Theo Visits a Railroad Museum

 Most people know that Alaska is a sparsely populated state. You can ride for miles and see more tractors than people. 

After we leave Fairbanks, we decide to stop in Nenana, a small town with about one thousand people total. Its claim to fame: it can offer a "remote experience" and, of course, a railroad museum that focuses on the history of Alaskan railroad.

Nenana's Main Street has a few houses, a grocery store that looks more like a larger than average convenience store and the railroad museum. In the day that's how people came to and left this town--by railroad. In fact, this museum, is a used to be depot.

How do you explain a place like this to Theo? The town sits on the Nenana River (considered to be the interior of Alaska). No animals. Only plenty of opportunities to sniff the bygone past. That's why I want to be here. I love history. I love imagining how life used to be a hundred or more years ago. Theo . . . not so much. 

We hightail it over to the museum, a small green planked building with white trim. As you might expect as you walk through the doors, you're immediately transported to a world that doesn't exist anymore. A bustling railroad depot has been preserved for the few tourists that wander in. 

"Theo, imagine. There used to be scores of people coming in with their luggage. You bought your ticket here for the train . . ."

For a second Theo looks more interested than he should be. He seems to think that's why we're here now. To buy a ticket and leave. To get out of town.

"Of course, the depot is a museum now." 

His momentary excitement fades.

Quickly I reframe the experience. "But there's plenty to sniff, and then we'll get you some snacks."

 I put him down and let him wander around. 

There's a ticket window. An office area behind wider than wide bars with desks and an old fashioned typewriter. 

And there's a museum.

Theo is in the corner sniffing whatever. Dan and I go into the back "museum space." It's what you would expect--old newspaper stories preserved on the wall, photos of life the way it used to be--snow sleds being pulled by dogs.

We come back to the front and casually I look around. Theo has got to be somewhere. But he seems to have completely disappeared. I don't panic. I've learned my lesson. In fact, I think with a small laugh, maybe he did buy a ticket and is sitting on some imaginary train outside on the tracks. 

Dan spots him first. He's jumped up on the ticket counter desk. Not buying a ticket. Oh, no. He's sniffing the small cubbies . . . we grab him.

"Time for snacks."

Finally, we wander over to the "grocery store" for the snacks.

Could I have ever lived in a town like this? It's quaint but so isolated. 

But, later as we're leaving I begin to glimpse the town's allure. The scenery is striking. The quiet is profound (except for Theo smacking his lips.)  And I begin to understand how someone could live here.  

Theo, on the other hand, has a more than serious look on his face. "Where to next?" he wants to know.

Denali National Park. And animals. Yippee!!!

Theo and The Fake Real Alaska

 Dare I say it? After our last "museum" experience, Theo has become, more or less, a fan. If the museum has animals, any kind of animals, he's all in. At least today, that's his story!

We try to explain. We're still in Fairbanks, Alaska, and want to visit The Morris Thompson Center--which has world class exhibits.

I'm in awe. Who doesn't want to see a bald eagle up close and personal that looks alive but isn't? The fake real.

Then there's a bear that is staring at us--only a few feet away. Not real, but he looks real. Another fake real.

We walk along, agog at the exhibits. 

"Well, Theo, what do you think?"

Of course, he's too busy sniffing and staring to respond. He would love to jump into the exhibit and check it out. Are they real? Fake? Gosh.

We move on. To the clothing exhibits. Frankly, this is where Theo gets his snack as we marvel at the colorful, intricate clothing. Now this is authentic and begs the question--what was it like to live in Alaska, in frigid temperatures, surrounded by snow and ice, with no central heating?

The next few exhibits show an Alaska that few see:

We save the most interesting until last. Outside, as we're leaving, we spot an arch made of 100 moose and caribou antlers called "Farthest North Antler Arch." The antlers were donated by local hunters and farmers to represent the region's hunting history and culture. The arch was built in 2010.

I've wanted to visit Alaska for a long time. "Can you believe this?" I say to Dan and Theo.

We step closer, to examine the antlers more closely and to, of course, give Theo a chance to sniff. And sniff. And sniff. 

"This is real, mom." And so it goes.

Theo and Animals of a Different Kind

 If you're a regular follower of Hot Blogging with Chuck, you know all about Theo. This gangster cat loves snacks, animals and sniffing everything. We know this, too, and are not above using schemes to lure Theo where we want him to go.

I say the word "museum," and Theo shakes his head. I say the word "animal" and Theo agrees.

