July 3, 4, and 5--Fairbanks, AK

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Postscript to Saturday’s entry.

We had dinner Saturday night at an all-you-can-eat, salmon, prime rib and snow crab legs place that occupied a corner of Pioneer Park. It wasn’t that great for the price we paid, and that is why I most likely forgot it. The place was set up for tour buses to bring in hordes of people and since they were not there at this time, we could go right through the serving line. We did find a couple of RTers inside and joined them for dinner. That was pleasant.

Sunday July 3rd through Monday, July 5th Pioneer Park, Fairbanks Alaska; Fair and 57 degrees. Starting mileage 10925.

Started the day by driving to Creamer’s Field that is now a 2000 acre Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. Prior to 1966, this was a dairy farm started by the Hinckley family and then run by the Creamers. Both families were pioneers into Fairbanks with the Hinckley’s bringing their cows from Nome to here by steamship. The State then purchased this farm and added land to it which has become a place with several trails and bird watching platforms. The birds started coming to this field because it was fertilized with manure and the manure caused the snow to melt early, plus it had seeds in it.

The farm house is the visitor’s center and the old barn is still standing. Around the barn under the eves, the swallows have built mud nests. Valerie got pictures of the babies and the mother coming in to feed them. Out in the field/meadow/pasture were sand hill cranes and Canada geese. We walked a trail through some very pretty birch woods—fighting mosquitoes all the way----and Valerie caught a picture of a yellow-rumped warbler in mid-flight. Walked back to the shop in the visitor’s center and I bought a T-shirt.

Drove to the adjacent bird observatory, but it was closed. So, we drove into a parking area in front of Creamer’s field and ate lunch watching the cranes and geese in the field and ducks in a tiny pond that was more the size of a big mud puddle.

After lunch, we stopped and looked at a Farmer’s market, but they only had crafts and not the fresh produce that we were looking for. We next drove to the near-by Fred Meyers and bought a few groceries like barbequed ribs for dinner and Tillamook cheese. Looked for some 4th of July T-shirts, but couldn’t find any. Started raining as it had off and on all day, and so, we drove back toward Pioneer Park and ate our ribs for dinner and called it a day.

Monday, July 4th

Got inside the Park before 10:00 to watch the 4th of July opening festivities. The Boy Scouts were handing out small American Flags to everyone as we entered the Park. The large paddle wheeler, Nenana, which is the center piece of the Park, was decorated with red, white, and blue balloons and the military and dignitaries used the upper deck for the ceremonies. A military band was set up in front of her and we quickly found two seats to watch.

It was a typical small town 4th of July, starting with an Air Force 3 jet fly over, then patriotic marches and music from the Arctic Warrior military band, a bunch of speeches, and then a 50 gun salute, one for each state. . A children’s parade and other activities were held in the afternoon. They don’t have fireworks in Alaska on the 4th as it isn’t dark enough to see them. They have fireworks on New Year’s Eve instead.

After this performance, we started to walk around to look at the historical/pioneer homes and buildings that had been moved here from around Fairbanks. It started pouring rain so, we ducked into the paddle-wheeler and looked at the display that is inside. Some one, from old photos, had constructed model towns and villages along the total river route the Nenana plied. It had tiny figures doing all kinds of activities and was very interesting.

Went back to Rosie and had lunch and a nap. The small group of RTers (6 of us), staying the night at the Park, got together that night for a pot-luck in one of the picnic shelters. We furnished a mixed salad with pickled beets, spinach, chicken strips, and red onion as sides to be added if you wished. A good time was had by all. We then returned to Rosie and turned on the celebration and fireworks in New York and then watched Boston’s. It was a good 4th!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Starting mileage was 10938. 64 degrees and

mostly sunny.

Didn’t get going much until about 12:30 that day because, we spent time making a large potato salad for the potluck that night.

Drove to gas station and got gas, propane and filled water tank. 18.170 gals @ $3.979 for a total cost of $72.30. Propane cost was $28.36 for 5.8 gals.

Drove downtown to the visitor’s center which is located at a bend of the Chena River. Looked at their displays and got info about activities in Fairbanks. Then drove through town to the library that is located about 4 blocks from Pioneer Park. It is the only library in town. Exchanged books and worked on our e-mail and internet stuff.

Attended a large potluck in the parking lot. Many of the group were saying good-byes as they were heading toward homes in the “lower 48” in the next couple of days.

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