R&R Russians and Roads

A few nights back we stayed {as June has stated} at a place where a family of Russians had bought. They were great people...We find out later the area is quite full of Russians, great farmers...The place had a old lodge that was haunted, {stated in a history of the area book}. Casper protected us... It was great to have a bush pilot come in and bring us our beer and gas and sleeping bags...Our dog sled was wore out from bringing us in....{A little BS thrown in} But the next day we went to a place I have seen on a few TV shows and lots of books and thought I would love to go there and never thought I would, and "I did"...Kennicott. What a place...It was a 95 miles one way, mostly one lane in. 35 miles of bad pavement and 60 miles of gravel and dirt...10 road, 1010 road, military road, and Fritz's freeway all at the same time. {a lot of people will know what I mean by those names and numbers}..5 miles a hr to 35....It was the old railroad bed and they buried the rails and ties under the road and at times they were coming up through the road. It was wild...they warned to bring spares and watch for rocks, holes and railroad spikes, and they were right..The spikes get ripped up when they grade the road, pulling out of the ties. Gnarly....We got there and then take a foot bridge across the river, then a shuttle to a old lovely place and then to Kennicott the next 5 miles...Its so unreal....They are really fixing the place up trying to save what can be saved. People are living there, shops are going in, and food can be bought. We stayed for 2 hrs and and one in McCarthy the little town...Camped that night and drove that road the next day....No Flats.....right on....I will never forget that place, it was kind of mystical to me and I have no idea why....We are now on the Copper River camping...I want to say one thing, I have never seen so many paved trails that parallel the highways and roads, also gravel ones...There are miles and miles and miles of them on any road anywhere...good for bikes, walking, atv,s , snowmobiles etc...Good for Alaska.....and its people