Flo's Diary:
Awake at 5–up at 5:30. Breakfast at 6. Pay bills $10. Bid goodbye to Hotel Chitina. Go to stage office pay $130 and start over trail to Fairbanks. Passengers: Mr. and Mrs. Simxson (sp?), Mr. Meyers, Capt. and I. Big load. Start out merrily. jolts. road is awful–but we don’t feel it so much. Wrapped up to[o] much. Have on suit, tights, bloomers, skirt dress sweater, heavy coat, fur coat, fur cap. 2 pr stockings, and felt shoes. Have fur robes under and over–no chance to get cold. 10° below. Soon frost all over us. Pass thru the most beautiful scenery. Over dangerous roads – most way follow Copper River – road cut out of hillside. See Mt Wrangle smoking. Most beautiful snow capped range. Long frost pinnacles on trees. Eat dinner at ____ Road house [must be Little Tonsina]. At end of 26 miles stop at McDaniels RoadHouse for night. Fine supper. Hear interesting Indian legend of country. C.R. [Copper River?] once a glacier volcanic upheaval and broke glacier up and rearranged Mts. Mrs. Simpson and I bunch together. Have home made bed with few straws for mattress–dirty–ugh. Have a fitful night’s rest to scare cat away.
This image from the UAF archives is probably very similar with what the ride was like on the Fairbanks-Valdez Stage. This image was taken in front of Tonsina Roadhouse.
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