North to Denali

We left Anchorage about 9 AM. The stay there was unremarkable except for the fact that as we were loading the car, I managed to drop my 'puter from a height of 3 or 4 feet. I was convinced that it was destroyed, but except for a large black space in one corner of the screen, it seems to be OK. I bought it with my trusty American Express card, and I think they'll replace it or refund the price; I filed a claim with them this afternoon. Which reminds me: We got our 8,000 Choice Privileges points back....the points for that very disappointing stay in ......what? Smithers, B.C.? Is that were that was? Anyway, the motel was very helpful in getting the points returned to our account promptly, so I told them all was forgiven.
We drove north for several hours to enter Denali National Park. It's like nothing I've ever seen. It's less rugged than a lot of what we've seen here in Alaska, but the vistas seem to go on forever. One looks out across vast distances covered with low-growing plants and odd little evergreen trees........Break here. I'm going to look up hemlock and alder..... Yep, it was hemlock we've been seeing so much of.

At one point today, we passed a very odd structure. It was Igloo City. Apparently, the place was built as a hotel about 40 years ago, but couldn't meet whatever building codes existed, and never opened. It is now a world-class eyesore, reputedly visible from 30,000 feet. It's for sale. See more at IglooCity.

Igloo City

But mostly what we saw was beauty, built by God's own hand.

I have no idea what they're doing.

Wow!

Waylon enjoying our $150@ night digs.

View from our window.

And the quiet is deafening. I love it.

Tomorrow........Lions and tigers and bears!(Kate says: But we have to get up at 0430 to leave here at 0530 to get on the bus to see them. Road deconstruction will add about 30 minutes to our drive to the park.)