Trans-Alaska Pipeline

On Saturday we headed out to Chatanika, Alaska to see the outhouse races.

Yes we did, we headed out to see the outhouse races. We actually got to Chatanika, Alaska on the very tortuous road that wound through the icy mountain pass (at times traveling about 25 mph) having visions of careening off the mountain side into the icy river below and exchanging jokes about being wolf bait. When we got to Chatanika, Alaska we could not figure out the parking. We think they had the main road blocked off and we would have had to park our little rental ford car in the muck and the mush that was the parking area. Ummm hummm, ya, didn't happen.

We did, however, get to see the Trans-Alaska pipeline!

This is an 800-mile long pipeline that starts in Prudhoe Bay (way up north) and travels to Valdez (an ice-free port).

The pipeline startup was in 1977 (the year I graduated from high school).

Me with the Trans-Alaska pipeline in the background.

Amazing structure.

My companions.

Since we did not get to see the outhouse races we stopped by the visitor's center here in Fairbanks. It is a very nice visitor's center with a nice exhibit on Alaska.




This little plane hangs in the visitor's center. The widow of the bishop donated. It had to be dismantled into 3 pieces and then reassembled inside. Before it was hung up the widow put things in it that would have gone along with him on his trips. Very touching story.

It is warming up here some (between 20 and 30 degrees) and the ice sculptures around town may be nearing their end. Doesn't it look warm? Ya, I think we may be nearing the final stage to completion of mutation.

Thanks for coming along on our trip. We enjoyed the pipeline and the visitor's center very much!