Chena Hot Springs (March 8 to March 10, 2023)

Synopsis:
   Soak in Hot Springs
   Aurora Ice Museum Tour and Appletini 
   Geothermal and Green House Tour
   Chena Kennel Tour

For reference, our fall trip to Chena Hot Springs (CHS) is documented in 'Our Trip to Chena Hot Springs' posted 11-05-2022.  BB and I enjoyed our visit to CHS last fall and hope this visit with Jack and Ann will be just as enjoyable. 

The temperature is in the mid-20s with light snow when we arrive at Chena Hot Springs (CHS) Wednesday afternoon.  It sets the tone for the rest of our stay.  It is overcast with light snow every day we are at the resort.  Friday, the day we leave, is the coldest with temps in the teens.

We check in and are assigned a room in the Moose Lodge. Perfect!  As we unpack the car I notice the mother and 2 daughters that sat behind us on the train and had the room next to us at Pike's Waterfront Lodge walking in the parking lot.

We open the main door to the Moose Lodge and see this!

And other moose decorations.

We settle in to our room and decide to check out the Activity Center and plan tomorrow's activities.  We sign up for three activities:

   11:00  -  Aurora Ice Museum Tour and Appletini 
   01:00  -  Geothermal and Green House Tour
   04:00  -  Chena Kennel Tour

We leave the Activity Center and head for the restaurant located in the Main Building.  We decide on an early dinner to beat the dinner crowd and allow time for a soak in the hot springs.  We pass the front desk on the way to dinner and put in a request for extra towels (we had 2 instead of 4 sets) and check that we are on the call list if the Northern Lights (NL) appear.

We definitely beat the dinner crowd by eating early.  We enjoyed our hamburgers, chicken BLT sandwich, and soup and Chena Tomato Rose.  We return to our room in the Moose Lodge to rest and digest before going for a soak in the hot springs.

A knock at the door is housekeeping bringing extra towels.   We ask about a lamp that isn't working.  Turns out we need 3 new lightbulbs, which housekeeping promptly obtains and installs.  The new bulbs certainly brighten the room!

Ann has a plan to streamline getting ready for bed.  We will wear our swim suits and pajamas to the hot springs.  When we leave the hot springs we will shower in the locker room, put our PJs and coats on and walk back to our room.  All that will be left to do is brush our teeth!

There are lots of people in the springs, more than when BB and I were here last fall.  Still, there is room for 4 more!  We enjoy soaking in the hot water and watching the snow fall.  We move around the pool looking for the hottest spots in the water.  We look at the overcast sky and give up hope for NLs.

Our plan for a streamlined bedtime process is foiled.  No hot water in the bathhouse!  An  additional irritant is that I can't get my locker open.  I go to the lobby and inform the attendant.  She follows me back and successfully opens it using her master key.  We dry off, put our PJs and coats on and go back to the room to shower and get ready for bed.  

We have a relaxing Thursday morning waiting until it is time to go on the Aurora Ice Museum Tour.  I go to the restaurant to pick up coffee for BB and me. I come back to Jack and BB singing this song to the tune of Goober Peas:

     Sitting in a hot springs on a winter's day
     The water's not as warm as what the people say.
     Waiting for the Lights but the clouds are in the way!
     Getting bored waiting for the Lights to display.

Time to start our tours!

The ice sculptures at the Ice Museum haven't changed since November.  What is different this visit is that we can watch a person carving Appletini glasses.

Carving Appletini glasses.

It starts with an ice block.

The blocks become Appletini glasses.

At the Ice Bar enjoying our Appletinis.

Jack and BB prepare to smash their glasses for good luck.

Ann takes hers back to the room!

Jack and Ann in the Ice Chapel.

The Geothermal tour is crowded.  Just like last fall, we visit the greenhouse first.  On the way to the geothermal power plant we pass the Activity Center and our guide says she would like to split the group and asks for volunteers to wait at the Activity Center.  We volunteer to wait. And we wait. And wait some more. We see her come back; however, instead of gathering us up for the tour of the power plant she is gathering people for an Aurora Ice Museum Tour.  She says she came back to get those who waited.  We never heard or saw her.  We wonder how all four of us managed to missed her.

In the greenhouse.

In the Activity Center waiting for the Geothermal Plant tour.

The Chena Kennels are a short walk from the Resort's main gate. Our guide gives a history of the Iditarod race and a description of the Alaskan Husky.  Then she takes us to the dog yard...SO WE CAN PET THE DOGS!!!

