Road Trip To The Arctic Circle

Arctic Circle Sign, Alaska (52 degrees, grey skies)

Just

Go!

John and Bob planned one last adventure together. Bob is heading back to West Virginia and they wanted to spend some time together doing the "guy thing". They set out for a rugged road trip from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle. It took about 11 hours to complete and was 400 miles round trip.

Most of the journey is on the Dalton Highway, also known at the Haul Highway. This mostly gravel road is used by truckers traveling back and forth carrying supplies to the oil fields in Prudhow Bay. The trucks have the right away and rocks can fly and tires can puncture. 

John and Bob had frequent views of the pipeline and some very beautiful rugged scenery. 

Finger Mountain points towards Fairbanks used for navigation by pilots

They returned safely except for one very dirty truck.  This person was not so fortunate. No one was there when they saw the very expensive motorhome on the side of the road. It's not going to be pretty getting it out of there. 

They made it to the sign and Visitor Center. John said working there must be very lonely.  They got a nice certificate and pin to commerate the day. 

Bob

John

No flowers on the fireweed. 

No flowers were seen on the ever present Fireweed. The locals use this as a  predictor of winter. Once the flowers are gone there are only six more weeks until winter.  

I'm so glad they had this time together. John and Bob are great friends who met originally at J.N. Ding Darling NWR. They are not sure when their paths will cross again and this time together was very special. 

Fairbanks Alaska Stopover

Fairbanks, Alaska (56 degrees, rainy most of the time)

Traveling - it leaves you speechless,

then turns you into a storyteller"

Ibn Battuta

Riverboat Discovery

Fairbanks is the third largest city in Alaska. We stopped here mostly to stock up and relax a little after some hectic traveling. When on such extended trip we have found having some down time is essential. Too much sightseeing and go go go can burn us out. 

During our time here we visited the Fort Wainwright Army Military Base and did a little grocery shopping. Prices at the base are always much lower than even Walmart. It's another great benefit from John's military service.

Pretty real estate

We used another tour saver coupon with our friends Bob and Patsy to go on the Riverboat Discovery paddle boat tour  The coupon book has come in handy and more than paid for itself. The boat slowly paddled down the Chena River.  

We saw a bush pilot take off and land right by our boat. 

Float Plane

It also stopped alongside Susan Butcher kennels where her husband talked by microphone back and forth with the boat narrator about dog sledding and gave a demonstration. She was a four time champion of the Iditarod and died a few years ago from cancer.

We got off the boat and visited at replica of a Chena Indian Village. This was a bit too touristy but interesting to hear some of their stories and to see the stunning beaded coat made of a variety of furs. The coat reportedly took seven months to create working on it six hours a day.

Tip:  Choose a seat on the top deck on the left facing forward. You will be able to see more of the action on that side. 

We especially liked the Museum of the North (another two for one coupon) at the University of Fairbanks. It was packed with all kinds of artifacts. I especially enjoyed seeing the displays of the women who came to Alaska and called it home. They were certainly very brave and adventurous. The mammoth bones were also amazing. It's impossible to take it all in. The art museum on the third floor also had some interesting displays and one very fancy outhouse. 

John checking out the fancy outhouse

Bob and Patsy

Our friends Bob and Patsy have decided to leave Alaska and head home. It's been great traveling with them and we wish them safe travels. 

Campground Review:  Rivers Edge, 4 stars, full hook up, 30 amp service. gravel, pull thru sites/ The best WiFi we have had on our entire trip. Busy campground with very helpful staff. Expensive $53/night, great location

Our next stop is Chena Hot Springs for a couple of nights. Some of our travels now will be more remote and our posts less frequent until we have cell service.