DAY 18 DISCOVERY BOAT TOUR FAIRBANKS

Day 18. Today we had an eventful day. We contacted Anna Frank and set up our orientation to Fort Yukon for next Tuesday, June 9, at 10:00 a.m. We contacted Don Treakle, LAMP-US pilot. We visited Zion Lutheran Church and introduced ourselves to the staff. Then we went on a 3 1/2 steamboat and cultural tour of Fairbanks via the Chena River. The tour was simply excellent and a strong recommendation to anyone visiting Fairbanks. It included a dog sled demonstration by the family of a former iditerod champion and presentations by native Alaskans on the Athabascan culture both before and after the introduction of western culture. The river cruise was on the paddlewheeler Discovery, run by a three-generation family. This evening we rest up for our drive to the Artic Circle tomorrow. The temperatures have been warm--we regisetered 82 on our car thermometer after the river cruise. Our plan is to leave Fairbanks next Tuesday and work our way down to Anchorage, where we will meet up with our daughters on Friday. Thanks for all your comments, prayers, and good wishes.