Giddy up little doggie

Good morning! Lets hit the road! We are only going about 100 miles today so we will pull over frequently. State side we call these rest stops, but here they are called "double ended pull outs." The mountains are the beginning of the Alaskan Range.  

Glacier silt makes the rivers a muddy chocolate color. The Tanana cuts a wide path and runs swift in the deepest parts. Yes, that's snow!

Just another picture of the mountains....

Tilly is warning Nancy to get the fly swatter! There are monster mosquitos about to attack!

It seemed only fitting to picture Rosie, BEAN and Tilly at the end of the Highway monument, located at Delta Junction. You gotta be a really tough dog to make it this far!

Leaving Delta Junction we are now rolling along the Richardson Highway. This is the first view of the Alaska pipeline that is visable from the road.

Well, we've been on the road for a few hours. Seems like a good time to set camp and stretch our legs at Quartz Lake. There are signs of animals in the area including bear proof litter bins. We have now entered the infamous GRIZZLY country!

The park has no power, sewer or water, but that didn't stop me from using the gallon container to wash the windows. Really, I need a job!

I just can't resist posting how many moose we keep seeing. This one was very near our site!

OK, go ahead and take a guess what these shacks are. You can't see it but they are all on skids that look like huge skis! Umm, umm, umm. If the mighty Yukon River can freeze what about these lakes further north? Yep, you're right! They are ice fishing huts that can be rented from the park! Curiously, I wanted to enter but the doors were all padlocked!

Rika's Roadhouse is on the Historical Registar. In 1923 she bought it for $10. It provided a rest stop to weary travelers. She raised livestock and grew vegtables and fruits, which allowed her to serve fresh produce, eggs, milk and meat.

I might look happy here, but that look is nervous excitement. The hike to Moose Lake was a narrow winding trail with little peek-a-boo areas. Alone on the trail with just the sound of the wind whistling through the brush, the trees would crack conveying a certain impression that we were about to run face to face with a moose or a bear!  My hiking poles would be my only protection! Relax, take a deep breath and start singing! OK, I'm better now. Look at the huge beaver dam behind me! It's a mansion!

Closer to moose country, further from civilization.

Hence the namesake of the lake. What a sight to behold!

Back at camp, it is time to relax!