I have to admit, I was very eager to get to the Denali area that I contemplated skipping Talkeetna altogether. I’m glad I didn’t. Talkeetna is a tiny spot – home to only about 900 people – but there are sights to be seen. In the effort of being thorough, I stopped to see them.
First of all, I had been riding for about three hours so my stomach told me it was a good idea to stop. I pulled into the Denali Brewing Company for a pint and a sandwich (and a t-shirt). Both were very good but my review is heavily influenced by the fact that I heard my first bite hit bottom. That granola bar in Anchorage did it’s best to hold me off until Talkeetna, but I was glad to have real food again.
There’s not a lot to explore unless you’re going to schedule an adventure with one of the many tour operators in the area. I’m talking about Nagley’s General Store, restaurants and gift shops. That’s about it. But it’s a long way to Denali from Anchorage and it’s a great place to stretch your legs and get some provisions for the next couple of hours. As touristy as it may be, it still feels so darn authentically Alaskan.
While I was there, the Alaska railroad had an engine and some cars stopped at the railway station. Like many others, I had a good time ignoring the signs and getting some photos of the trains before hitting the road again.
