Fairbanks
Alaska - USA 
Airstreaming  2006

Arrive:   July 20
Depart:  July 25
Road Conditions:  Good
Weather:  Sunny
Miles:  98

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The ride to Fairbanks was short and offered a moose in the road moment which, for Kathleen, is a true highlight. We really liked this city which has all the services but without heavy congestion. The University of Alaska Museum is wonderful and should not be missed. They offered not only a very entertaining history exhibit enhanced with rentable audio phones but also botanical gardens and a large animal research center where caribou, reindeer, and muskox are on display.

We learned about vegetables and flowers in Alaska. Vegetables grow fast and flowers are lush and vibrant. Even though the growing season is short there is an abundance of daylight so tomatoes, broccoli, all vegetables flourish. The reason flowers are noticabley brighter than we see in Connecticut is because of less stress. The nights are cool and the temperature rarely goes over eighty degrees so flowers don't worry they stay calm and bright whether this applies to people in Alaska I can't say.

Chena Marina Campground was very nice, right next to the river and had good wifi. Per Hamnqvist with Izzy, Erik, and Karl joined us there after a trip to Deadhorse and Prudhoe Bay complete with trailer. Was the road rough? Did he have flat tires? Was his trailer trashed? Yes, yes, yes. Per has the courage and tenacity to undertake such a difficult journey and of course is completely insane but can claim they dipped their feet and Karl's whole body in the Arctic ocean. Lilli (Mom) flew in and joined them here in Faibanks, got a look at the trailer, took a deep breath, and helped them clean and recover before continuing on to Denali.

Mushing and sled dogs are a big part of Alaska. We spent a very enjoyable evening with Mary Shields and her dogs. Mary was the first woman to finish the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. She has a beautiful cabin in the hills above Fairbanks where she introduces people to the world of mushing. Included was a hands on experience with her dogs which made the evening very special. After sitting us down on benches away from the dogs she asked us to howl in unison. We did, maybe felt a little shy about doing so, but the dogs returned our wailing with a tear jerking call of the wild.

Pioneer Park is a tourist attraction and a very nice place for family outings. Entrance to the park is free with the attractions inside charging a fee. The oil pipeline is accessable for viewing and I suppose if you see one section you've seen it all. There is a restaurant on the Chena river called the Pump House where the beer served gets my personal recomendation. We sat on the deck overlooking the river and watched the paddle wheel boat Discovery slide by and float planes arrive and depart. I almost forgot to mention the North Pole which is a real town we visited on the approach to Fairbanks. This is where those Santa letters go from all the children asking for Christmas gifts. We personally met Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Clause and asked that all our grandchildren get everything.