Sept 24, 2005 - Saturday
Chatanika, AK (Fairbanks area) to Willow, AK (near Anchorage)


Video
Target shooting
2005-09-24-targets.mpg
MPG, 3.7 MB, 0 min 28 sec





After I left the Gold Camp I headed next door to where the group was having a western style shootout.  They had three? stages set for the day.  Each person had to follow the set pattern and was timed for their run.  A target miss deducted points (added 5 seconds? each to the time) to their score.  This stage utilized two pistols, one rifle, one shotgun (the shotgun needed to be loaded during the run).  The video shows one gent at the three stages.  The second person in the video is holding a timing device.







The third stage




Rules being set to the group




On the road...

Since it was raining when I started - no pictures until I neared Denali.  It was about a five hour drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage but since I started late I didn't quite make Anchorage before dark. Out of Fairbanks the road was high on a hill.  Views off to each side went far.  The left had a pine tree filled valley with a river at the base and a hill on the far side.  To the right was a mix of low lands (marshy area) with grasses and a few trees.  Most of the road was fresh asphalt which was nice.  There was a set of miles of under construction surface of packed gravel.  The Alaska railway was evident as it snaked along with the road (once the road came down from the top of the hill).  Getting closer to Denali things became dry and the cameras came out.

Snow capped mountains in the distance became closer as I rolled on.  

 
panorama
click for a larger size



















I think this was the direction for Denali (Mt. McKinley).  The one in the background might be it - I'm unsure.










The valley narrows, the road drops down to the floor.







A slide area on the left and we snake up to the Denali park visitor center area










Looking away from the park are nice views of other snow capped peaks - many of them lighted by the late afternoon sun.



















Certain areas (perhaps those that get mounds of snow) have these angular markers.







With a nice mountain range (Alaska Range??) on my left and some (the park) to my right I had to stop and get some good shots.  Those on the left were getting sunlight highlights.  Open up this panorama or at least look at the panorama next down which is just the mountains to the left of this picture.  The best image of the day.

(click for a larger version)




Nice shot
(click for a larger version)




If we look to the right we get this...  Over there is Mt. McKinley (somewhere)
(click for a larger version)




Storms to my left - snow falling higher up - rain lower




And then I headed into the storm.  Last picture before packing up the cameras.  This turned out to be a thunderstorm.  Since I use earplugs while riding I miss some of the sounds but others are still audible.  I thought I heard thunder a time or two - then I started to see lightning.  Only about four occurrences.  I pressed on.



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