June 30, 2023
As we left Delta Junction, the view of the Alaska Range was compromised by wind blowing sand and dirt from the riverbed into the air. Just north of Delta Junction, we encountered the Trans Alaska Pipeline again, this time where it crosses the Tenana River supported by suspension cables. Everywhere the power of moving water to alter landscapes was evident. At this point in our journey, we passed the 5,000 miles since leaving home mark.
We delayed our arrival in Fairbanks by a day to avoid the crowds in town for the Summer Solstice Celebrations to ensure we could find a campsite. We spend our first night at Chena Lakes Recreation Area near the town of North Pole.
 |
| The campground was almost deserted and very quiet. |
The campground was beautiful with lovely birch trees and the ubiquitous mosquitoes. When we went in to Fairbanks, we checked out the RV "campground" at Pioneer Park. It turned out to be just a parking lot with restrooms available 24/7 and relatively bug-free so we ended up staying five nights there. We used cardboard cut-outs that fit our van windows to block most of the light and were able to leave the side door of the van open in the evenings without being eaten alive. Pioneer Park was constructed in 1967 as part of the centennial celebration of "Seward's Folly." It has many log buildings from early 20th century Fairbanks that were moved to the location as well as an old railroad car and sternwheeler. We enjoyed strolling around the park early each morning before other tourists arrived.
sculpture of a raven - these birds do not migrate so are year-round residents
Note the dogsled on the roof
Many of the early buildings were constructed to be easier to heat and
reduce the amount of wood that needed to be cut to get through a winter.
Brian would find it difficult to live in one of them.
We also made a stop in North Pole, Alaska.
world's largest Santa in North Pole, AK
While in Fairbanks this past week, we made several visits to the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. The National Park Service has a desk manned by park rangers there, so we procured advice and info from a ranger who spent 24 seasons at Denali National Park. The exhibits were excellent (and even housed a geocache if you solved the puzzle necessary to locate it) and we watched several excellent films about the Aurora Borealis (no, we can't see them at this time of year - we haven't even seen stars for a few weeks), construction of the pipeline, and the sled dogs of Denali.
 |
| This exhibit said "Winter Sets Us Free" |
Antler Arch behind the Visitor Center
We were able to get quite close to the pipeline just outside of town.
sample of 48 inch pipe that the oil flows through
close enough to touch
One day, we drove about an hour out of Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs Resort to tour the Aurora Ice Museum. The resort actually rents out "bedrooms" with electric blankets for overnight stays. There was a man carving martini glasses out of blocks of ice that visitors could use at the ice bar. We declined.
Chandeliers made of ice
There is only one way to get in or out . . .
We attended daily mass at the oldest Catholic Church in the Alaska Interior.
The church was on the bank of the Chena River right next to the bridge
lined with flags.
Museum of the North on the University of Alaska-Fairbanks campus was excellent.
a topic to research some more when we get home
We went out to the Large Animal Research Facility to view the musk oxen.
The highlight of our time in Fairbanks was the tour to the Arctic Circle. The route follows the Dalton Highway that follows the pipeline. It was built as the "haul road" and is still used primarily by trucks driving back and forth to Prudhoe Bay. We didn't want to risk damage to our own van and were happy to let Keaton, our driver and tour guide get us there safely. After all, he knows the road better than us. He is a musher in training for the Iditarod and very knowledgeable about all things Alaska. He had never had geocachers on one of his tours before so he learned something as well. Three of our stops along the route have geocaches, even at the Arctic Circle. Other tour passengers learned about geocaching, too. The whole trip took 14 hours, mostly on bumpy gravel so we were happy to get back to town. We are glad we did this excursion, but never want to spend time on the Dalton Highway again.
Brian holding up the geocache at the beginning of the Dalton Highway for others to see.
granite tors along the way
Views looking north
Pipeline straight ahead
Buried section of pipeline with the Dalton Highway crossing it
The only bridge in Alaska that crosses the Yukon River - it also carries the pipeline over the river.
The Yukon is one-half mile wide at this point.
Brian rode shotgun with Keaton and took pictures from the front seat of the Dalton Highway.
with Keaton at the Arctic Circle
mighty Yukon River
It rained off and on all day so the tour van got really muddy!
Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife the whole day, just moose tracks on the side of the road. Our luck will change when we reach our next destination - Denali National Park.
