Trip to Alaska (part 1)

Our trip got off to an odd start.  We were to change planes in St Paul Minnesota, but they had overbooked the flight and we got bumped.  Instead that gave us a 1st class detour to Seattle.  The first, and only, time we've flown 1st class.  A man could get spoiled.   From  Seattle thy flew us into Fairbanks.  we arrived a about 2:30 AM.  The rest of our group (we were on a tour) had arrived about seven hours before us.  The sun was still up so the only way we knew  it  was 2"30 was by our watches.  Fairbanks is not a pretty city at the  best of times and at 2:30 AM the only ones there to greet us were several thousand black mosquitos.  There were six of us who had been bumped and the mosquitos made a real meal out of us. 

We survived and the next day took  a bus trip into Denali National Park. Six million acres with Mt McKinley in the center.  The tallest mountain in North America at just over 20,000 feet.

 Mt McKinley is just visible on the horizon.  Find it between the tops of the two tallest trees.

 The trees are interesting.  None are very tall.  I asked the tour guide why and she told me it was because of the permafrost.  The ground never really thaws out so the trees can never develop deep roots,

 There are other n=mountains and a whole lot of empty space  The whole trip took about six hours and it was not the worlds most comfortable bus.   We were tired when we got back.

Next I'll cover the train ride from Fairbanks to  Anchorage.