North To Alaska!

What an adventure!  In search of the Aurora Borealis.

It all started on Monday, February 12th, at Nashville International Airport, where I was booked on a 5:55 p.m. flight to Fairbanks, Alaska.

The first leg of the flight was to Seattle, Washington.  After a hour and a half layover I boarded the next flight directly into Fairbanks.

I arrived in Fairbanks at 1:55 a.m., and yes, that is very early in the morning.   I rented a car from the Turo website and set out to find it in short-term parking.  After loading my carry-on and checking the vehicle over, I set off for the Best Western Pioneer Park about 10 minutes away.

After checking in and getting settled, I had time for about a four hour nap.

Up at 7 a.m. (AST) and ready for breakfast. Out the door at 8 a.m. and I am off for the day to visit Denali National Park.

As I am driving the sun is coming up on the horizon.   It was spectacular as the colors seemed much more intense due to the chilly ( 20°) outside.

There were mountains covered in snow and others where you couldn’t see the snow because of the forest of tall evergreens.

A few surprises along the way, like a moose spotted in the trees off the highway and a gorgeous frozen river nestled between the mountains.

There were these winds, the locals called chinooks, blowing loose snow over the road, and the bus that was used in the movie Into the Wild.

Stopping for gas and snacks, I met and talked with the nicest locals.  When the young lady behind the counter asked where I was from, I said “Tennessee” and then she asked me, “Do you know Miley Cyrus?” I smiled and politely replied no and later giggled about it. 

Back on the road again, I made it to the entrance of Denali National Park. The high temperature for the day was 36° which was only ten degrees different from Tennessee that day.

The park was closed at the 13 mile mark.  I stopped at the Murie Science and Learning Center, which serves as the Visitor Center during the winter.

The lady working there told me that if I kept driving south past the town of Cantwell that I might be able to see Denali (Mount McKinley).  So I headed south.

And then there was this beauty right at the side of the road!

She was huge and didn’t mind I stopped to take her picture (from the inside of my vehicle of course).

I couldn’t see the mountain as the clouds had come down to cover it. 

Did you know that Mount McKinley was actually renamed Denali in 2016? I had thought, I am sure, like most people, that they were two different entities.  In 1975, the Alaskan Athabaskan people of the Koyukon requested it be changed as that is what it was commonly called by natives of Alaska.

Driving back to Fairbanks I stopped in the little town of Nenana, Alaska to see some sites and check it out.

The statue of the Alaska Territorial Guard with plaque, a town mural, and a tugboat that was dry docked in 1978 that worked the local waterways.

An interesting fact about Nenana is that it’s famous for its Ice Classic, a lottery for guessing when the Nenana River will break up in the spring.

Returning to Fairbanks, I stopped at a local establishment called The Oasis for dinner, then back to the hotel for a few hours sleep.

The alarm went off at 930 p.m. and dressing for the weather set out to a place called Aurora Point.  For $50, you got cookies and hot cocoa and a very knowledgeable young man named Sage who would give everyone information all about the aurora borealis.

The night was successful.

The weird white spots on my pictures are stars, in case you were wondering.

Around 2 a.m. I head back to the hotel to get a bit more sleep.

A little sleep and up at 8 a.m. and on the road by 9 a.m. to Chena Hot Springs Resort for the day.

About an hour east of Fairbanks is the Chena Hot Springs Resort, which offers several different activities, along with lodging.

First, the Ice Museum with a bar inside that offers appletinis in an ice carved glass!

Cheers to you!

Next up, Dog Sledding!

A team of ten dogs pulls the sled.  There were two sections for the dogs.  One where the older retired dogs were and one of younger stronger dogs.

Most retired dogs could also be adopted.

A video for your viewing pleasure!

https://youtu.be/h8zhu3nV02E?feature=shared

After the brisk ride through the forest, it was now time for some relaxing in the hot springs!  Ahhhhhh

Oh my, was it cold when you got out but well worth it!  Again, today was in the 30’s so not too bad for February in Alaska!  After drying off and putting on the cold weather clothes again it was time to drive back to Fairbanks.

I’m hungry, how about you?  Bahn Thai Restaurant in downtown Fairbanks was suggested to me by the young lady sitting next to me on the airplane.  This place was amazing!

With a full tummy, it’s back to the hotel for a little relaxation and a nap before tonight’s adventure.

With the alarm set for 10 p.m. it was time to go searching for the aurora borealis in hopes they would be dancing tonight.

After searching a couple of different areas out of town, I came across a school up the hillside that I had noticed on the way back from the Chena Resort.  It was perfect!

Although the aurora didn’t dance they still came out to play.

The trees looked blurry, taking pictures, but the aurora did not disappoint.

Another 2 a.m. ending and back to the hotel to sleep some.

The last morning of this short trip.  After breakfast and a short drive to Rod’s Outdoor Adventures, it was time for some snowmobiling, which they call snowmachining in Alaska.

It was a blast!  I got the snowmachine up to 32 mph at some points.  There were people who buddied up and people who rode alone, like me.

These snowmachines were equipped with heated grips on the throttle and the brakes.  The helmets were also heated, making it a very enjoyable time.

Afterwards, it was time to go to North Pole, Alaska, and the Santa Claus House and the “man” himself.

And of course, there were reindeer!

And a super sized Santa and a North Pole marker.  The marker reads:  This pole is one of two poles manufactured in 1951 as part of a campaign to properly mark the top of the earth.  After a grand tour of the United States, its twin was pushed out of the tail hatch of an Alaska Airlines DC-4 over the geographical north pole on the artic night of December 11, after being rediscovered in 1972, in an old junky yard.

Tonight, I head back to Tennessee on a red-eye at 1 a.m.  I have jammed a lot into this time in Alaska with little sleep, but that is what red-eye flights are for!

It’s time to just relax for a bit before dinner at Pikes Landing, then to catch the flight home.

As I sit and wait on my 15-hour journey home with stops in Seattle and Salt Lake City, I am wondering why I didn’t stay longer.

Flying out of Fairbanks, I look outside my window and take a few last pictures of the auroras.

And as dawn breaks, I am ready for my own bed and my puppies!

***I would like to give special thanks to my friend Darlene from church for being my travel buddy on this bucket list trip!***