Day Twenty, Talkeetna

We had reservations for a 1:30 rafting trip.  It was to be a 4 hour float trip.  They hadn't sold enough tickets and cancelled the trip.  That was a bummer.  They offered us a 2 hour trip, which we took, and gave us a refund on the difference.  We all agreed that the guide was a "9" but the trip was a "4" or "5."  The trip was on the Talkeetna River.

We stopped at the Ranger Station in Talkeetna for Denali NP.  This is where you would come for your climbing permit if you wanted to climb "the tall one."  The permit will cost you $350 and you will have to talk with the rangers about your qualifications before they will give you the permit.  1,400 people attempted to climb the mountain this year.  Only 40% made it to the top.  Six people died trying to make it.  The conditions on Mt. McKinley are as harsh as any other mountain in the world.

The Ranger Station is a beautiful building, especially compared to the other buildings in town.  Here's the fireplace and the chairs are all Morris chairs and art 'n crafts tables.  Nice stuff.  Our tax dollars at work and yet the National Park Service budget is only 1/13 th of 1% of the federal budget.  This is the best bargin of all the federal money we spend.  We spend billions on so many worthless things that have no impact tomorrow on our country.  We need to let our congressman know that they should not cut the budget for the National Park Service.   

Now lets talk about food.  Isn't that why we travel?  Last night we ate at Mountain High Pizza Pie and tonight we ate at the Wildflower Cafe.  Both nice places to eat.

The tour/cruise companies bring bus loads of people to spend their money in the gift shops and restaurants of Talkeetna.  It's less expensive to eat out than buy groceries.  We saw a can of tomato soup for $1.99.  Everything is marked up a lot. 

Twenty days with Rosemary and Bill in the MH.  They will be leaving Alaska and flying home next Monday at 1:00 A.M.  So far everything has worked out very well.  The only issue is that the gals have been beating the guys in cards the past few nights.