Wednesday, June 28. Hotel manager called us at 5:45 as we had requested. It was really hot during the night. We slept all night with only a sheet over us and wished we didn't have that. El Dory came about 6:10. She looks much older and shabbier - sort of weather worn. Had a nice visit while M and I packed up again. Paul is in the 8th grade. Barth has work now and expects to get along better this year. E. is going to teach Paul at home for a couple of years. Found some more facts about Fairbanks. Today it was 107 in the sun, a bunch of carrots cost 35 cents. El said she would love to have an avocado. They have a garden patch and are trying to dig a cellar. El has neuritis and it hurts her to work. Barth suffers from time to time from loss of memory. Paul seems to be a good worker but is not interested in school. She walked over to the station with us about 8 - 9, paid the taxi driver $2 and he said he would take her home. Otherwise she would have had to wait until 12:30 to take the bus and then walk a mile. It was hot and she wasn't well so I thought I better see she got home since she had come in just to see me. Barth comes through town to work with his neighbor and she rode in with them. Our train left at 8:30. There is a standing joke that the Alaska railroads are mentioned in the Bible - "God mad all creeping things"! Got into Nenana about 11. We had our tickets and got our room number on the boat - room 19. I saw that our baggage which had not been checked got off the train - then we went on the boat. We were suppose to sail at 12, but Mr. Shedd's American Express party lost all their baggage. The train carried it off. They had to take a hand car and bring it back. We finally sailed about 3 o'clock.
Is our room ever small. I think it must be 6 X 5 feet. Two bunks, one above the other, with a water basin with a pitcher of water that runs into the pan under the basin. One of us has to stay in bed while the other is working or standing up. M and I are assigned the second seating for eating dinner - was good if not fancy. And does it taste good. After eating lunch - usually at 12:30 for the first sitting and 1:15 second - but we didn't eat till about 2. After we started down the Tananah (tributary of the Yukon River) we said about an hour and then stopped to take on wood. The boat just pulled up along the bank of the river and they laid a gang plank down and they piled wood onto little cards and the crew brought it on the boat. About 15 cords I think the captain said - takes lots of wood to run our sternwheeler. We then continued on our way. The scenery was lovely and it is warm and balmy on deck - lots of fun. Had dinner about 7 tonight. Then went on deck again. Came in a played ring the man with several people. About 10 we went out to watch the sun set. Then same some songs in the lounge. Mrs. ---- from Long Beach playing the piano. Went to bed about 12:30 - still daylight. It never gets dark anymore. Sun sets about 10 and rises at 11:30.
PS. Had a midnight lunch about 10:30. Delicious berries. All kinds of meals served during the day
too.
Thursday, June 29. It was hot last night. I bounced around considerably in my upper berth. Got up about 7, put on my slack suit and went to breakfast. Had a half a grapefruit, didn't need anything more for the midnight lunch stuck by me. We were docked at the town of Tananah this morning located about at the mouth of the Yukon. Stayed about three hours while we loaded lumber, corrugated tin for roofs of interior homes. Walked about a quarter of a mile up the shore to a store - M was not up yet. Saw lots of skins. The trappers had been in with their catch. They had beaver, fox, bear, wolverine, wolf, coyote. Has some parkas made up too out of caribou and reindeer skins. The wolf skin was 8 feet long! Waited at this store for the boat to come up. It stopped there at 9 - it is now 12:30 and we are on our way again - up the Yukon now so we go slower. I'm sitting on the top deck in the sun and getting burned. I have no need of a coat, it is very warm. Almost time for our dinner now.
Got stuck on a sand bar last night about 3 and there was much running about and pushing, but we got off all right. We made a stop about 3 miles above Tananah at the Mission of Our Savior. A missionary and his wife coming back from furlough got off there.
5:30. First sitting for dinner is now being moved. Our turn will come in about an hour. The river has narrowed somewhat, the mountains rise majestically on each side. It is raining now and occasionally there is a streak of lightening. Still warm though. I wrote my post cards this afternoon, all ready to mail at Ft. Yukon.
11:45. Read for bed. Had dinner then went on deck for a while. Talked with Mr. Hall and Mr. Carney a while. Then cam in and sang songs - then had midnight lunch. The rain is over and it is warm and balmy again. Have a mosquito bite in my eye that is swelled up. M is reading a story to me - then to sleep.
Just Writin' on the River Road
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