Tuesday, July 6, 2010

ALASKA DAY SIX: Into Fairbanks - Rendezvous with Swansons!


View a sample of today’s pictures
At right: Columbine from Swanson's garden

Ah! What a blissful morning to sleep in a little later, enjoying the comforts of a good mattress! After writing last night, we went down to the “clubhouse” to listen to a native Alaskan folk singer and then took a long walk around the park, marveling at the variety of states represented in the RVs. There is a Good Sam Caravan here, which helps bring in more people. Made phone contact again with both Moms, Jed, Luke, and Swansons. Will call Mac from Fairbanks once we know what is happening!

We pull out of the RV park around 9:30, Rick grabs a coffee, and we are back on the road. Quickly see evidence of some recent fires in the Tok area (Candy’s Dan was here just a few weeks ago fighting a big one SE of town) – charred spruce trees and little mounds of black earth sprouting tufts of green grass.

This is not my favorite part of the drive to Alaska. Other than a few views of the Alaska Range and Mts. Hayes and Deborah to the south, we see more lakes, wide river deltas, and spruce trees – scraggly most of them.

Into Delta Junction and then a stop at the Knotty Shop. The boys always enjoyed these burl animals, including the huge mosquito. Then into North Pole to send some postcards to our local kids.

We arrive at the Swansons around 2:30p and spend the afternoon visiting and seeing all the work Dave and Shelli have been doing on the house. Sarah arrived home around 6:30 from her weekend with friends at Healy Lake. Rick and I will be sleeping up in Sarah’s room. Annika is excited to set up the new tent and sleep outside with Sarah.

Total mileage for today: 215 miles
Final mileage for our trip up is 2665 including the 125 side trip to Stewart.

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