Day 22 - Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Not just a great John Candy movie but a song by the Jackie Boyz and what our day entailed!
We started the morning off with a Flightseeing Tour to the Denali with K2 Aviation. What a treat! We have a Tour Saver book and got this flight 2 for the price of one. The day has dawned cloudy but with patches of blue so we are hopeful that we will get a glimpse of the big mountain! We had a surprise in that there were a lot of people there so we thought we would be in a plane with lots of other people but they kept calling parties some in 8's some in 4's but it got down to us and one other couple and we each got to go in a small plane by ourselves. Just us and the pilot flying above the beautiful Denali park with its moutain peaks and huge glaciers!
Now the clouds were a bit of a problem and we only got to see a glimpse of Denali (McKinley) just the east face lit up in the sun but the rest hidden by thick clouds. However, we are so glad we took this flight! It was just breathtaking up there. We flew over the Ruth Glacier which is 28 miles long and 1 and 1/2 to 2 miles wide with its lovely patches of blue that look like someone spilled a blue snow cone! The other mountains spires and faces were amazing and we took lots of pictures of this beautiful area. Our pilot, Mike, was terrific and tried so hard to find a break in the clouds so that we could see the high one but like I said we just got a glimpse of the east face and not the peak. You can't help but wonder at the majesty of God's world up there and hum to yourself "How Great Thou Art!"
So when we had our feet firmly planted on the ground again, we went to find some brunch because now we are booked on a 6 hours train ride and even Corona gets to come along. This train is the last whistle-stop train in the United States. People who live or hike along this area just flag the train down and it picks them up. The train goes to Hurricane Gulch and then turns around (well it has an engine on both ends so it gets to the gulch and then the other engine takes you back so you don't physically turn around. Our conductor was great and very funny. They told us we might have to muzzle Corona but the conductor never did make us do that. Corona, was not sure about train travel at first - he was quite happy when we were in the station - Earl and I were together and he settled down contentedly but when that train started moving and swaying back and forth he got quite nervous. But he is a good traveler and eventually just laid down and went to sleep. The views of the river and eventually of the mountains are great from the train and it was a mellow way to spend the afternoon ~ Earl even had a bit of a nap lulled to sleep by the rocking of the Great Alaska Railway. At Hurricane we disembarked and gave Corona a pee break and stretch. He was not sure about getting back on the train and balked at the steps but I gave him a boost and he was okay once he was on again!
We took a little drive around Talkeetna but it was a busy Friday afternoon with music in the park and there was no parking for our trailer and truck so we decided to head out of Talkeetna for supper and continue on our way toward Anchorage. We were not far out when we found a place called the Flying Squirrel to stop for Supper. Fed and happy after our day, we completed the trio - planes, trains and automobiles - by driving the Parks Highway to Houston where we stopped for the night at a little campground along the river.
Tucked into our Little Guy Trailer all cosy and warm its off to sleep ready for another busy day tomorrow when we head to the Kenai Peninsula!
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