, and oils). Once in A Blue Moose (jewelry, clothes, souvenirs, and more). Antler Outpost (antler carvings, hand-made knifes, jewelry, and hats). And then there was our favorite shop – Dancing Leaf Gallery.
It was time to explore some of the many gift and souvenir shops that lined both sides of Main Street. Designs by Shanda (metal art). Silverbear Sundries (soaps, teas, and oils). Once in A Blue Moose (jewelry, clothes, souvenirs, and more). Antler Outpost (antler carvings, hand-made knifes, jewelry, and hats). And then there was our favorite shop – Dancing Leaf Gallery.
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Why was it our favorite? First, it felt like a true art gallery from the moment we walked through the front doors – there was no clutter, it was well lit, and everything from tabletop items to large paintings were tastefully displayed on tables, in cabinets, and on the walls. Second, the pieces offered were hand made by Alaskan artists – ‘a rotation of about 150 local artisans,’ according to the gallery’s website. Real art, including jewelry by Stacie Smiley, mixed media paintings by Ryan Pierce, fused glass by Karen Mannix, and woven baskets by Peg Foster.
Jill bought a lovely pair of Alpine Forget-Me-Not (Alaska’s state flower) glass earnings. |
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“Well, dad,” Jill said with hope in her voice as we left the gallery. “Have you seen everything you want to see in downtown Talkeetna? I know I have.”
Very subtle, right?!
“Sure,” I replied. “I’m ready to leave.”
This was a great outing, as I loved to learn the history and experience the quaint culture of small towns like Talkeetna. So, in my book, our time here was well spent.
We hung out at the lodge for a couple of hours. Jill caught up on business emails, talked with her fiancé Ryan, and dozed. Down in the lobby (and yes, back in a rocker), I scanned news headlines and read a few interesting articles on my Kindle, talked with Debra, and read from more about Denali National Park.
Very subtle, right?!
“Sure,” I replied. “I’m ready to leave.”
This was a great outing, as I loved to learn the history and experience the quaint culture of small towns like Talkeetna. So, in my book, our time here was well spent.
We hung out at the lodge for a couple of hours. Jill caught up on business emails, talked with her fiancé Ryan, and dozed. Down in the lobby (and yes, back in a rocker), I scanned news headlines and read a few interesting articles on my Kindle, talked with Debra, and read from more about Denali National Park.
It seemed like we ate a lot today day, right?! Well, by six we were ready for dinner. “Let’s try Foraker’s,” Jill suggested. Unfortunately, it was reserved for a large contingent of tour bus guests who arrived today. So, it was back to Base Camp Bistro with its ‘down-home favorites’. Both of us ordered wild caught Alaskan salmon served over a bed of mixed vegetables and quinoa. This tasty dish was a nice change of pace (for me) from the caribou, reindeer, and pork I had the past three nights.
We retired to the patio after dinner, where we hung out until the sun set – then we were off to our room to catch some z’s.
We retired to the patio after dinner, where we hung out until the sun set – then we were off to our room to catch some z’s.
It was a new day, and time for another adventure. Here’s a clue. What did we do?
Yep…right you are! We went on a guided jet boat cruise on the Susitna River aboard the 55-passenger McKinley Queen.
First though, Jill and I had business to attend to. We were five days into our trip, and the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge was the first hotel we stayed at with laundry facilities…and the last one for another five days. So, this was wash day – one load for each of us, a couple of hours for a wash and dry.
The dryer was the longer of the two cycles – enough time for us to fuel up ahead of our cruise. We WERE creatures of habit: Jill went to Base Camp Bistro for the breakfast buffet, and I bought a yogurt parfait and cup of coffee at Base Camp Bar – the same as yesterday.
Finished with laundry? Check. Finished with breakfast? Check. Let’s go cruising!
At Mahay’s Jet Boat office near downtown Talkeetna, we boarded an old school bus that shuttled us to the dock for a noontime departure.
First though, Jill and I had business to attend to. We were five days into our trip, and the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge was the first hotel we stayed at with laundry facilities…and the last one for another five days. So, this was wash day – one load for each of us, a couple of hours for a wash and dry.
The dryer was the longer of the two cycles – enough time for us to fuel up ahead of our cruise. We WERE creatures of habit: Jill went to Base Camp Bistro for the breakfast buffet, and I bought a yogurt parfait and cup of coffee at Base Camp Bar – the same as yesterday.
Finished with laundry? Check. Finished with breakfast? Check. Let’s go cruising!
At Mahay’s Jet Boat office near downtown Talkeetna, we boarded an old school bus that shuttled us to the dock for a noontime departure.
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The boat was captained by Jesse, while Alice served as our naturalist guide. Both did an excellent job!