We visit the Museum of the North in Fairbanks, Alaska. This place is amazing for not having one live animal on the premises. But if you want an encapsulated view of Alaska and all its wildlife, this is the place to dip your toe in. Theo is in his glory . . .

First, we see the Alaskan dinosaur. Of course, all we have are the bones, but it is enough to show you how big they were . . . back in the day.

We're impressed  but then we see the dinosaur of all dinosaurs. Notice Dan on the side to see how big this dinosaur really is:

Then we have (and this is just a sampling) of some of the animals who live in Alaska. Stuffed animals. Which is cool because you can get really close and see them.

This museum goes one step further and showcases gigantic displays of sandpipers in their native habitat. All re-creations, of course, but they're magnificent.

There's a display of water animals: ducks, geese and swans and an entire slew of animals I've never heard of, part of the same family:

Finally we stumble upon some teeth of Ice-Age mammals. We immediately think of the Gold Sisters and the hundreds of pre-historic artifacts they uncovered and displayed in the geodesic dome on regular shelves. This museum has two sets of teeth only. Still the size is impressive compared to human teeth. 

Theo looks up at me. 

"Yes, you can sniff them." 

Keep in mind this is a ten minute operation as he sniffs and sniffs. If cats could smile, his would be a mile wide. 

Usually I'm telling him: "Think of this like watching TV." He loves to jump up and perch in front of the TV, watching it up close and personal--especially anything to do with nature. This time there's no glass to separate him from the teeth.

Okay, so we continue through the museum and I can't resist capturing the kayak that Alaskans use to go seal hunting. It is bigger than you imagine. 

Theo asks, "Where are the animals?"

"One track mind," I think but don't say.

 Finally, we reach the clothing exhibits. How do you dress to stay warm in frigid temperatures, especially before there was central heating--parkas and boots and hoods. 

 

Again, "Where are the animals?" Theo meows.

Again, I shake my head in disbelief.

"Well, what do you think, Theo? Did you like it?" We're back where we started, near the entrance, about to leave. 

Theo has one request. He wants to see the . . . I expect he'll say dinosaurs or that lovely stuffed eagle that we saw . . . but, no, he wants to see the sandpiper exhibit. Again. Go figure.

Theo and the Trans-Atlantic Pipeline

 I have no interest in seeing the Trans-Atlantic Pipeline. I know little about it and could care less how oil makes its way around the world, or for that matter how gas makes it's way into the local gas station. 

But, we're nearby. And Theo, for some unexplained reason, wants to see it. Or part of it.

"Theo, we're talking about miles and miles and miles and miles of pipeline . . ." I take a breath. "If we go, we're only going to see a little bit of it."

He meows plaintively. As if his life depends upon our decision. I point to the sign that is hanging off the pipes and read it out loud: "Please don't climb on the pipeline." 

Theo is not amused. He looks up. 

"I know. I know." He has no intention of climbing on this massive steel structure. I think he wants to sniff it.

I call out, "How about a snack?" to cause a distraction.

It doesn't work. 

The Trans-Atlantic Pipeline is an 800 mile, four foot in diameter pipeline that moves crude oil from the Proudhon Bay to Valdez, Alaska. It took three years to complete and cost eight billion dollars. It was built over some of the most rugged Alaskan terrain (75% permafrost). It transports about 3.5% of all US oil production. There is also stuff inside the pipes. How do I know this? I googled it. 

Dan is impressed. Theo isn't.

I pull Dan aside. "So why do you think he wants to see it?"

Dan laughs. "You know why. He wants to sniff it."

When you travel with a curious gangster style cat, you never know what his motivations are. And we have to play fair. He goes where we want to go--gold panning. We go where he wants to go--pipelines.

Alright. Alright. 

I have to eat my words. Other people are there looking at it. The pipeline itself is massive. How they built it is a remarkable story. I look at it with renewed respect. And actually stop to read all the facts on giant placards near the pipeline. 

I'm impressed with all the challenges they faced. The pipeline crosses three active faults, it navigates around mountain ranges, manages extreme sub-zero temperatures, and over 400 miles of pipeline are elevated above ground so the hot oil won't melt the permafrost underneath it. 

There's only one problem. The pipeline is high above us. Theo is on the ground. 

I think he imagines he could jump on top. We both look up. Theo looks up. 

"I'm sorry. But this is the access point. And as you can see . . . "

When he wants to look sad, he can pull it off--an Academy Award performance.

Dan is not to be deterred. "Come here, big guy."

Before Theo knows it, he's high into the air, near the pipeline. Dan has lifted him up over his head, close enough so his nose can touch the pipeline.

"Sniff, buddy, sniff."

