Sunday, July 25, 2021
"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." - Irish Proverb. Indeed the generator ran all night, and I slept like a spruce. After a quick burrito breakfast it was time to go exploring once again. We saddled up on our ATVs and took a trail near the Susitna River Bridge. According to Wikipedia, "The Susitna River Bridge, also known as the Gold Creek Bridge, was the longest bridge span on the United States Government Railway in Alaska. The steel 504-ft. through-truss channel spans the Susitna River. It was completed in February, 1921. The crossing of the Susitna includes two 121-ft. combination Howe truss flanking spans and two 70-ft. combination pony Howe truss end spans, with 392 ft. of trestle at the southern approach and 28 ft. at the northern approach, making a total length of 1,322 ft. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977." Using a long camera lens I was able to get a decent photo of the builder's plate. What an incredible piece of history! Taking a trail to the bottom I was able to grab some great river level views of the bridge. In doing so, I stumbled across someone's boat on the shore.
Next, we headed to Rudd Spur. Curt faithfully served the Alaska Railroad for 42 years and the railroad named a spur near his cabin in his honor. Curt served in a variety of positions over the years including Marine Terminals Superintendent and Anchorage Terminal Superintendent. The northbound Denali Star passed by as we prepared to leave the spur. Curt and Renee wanted to stop by and pay a quick visit to Todd and Sarah at Gold Creek cabins.
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Susitna River Bridge |
Builder's plate |
River level view of the Susitna River Bridge |
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| Rudd Spur | Curt Rudd at Rudd Spur | Northbound Denali Star |
Loving this ATV! |
Gold Creek cabins |
Off-Gridder 101: Lessons for Staying Warm with an Chain Saw and Wood Splitter. Lesson #1: Gather your firewood IN THE SUMMER! Winter wood is wet wood. Cutting your timber in the summer gives it ample time to dry out before it is needed.
Curt located a dead tree near the cabin and using a chain saw brought it safely to the ground at the speed that would've made a beaver envious. Safety is paramount in this remote environment as there are zero hospitals nearby. Once the tree is on the ground all limbs are removed and placed in a pile. Next, Curt cut the tree into sections which were transported to the cabin via ATV and trailer. Curt and Renee worked like a well oiled machine splitting the logs into firewood which Terry then stacked on the front porch. Terry and I took turns burning the limbs and brush in the fire pit. Flames need to be kept small as a high flying ember could land in the nearby brush and start a fire which in turn would burn the cabin to the ground. The entire effort was a satisfying and rewarding journey of self-reliance. Curt was very impressed with Terry's wood stacking skills and once again referred to her as a Frontier Woman.
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Renee and Curt splitting wood |
Newly stacked wood on the top, older darker wood on the bottom. |
Terry burning brush in the fire pit |
When you live your life along the railbelt your schedule revolves around the train's schedule. Miss the train and you'll be here for another three days. Knowing the southbound Denali Star was headed our way Curt and Renee put away their tools and began packing for our journey out. They fixed Polish sausages to go and then headed for the track. The train arrived bang on time, and I noticed vacationers were taking photos of us out their windows. This turn of events made me laugh! Conductor Ryan Rodriguez gave us a friendly greeting and helped us load our gear into the baggage car. For the foamers - the train's consist was 4327, 4324, 101, 653, 651, 451, 205, 522, 204, 207, 110, and two private cars.
Our return trip was beautiful, but the view out the window of the Alaska wilderness now seemed smaller than before. Or, maybe my mind had expanded a bit. I did enjoy the indoor plumbing of the train's restroom! The Denali Star picked up other weekend warriors and much to my delight there were a total of three dogs onboard.
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| The simple pleasure of a Polish sausage | Curt and Renee with their Polish sausages | Ryan Rodriguez welcoming us back on board |
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| Yogi, a border collie, Australian shepherd mix, found a comfortable spot for the ride back home | Terry loving the train ride | Other weekend warriors returning to the land of the all night generator |
At the Talkeetna Depot we transferred our gear from train to truck and headed for Anchorage. As is the Rudd tradition, we stopped at Miller’s market in Houston for ice cream. Soon thereafter, we spotted Repeater Air Car #3 just off the road, and we couldn't resist stopping for a photo.
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Twelve flavors to choose from, but go with the Moose tracks or the Caribou caramel. |
Repeater Air car #3 |
Returning home |
Returning home, we quickly unpacked, showered and repacked. We would need an early start for tomorrow's adventure.