Great Day in Denali (Day 38-39)

Day 38

The day has finally come....we're "in"  Denali Park! 

 Checked out the Visitor Center, set up our campsite, and hit some of the gifts shops in Glitter Gulch nearby.

Hope we see the "REAL" animals tomorrow.

Oh no...not round abouts in Alaska too!  We could end up in Canada or Siberia if we take the wrong "about!"

Got ready for our 8 hour bus trip into the wilderness....packed, went for a long walk to tire us out, had two Alaskan beers and went to bed by 8 o'clock!  We had to get up at 4:30 A.M. and meet the bus at 5:30.  Do animals really get up that early?  They better be up or someone will be yelling out the bus window!

Day 39 

Waiting, waiting, and waiting and it "RAINS!"  The driver said that the animals move about more when it rains, which was surprising.  Our driver was a very interesting guy and has been a guide and driver for this 8-hours wilderness tour for 20 years.  He knew everything about Denali Park and where the animals are usually found along the way.  I was thankful for his experience because some the passes had roads that would have made me turn around.  I have to admit...
                          I did closed my eyes a few times. 

Oh...did I mention....it "SNOWED too!"

(nothing to turn around for :-)

With the rain and the gravel roads...the windows would get so dirty that everytime we stopped they would have to clean them off. 

 Glad we had a front-row seat.

At the end of our tour, before we turned around... the Grand Finale was to see Mount McKinley.  The driver pointed out where it would be if we could see it. :-)  Glad we went up in that small plane and saw it last week.  We turned around for the 4 hour trek back and this time we were on the side without any guard rails! 

Despite the rain and the family of five with little Patrick who whined and his mom announed to the whole bus to please refrain from eating peanuts because little Patrick had a peanut allergy...."IT WAS A GREAT TRIP!"   At the beginning of the trip the driver told us that he had 2 goals...

1. To get us all back safely and

 2.  For all of us to see the 4 big animals of the park. 

So....we made it back safely (or you wouldn't be reading this blog) and we saw the 4 big animals of the park and the wolf. 

What a great day in Denali!