Day 4: Fairbanks to Denali Princess Lodge

Not much happening today. Woke up early to make sure we got some breakfast at the Springfield Gardens. Waited around for the shuttle bus at 12:00. Got to the airport and checked in with Princess Cruise. Waited around again till 3:00 and finally boarded the bus for Princess Lodge at the edge of Denali national park.

Trip was uneventful...aspens starting to a change color.    Big highlight of the trip was passing Skinny Dicks Halfway Inn which was half way between Fairbanks and Denali. Girls thought it was hilarious. Sadly, I was too slow with the camera to get a picture.

Stopped for a pee break at Nenana, population 402. SALUTE! Nenana is at the confluence of the Nenana and Tenana rivers.  

FACT: Nenana is the site of the first presidential visit to the Alaska whe Warren G Harding visited in 1923 to drive in the golden spike for the completion of the Trans Alaska railroad. At this very railroad station. 

FACT2: Nenana is the site from which in 1925 dogsled teams departed to run diphtheria serum up to Nome Alaska, an event which has since been celebrated by the Iditarod dogsled race from Anchorage to Nome.

FACT3: in 2012 Harry and Paul stopped to have a beer at the Moocher Bar and Grill.

The Moocher Bar and Grill has a ship's bell which is only rung when someone buys the entire bar a round. Since Harry and Paul were the only ones in the place, and Paul picked up the round, he got to ring the bell.

Nenana is a rough town.  How rough is it?  This guy parked his train here overnight and it got jacked.

 

We continued on over the windy bridge ( it was VERY wind which cause several of our fellow passengers to almost lose their lunch) we arrived at the Princess lodge. We had a few drinks at the bar before going to the Song of Denali dinner theater. The kids sang and acted their hearts out, but suffice it to say, you won't be seeing "Song of Denali" on Broadway anytime soon.

Tomorrow: Excursion to Denali Park and 4-wheeling