The different dog breeds that combined to become the Alaskan Huskey.

The dog yard.

Us with the dogs!!!

And doggie kisses!

Ann lost a glove sometime early afternoon.  She retraces her steps and finds it at the Activity Center's Lost and Found.  A nice person turned it in. Thank you nice person!

Another early dinner and then early to bed.  

We leave early Friday morning.  The return trip to Fairbanks is cold with some snow showers.

This visit didn't live up to the expectations we had based on last November's visit.  Part of it is due to Mother Nature.  We really wanted to see a spectacular Northern Lights.  Mother Nature decreed snow showers and cloudy skies, so that put an end to any expectation of seeing the NLs.  The housekeeping issues (towels, burned out lightbulbs) certainly were not a deal breaker and were quickly remedied.  The bath house issues (no hot water, locker problem) added to the housekeeping issues, made me wonder if there was a larger problem.  Being forgotten by the tour guide still has me puzzled.  She knew we volunteered to stay for the second tour through the power plant.  I don't understand why she didn't see us waiting.  And I don't understand how none of us heard her announce she was leaving for the second tour to the plant.

It was still nice to be with family.  And the scenery is beautiful.

Sal

Fairbanks: Northern Lights, Ice Sculptures and MISC (03-07/08-2023)

Synopsis:
   Pike's Waterfront Lodge
   Northern Lights
   Antler Arch
   Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center
   2023 World Ice Art Championships

We, along with several other passengers from the train, stay the night at Pike's Waterfront Lodge.  How did we pick this hotel?  It offers free airport and Alaska Railroad Depot shuttle pick up and drop off and a free pie!  Besides getting two room keys at check in we get a 6 inch peach pie.  Not the biggest pie for 4 people; however,  peach is not my favorite so I give up my share.  The others seem to enjoy it.

We learn two things at check in.  We can put our names on the list to call if the Northern Lights decide to appear; which we do.  Ice cream is available in the Lobby for another 15 minutes.  We rush to our room, drop our luggage, take turns in the bathroom and hurry back down to get our ice cream. We thought the ice cream was complimentary.  It wasn't.  But we thought it was a good deal at $1.00 a scoop.  

Yes, we like ice cream.

The phone rings at 1:30am.  Northern Lights (NL) wake up call!  We know how quickly NLs can disappear, so we rush to get our outside clothes on over our pajamas.  We check out our window and see faint NLs; however, we hope for more.  Jack, BB and I head out the door.  As we enter the hall the door next to ours opens.  The mother and older daughter from the family seated behind us on the train are heading out, too.  We share the elevator down to the lobby and head outside.  We see nothing.  Start wandering around.  I notice the mother and daughter give up and go back inside.  We head to the back of the hotel ..... Eureka!  NLs are out and stronger than what we saw from the room.  

Jack and the Northern Lights.

NLs are faint, but still there.

We are so glad we got to see them!  I wish the family from the train hadn't gone back inside.

The hotel provides breakfast.  While eating breakfast we discuss our plans for the day. The couple at the table next to us hears us mention the World Ice Art Championships.  They traveled to Fairbanks from Toronto to volunteer at the event.  They man the ticket booth for 6 hours in the evenings for 12 out of 14 days.  In return for volunteering the event provides accommodation, transportation between the hotel and the event, and on site meals. The rest of the time they are enjoying Fairbanks.  They recommend viewing the sculptures in the evening when they are lighted.  When we say we have to go in the afternoon they say that is a good time to go, too.

The public rooms of the hotel have a rustic, lodge feel.  The decorations reveal a lot of Alaskan history.  After breakfast I spend some time looking at the artwork, artifacts and plaques on the walls.  This painting caught my attention, since I recently participated in the Fur Rondy Blanket Toss:

BB and I take the free airport shuttle to pick up our rental car.  Then we head off to explore Fairbanks.

First stop is the Antler Arch located near the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center. This is The World’s “Farthest North Antler Arch.”  The arch is made up of more than 100 moose and caribou antlers collected from all over interior Alaska.  

From the Antler Arch it is a short walk to the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center.  The Center has exhibits on how the indigenous people live on and with the land and on early Alaskan territorial history.

We make a quick stop at Speedway Express for snacks.  We meet an interesting man and his dog there.  (I really like dog).

Can you read the gas prices?

Big Gulp!

