Another trip into Fairbanks, June 25th

We went back into Fairbanks again today, Thursday, and had an early morning walk through the Georgeson Bontanical Gardens near the University of Alaska. The gardens were beautiful with flowers and trees as well as many vegetables that are grown for experimental purposes. There were places to sit and enjoy the surroundings and a serene waterfall in one corner.

Later we went back to the theater which has a free movie each morning at 10:00 for the kids who are just recently out of school. This theater has 16 screens with very comfortable chairs. We ate lunch at Taco Bell (our first meal out in a long time!) and then walked through Pioneer Park which is a theme park showing what Fairbanks must have looked like during the gold rush years. Many of the log shops and homes there were moved into the park from surrounding areas and are very old. We enjoyed the museum in the paddle boat on the grounds, and Suzanne and I took a train ride around the park. Gil and Mitch toured a car/plane museum which had many old antique cars and planes.

It was a lovely sunny day here with temperatures in the high 50s and low 60s. We returned to the campsite in time to rest a bit and fix supper. Suzanne and Mitch spent some time near the lake and around the camp. Mitch met a young man fishing so they made friends right away. Tomorrow we have some errands on the base to run but plan some fun things as well, then leave Sat. morning for Denali National Park to see the wildlife and Mt. McKinley (if the clear weather holds). The park is on the way to Anchorage so we will spend one night near the park, then drive into Anchorage on Sunday.