Day 33 -36 - 07/25 - 07/28/10

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This morning we break camp at Fox Run Campground, and head north about 200 miles to Denali and the Denali National Park. We found two spaces at the Denali Rainbow Village and RV Park in downtown Denali. We were backed into the rear side of the stores that lined the main drag of Denali, and were so close together you could hear the neighbors sneeze, but it was convenient to downtown shopping. Faith and Marcus went for a walk window shopping while I cooked a supper of country fried steak, rice, gravy, and green beans. Not much to do after eating seeing as it has turned rather cool and has started a light rain.
Today, Monday, Faith and Marcus drove about 15 miles into Denali National Park, which is as for as you can take a personal vehicle into the park, and went on a hike at the Savage River hiking trail. Barbara and I mostly rested, took a stroll down the main street looking into the various shops. Leta fried chicken, made rice and gravy, lima beans, and biscuits; YES! I said Leta fried chicken, and anyone that knows Leta knows she makes the best fried chicken, but not very often.
Tuesday Faith and Marcus went on a ATV tour up in the hills just outside of Denali. Barbara and I went for a ride in the truck up the road a few miles, and Leta and Shelby went to a trail at Denali. This evening Shelby made smothered pork chops, rice, beans, and biscuits.
We all signed up for a bus tour into Denali yesterday so it is up and at em this morning. This was a school bus ride 63 miles into the park where personal vehicles are not allowed, and took just over 8 hours, but was well worth the trip. The bus driver Matt was from Georgia, but I can't remember what town, and has been doing the tours for about 7 years. He was very knowledgeable and patient with some of the dumb questions we asked along the way. He was extremely excited about the number and variety of wildlife we saw in the park that day. He said it was more than he generally saw in a week. We saw seven grizzly bears, several moose, wolf, two fox, caribou with a huge rack, golden eagles, and the wild chiickens. We were not able to see Mt. McKinley, but 70% of the people that visit Denali do not see the mountain. Matt did say that we saw more numbers and a wider variety of wildlife than 90% of the visitors to Denali.

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