Next up – we’re off to Fairbanks! (Part 1!)

So. Where were we? Ah, yes. Suffering the after effects of Holly’s lovely margaritas! (gleefully, I might add!) The next day dawned bold and bright, and the two perpetually happy in the morning people I was traveling with bounced out of bed and forced me to drag my carcass up and out as well to get breakfast at the restaurant. With a heaping helping of Mocha on the side. We were early enough to take it easy, relax, and even have a second mocha while we got packed up and ready for the tram ride to the train, with our buddy – a real Alaskan Man:

We arrived at the depot with plenty of time of course- see:traveling with perpetually early to everything people (Love you Mama!)

Though there was a bit of worry because the Lodge, which was to bring down our luggage, was late in getting there – but they too arrived and we still had 20 minutes or so to spare before the train arrived from Anchorage, to pick up our Talkeetna group.

Once aboard, after confirming that I did, indeed, look pretty fucking fabulous

We were off for the longest bit of the train ride, to Fairbanks! We saw a lot of interesting things – like this sign by the emergency windows, which made us laugh and laugh and laugh…

We saw Sherman City Hall, where the Shreman’s stepped out to wave at us..

We crossed over the Susitna River Bridge, which was built in 1921 and is a whopping 504 feet long…

The Indian River – which is green because of copper deposits. we crossed this one over and over and over again – 4 times in all.

And then came Hurricane Gulch – which is the longest bridge on the railroad, at 914 feet. And is also a staggering 296 feet tall. They made us feel OH SO SAFE though, as they told us about it, and mentioned that it was subjected to a Stress Test twice daily….

…then thanked us for our cooperation in participating in the first Stress Test of the day.

– and, more to come… but it’s bedtime for Tired Lessa’s that have to be at work at 7am! Stay tuned!

North… to Talkeetna…

Ok – So! I forgot the camera (i’m sitting in the bar in Talkeetna Lodge – camera’s in the room) So the latter half of pictures will have to wait. and maybe some of the entry, because the bartender made me one of her special margarita’s and um. yum. yes. Feeling very warm and fuzzy. yes. so. ANYWAY. TODAY’S ADVENTURES!

So. They let me “sleep in” this morning. Which means that I didn’t have to get up until SIX AM. Umhm. So I skipped the shower because we had to be at the Train Depot at 7am, and we wanted coffee too, so. Early. We packed up the rest of our stuff, grabbed our sack breakfasts that the hostess made us after the conversation the night before…

[Her: Breakfast is from 7-9, though. What will you do?
Us: We have to be there at 7:15, so…
her: Breakfast is from 7-9. I’ll make you a sack breakfast, that I will do for you.
Us: Thank you!]

…which consisted of a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread with a tiny bit of butter and a granola bar.

The coffee shop we were looking at was still closed, so we went straight to the train Depot – where we discovered they had a coffee shop inside. SCORE. So we checked in, proved we is who we say we is, got coffee and….. waited. And waited. And waited.

Oh, and Nana teased some poor kids that she’d use her cane to be sure they would behave – they weren’t sure she was kidding… until she smiled. Then they still weren’t sure, especially as the parents sorta went “Yeah, she will!” Hahaha.

(at the bar:
Do you want another?
I…do…. but I shouldn’t…
But you are on vacation!
and I work at Walmart….
Omg, you DESERVE another one…
I DO!)

[And: Direct result: I am writing this now, two days later. Heh. Heh. Heh.]

So! Where were we? Oh yeah, all the way back on the train! GOSH. So, we finally get on the train, find our seats and settle in for the ride to Talkeetna, about four hours away. This was our Brakeman.

I felt very safe. All for the ‘he doesn’t actually have to do anything but walk around and talk to folks’ thing. 🙂

Anyway, throughout the trip, the On Board Supervisors would talk over the PA system, and point out exciting things to see – such as Moose running alongside the track, an Osprey nest on top of an old telephone pole – they replaced them all a few years ago, but left this one for the Osprey that is nested there. 🙂

We saw a whole bunch of pretty scenery that really sort of defines why someone would life in Alaska to begin with… (all pictures will be uploaded to facebook, of course. Link down there. 🙂 )

Then we were told about the Dr. Suess house, and the train slowed waaaaaay down in hopes that we would get a chance to see it. The Dr. Suess House is a house that was build ground level, with a perfect view of the mountains. Since it is in protected land and they aren’t allowed to cut down the trees on it, the trees grew, and the view was lost. So they added another story.

And another.
And another.
And another.

SEVEN STORIES in all. Currently. So we stopped to see if we could see it… with the help of the onboard crew. Eventually we all did see it – though few got pictures of it. I took a series of pictures, hoping… and there it was, in the very first one I took.

Rumor has it, said house is owned by a bunch of lawyers. Figures.

So – we ate breakfast on the train, then saw some other pretty things, and then we pulled into Talkeetna around 11 am, where we were staying the night at their Lodge. It’s BEAUTIFUL.

Mt. McKinley was hidden by the clouds, but the view is still spectacular.

So, we headed down on the shuttle into “town” and walked around for a bit, to see what we could see. For a teeny tiny town, there’s quite a bit to see! We saw mooses…

And then we found the place where they have Seward’s Folly, the burger so big, so famous, that Man vs. Food came up, and Adam attempted to complete the challenge.

Notice it does not even suggest that he finishes it… Heh. We had no intention of trying such Folly ourselves, but simply to eat lunch. We lucked out – there was a man inside, suffering the ridicule of his lovely wife, while he attempted to finish Seward’s folly.