When we reached open water, Jesse revved the engines and the 44-foot-long jet boat quickly shot up the Susitna River, soon reaching its maximum speed of 50 mph. “That was a quick start, right?” Jesse announced playfully over the loudspeaker. “Not to worry. We will average 35 mph, which is a very comfortable speed on this river. I suggest you keep the windows closed while we’re moving. This will keep the spray and wind outside the boat. Feel free to open the windows for a better view or to take pictures when we slow down or stop.”
This two-hour cruise traveled 20 miles upriver. We stopped at a few points along the way, where Alice told us about the plants and trees that grew on the river system, pointed to birds she spotted (including two bald eagles high atop a tree!), and called our attention to a side stream where salmon returned to spawn every year. Alice’s stories were interesting and informative…and well honed.
It rained off and on as we cruised, with low-hanging gray clouds our constant companion, which made it tough to capture the river’s scenic beauty. Bummer!
When we reached open water, Jesse revved the engines and the 44-foot-long jet boat quickly shot up the Susitna River, soon reaching its maximum speed of 50 mph. “That was a quick start, right?” Jesse announced playfully over the loudspeaker. “Not to worry. We will average 35 mph, which is a very comfortable speed on this river. I suggest you keep the windows closed while we’re moving. This will keep the spray and wind outside the boat. Feel free to open the windows for a better view or to take pictures when we slow down or stop.”
This two-hour cruise traveled 20 miles upriver. We stopped at a few points along the way, where Alice told us about the plants and trees that grew on the river system, pointed to birds she spotted (including two bald eagles high atop a tree!), and called our attention to a side stream where salmon returned to spawn every year. Alice’s stories were interesting and informative…and well honed.
It rained off and on as we cruised, with low-hanging gray clouds our constant companion, which made it tough to capture the river’s scenic beauty. Bummer!
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About halfway back to town, we docked and disembarked so that Alice could lead us on a quarter-mile nature walk. I don’t know why, but I was a bit taken aback when I saw she had a 12-gauge shotgun slung over her shoulder. “This is bear and moose country,” she explained. “It is better to be safe than sorry.” I could not agree more!
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Our first stop was a re-creation of a Dena’ina Indian encampment. There, Alice told us about the Dena’ina, the earliest Native Alaskan inhabitants who arrived in south central Alaska between 1,000 and 1,500 years. “They were a hunter-gatherer culture that organized in regional bands comprised of several villages. A once large population now numbers around 1,000, and less than 50 speak Dena’ina as a first language.”
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There were several sets of moose antlers lying on the ground. Guess who hefted a full set onto his shoulders. The antlers, which weighed 25 to 30 pounds, were about four to five feet wide and maybe three feet tall. It was a load, to be sure.
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Further up the trail, we stopped at an authentic trapper’s cabin built at the turn of the 20th century. “The door on this cabin was built with a purpose,” said Alice. “Can you guess what it was?” No takers, so she continued, “You’ll notice that the door opens out and is raised. Bears can’t pull doors open and they can’t step up, so both features prevented bears from getting inside the cabin.” Smart!
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Check out this fox stole, which was hanging on a nearby rack. What do you think? Is it me?!
Quarter mile out, quarter mile back. Re-embark. Cruise back to the dock. Shuttle into town. Done.
The cruise was another relaxing activity, and a fun and informative outing!
Quarter mile out, quarter mile back. Re-embark. Cruise back to the dock. Shuttle into town. Done.
The cruise was another relaxing activity, and a fun and informative outing!
We checked out of the lodge this morning. Before we set out for Denali National Park, we had lunch at The Enchanted Bowl, housed in a small building – perhaps better described as a large shack – near Nagley’s Store.
The menu was posted on a chalk billboard – five or six poke bowls. Jill ordered Shoyu Poke, while I opted for Teriyaki Chicken. I admit that I was a bit skeptical of Jill’s choice of restaurants, but guess what? The service was great, the portions were filling, and the food was very tasty. “Great choice, Jill!” I said as I finished my last forkful of chicken.
The menu was posted on a chalk billboard – five or six poke bowls. Jill ordered Shoyu Poke, while I opted for Teriyaki Chicken. I admit that I was a bit skeptical of Jill’s choice of restaurants, but guess what? The service was great, the portions were filling, and the food was very tasty. “Great choice, Jill!” I said as I finished my last forkful of chicken.
According to Google Map, we had a two and one-half hour drive – roughly 155 miles – ahead of us.
We reached Denali State Park – adjacent to the southern border of the national park – in a little over an hour. At almost 325,000 thousand acres, it was the fourth largest state park in Alaska…and half the size of Rhode Island. As you can see from these pics (yep – through the front windshield as we drove!), the highway was lined with shrubs and trees that formed a corridor along our route.
We reached Denali State Park – adjacent to the southern border of the national park – in a little over an hour. At almost 325,000 thousand acres, it was the fourth largest state park in Alaska…and half the size of Rhode Island. As you can see from these pics (yep – through the front windshield as we drove!), the highway was lined with shrubs and trees that formed a corridor along our route.
