Adventures with Yogi and Boone

August 3rd - 6th

From Girdwood to Denali: Mountains, Magic Buses & Moose

Last time we checked in, we were wrapping up our time in Girdwood. from there, we made our way toward Anchorage, where we met up with bob's sister and brother-in-law, fresh off their Alaskan cruise. August 3rd is a special day-Gary's birthday! (We won't say how old he is , but let's just say he looks fantastic.). We shared a lovely breakfast, knocked out some chores Anchorage, and then set off for what turned out to be one of the sweetest surprises of our trip.

While dining in Girdwood, we had a chance encounter (some might call it kismet) with a wonderful couple, Doug and Lynn.  They invited us to their home in Wasilla, and what a treat that turned out to be. They welcomed us with warmth, a delicious dinner, and the kind of conversation that stretches late into the night. Their home sits with a stunning view of the mountains surrounding Wasilla and the Palmer area. They even let us park the van and sleep in their driveway, and we woke to a peaceful morning and a lovely breakfast. 

Doug and Lynn gave us all sorts of local tips for the rest of our route, and their advice has been golden-especially their recommendation to drive over Hatcher Pass. Yes, it's mostly a dirt road, but totally worth the dust. The views are vast and breathtaking, and we stopped for a great hike up near Independence Mine, a former gold mine turned ghost town. It's beautifully preserved with a self-guided walking tour that really brings its history to life. 

From there, we rolled on to Talkeetna, another gem thanks to Doug and Lynn's suggestions. The town was alive with live music, good vibes, and some of the best pizza (Mountain High Pizza Pie) we've had in a while.  We had a quiet night there before heading out toward Denali National Park - and wow, did the weather show up for us. 

Bluebird skies gave us our first real views of Mt. Denali, and we were honestly stunned. In the summer, Denali is usually hiding behind clouds, so to see her in full view felt like a real gift. We soaked in the scenery, snapped a ton of photos, and spent the night at a BLM campground along the Denali Highway. Which is really just a dirt road!  

Today, we made it into Denali National Park, and the views just kept coming. We were lucky enough to catch even more stunning glimpses of Mount Denali-she really showed off for us-and we snapped a bunch of photos we can't wait to share. And then, just when we thought the day couldn't get any better, we spotted three moose: a mama and tow juveniles, slowly making their way through a rocky creek bed. It was pretty awesome.

We ended our day in the park with something truly special: a visit to the Denali Sled Dog Kennels. Honestly, it's hard to put into words what it was like to be there. They gave a great talk about the history of the sled dogs and how vital they still are to maintaining the park, especially in the winter when motorized vehicles can't go where the dogs can. We got to see a live demo where the dogs pulled a wheeled slip-and wow, their energy and enthusiasm were contagious. Even more exciting? We got to see this spring's new litter of puppies, who'll be training to join the team and pull sleds by next year. So sweet, so impressive, and definitely a highlight of the day. 

We capped off the day with a visit to the 49th State Brewery in Healy (thanks again, Doug and Lynn!). We enjoyed some cold beers - because, of course, breweries are kind of our thing - and checked out the famous "Magic Bus" from the movie Into the Wild. It's the actual bus used in the movie, complete with journal entries and photos inside. A cool, slightly eerie, slice of alaskan history. 

Now we're settle into another campground, doing laundry and enjoying a warm evening outside. Speaking of warm - it hit 75 degrees today and we were HOT. Like, almost complaining -about-the-heat kind of hot. Does this mean we've been in Alaska long enough to be considered local?

Hard to say, but either way....it's been another magical stretch of the journey and we are loving and appreciating every minute.

A few pictures from tonights camp site.  Complete with a private runway and an amazing garden.

Fairbanks, here we come......

Bob, Sherry and Boone