~~Moose~~

As I left Talkneeta, I noticed movement in the woods on my left.  Maybe it was a horse.  I went on. But then I thought, "Why would a horse be in the woods?" I whipped around the snowy road and went back.

As I couldn't see through the snowy woods, I got out to get closer.  I was thrilled that she stayed until I could make her portrait!

~~Breakfast in Talkeetna~~

I was tired when I finally got to Talkeetna, beaten up by the blinding blizzard. I needed warmth and food.  As I pushed through the snowy lanes, I realized that nothing was open.  Nothing.  Ugh...

I saw a pick up truck coming into town, so I followed it, thinking that he must know where to go.... He did.  He parked in front of The Roadhouse.  So did I.  I saw people in there, and I was most relieved, as I was going to get what I needed badly.

I trekked through the snow, only to find that the door was locked...ugh.... The Roadhouse would not open for another 20 minutes.

Fifteen minutes later, a woman let me in so I could wait until they opened. <---Really?

The pick up truck driver then came in with his eleven-year-old boy.  They sat at a picnic table across the room from where I sat.

The boy made himself known, as he immediately started educating me about the people of Alaska.

He said:

All people that live in Alaska are low lives. However, there are degrees.

Wasilla low lives are the lowest, except for the drunk Eskimos.

Talkeetna low lives are higher brow low lives.

And, except for the drunk Eskimos, Anchorage low lives are top shelf.


The father was so proud of "his boy." Some parents amaze me with what they teach their children.

(By the way, they live in Wasilla.)

~~Trek to Talkeetna~~

When I left Anchorage at 4:30am, it was really cold outside, around 20 degrees.  Of course, it was pitch black, but it was not snowing, only cloudy.  Just before I got to Wasilla, I saw my first aurora. It was cloudy, so there was a lot of noise in the view. But it was there...green, pink and then white.

Then, the snow came...more like a blizzard really.  Seeing the road was dangerously difficult, as the only guide I had was the snow plow drifts from the day before.  A scary, cold 4 hours later, I arrived in Talkeetna.

Talkeetna, a quirky village in Matanuska Borough, is wildly popular in the summer months. It houses a fabulous lodge that is only open a few weeks in March for Aurora viewings.  It opens again from mid-May to Mid-September.

Interestingly, on a clear day, one the best places to view Denali is from Talkeetna.

Denali, on a clear day.
Only 20% of visitors get to see it because it creates it's own atmosphere of clouds.

Talkeetna in the winter is still buzzing with a few visitors and locals.  Speaking of locals, fewer then 900 people call Talkeetna "home."

Train house...

Mostly Moose Gift Shop

Breakfast, Lunch, Showers and Rooms to Rent

The Salted Pickle

Silverbear Sundries