This stage in our journey took us west and then north towards Denali. Once again we had great scenery and found Palmer, a small town where we had considered stopping off at if we had travelled the other way round our route, to be very pleasant. We did some shopping - what else? - and then headed north to Talkeetna.The road wound its way north through Wasilla which has its own 'fame'.This is the home town of Sarah Palin who is reported to have built a huge fence around her home to stop prying neighbours.This reminds us of Ray Bunce who erected a fence around his small terraced house in Stoneleigh Avenue, Worcester park to protect himself from his neighbours!! Nuff said!Also it was reported today that Sarah Palin may visit the UK to possibly have a chance of an opportunity of a possible meeting with Margaret Thatcher.Now that sounds something definite doesn't it?But as M suggested it also indicates that Sarah Palin probably thinks Margaret Thatcher is still PM.Worrying or what!

Talkeetna is a small settlement with a history because it has been the staging off point for treks and climbs to Mount McKinley for nearly 100 years. Nowadays it still serves the same function but also has developed into a quaint tourist town.Nevertheless it still has a distinct charm and we were able to wander around its one street and its few galleries. The Denali Brewing Company sits in the main street and we had a fine stopover sampling a number of its various brews - M's favourite was 'Purple Haze'.

One thing that we have found is the general friendliness of the Americans in this part of the world - their opening gambit is usually 'where are you guys from?' and that can open up the usual exchanges about Scotland, their ancestry etc. Whilst in the Denali Brewing Company's tasting house, a young chap asked us the same question.It turned out that he's spent some time in Scotland at Glenelg, would you believe it, and knew the Glenelg Innand Chris Main and also Mary Chisholm - nice to be reminded of these interesting folks from back home.

Across the road was the West Rib Pub and Grill that served us up with an excellent caribou burger with some lovely wine/beer.

Tomorrow we'll take a flight over the 20,320ft Mount McKinley - provided the weather is OK.

More later.

E & M xx