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| Alaska, The Great Land Into the Wild - My great Alaskan Railroad Adventure |
On the same day as our 8 hour bus tour of Denali we hop the train once
more and ride the rails for another long (and largely uneventful) trip up to
Fairbanks. We are staying at the Riverside Resort which has all these
cute little cabins by the riverside. They are basically self contained hotel
rooms. Each has a small private patio out back.
more and ride the rails for another long (and largely uneventful) trip up to
Fairbanks. We are staying at the Riverside Resort which has all these
cute little cabins by the riverside. They are basically self contained hotel
rooms. Each has a small private patio out back.
Here I am enjoying a relaxing moment on our patio. I'm reading a book
recommended to me by my son - "Catch-22".
recommended to me by my son - "Catch-22".
Took a city tour of historic Fairbanks. During the tour we visited Pioneer park. These log cabins were moved to the park from various
locations throughout Fairbanks after a devastating flood in 1967 when the waters of the Chena River overflowed. Many of these log cabins
have plaques telling of the origins of the structure. The park is just filled with dozens of these log homes of the original settlers.
locations throughout Fairbanks after a devastating flood in 1967 when the waters of the Chena River overflowed. Many of these log cabins
have plaques telling of the origins of the structure. The park is just filled with dozens of these log homes of the original settlers.
This is President Warren G Harding's personal railroad car – On July 23
1923 President Harding became the first US chief executive to visit the
Alaskan territory. He addressed the crowd at Weeks Field in Fairbanks in
celebration of the completion of the Alaska Railroad. He died just a week
after returning to Washington so his Rail car was left in Fairbanks.
1923 President Harding became the first US chief executive to visit the
Alaskan territory. He addressed the crowd at Weeks Field in Fairbanks in
celebration of the completion of the Alaska Railroad. He died just a week
after returning to Washington so his Rail car was left in Fairbanks.
Yes, that's a boat behind that little tin & log shack.
N.C.Co - The Norther Commercial Company used to run these riverboats
along Alaska's Yukon river.
N.C.Co - The Norther Commercial Company used to run these riverboats
along Alaska's Yukon river.
The S.S.Nenana cruised the Yukon River at the turn of the 20th Century. It is now a turist attraction at the Pioneer Park in Fairbanks, Alaska. The S.S. Nenana
has been a favorite local attraction for many years. SS Nenana is a five-deck sternwheel steamboat. Two-hundred and thirty-seven feet in overall length, with a
42-foot beam, she was rated at 1,000 gross tons register. Nenana was built at Nenana, Alaska, and launched in May 1933. Fully laden, she drew three feet, six
inches of water. Nenana is permanently supported on a concrete and timber grid system placed on the bottom of a canal leading from, but not presently
connected to, the Chena River. The canal is presently drained but an automatic pump can fill the canal with river water to a level just below the boat's hull.
has been a favorite local attraction for many years. SS Nenana is a five-deck sternwheel steamboat. Two-hundred and thirty-seven feet in overall length, with a
42-foot beam, she was rated at 1,000 gross tons register. Nenana was built at Nenana, Alaska, and launched in May 1933. Fully laden, she drew three feet, six
inches of water. Nenana is permanently supported on a concrete and timber grid system placed on the bottom of a canal leading from, but not presently
connected to, the Chena River. The canal is presently drained but an automatic pump can fill the canal with river water to a level just below the boat's hull.
This little log cabin sits in it's original location just outside the Fairbanks
Visitors Center (Although the concrete foundation isn't part of the original
structure). I can't recall if they told us anything about the original owner
but I believe the cabin dates back to before 1910.
Visitors Center (Although the concrete foundation isn't part of the original
structure). I can't recall if they told us anything about the original owner
but I believe the cabin dates back to before 1910.
A statue depicting an Inuit family in winter clothing. This monument in
downtown Fairbanks, Alaska is dedicated to the first residents of Alaska,
the Inuit.
downtown Fairbanks, Alaska is dedicated to the first residents of Alaska,
the Inuit.
Below: We stopped by the Alaska pipeline. Fairbanks is about the halfway mark on the great Trans-Alaska pipeline that runs 800 miles from Prudhoe
Bay at the northern tip of Alaska all the way to the Port of Valdez in the south. Approximately 1 million barrels a day pump through the 5 foot wide pipe
(interior width). That's about 11,000 gallons of Alaskan crude every minute. Over 15 billion barrels of oil have flowed through this small section since it
opened. That's a lot of ca$h
Bay at the northern tip of Alaska all the way to the Port of Valdez in the south. Approximately 1 million barrels a day pump through the 5 foot wide pipe
(interior width). That's about 11,000 gallons of Alaskan crude every minute. Over 15 billion barrels of oil have flowed through this small section since it
opened. That's a lot of ca$h
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