Fairbanks, Alaska

End of Alaska Highway

Proximity of Fairbanks to Arctic Circle

Walmart facade looks like a street front

Saw this Moose on the outskirts of Fairbanks

Wonderful video

Northern Lights (courtesy www.daleandjo.com)

Gold found near Fairbanks

Now there's a Rack of Caribou Rack

After Denali we spent a few days enjoying the environs of Fairbanks, our most northern- most city. The city grew along with the gold rush in the early 1900's, and an area 26 miles north of Fairbanks, is currently home to Alaska's 2nd largest gold producing mine. The city is about 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle (but it is a 16 hr return trip just to cross into the 'Circle'), and it is the most popular place on earth to view the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights - you just need a clear, winter sky and a lot of patience. We visited the University of Alaska campus with Marie & Eric, and we all attended an information video on the Northern Lights which we found so fascinating. After that we headed to a wood carving place as Marie had taken a class in woodturning earlier in our trip and we wanted to see the pros doing it - it was interesting to see them laser printing photos and other images onto the inside of wooden bowls. We also called into Walmart and I just had to take a photo of the front facade - they built it to look like a little street of shops, but it was just the one supermarket.

On the way back to our campground, Murray spotted a moose drinking in the river, so we wheeled back to watch her for a while and take a photo. Being so far north in the summer made for very long summer nights - pity they were cool and not warm evenings, as most nights were too cold for a campfire - unseasonably cold I might add. However, on one of the rare, milder evenings when Marie & Eric had gone to dinner with some friends they made while staying at Denali, we were sitting outside our RV chatting to some young neighbours from the camper to our left, and although it was still bright, we realised with a shock that it was midnight. We all scuttled off to bed ready for the adventures awaiting us all on the next day.

The next day found us heading south towards Delta Junction and the very end of the original Alaska Highway that we started out from in Dawson Creek back on the 2nd June. From Dawson Creek driving direct to Delta Junction is 1390 miles/2237km. The signs show the Alaska Highway as being 1422 miles, as that is what it used to be before continuous road improvements have re-shaped it somewhat and reduced the overall length. Because we took several side trips visiting Valdez, Seward, Homer etc, we have clocked up 3,202 miles/5153 km since we left Dawson City, and we haven't finished yet.