Friday June 13, 2014

The only known cure for paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) is to immerse yourself in something so incredibly fun that it smothers out all feeling of forboding. We could think of no better activity to do that then riding the fabulous Hurricane Turn.

After leaving the hotel we headed over to the world famous Talkeetna Roadhouse for breakfast. Built around 1917 it is one of the oldest establishments in Talkeetna as well as the epitome of gluttony and oral sensation. During the summer tourists pack the restaurant to the gills and seating can be a serious problem. Today we were able to squeeze into a table with a chatty Australian who had just returned from a failed expedition to climb Denali. He lamented about the years of preparation, effort and hefty funds he had invested into this ill-fated excursion, but nonetheless was thrilled to have been part of such a spectacular and memorable journey. I must admit I was a bit envious of his experience.

After devouring a sweet roll the size of a dinner plate as well as a giant reindeer sausage we decided to do a little shopping along Main Street. Famous in song and story is Historic Nagley's General Store which features groceries, camping supplies, general sundries, caribou chili, hand dipped ice cream and the mayor of Talkeetna, Stubbs the cat. As our free time drew to a close we stopped by a nearby private airstrip to grab a nice geocache.

Talkeetna Roadhouse	Every man has his price. Mine is $9.99.	And yes there was a geocache here!	Nagley's General Store

One of the best kept secrets in the world is the Hurricane Turn. This train is the last true flag-stop in the United States and operates between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch every Thursday through Sunday from May through September. It serves as a vital link for the locals in the Alaskan bush as well as providing transportation for the outdoorsman, tourist and railfan. Although the scenery and wildlife along the rails are top notch I must admit I love the funky uniqueness of its passengers and freight. Over the years I've seen groceries, coolers, guns, dogs, backpacks, canoes, kitchen cabinets, a deep freezer and scientific instruments. The mainstay of the Hurricane Turn is Conductor Warren Redfearn who's self-appointed goal is to get the word out about this Alaska Fun Train as well as making every passenger's trip as enjoyable as possible.

This year's lineup consisted of GP40 #3009, baggage car #100, dome car #521 (a new edition!), coach #209 and F40 #31. Engineer Mike Lindberg (a 29 year veteran) had us underway right on time. Seating on the Hurricane Turn is the stuff dreams are made of. Yes, you can sit in your super spacious coach seat or check out the views from the dome car or hang out in the open air vestibules. My favorite seat is not a seat at all. I absolutely love to hang out in the baggage car. The side door is left open and chest to floor webbing ensures you stay safe and snug inside. There is nothing quite like the expansive open air view, the wind in your face, locomotive rumble in your ears and a faint whiff of diesel fuel in your nostrils. As if this was not enough, you get the opportunity to mingle with some very unique offgriders as well as numerous four legged passengers.

Some people brake for garage sales and others for squirrels, but the Hurricane Turn always brakes for wildlife. "Moose!" shouted one excited passenger and the train came to a stop so everyone could break out their cameras or binoculars. During our ride we spotted several moose, countless eagles, swans and even a large beaver dam.

Being a huge fan of the Discovery Channel's Railroad Alaska I was blown away to see Jim James onboard. Jim was talking to a fellow "neighbor" of his by the name of Dave Curry. I waited for a pause in the conversation and immediately struck up a conversation with Jim saying his television appearances had made him a rock star. The confusion on his face made me realized he probably didn't understand my analogy. I quickly recovered by explaining he now was famous. I saw the corners of his mouth turn upward slightly and knew he unadmittedly was enjoying this newfound status to a degree. I also told him I loved the fox hat he wore from time to time on the show and he corrected me saying it was actually a coyote hat. Regardless, I wished I had such an incredible hat regardless of what PETA might think. Terry asked Jim if she could take a photo of the two of us together and he shrugged his shoulders in agreement. Jim's stop came soon thereafter and I took a photo of him as he faded into the brush line. [Author's note: The legendary David "Jim" James passed away at his home on August 10, 2016. Jim had been terminally ill with lung cancer.]

Just after passing the train display at Curry our train made a stop at a small clearing. There was a younger woman waiting there with an ATV and trailer. As several dozen plastic tubs, boxes and coolers were unloaded Warren explained these were supplies for the nearby Susitna River Camp (MP263) studying the possible affects the proposed Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Dam project would have on the environment. As of this writing the Governor has cut funding to this 735-foot $5.2 billion dollar structure due to problems with native land access. Alaskans love their wildlife, especially their salmon, so it will be interesting to see if this project ever comes to fruition.

