Day 31: Travel to Denali, Alaska

We all left River’s Edge RV Park in Fairbanks

River's Edge RV Park Sign

this morning heading for Denali National Park (Denali is the native name for Mount McKinley, the highest peak in the United States).  Some of us were slow risers and some of us beat the Wagon Masters out of the park. We saw the edges of beautiful mountain ranges and lots of trees before reaching the bridge over the Tanana River just upstream from the confluence of the Nenana River.

Tanana River Bridge

From this bridge you can see a railroad bridge crossing the Nenana River, which is said to be the world’s largest single-span expansion bridge on rollers ever built.  The bridge moves continually when the weather changes by expanding and contracting on its rollers.

Railroad bridge crossing the Nenana River

 Most of us stopped in Nenana, which is next to the bridge. Here we visited the visitor’s center and some of us bought tickets for the Ice Pool, where as much as $350,000 can be won as the prize for most closely predicting the time and date of when the ice will break up in the spring.   Jim spent $20 hoping to be the next winner.

Nepana Valley Visitor Center

We continued on the highway to the Denali campground concluding our 110.6 mile trip for the day.  Some of us lunched at Rose’s Café, which is located just shortly before the campground.  We were warned in Nenana to order one meal and share since the portions were so large.  Some of us followed that advice. Note the pancake, egg and bacon dish for “one”.

Lunch at Rose's Cafe

 Many of us have been looking for a sighting of Denali; we are still not sure if we have seen it or not as it is said to often cloud over. Tomorrow we will know better.

 After setting up camp and having our travel briefing, we all shared a potluck of hearty appetizers. Yummy!

 Sue surprised each couple with a quilted microwave cooking “bag.”  She has been sewing them along the way. We also shared in celebrating Tom’s birthday, with a cake decorated with motorcycles.  Don modeled the flower clasp won by Sue as one of the door prizes.  How flattering!

Penny, Tom (Birthday boy) and Garry

Don makes a great model

Submitted by Rig #13

Linda & Jim