Chicken AK to Tok to Fairbanks (Five days of postings, 8-10-12 to 8-14-12.)

Ran into a lot of characters panning for gold, this guy left his consulting business on Long Island NY to make it rich, we panned out of the river behind the camp. Another fellow was getting black sand from somewhere and sluicing it in the river, he was getting big flakes, I saw them, the other guy said a 1/2 oz a day, he wouldn't tell where.

Old Gold dredge at Chicken

Leaving Chicken, Heliport next to the camp.

Leaving Chicken

On our way from Chicken to Tok and on to Fairbanks.

Great views, tough road Chicken to Tok.

More frost heaves, what fun.

On the road from Chicken, kids write graffiti in the sand banks with cobble stones.

Finally back to the Alaskan Highway, thank God, what a relief.

Fairbanks only another 100 miles.

Nenana River on the Alaskan Highway to Fairbanks

Bill's well earned Sockeye Red IPA after the trip to Fairbanks from Chicken.

Here Moosey Moosey, on the way from Kim and Al's, friends outside of Fairbanks.

Sand Hill Cranes getting ready to migrate, in Fairbanks, mingling with the geese,.

U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

Ivory and horn Carvings U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

The whole history of the Ulu, the first nation's wife's kitchen knifes, they had drawers full of them all dated and recorded where they were found, not a man's weapon, so watch out. U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

The skin of a Wholly Mammoth found frozen in the permafrost, incredible. U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

Tourist

Blue Babe the Steppe Bison found frozen in the permafrost, the skin and some fur still intact. U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

Blue Babe U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

Prehistoric Steppe Bison Skull U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

White Whale Skull U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

Gold, of coarse, U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum, Bill needed to record, to identify it, when he found some.

"Otto" U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

U of A Fairbanks Science and Nature Museum

U of A Fairbanks Art Museum

U of A Fairbanks Art Museum

Billy's Haircut U of A Fairbanks Art Museum

Some of Bill's friend Al's Trophy's

Bill's friend Al's Kodiak Trophy

Our friends in Fairbanks Al and Kim

Pioneer Village

Here Moosy Moosy, metal sculpture.

Local female star musher.

One street in Pioneer Village, these are all first settlement homes from downtown fairbanks that were moved to this Historic Park.

Model of a vertical Gold mine, one out of a whole exhibit. On a vertical shaft they would build a fire every night to melt the permafrost so they could dig the next day, until they reach the black silt layer where the gold was.

Inboard Evinrude one of a huge collection.

Nenana Steam Paddle Wheel ran on the Chena River to Fairbanks, has Tandem Compound steam engines.

Tandem Compound Steam Engines

Curtiss OX5, Airplane Museum, what else.

Will Rogers and Wiley Post's crash site markers, they never made it to the site but were placed on some site near there due to bad weather, in the Fairbanks Pioneer Museum.

Latest women's fashion in Fairbanks.

It was more than 1,600 miles of thrills and more than just thrills.

Case of turtles at the Turtle Club Fairbanks, great restaurant.

Beautiful Sunset on the way back to the house on wheels, saw a moose and her calf also at dusk along the road.

Aug. 10 to Aug. 15, 2012 This posting includes about 5 days. We left Chicken and wandered on out of the hills back down to the Alaskan Highway and on to Fairbanks. We had a great time in Fairbanks visiting with Bill's old friend and wife, Al and Kim, museums, restaurants and just sat around and had great conversation and some laughs and great food. Al cooked the best Halibut we ever had. Had more great IPA's, went to the Turtle Club and the new brewery in Fairbanks, Silver Gulch Brewing. Saw more wildlife and great views. And we just happen to drop in on the 50 Anniversary Celebration of the Archdiocese in Fairbanks, while looking for a Sunday Mass, what a beautiful experience, bishops, priests, deacons and nuns from all the far reaches of Alaska. The readings were in Yup'ick, Spanish and other native tongues.