We have a new realtor to sell the house in North Pole.   Most of the other business is finished.   Now we get to be tourists.   From Fairbanks we drive north toward Fox.   This is a great place to see the Alaska Pipeline, and maybe even touch it.   This sign tells about the pipeline.

As you can see, it is 800 miles long, transporting crude oil from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean to Valdez Marine Terminal, eventally shipped from the Pacific Ocean to ports around the world.  I, Zeb the Duck, and mom have been here before, and so has Alaska native, Eider Duck.   This is the first time for Soapy Smith Duck, his mom and his dog, Chloe.

Chloe and mom are under the pipeline, with we ducks.  The pipeline is tall enough for a large Alaskan moose to easily walk under it.   The moose and other large animals migrate through parts of Alaska that now have a pipeline.  Some times the pipeline is above ground and sometimes the pipeline is below ground.

There were no other tourists here, so Chloe had a great time running and frolicking along the pipeline.

The pipeline carries hot oil, about 100 degrees F at this location.   To keep the pipeline clean, pigs are put inside the pipe.

At first they needed to scrape wax from the pipe.   Now there is less wax but they smooth the flow by reducing turbulence inside the pipeline.   The pipeline averages 1.5 million barrels of oil daily.   The entire trip for a barrel of oil takes 11.9 days, starting at Prudhoe Bay and ending in Valdez.   We drive to Chatanika Lodge.

This is a great place.   There are rooms to spend a few nights, a good restaurant and bar.   Ron and Shirley, the owners, also have great Alaskan decor with an additional room featuring an old classic car and an older Harley.

Ron and Shirley host great parties here.

Eider and his dad came here for New Year’s Eve parties and for Chatanika Days, the first weekend in March.   Celebrating longer days and the promise of a warmer spring and summer is important.   Also popular is the Halloween party.   Eider’s dad loved this lodge and the great parties.   Everyone has fun here.   Eider’s dad was also a sportsman, so when he passed away, we asked Ron and Shirley to display some hunting and fishing trophies.   Here is his salmon.

This buffalo or bison head was the result of a Colorado hunting trip.

And our favorite.

This is an Alaska bear.   This bear stood in the living room of his house in North Pole, Alaska.   Soapy’s mom likes the bear.

These mounts are enjoying the parties at Chatanika now.

Thanks for taking care of them Ron and Shirley.