Up early this morning...Paul and Hunter left for home at 8:00AM...for a 9:30 flight. I stayed back at the home of Paul's sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Warren, for an extra two hours or so to finish packing and loading up the Escape.The drive up to Denali was spectacular (again)...sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60's.
I stopped for coffee twice along the way. Alaska has a real "thing" for coffee...everywhere you look, there are these little drive-up Espresso places...drive up, get your mocha, and get back on the road.
I reached Denali National Park around 3:00PM, got my bus tickets for Toklat River (hiking!), reserved a campsite at Riley Creek (#52), and stopped for firewood...bummer...they were sold out.
I pitched my tent, set up camp and cooked an awesome piece of salmon (see photo) for dinner...this went well with a bottle of "Pillar Box Red" from Australia. As I finished dinner, I was invited by two of my fellow "campmates", Bev and Ilsa, to share their fire and some wine. I had a great time with them...talking about Amsterdam (Ilsa)...art, wine and the great "coffee shops" there (flash-forward...I hear that Vancouver, where I will be stopping in a few weeks, has similar "coffee shops"...awesome!). Bev and I talked about Australia...wine country...wine...great fun. They met several years ago in San Francisco and get together every year to travel on vacation. When I returned today from hiking, I found a note from them..."Hey Bill...See you on the road maybe later some day"...I sure hope so.
After all of that wine, along with the last of the Grand Marnier "Cuvee Centcinquintenaire"...it was time to head for my tent to sleep.
More...including more photos...later!
1 comment:
Sounds like you may have some new travel companions for next year you sweet talker you.
Hugs
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