July 6, 2007
To Denali National Park: Riley Creek Campground
The German cyclist had told us about the great camping at Riley Creek inside the National Park. We had almost dismissed camping in the park because it seemed that without a reservation, sites would be just about impossible to get. Not so according to the German, so we get an early start for a better chance to get a site.
As we get up at about seven a new tent has appeared on the site next to us. Rachel says she heard them come in late last night. We recognize the gear, it's Doug and Jenn! We leave without waking them, leaving them a note about our plans for today.
It's a great ride. Mostly downhill on a wide smooth shoulder next to the Park Highway. We even have a tailwind so we crank along at almost 30km per hour. About halfway at Carlo Creek, we stop at a cafe for breakfast and at about 10am we reach milepost 237 and the junction to Denali NP. First stop is the WAC (Wilderness Access Center) to see about a tent site. There are sites still available so we pay for three nights in a walk-in loop at Riley Campground. Patrick also purchases two tickets on the early bus to Wonder Lake tomorrow.
We ride to the campground and select a nice site amongst the pine trees. While Rachel dries the tent and airs the sleeping bags, Patrick goes to the mercantile shop/laundry to wash our red windbreaker jackets that have not been washed since Lhasa. They have become a bit grimy.
After we eat a very large cinnamon roll for lunch, we walk a trail to the visitor center. We pass under an old iron trestle bridge that is part of the Denali Railroad. The visitor center is a nice wood and concrete building, fairly new, with a silver LEED rating (sustainable construction, Patrick being an architect recognizes the significance). The PSL and heavy timber roof trusses are awesome. We look at some of the exhibits and see a short movie on Denali.
Together with Doug and Jen who showed up in the campground just before we left on our hike, we go to the dogsled demonstration. Denali has a working dog kennel where they keep about 30 huskies that are used on the sleds that patrol the park during winter.
We have good pizza and expensive beer ($5 a pint) with them in Glitter Gulch, just outside the park, an ugly concentration of RV parking lots, a couple of expensive hotels for the cruise people and lots of restaurants and shops.
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Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 10,313 km (6,404 miles)
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