Fairbanks reached

Alaskans do pride themselves on an independent nature...

The road into the US  goes through some very pretty country. Both the US  and Canada actually have their border stations somewhat away from the real boundary between the two countries. At the boundary there is a nice display and the border is clearly marked by a clear cut of trees stretching  as far as the eye can see in both directions.  Getting through US customs was straightforward and from there you have a drive

into the town of Tok, Alaska. Fortunately we had beautiful  weather  for this leg. We spent the night at a Alaska state campground just outside of Tok and then the next day moseyed our way halfway to Fairbanks before stopping at Quartz Lake state recreational  area. Quartz Lake is popular with local Alaskans who flock to the lake to fish due to its close proximity to fairbanks  (roughly the same drive, but fortunately not the same traffic, as from Denver to Lake Dillon. We also stopped in Delta Junction which is the technical end of the Alaska Highway.

We're  staying at the Chena River State Recreation Area in Fairbanks which is nice save for its being in close, very close, proximity to the Fairbanks International Airport which seems to be pretty busy with your typical passenger jets along with a lot of vintage, but still flying DC-3's and DC-6's as well as a whole mishmash of private aircraft such as the ubiquitous Piper

Cubs which at this time of year sport big fat balloon tires or floats for landing on lakes and rivers. In a couple of months they'll switch out the floats or wheels for skis and continue to land on the same lakes and rivers once they freeze solid. They tell us a Piper Cub can take off in as little as 140 feet.

The temperature has been anywhere from the 50's to high 70's but I'm not sure I'd want to be here in winter when temps plummet to as much as 60-70 degrees below zero. Google the university of Alaska/Fairbanks and you can see pictures of the student bodies posing in briefs and bikinis next to the UAF temperature sign showing modestly chilly readings in the 40 below range. Either the students are smart enough to not pose at 60+ degrees below or perhaps the temperature sign gives up registering at those frigid readings.

Start of the dirt section on the Dalton Highway

We took a drive north of town to see what the infamous Dalton Highway looks like. It starts out paved but past the town (and I use the term "town" euphemistically) of Livengood it's 456 miles of dirt road until you reach Prudhoe Bay. About a third of the way up you cross the Artic Circle which at a minimum is our goal after experiencing what these dirt roads can dish out. We'll  keep our fingers crossed!

I think this little guy has misplaced his dust goggles