Moose Cars

I wandered over to one of the fred meyers (fairbanks has two) and this guy starts talking to me. "Brian," a guy who's part native american, and all welfare. He invited me to his apartment which was "walking distance from here" as he put it. about half a 90 degree sunny hour later we arrive at his welfare apartment building. He opens his apartment door and cancer comes wafting out. At this point I'm too polite to run away screaming and enter, trying desperately not to gag. This guy is just barely not homeless - he has almost nothing but a plastic desk, camping chair, and package of cigarillos in his about 250 square foot apartment. He is apparently able to find work once in a while, but spends most of his time having a few screws loose.

I just remembered he also had a "john denver's greatest hits" cd. I seriously can't escape John Denver.

After making an excuse to get out of Brian's cancer death home I found a taco del mar and got some serious comfort food in me after a good two weeks without a burrito.

In true tourist fashion I drove to the Chena Hot Springs, which were an adventure to find since the roads leading to it were closed. There is a lot of need for road maintenance around here, with the kind of things the winter does to the roads. I did find my way around the closed section of the Steese Expressway and managed to arrive at the hot springs at the same time as a tour bus full of retirees.

It was overcast and therefore a good time for a hot bath. Also got to shower off and stuff. These are some touristed out hot springs, unlike Baker's hot tub sized hole in the ground, so I got to take a non sulphur smelling shower and soap off properly.

I think there would be a few people who'd agree with me in my assessment of places like Baker hot springs being a better place to spend time than Chena, beacuse it's more natural and untouched and not formed into being accessible by the most people possible. The Bulkley Canyon Bridge was also cooler than the Capilano Suspension Bridge, despite not being a suspension bridge, and having cars going by while you're peering through the bottom of it at the river 700-odd feet below. Another case where it's just what it is, and not made into a tourist attraction.

Along the hot springs road (they're 60 miles out of Fairbanks) there were plenty of people pulled over to look at moose. In my quest for moose sightings, I didn't have to keep an eye out for anything but "moose cars" - people who are perfectly happy to film a moose grazing for half an hour. I've seen tons of them so far, but haven't really been inclined to pull over and film one. Maybe I will though, add it to my wildlife collection. gotta catch em all.