SEP 22, 23 .. WE ARE IN MANLEY HOT SPRINGS

Because our friend Bea is letting me use her computer, I am able to write and publish this post.

Thank You So Very Much Bea!

No Bea, No Post!

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Today is : Friday, September the 22nd, 2023

Patti and I are safe and sound IN Manley Hot Springs, Alaska. 

We are planning to return to Fairbanks this afternoon! We will stay tonight and tomorrow night at the 7 Gables and head for Anchorage this Sunday the 24th!

Yes this is a real change in our plans.

Below are some details on our getting here from Fairbanks, Alaska, yesterday.

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Thursday, September the 21st, 2023 

I DO NOT THINK, for one split second, that the Creator of the Universe is a Cosmic Butler to whom we ask favors.

The issue here is to whom do we say .. “Thanks So Very Much for giving us a good weather day today!”  

So lacking further instructions, I will say : “Thank You Lord God for the beautiful day!”

Translation..  Good Day : It did NOT rain. 

BUT, in addition to this tremendous gift of no rain, we also saw some brilliant sunshine that made the Autumn colors “come to life”. I snapped many photos on our 160 mile, five hour, drive here from Fairbanks. 

At home in our condo in Anchorage, Patti and I routinely sleep well into the afternoon and eat breakfast about 5pm. 

Today we both were up before 8am, enjoyed another gourmet breakfast at the 7 Gables Inn. We left at 10am. First we went to Fred Meyers for gasoline (using Kroger fuel points I saved 65 cents per gallon).  Then we were on to Walmart for a Subway footlong sandwich that we will eat for dinner in Manley. At 11am we “set sail” for Manley.

At 12noon, we called our friends Bea and Terry here in Manley from Wickersham Dome trail head on the Elliott Highway to let them know we were “on the road”.  Phone service is very sparse up here in the Alaskan Interior after you leave a large city like Fairbanks. By calling them they had some idea about when we would arrive in Manley. If we were “overdue” by two or more hours they would come looking for us.

Then a “small” miracle happened. I tried to call them from Ptarmigan Pass, well into the road to Manley, and got through to not only Bea and Terry but also to Pete another friend in Manley. These successful calls were a first ever event!

Oh My! Oh My!

After driving this road for twenty five (25 count them) years, within one short mile after leaving Ptarmigan Pass, suddenly the road deteriorated to the point of becoming the absolutely worst I have ever experienced. Yes, it was not raining today BUT during the past week there was significant rain and the MUD was deep and extremely challenging to pass through. Never ever have I (nor have our Manley friends) experienced such deep mud. It was beyond belief! 

Because of this challenging mud, we are returning to Fairbanks tomorrow, Friday the 22nd. I want to be on the road during a weekday and not on the weekend!

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BUT “All’s Well That End’s Well”. We arrived at our Cabin around 4pm. I have many photos of the beautiful Autumn scenery.

Cap and Patti

• ← SEP 21, 23 (1/2) .. SEPTEMBER THE 21st 2023!.. WHODDA THUNK?.. ONE YEAR.. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ..
• SEP 23, 23 .. THE AUTUMN EQUINOX .. BACK IN FAIRBANKS →