6th June

Igloo City

Up at 7.00 to find that the wind had died away and the wind generator wasn’t even turning. Breakfast and M was away by 8.20. I drove back to Cantwell for water and coffee & pecan pies.

Drove on to "Igloo City" to wait. It is a 4 storey high igloo with dormer windows made of ply & covered in foam and a waterproof render. Looking through the windows at ground floor level the inside is entirely studwork, but with no evidence of any plasterboard having been put up and the wires still not terminated – I don’t think it was ever completed. Murray hates it…. I think it is wonderful.

While we were there the RV Convoy we had passed at Nenana turned up and a couple of ‘em came over for a chat; as usual, nice people, even if the vehicles are absolutely preposterous. This was only a brief stop for architectural appreciation and then I drove on to Hurricane Gulch, where the bridge spans a 240’ drop to the river.

On the way I passed a deep ravine in the lush green trees that was still a solid block of blue white ice. Should get a good shot of the bike cycling over this bridge; providing I don’t fall down the sides! It turns out that we had both seen the red fox hanging around on the road this morning; though it was very fluffy and I need to find out if arctic foxes change colour in the summer.

Drove the 15 miles on to the Ermine Hill trailhead. 20 more took us to yet another trailhead, this time with an olde worlde water pump that we both had to play with, there was a woman dozing in the sun here with a husky and .44 magnum – apparently for protection against bears. On the way to this stop I passed a porcupine on the side of the road. I managed to get a couple of photos as it shuffled away, looking furtively over its shoulder at me.

M said he felt good for a few more miles, so drove on 17 more to a lovely stop in the trees with no mosquitoes and a short walk to an outstanding view over the Chulitna river valley. A braided river about ½ mile wide. That made a new record for Murray of 83 miles. We cooked up our last meal in the open with only 21 miles or so left to do until he rejoins his previous route.

Needed to phone Colleen & Larry & Jane so we went 13 miles back North to a café for a beer and the barman let us use his mobile. All arranged for tomorrow. Tried to buy a carry-out but it is against the law from a bar… hence the separate room at Cantwell’s bar last night.

All is done for tonight. Last glass (mug) of whisky and then it is our last night in the back of the trusty Durango. Traffic has quietened right down now, even the flights in and out of Talkeetna seem to have finished and we sit in these woods in peace, with birdsong (poor buggers don’t get much sleep in the summer!) and the frothy cream coloured blossoms of what looks like ground elder. If it is, and it survives up here, there’s no wonder you can’t get it out of your garden.

Hurricane Gulch

Bloody Mosquitos

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