And then, after we passed the town of Cantwell, the topography changed again. The land on either side of the highway was blanketed with a colorful pallette of spuce, aspens, dwarf birch, and other foliage…and the distant mountains told us we were close to Denali National Park.
A bit further on, Jill was first to spot Grande Denali Lodge, perched high atop a hill ahead and to our right.
This is no longer a vaction. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun.
~ Clark Griswold
~ Clark Griswold
Would you like to hear a funny story that wasn’t so humorous at the time?
Google Map intoned “Turn right,” and so I did. Soon, the app announced, “Turn left.” Who was I to argue? We left a paved drive in favor of a rutted dirt road. Could this really be the way, I thought. Then things got interesting, because we reached a series of tight switchbacks that sometimes required me to perform a three-point turn to navigate. Jill was on pins and needles as we climbed, climbed, climbed this narrow one-car road (road?), where the shrubs and trees seemed to reach out to touch us…or at least to touch the sides of our car. Well, we finally reached the lodge, where we learned that we had taken a service road to the top. As I shook my head, I said to Jill, “This was our Clark Griswold Family Vacation moment!”
Google Map intoned “Turn right,” and so I did. Soon, the app announced, “Turn left.” Who was I to argue? We left a paved drive in favor of a rutted dirt road. Could this really be the way, I thought. Then things got interesting, because we reached a series of tight switchbacks that sometimes required me to perform a three-point turn to navigate. Jill was on pins and needles as we climbed, climbed, climbed this narrow one-car road (road?), where the shrubs and trees seemed to reach out to touch us…or at least to touch the sides of our car. Well, we finally reached the lodge, where we learned that we had taken a service road to the top. As I shook my head, I said to Jill, “This was our Clark Griswold Family Vacation moment!”
Our room was nothing to write home about, but I must say that we had a magnificent view from the small patio outside our room.
The river in the foreground is the Nenana, a glacial river that forms the eastern boundary of the park. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe that the mountain in the background is 5,700-foot-high Mount Healy.
Jill and I closed out our day with dinner at Prospectors Historic Pizzeria & Alehouse, just a short drive from the lodge. It was a busy, busy place for a Wednesday night. We had a 30 minute wait, but it was well worth it.
The hostess handed me a pager, and we used our wait time to nose around the nearby Northern Lights Gift Shop. I found my first purchase right away: A small hunting knife, with a single sharpened edge, caribou-antler handle, and leather sheath, crafted by a local knifesmith. It was a great addition to my small collection of knives. I also purchased a pair of glass bead earrings for Debra, also Alaskan-made.
The pager beeped, which told us that our table was ready.
The hostess handed me a pager, and we used our wait time to nose around the nearby Northern Lights Gift Shop. I found my first purchase right away: A small hunting knife, with a single sharpened edge, caribou-antler handle, and leather sheath, crafted by a local knifesmith. It was a great addition to my small collection of knives. I also purchased a pair of glass bead earrings for Debra, also Alaskan-made.
The pager beeped, which told us that our table was ready.
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A friendly waiter – Ben was his name, I think - arrived soon after we were seated.
“Something to drink?” Ben asked. “Absolutely!” I replied. “I’d like a lager. What would you recommend?” “Our customers like the 49th State Smok, a copper-hued lager brewed in nearby Healy,” he suggested. Smok it was, and when I took the first sip, that smoky flavor reminded |
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Jill and I perused the menu. There was a lot to choose from among the starters, salads, sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas.
I said to Jill, “I’d love a pizza, but I think its too late – you know, it would be too heavy a meal before bedtime. So, I’m going with a cup of tomato soup and an order of elk meatballs in marinara sauce. How about you?”
“I’m committed to fish, I guess,” was her reply. “A Greek salad with grilled Alaskan salmon.”
My dinner was mmm, mmm good! Jill seemed less enthused with her meal.
I said to Jill, “I’d love a pizza, but I think its too late – you know, it would be too heavy a meal before bedtime. So, I’m going with a cup of tomato soup and an order of elk meatballs in marinara sauce. How about you?”
“I’m committed to fish, I guess,” was her reply. “A Greek salad with grilled Alaskan salmon.”
My dinner was mmm, mmm good! Jill seemed less enthused with her meal.
We walked the boardwalk of gift shops after dinner – no souvenirs, though, just an opportunity to knock off a few calories before we drove back to the lodge and turned in for the night.
This was another great day – a day of wonderful memories – for Jill and me.
Tomorrow we’ll go on a wilderness bus tour in Denali National Park. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you in my next story.
This was another great day – a day of wonderful memories – for Jill and me.
Tomorrow we’ll go on a wilderness bus tour in Denali National Park. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you in my next story.