Terry and I struck up a conversation with Dave Curry. Dave was bringing his niece and great niece for a visit to his cabin for the weekend. I mentioned that it took a strong individual to live off the grid. Dave's simple explanation spoke volumes to me. "Some of us are wired differently." Terry took an immense interest in Dave's three dogs, Bailey (brown), Rider (little dog) and Harley. Although Rider was the smallest of the three Dave explained he was very valuable in that he could smell a bear from a mile or more away. As Dave disembarked with his nieces and dogs Warren handed him his unloaded rifle and ammunition. Dave would have made a great Boy Scout for as the train pulled away he began loading his rifle. "Be prepared, son. That's my motto. Be Prepared."

Delivering supplies for nearby Susitna River Camp	Susitna River Camp	Vista Dome car # 521
Terry, Bailey and Harley	Enjoying the baggage car experience	Southbound passenger train
Dave Curry (left), Warren Redfearn (right)	Dave Curry loading his rifle	"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
Display at Curry	Gravel train at Curry Quarry	Marker at Curry Quarry

The train came to a stop at Chulita so we could take a 15-20 minute leg stretcher. I took photos of the consist and when I reached F40 #31 there stood engineer Mike Lindberg. I had met Mike on the 2000 Hurricane Turn while the railroad still used RDCs. Mike had been a gracious host and took the time to explain various tidbits of RDC operation. He then reached into his grip, brought out a track warrant and showed it to me. It was used for the first revenue run of the leased EMD SD70s on August 12, 1997. Mike had served as engineer and the train was loaded with ARRC executives who were trying to determine if SD70s could handle a large coal drag and thus be purchased by the railroad. Much to my surprise, Mike gave me the track warrant to keep! I still have it to this day. I retold Mike this story and we exchanged mutual admirations. I must admit it is days like this that brings a tear to my eyes.

Not long after getting back underway we passed Sherman City Hall. For the past 50 years Sherman has been home to Clyde and Mary Lovell. Mary has written two books about their Alaskan experiences, Suddenly...It's Spring and Journey to a Dream. we had hoped Mary would be out at trackside selling her two books, but today she was in Denali at a book signing.

Warren had taken a break from his trackside commentary so Terry and I used the opportunity to present him with a small gift. Warren was redecorating his kitchen in Coca-Cola motif so we presented him with a set of wooden Coca-Cola boxes. He was very appreciative. We chit chatted a bit and Warren shared he was pushing to run the Hurricane Turn seven days a week next summer.

The northern most point and the pièce de résistance of the trip was Hurricane Gulch. Our train came to a graceful halt on the Hurricane Gulch bridge 286 feet above the valley below. Although I've seen this view many times over the past 14 years it still fills me with a sense of wonder.

Hurricane Gulch	Heading down an entrance ramp	John, Warren and Coca-Cola

You might think the return trip would be a bit anticlimactic. No way! Conductor Warren's favorite spot is Twin Bridges and passengers got to disembark for an up close taste of Alaska. Warren has been working on the area and has even installed a picnic table. Terry and I took the opportunity to explore the area and enjoyed the calming sounds of the rushing water.

Descend to river level and put your feet into the brisk Susitna River	The Hurricane Turn provides passengers with plenty of photo opportunities	"I am a rock. I am an island." - Simon & Garfunkel
	Extremely cute female foamer!

As we approached Chase, Warren gave us a heads up regarding a pair of white swans meandering their way through a marsh. He also held a drawing for an Alaska Railroad poster and calendar. He gave out gold spikes to all the kids and presented a gold star pin to the one who exhibited the best behavior. Finally, he told us of various dinner specials in town the most appealing to us was the $7.00 cheeseburger, fries and beer at the West Rib.

The town of Sherman	Two swans a swimming	Collecting fish as part of a research project

Actor Matthew McConaughey once said, "Man who invented the hamburger was smart; man who invented the cheeseburger was a genius." After we arrived in Talkeetna we made a bee line for the West Rib and their $7.00 cheeseburger special. We were joined by Talkeetna resident, railfan and future Alaska Railroad employee Mike Gerenday and his girlfriend Moriah Campbell. Eventually Warren Redfearn joined us and we swapped stories until almost 10:00 PM.

We headed back to the "Tee Pee Oasis", dumped and uploaded our photos, charged batteries, wrote in our journals and logged our geocaches. We both agreed it had been a rich full day. I called Dave Blazejewski to confirm our exciting plans for tomorrow. Yes, everything was a go!

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