O.B and Mert along with Mr. Ice Cream Man…

Hello again, it’s been a while since my last post and a lot has happened. Unfortunately, I will still not be able to upload the really cool video I have for you 😦 I only have an hour to get you updated before my internet subscription runs dry here in TOK RV Park.

That being said, after we moved North from Talkeetna we landed in Denali National Park, 119 miles south of Fairbanks. We reserved a spot in a campground for 2 days so we could relax a bit. My dog Benz has basically been a victim of travel circumstances so the next two days were dedicated to dog grins. I picked the Rainbow RV park for two reasons, 1) there were plenty of those tourist trap shops for Mert to get lost in and 2) tons of walkways and trails for Benz and me to get some much-needed exercise.

When we purchased our plane tickets to land on the glacier they came with two national park passes so we could enter Denali. OB and Mert didn’t want to go so I saddled up Killer and headed into the park. To my surprise, they didn’t have a ranger checkpoint? You could just waltz right in, this is strange considering the emphasis the flight company put on the fact we would need to buy the pass to land in the park. I rode about 15 miles into the park before turning around and heading back to camp. The place was crawling with tour busses and you can only pass so many of those in a 35 mph speed zone before it becomes no fun!

After the motorcycle ride, I went and got Benz and my mountain bike, we rode down the bike path to the river and found the mountain bike trail into the park. The trail was really wooded and smooth. The wildflowers were in full bloom and the smell of the forest reminded me of Northern Michigan, camping with my folks as a child. I have a really cool video of this and I hope to upload it soon.

La Jefa

After we left Denali we headed North to Fairbanks for a couple of days. We stayed at the Rivers Edge RV park just outside of town and it was the nicest campground of the trip. We rented a car for a day so we could check out the town. I could tell that my parents are starting to run out of energy for exploration because OB just wanted to visit the Great Alaskan Bowl Company and Mert just wanted to find some food items at the market. They were not interested in much else.

One thing about traveling with your elders, it sure doesn’t take much to make them happy. For my Mom it’s coffee and a doughnut, for OB, it’s a good cable channel and bacon in the morning! The other thing about traveling with old people is that neither can hear very well and my Dad can’t smell. They both fart and laugh but neither one knows what’s happening, me, I can still smell. I don’t fart because they can’t hear or smell, remember 🙂

Skinny Dick’s Half Way Inn

The picture to the right was a lucky find! A few years ago while calling on dealers for Victory Motorcycles, I found a t-shirt that said “Skinny Dicks Half Way Inn” and it had a picture of two bears, well, you know! Anyway, my wife hates that shirt, she won’t even stand next to me when I wear it. (Wife Repellant)

I bought the shirt in Anchorage and I had no idea if Skinny Dick’s was even a real business or not? While driving north to Fairbanks, it started raining really hard so I pulled off the road to change into my waterproof gloves. While standing inside LaJefa I noticed the sign on the front of the bar that said Skinny Dick’s Half Way Inn. I couldn’t believe my eyes! This is one of those places that everyone talks about but not many can find. Of course, I bought another t-shirt!

We have since moved East from Fairbanks (after a couple of relaxing days) and are headed to the Canadian border to start the trek home. I know my parents are ready to get back to their comfort zone (HOME). I am so proud of them both for traveling such a great distance with me. It takes a lot to leave the comfort of your home, your bed, your kitchen, to come out and live for two months on the road. It has been a wonderful experience for me personally and I hope my parents feel the same way. I have really missed them both over the past decade.

Guess what I’m looking forward to?

Comfort? you bet!

MM