TALKEETNA

Sunday, after watching the first 60 teams depart, we left for Talkeetna. We got to that little town, the one Northern Exposure was modeled after, at about 4:30. Our motel, using the term loosely, was a narrow hallway with 10’ X 10’ rooms of the of the bar/restaurant. In the hallway from the rooms into the bar was a large sofa, home of the resident black Lab. There was a sign indentifying him as the owner of the bar.

Several of us took a walking tour of the rest of Talkeetna, making a stop at each bar. The natives were friendly and welcoming and a lot of fun. We met Gerald Sousa’s wife and her friends, coming back from the start and celebrating with her friends. We joined them for a few drinks, and she offered to drive us to their “SunDog Kennels” the next morning. Our schedule was pretty full, and it looked like a late night of partying would not lend itself to getting up early to go, so we passed on that opportunity. After our ‘bar tour’, we gathered back at “Latitude 62”, our bar/motel, and joined other tour members for a jovial evening of flowing Alaska Amber and Duck Farts. (There were no little umbrellas in Talkeetna. Sorry, Dilli and Undertakers - private joke for old 'Cabelas' family members). A few had hangovers in the morning, but the fun was worth it. We had some great pizzas at a tiny restaurant. The whole day was a real Alaskan cultural experience.

We never gave it a thought that the next few days we would encounter much more than the tour had planned in the way of Alaskan experience!

Up, Up, and Away,
JeanieB