Some of my favorite memories – the events and interactions that we carry as part of our story – start with what would seem to be insignificant events at seemingly random moments. I mean during our recent “once in a lifetime, bucket list trip” to Alaska (must be pronounced Alaskaaaa like in the movie The Proposal) to visit a place I lived as a 2nd to 4thgrader…in the middle of the incredible and expansive beauty of the place…a simple stop for breakfast, based on a suggestion, became one of the trips highlights.
The trips Joy and I take are mostly unstructured, so we never know what we might see, who we might meet, or often even where we might end up. We just kinda go with “the wind” and see what we find along the way. For our northern trip, we had a flight, a car; due to the thousand plus miles (and the long distances with undeveloped land along the way) places to stay scheduled.
No other itinerary than to fly into Fairbanks and pick up a car, drive south to Seward; through Denali, Anchorage, Whittier – all points we could fit in during ten days…and I hoped, back to Anchorage to see where I once lived and attended school. And that is what we did, spent the time driving (almost 2000 miles), stopping randomly, taking photos, eating….both of us free from work, or from looking for work, for the first time since we were kids.
Since Alaskaaaa is not just a few miles away from home, so we arrived in Fairbanks after a couple of looooong flights, more than a little bit exhausted – retired also for us means old so we get tired. We headed straight to the first reservation; an Airbnb hosted by Deanna in North Pole, Alaska. It was a small, beautiful place where we hoped to see the northern lights. It was one of the best appointed places we have ever stayed, and she had even left us a warm loaf of banana bread and a recommendation for dinner; the Pagoda in North Pole.
We couldn’t pass up going to downtown North Pole, so we went, ate…sent some letters and postcards from the North Pole post office, saw Santa’s office – not saying which list my name was on…then back and to bed. We woke up all night hoping to see through the clouds for the northern lights…but they didn’t show.
Anyway…after a couple of days driving far north, east and west – sitting in the Chena Hot Springs, drinking 49thbrewing sodas, and trying other restaurants I will rank in case y’all decide to go…we headed south with another place to visit given to us by Deana. She told us it was a small place with a large native Alaskan population that had good food.
We pulled into the (in our minds anyway) quintessential rural Alaska town of Nenana (https://www.cityofnenana.com). Nenana is a town with a population of 250 to 450 depending on your source of info. You have to leave the Parks Highway for a second, but if you ever travel from Fairbanks to Denali along this route; I suggest you make the detour.
We drove down the street passing the Rough Woods Inn and Café we had been searching for, quickly learning that parking lots are much different than in the populated areas of Fairbanks or home. We passed it (again) looking for parking before turning and just pulling over on the side of the road.
We chose a table in front of a Christmas tree with googly eyes, looked at a large collection of eclectic trinkets on the walls and shelves, then ordered and asked about the tree. The tree has been there for over thirty years according to the owner (Carrie – hope I spelled it corrctly), and had a history from the time her parents first put up a tree to today. I honestly felt as if we had walked into someone’s home and they were asking if we wanted to stay and eat.
After a few minutes, Carrie came to our table and told us that someone had just pulled up who would most likely single us out and tell stories – true, half true and some just stories and some possible lies. Now, that made me as much worried as curious; not every day a customer comes with a warning label or you are given an opportunity to escape. But we continued to enjoy our breakfast – one of the best meals we had in Alaska – as this man walked in and sat at the next table. He was facing us and you could see the country we were traveling through in everything about him. He was Alaska.
Since he had come with a caution, we listened to the conversation between him and
Carrie as he had coffee. I saw him occasionally look at us without making solid eye contact…then he turned his attention, as warned, to us.
As obvious outsiders he asked where we were from…
…and we spoke for the next hour or so with Miles Martin of Alaska.
He was one of the most interesting, intelligent and conversational humans I have met in all of our travels. We talked about how he had dropped out of “normal” society, moved to Alaska and lived on a boat…killed bears, built a homestead, created a business making knives, making art…about the books he has written. We talked fishing, hunting, accidently dropping motors in the river…the Anarchist’s Cookbook…and life. He talked about his family, his son – our shared heart issues…it was as incredible an interaction as I have had in a long time.
I shook his hand as we were leaving, he shared his card. We walked past his three-wheeler parked outside on our way down the road – which he planned to pull a boat with as soon as he found one small enough…
Just off the main road, not a part of our plan….and I knew that this man, this day, was going to forever be a part of our story.
Who would have guessed that ten days of what became 5 lbs of cinnamon roll weight gain…scenery that brought us to tears, moose, whales and all; a bucket list adventure of a lifetime…that a breakfast recommended by someone would change us both a bit; it would become a highlight in a lifetime of memories.
