Healy to Denali National Park

Day 3--Sunday, July 21, 2002, 14.68 miles

Went to bed last night with a sharp sore throat and woke this morning with a thick head cold. Of all the luck—she who seldom gets colds has one. Certainly will not help me pant my way up these mountains.

The guide books describe Healy as "a quaint historical mining and railroad town with drab railroad buildings and wooden plank platforms which front the tracks and resemble a movie set." The book also says that Healy is Alaska's wealthiest town—and one of the richest in the nation, with a median household income of $60,000. This is because of the coal mine across the Nenana River.

We determined to ride down to the River to see the RR Station but learned that it was a 10 mile round trip from the campsite. As we had frittered away the morning and had a 2 o'clock raft trip, we decided not. Besides, Healy Hill snaking up and out of town looked daunting.

After a very leisurely breakfast and packing, we left Healy. This was the day that I expected to see Jim & Arletta Webster from my bike club. They were cycle touring with Alaska Adventure Cycling. We did not pass them on the road, however, and I was disappointed.

Strong headwind again today, but a bright, sunny day. We've had extraordinary luck with the weather, despite my grousing about the heat. There were windsocks and a wind caution as we came out of a cut and descended over the Nenana River. We took some photos and marveled at the railroad tracks and tunnel cut into the side of the mountains. This train ride/route is reported to be spectacularly beautiful and we are thinking of taking it south for a piece.

When we got to a canyon just before the entrance to Denali, the river was set up with slalom gates for kayakers, so we stopped to watch and also to eat lunch (cream cheese & cucumber on tortillas).

After lunch we had only two or three miles to the Nenana Raft Adventures where we changed from pedalers to paddlers. We donned drysuits, helmets, and life vests, and thus trussed waddled to the bus that took us to the raft. There was a large group of guys from Spain, and we rode in a raft with some of them. What a blast, but scary, too. Jess and I were second row paddlers behind two of the Spaniards. We paddled some Class 3 & 4 rapids called The Coffee Grinder, Box Car, and Ice Worm. We nosed into a hole and were engulfed in icy water. The guy in front of me was thrown back and whacked me hard on the face with his helmet. I got a temporary big lip but more icy water kept the swelling minimal. Then coming through one rapids, we high-sided and nearly capsized. I was on the low side, which was under water. Jess was so sure that I was going to fall out that she stopped paddling and grabbed my arm. Believe me I wasn't going to fall out. I had my foot wedged so tightly under the seat in front of me that I probably would have "gone down with the ship." Ironically, the take-out area was in Healy right near the RR station so we got to see it after all.

After our wild river run, we pedaled to the entrance to Denali National Park but caught a camper shuttle bus to our Savage River campsite. I was pretty tired with my cold and the raft run and really didn't want to pedal the additional 13 uphill miles.