And now everyone is happy. 

Theo, Ice Age Fossils, and Gold-Part I

 Okay so we promised Theo, the gangster cat, that we would see animals. We're in Alaska, Fairbanks to be precise, and Theo wants animals. But we want to make one tiny stop. We've gotten wind of a place called Gold Daughters that is known for panning gold. That could be fun! (Stay tuned to Part II of Theo, Ice Age Bones and Gold)

Gold Daughters is run by two sisters (yes, they're also daughters) who opened a business based on their father's discovery. We're talking years ago. He not only discovered gold on his property, but he also discovered and (purely by accident) unearthed fossils, ancient bones of wooly mammoths, bison, etc. that roamed the Earth during the Ice Age. The fossils range from teeth to tusks. You can read more on his website: boneyardak.com. 

These fossils were examined by experts to verify that they were, indeed, authentic. Then they were categorized, initially stored, and are now on exhibit in a geodesic dome on their property. How cool is that?

We don't expect Theo to be as excited as we are, but inside the dome we let him loose and he's all about sniffing what's there. Imagine. Cats and dogs gain an enormous amount of information from sniffing. What is he picking up as he sniffs bones? 

Some background. During the Ice Age, and to appreciate this fact, you have to think COLD, the animals that could survive were different than today. They were mostly large mammals that could adapt to the cold. Think woolly mammoths, mastodons saber-toothed cats, rhinoceroses and giant ground sloths. The environment was glacial, and these mammals were forced to roam on treeless plains and forests. Many went extinct 10,000 to 13,500 years ago.

Wooly mammoths were twelve feet tall.

Giant ground sloths were twelve foot herbivores.

Giant beavers were seven feet long.

Wooly rhinoceros had thick hair and two horns.

I know this sounds like a script for a Hollywood movie, but the fossils in this dome prove these animals existed . . . once upon a time.

I stop to read some of the background:

But Theo makes the greatest discovery of all. I'm lost in looking at all the fossils until Theo hones in on teeth. Gigantic teeth. He sniffs and then he wraps his paws around the teeth on the shelf. Which means, yes, he's jumped up onto the shelf . . . and has decided that he wants to take the teeth home? That he needs to get closer than close to sniff them properly? That he's suddenly in cat love with teeth?

Of course, there's a struggle. "Let the teeth go,"I whisper.

He gives me his famous gangster smile or should I write smirk.

"I'm warning you."

Which, of course, does no good. Dan is the hero. Calmly, he walks over and shimmies the teeth away from Theo. I hold onto them securely, left over panic coursing through my body as a small part of me realizes the size of these teeth from a mastodon compared to my teeth. Yikes! 

Luckily, this dome is filled with boneyard fossils that are so interesting no one seems to notice. Everyone is busy looking, looking, looking at all the bones unearthed from permafrost, which is ice frozen for years. 

"You can sniff but you can't take them home."

He looks despondent.

"Theo, be reasonable. You want to carry these teeth . . ."

Theo is nothing but a cool cat. He shrugs. "I only wanted to sniff them." 

Really?

"Well, go ahead and sniff."

He does. But was that really all he wanted?

Theo and Alaska--Why mom?

 How do you explain to a gangster cat that we have a bucket list and Alaska is top on the list and that's where we're going next.

"Bucket list?" he asks, looking at us askance.

We try to explain. "You have things you want to do--hang out with the squirrels and birds and eat snacks. These are top priority to you."

"Alaska?"

I try to narrow down. Well, we're landing in Anchorage and then taking a shuttle to Fairbanks. That's as far as I go . . . for now. 

I'm hoping our first view of Anchorage will convince him. It's Alaska's largest city and is called the gateway to the Alaskan wilderness. Forty percent of Alaska's population live in Anchorage. It's one of the northernmost American cities. 

Alaska holds a special charm. It's more rugged, colder in winter. The lifestyle is different. Then I hit upon a winning argument. Animals. "We're going to see tons of animals. Bears and dogs and bison and moose and all kinds of sea life--whales and seals."

Theo likes animals. All animals. Unfortunately, however, the first thing we can offer is a beautiful view. Of the mountains and the clouds. 

Flying into Anchorage. As the sun is setting.

We're still flying above the clouds.

Theo is less impressed than he should be. "Where are the animals?" he wants to know.

"How about a snack? You must be starving."

Snacks work. Temporarily. He glances up at the view and shakes his head. 

"I'm glad you're such a good sport." What I don't tell him is that it'll be days before we see an animal. A live one, that is and not some prehistoric bones! Stay tuned!