On Monday we all departed the two separate campgrounds we were staying at near the Denali National Park and continued our journey south on the George Parks Highway. Five motorhomes cannot always find available accommodations at the same campground. We stopped for the night at Montana Creek just south of the Telkeetna Spur road. Once we were all settled at our respective campsites we piled into two of the five vehicles and made our way up that spur to the small town of Telkeetna. Like Nenana, Telkeetna was born as a railroad town in the early nineteen hundreds.

Before there was a highway from Anchorage to Fairbanks there was a railroad. The railroad still operates today and doubles as a passenger and freight carrier. The majority of the passengers are tourist visiting Alaska. Many arrive at Anchorage by plane or cruise line and have the option of taking the train up to Denali or Fairbanks. The train also stops in Telkeetna filling the streets with customers for all the gift shops and restaurants. Another part of the local economy is sight seeing flights out of the local airport to Denali and the National Park and fishing. We noticed signs in the area indicating the king salmon were running. Telkeetna is also a staging area for climbing expeditions to the summit of Denali.

Train leaving the terminal in Denali National Park

We did not take any sight seeing flights or join a climbing expedition and were quite content to stick to the gift shops and restaurants. Below is a photo of Pam and I, Rich and Joan, and Tom and Paula about to dine. Van, Craig, and Angie decided on one of the other restaurants. Notice that the guys all have the same hat on. While we were at the village area outside of the Denali National Park we all purchased matching hats.

Dinning in Telkeetna

The guys with matching hats

I suggested we could all purchase matching T-shirts but was quickly informed that my "man card" was in jeopardy.

The girls borrow our hats for a photo

We were all wandering up and down the streets of Telkeetna and while outside Nagley's Store were approached by a lady who asked to do an interview. Salena was a reporter and stated she would like to interview us for a story that would appear in a Pittsburgh newspaper and National Geographic. She ask us a few general questions such as how we knew each other and what we were doing in Alaska. Nothing may come of it but she did get our phone numbers and sent us all a text with her phone number. A few photos were taken with all the guys sitting on the bench in front of Nagley's Store and one with our wife's sitting on our laps. After the interview I ask her why she picked us and her answer was that she had been watching us and we all seemed so happy.

Nagley's Store

Tell us how you really feel Rich

I am not sure if Rich is actually asking for ice cream in the photo above but do remember he mentioned ice cream on more than one occasion. Turns out that Nagley's Store sold marvelous ice cream.