He failed.
Epically.

We, however, were mostly victorious over our own, smaller, Stubbs Burgers.

So, fat and happy, we head out to walk around more, before we headed to the Arts Hanger, where we would see a show we’d read about in the guide. Put on by local improv/drama group, it was called….

Yeah. We couldn’t POSSIBLY resist! And we were very glad that we didn’t skip it, because it was HYSTERICALLY funny! We laughed so hard we cried, in several places – it was filled with a ton of little inside jokes, but not so much that it wasn’t enjoyable by the out of state folks too – like our Girls Scout Cookie Whore..

They were well worth the money – and, i dare say, funnier than our local group. They ran a little over time, though, because they added some extra ad-libbing for us (I found out because the Tech Girl was sitting at the Lodge Bar with me. 🙂 She also promised to try and get me a copy of some of the script that had us rolling in the aisles… 🙂 ) because we were laughing so hard, and having such a good time.

of course, that meant we missed our last shuttle, and being stubborn Alaskan types, we started the two mile hike back to the Lodge.

Uphill.

Under the rainbow.

We walked at Gramma’s pace, as she has a cane, and Linda happily bounded about picking flowers, and we made sure we were going the right direction by a family that walked past us. Just before we got to the BIG hill – about a 1/4 to go – a lovely woman named Linda Susan picked us up and took us the rest of the way, where we beat the family that passed us to the lodge. AND? Saw the tippy top of McKinley finally!

And so. Linda got her “I saw the mountain” discount, she and mom headed to the room, and I headed to the bar, which is where we started all of this nonsense, isn’t it?

Gotta love it when ya come full circle, hm? Stay tuned!

Who needs sleep?!

Aka – Why Lessa always needs a vacation to recover from her vacation:

Friday, June 24th:
2am: Finally finish packing and go to sleep.
5am: Fucking alarm clock!
5:30am: FINE. I’M UP. Taking a Shower. GOD.
6:15: Peppermist – GET UP! You have to be at work in 5!
6:30: Mooooooochaaaaaaa…
7:00: Work. Ugh.
1pm: Lunchtime!
2pm: Work. Ugh.
4pm: VACATION TIME! WHOOOOO!
5pm: And we’re off to Anchorage! Nana’s driving, all is well, Lessa is tired.

— On the Drive:

—–Are those COFFINS along the railroad?
—–Maybe it’s Loot from a Train Heist!
—–Or, something boring, like bundles of railroad ties.

—–Their Cash Safe gives out Tacos? SCORE.

–Also along the drive:
—– Lots of laughter and talking and some yawning. The latter all from me, of course.

8pm-ish: We arrive at the BnB, and get set up in our rooms with the rules, the key, so on and so forth. Then, it’s off to dinner.
8:30: Applebees!
8:40: oooooooh appetizers are good.
8:45: Margarita’s are even better! And buddy boy there weren’t shy on the tequila!

8:50: Provolone. Stuffed. Meatballs. With Fettichini. Oh. my. god.

9:00: That totally awesome Margarita was only THREE! DOLLARS! WHOOT!

Also at Applebees – overheard:
— “That’s our son. Enthralled by a priest. You know what this means, right? We are neeever having grandchildren.” Followed by dramatic sigh and laughter. I think she and I could be soulmates. Just saying.

Also at Applebees – my mother:
— “Sure, what the hell!” Followed by her gasp, and my laughter and much teasing.

After dinner, back to the BnB, where we puttered on the computer until

11:30pm – head to the airport to pick up cousin Linda
12:30am – Cousin Linda and her luggage acquired, back to the BnB, where Lessa watches mama collapse and sleep 2 seconds later, followed by Linda…
2am: oh yeah. I should sleep too.

Day Two: June 25

6. Freaking. Am. – WTF man? Why the hell are you up and also move, I have to pee.
7. Freaking. am. – Really? No. Must. Sleep.
7:30 Freaking Am. – Fine. Shower.
8. Freaking. Am. – FINE. BREAKFAST. GOD.
9. Freaking. Am. – COOOOOOOFFEEEEEEEE.

Then, we visited the House of Harley, The Saturday Market where I got the most AWESOME things for TBF and his wife, Chocolate covered bacon,

Meet Chad Carpenter, of Tundra fame

Discovered uses for Duct Tape:

Discovered just HOW Alaska is pissing off Texas since 1959:

AND we lucked into the performance of The Arial Acrobats – with fire eating, and flying silks performances.

ETA: Mustn’t forget – Nana was SO INTENT on WINNING “Yellow Car” that she ran a red light. All together now… “GRAMMA!!!!”

Then to The Ulu Factory, and the Moose’s tooth, where Linda tasted her first smoked salmon, and I decided that the pizza was really healthy, because it had spinach on it. Really.

Then it was off to visit a friend, to Walmart where I discovered other Jewelry counters are BIGGER THAN MINE and they have STUFF I WANT, dammit! Then to The Alaska Berry Company, where Linda got to see the Chocolate Fountain and I got some Peanut Butter Fudge and some cheapo rings (…what? Shut up. I am not a girly girl.) Then back to the BnB where I promptly took a nap, then got up and ate more fudge, and pizza (healthy, remember?) and then chatted online and repacked my shit, and now?

All that – and it’s only day 2! 🙂
Now I should sleep.
Because the alarms start going off in 6 hours.

Again.