August 22, 2013 Thursday
Day 46
Got away by 8am this morning, continuing on the Alaska Highway, bumping right along, heading north to Alaska (Fairbanks). This road is fine if you keep your speed down and look out carefully for dips.
The trees - scrubby, skimpy spruce, are so thin here, they are called bottlebrush, which is what they look like, because they are just barely making it in this harsh climate and boggy soil. The morning light is beautiful. Fall is definitely in the air, the temperature is in the low 50s, but sunny. Willow and cottonwood trees are turning yellow. Along the way we stopped at several vista points and rest areas, which consist of gorgeous views, clean outhouses and litter bins. The first one we stopped at, we walked a little path to discover a beautiful lake with a couple of tundra swans at one end and a moose at the other end. Watched this wonder for a few, then back on the road. Passed a lot of lovely glassy reflective lakes, several had swans.
The Nutzotin Mountains were off to the NW, Kluane Ranges to the SW, snow-clad Wrangell Mountains to West.
By 9am we were in Beaver Creek, Canada's most westerly community and just before the Canadian - Alaskan border.
We came upon a gravel section of the road and we were just commenting on how smooth and flat the road was for being gravel when a couple of trucks, whizzed by, throwing up flying rocks. Two rocks hit our windshield, one making a good sized crack, one making a dimple. Oh well, hope we can get them fixed before they spread. The gravel road was 20+ miles long. At one point, we came to a stop and had to wait for and then were led by a pilot car. It was muddy, gravelly and pretty darn rough, but there were a lot of workers on it, making improvements.
Made it to the Alaskan border-yay! It is good to be back in Alaska and the USA! The road so far is much better, very smooth, we can go about 50-60mph.
Drove through Tetlin Wildlife Refuge - 730,000 acres of rolling hills, hundreds of small lakes, ponds, streams, marshes and glacial rivers.
Occasionally on hillsides next to the highway we would see "rock graffiti" where people spell out messages or create designs out of white rocks on the darker background of the hill.
Made it to Tok, Alaska by noon, stopped at Tok RV Village to give our car and camper a much needed wash. Our car and camper were literally covered in mud from the long stretch of gravel road in the Yukon. As we waited our turn (there were several muddy campers ahead of us) at the do-it- yourself car wash, we had our picnic at the nice picnic tables provided. With clean car and camper and full stomachs we ventured on our way. Just outside of Delta Junction, we stopped at Delta Meat and Sausage Company. We were actually behind a pickup truck who turned in before us and he had a huge buffalo in the back of the truck that he was bringing in to be processed. We bought some Alaska grown homemade reindeer breakfast sausage, elk steaks and elk summer sausage. Can't wait to cook these on the camp grill.
After Delta Junction we crossed the Tanana River on the Big Delta Bridge. We saw up close the Alaska Pipeline suspended across the river.
Continuing on alongside the road, the Tanana River flowed rapidly.
Stopped in the Knotty Shop with burl creations out front, including a giant mosquito "alasquito"
Passed by Eielson Air Force Base.
Stopped in North Pole, Alaska to take some pictures of Santa Claus House. All the street light poles look like candy canes.
Arrived at Rivers Edge RV Park in Fairbanks around 6:00pm. Nice tree lined campsites along the Chena River.
Wildlife Sightings
Moose (cow)
Tundra swans
Sitka ravens