Fairbanks - July 25, 2014

We all started the day by taking a guided

 Shows the path of the Alaska Pipeline

 About half of the pipeline is above ground because of permafrost

 The sternwheeler we rode on

 Float plane landing by the boat

 Susan Butcher's husband and co author, David Monson

 At the kennel with sled dog pups

 Native dependent and UA student demonstrating coat made of several kinds of skins

 Standing by the statue of Granite, the dog no one but Susan thought would be useful as a sled dog, who was the lead dog for her 4 Iditarod wins. Below:  David Monson, Susan's husband.  An not sure about the woman - may be their daughter.

tour bus on a city tour.  It drove by Pioneer Park, Downtown Fairbanks, the Alaska Pipeline, and the University of Alaska museum.  We spent a little time out of the bus at the pipeline and an hour at the museum.  All and all we felt the tour was very informative and well worth the price.

Then this afternoon, we went on the Discovery sternwheeler boat on the Chena River that runs through Fairbanks.  It joins the Nanana River in this area.  They are very different kinds of rivers.  The Chena is spring fed and the Nanana is glacier fed.  The trip was narrated by a gentleman who was informative and humerus.  It passed by the residence and kennel of Susan Butcher who won the Iditarod three consecutive years and won 4  times.  She died of cancer in 2006.  The runt pup that no one but Susan thought would be of any value was her lead dog for all of her wins.  She also took a sled dog team to the Summit of Mount McKinley.  There also were replicas of a native fish camp, and village.  We got off the boat to listen and watch demonstrations in the areas and learn more about the native cultures.  It rained almost all day so the reason for the ponchos in the pictures.
Still don't know what I do to separate the typing.