Saturday, November 13, 2010

November 14, 1911

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.


Rest stop at Lower Tonsina Roadhouse 1903

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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