May 29, 2010

Fire and North Pole

 

We slept late this morning and didn’t get started ‘till 10 am.  Very late.  Guess the trip yesterday was more tiring than we thought.

About eight miles west of Tok we came to a traffic stop.  Had to wait for a pilot car to guide us through the smoke. 

The drive was sort of eerie.  Miles and miles of burned trees, some still smoking. 

Fire trucks down many side roads doing mop up. 

Several spots where the trees and road were red with fire retardant. 

After about fifteen miles we were free to go at regular speeds. 

The smoke did spoil our views of the Alaska Range though. 

 

Here is one view after we left the smoke.

 

 

 

 

There are many more fires burning in the state.  Hope we do not have too much problem with smoke.

It has been in the 80’s for a week but some river beds don’t know that.

 

About 12:30 we reached Delta Junction, the official end of the Alaska Highway.  We took some pictures and moved on.  Not much to see or do in Delta Junction, for tourists anyway.

 

Hard to read.  Depicts coldest winter days in Delta area.

 

 

 

 

 

Many of you know geocaching.  This is a a real cache.  Sort of a northern food locker and freezer.  Food was kept here away from cabin which would be kept warm.  Outside temps are below freezing seven or eight months of the year so no problem with spoilage. Stilts kept food above snow and away from animals.

 

Alaska state bird

 

 

 

 

 

 

About ten miles further we stopped at Rika’s Roadhouse. 

This is a historic site that preserves one of the better examples of the roadhouses that were along all the major trails and then roads throughout Alaska and the Yukon.  This one was much larger than most and had a number of other buildings associated with it. (barn, blacksmith, workers quarters, even telegraph buildings from time when telephone and telegraph communication was getting started)

We got our first view of the Alaska Pipeline just past the roadhouse.  Or a branch of it anyhow.  Will see it close up in a few days.

We are now at North Pole, AK.  This is where Santa hangs out in the off season.  :)   We are in Santa Land RV park which is totally Santa themed and is located next door to Santa Claus House.

Think of every Christmas store you have ever seen.  Double the size of the largest. How add a gift shop the same size filled with Alaska themed and made items.  Put it all under one roof and throw in a full time Santa to do his thing. 

Actually we had a nice talk with Santa.  He spent quite a while telling us all the things we should try to see on our journey around Alaska.  He had to stop because because a little girl was waiting to talk with him.  Turned out she was from Bali.  Yes, the island in the South Pacific.  Guess all roads lead to (the) North Pole.