Next stop is the ice sculptures at the 2023 World Ice Art Championships.  This is the largest sculpting competition in the world. Collectively over the past years, the World Ice Art Championships has attracted100’s of professional Ice Artists, from over 45 different countries and even more local artists from the different states throughout the US.

King and Queen for the day.

Wild Child

Vaporized

Flying Raven

Left over ice blocks.

There's an ice slide!

Get Ready.

Go!

 

On to Chena Hot Springs.

Sal

Alaska Train Ride: Anchorage to Fairbanks (03-07-2023)

The train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks is the first leg on our journey to Chena Hot Springs (CHS).  BB and I enjoyed our visit to CHS last fall and hope this visit with Jack and Ann will be just as enjoyable.  We decide to take the train for the experience, the scenery and to avoid winter driving.

The train departs the Anchorage Depot at 8:00 am.  We arrive an hour early to check in, get our boarding passes and check our bags.  There aren't many passengers in the depot so no waiting in line at the ticket counter.  As the lobby fills with passengers we overhear several conversations regarding dogs and the Iditarod.  We have an interesting conversation with a woman who volunteered at the Iditarod.  She tells us her experiences as a volunteer and encourages us to volunteer next year.

The conductor tells us about the train.  There are 3 passenger cars and a dining car.  The train can get up to 60mph; however average speed is 35mph.  The 35mph explains the 12 hour travel time to Fairbanks.  During the trip, conductors will point out wildlife and points of interest.

The conductor makes his announcements in the Depot Lobby:

While waiting we amuse ourselves by taking selfies:

Outside the Anchorage Depot on our way to board the train.

Jack and Ann found their seats!

Our seats are across the aisle.

Our train car.

Each car has two bathrooms.

The train departs promptly at 8:00.  The conductor points out emergency exits, explains the meal seatings, reminds us to close doors when walking between cars, tells us where the  bathrooms, the dining car and the informational brochures are located and that he will announce wildlife sightings and points of interest.

It is a sunny, clear, cold day.  Scenery should be awesome!

We aren't long out of Anchorage before we see our first of many moose.  The train startles them which makes the moose run away from the train.  I like seeing the moose; however, I hate seeing them waste energy running from the train in the deep snow.  Snowfall has been more than normal this year and I know the moose are having a hard time finding food.   I stop counting the moose we see after reaching double digits.

We don't see any big animals except for the moose.  We do see birds - ptarmigans and eagles.  And I see what is jokingly called Alaska's state bird inside our car:

We see amazing views of Denali.  Boy, we won the lottery!  Statistically on any given day there is only a 30% chance of seeing Denali.  The rest of the time it is covered by clouds.  For about 2 hours of the train ride we periodically have beautiful views of The Mountain.

Denali.

We learn the snack bar serves hot dogs.  Jack and BB have dogs for lunch.

The train is scheduled to stop at Talkeetna and Denali Park.  There is also the possibility for  flagstops.   Alaska Railroad provides flagstop service along a 50 mile stretch of roadless backcountry between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch.  All one has to do to get off the train along this stretch of track is alert the conductor of the stop ahead of time.  A passenger  wanting to get on the train puts up a flag which alerts the engineer of the stop.

We experience an interesting flagstop.  Author Shannon Cartwright lives along this stretch of the railway.    Her flag is out and she is waiting at the stop with her dog.  The conductor announces that she is getting on the train with her dog and selling her books in car C.  I make my way back to car C because I want to meet her dog.  The crowd is too great for me to get close enough to pet her dog but I do get a picture.  She has books spread out on multiple seats.  I didn't recognize her name; however, I recognize her books. We  see them all the time in gift shops.  The train is stopped for 20 or 30 minutes while she sells her books.  It really surprises me that the railroad allows her to do this  Makes me wonder if there is some type of arrangement.  

This  ADN article about her is interesting.

Shannon Cartwright at the flagstop with her dog.

On the train selling her books.

Some of her books.

The train crosses the Hurricane Gulch Bridge.  This is an arch railroad bridge 296 feet above Hurricane Creek.  Photographers love this bridge.  Pictures of it show up all over the place.

Train approaches Hurricane Gulch.

Hurricane Gulch:

We go over the highest point on the railroad.

Just a pretty train picture.

To complete our train adventure we have dinner in the dining car. Dinner is a choice of three entrees; braised pot roast, vegetarian gumbo or chicken Caesar salad.  We all enjoyed the pot roast.  

Dinner looks good...tasted good too.

We are all members of the clean plate club!

The setting sun as we near Fairbanks.

Another great day in Alaska!

Sal