I am grateful for having traveled for a short while through “Miles of Alaska”. Check him out here…https://www.milesofalaska.com/ – /
If you get a chance, go visit Nenana. Maybe Miles will come in for breakfast…if not Carrie was an excellent cook, so either way it is worth it.
If you don’t make it to Alaskaaa, no matter where your adventures take you, take the time to go off script. Talk to the people, meet the people sitting next to you…you never know what you will take with you from a seemingly insignificant action in a place we could have easily just passed by without notice.
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Just in case….
We traveled almost 2000 miles during our time in Alaskaaaa. Not gonna lie, it was a bit expensive. But we met wonderful people who made good recommendations about things to see, and to eat and to avoid. Alaska is different than downtown Nashville. Towns, stores, where you eat…not really what you will find in most states once you get outside of Anchorage or Fairbanks for sure; but you don’t go there to feel like you are home.
Not writing about all we stopped at, but those that were memorable to us or had cool stickers… some places to check out, if you go.
This is the rating system I use in my head, now in writing for the first time.
Freaking Awesome
It was Cool
Wouldn’t go out of the way
I you ain’t got nothing nice to say, well…y’all decide for yourself
Freaking Awesome
Rough Woods Inn and Café – Nanana, Alaska
Good breakfast, great company, awesome town – and a conversation with Miles. Look around while you are inside, don’t waste a drop of the experience. https://www.facebook.com/RoughwoodsInnandCafe
BaseCamp – Girdwood, Alaska
Best cooked Halibut of all I tried, Smoked Salmon/Clam Chowder was awesome! Mismatched furniture, small place home feel…some local kids came in and they made them some burgers and fed them; really cool to see the community.
https://www.basecampeatery.com
Cookie Jar – Fairbanks, Alaska
We were there when it opened on Labor Day, it was crowded with the initial rush – but the corned beef hash was good and the cinnamon rolls…GIANT.
Sammis City Diner
Not really a true Alaska restaurant, but damn if it wasn’t a great breakfast with Alaska sized portions. Worth a stop if you are in Anchorage.
https://www.samiscitydiner.com
Swiftwater seafood
So…we went out of the way for this one. Not because of any recommendation, but because it is in Whittier – and only accessible by going through a long tunnel or taking a boat.
This one was also an accident that ended up as a really cool adventure. The second best Halibut I had, and though a small place, it was awesome. If you go to Alaska, go to Whittier and look for this little place.
https://www.swiftwaterseafoodcafe.com
McKinley Creekside Cabins, Cafe, and Bakery
Just when you think you have had a giant cinnamon roll, and there is no way…this place showed out. HUGE!! Plus the breakfast, with home fries, reindeer sausage…and did I say GIANT cinnamon rolls.
PLUS – It was Joy’s birthday…and the wonderful girl serving us, with Tennessee roots…hand wrote a cool happy birthday on the to go box…and gave it to us (the GIANT cinnamon roll).
https://www.mckinleycabins.com
It was Cool
Prospectors Pizzeria and Alehouse
This place was packed, so a bit of a wait because it is in a populated little cluster just outside of Denali. The food was good, Joy had some beer – not being a craft beer person, she didn’t like it and I had another flavor of Frontier Alaska soda.
Not our favorite place, but would appeal to y’all who like craft beer…maybe.
Alaskan burger and brew
Solid Burger and good fries. Nothing fancy…and there seemed to be a few in Anchorage…but was pretty good.
Kahiltna Birch Works
Not really a restaurant, but had some good ice cream and jellies…we brought some of the blueberry home. Just outside Talkeetna, and worth a visit.
The Kobuck
I am not a shopper, nor am I a tea person…but Joy like their tea samples…and I went to the back of the store like some junkie and ate one each of their donut flavors. GO…get the fireweed, the vanilla…my two favorites. Liked them so much, when I found out they had a place in the Anchorage airport…had some more.
Wouldn’t go out of the way
Pagoda
We were very tired, so I am careful not to be critical because we were in the North Pole and Santa is watching. It was decent food, took a minute to get served…large portions…but nothing special. Nothing really Alaska about it to me…but if you happen by and are hungry, you will not leave that way.
https://www.pagodanorthpole.com
The Deck at Fairview Inn
I tried a lot of Halibut on the trip. Their version felt like some small (size not price) fish stick version with fries. The waitress was awesome. We found that she, like many who work in the service industry there, migrates to the north for summer, then south for the winter.
We were at the end of the season, but honestly was a little underwhelmed.
