Day 45

July 13, 2014

Today sunshine after rain yesterday.  Left Tok on the last leg of the Alaska Highway and had a call from Susan that they saw a moose about 15 miles from our overnight campground.  We scanned the sides of the road for 30 miles and no moose.  Our first stop was at a large parking area with a view of the Alaska Range for a photo.

Next was the Delta Meat & Sausage Company where about 25 RV’s were parked and all buying meat.  We did the same.  Buffalo hot links, olive and jalapeño summer sausage, beef rib-eye and smoked pork chops, all the basic food groups.

We got to the end of the Alaska Highway, mile 1422, at the Delta Junction Chamber of Commerce where they had our completion certificate all ready for us.

They had a display of the Alaska mosquitos that Iris was interested in as she has been attacked several times.

Leaving the Alaska Highway and beginning the Richardson Highway, Rica’s Road House was next but we decided to skip it as it was off the highway.  This is a roadhouse operating since 1910.  Lots of views to see.  We stopped at the Tanana River to see the Alyeska Pipeline crossing and fixed our lunch in the big parking lot.  

Then a stop at the Knotty Shop (named for the building’s knots in the construction materials) that Bob was disappointed in as he thought it was to be the “Naughty Shop”.  They did have a great ice cream selection that we enjoyed.  Shortly thereafter we passed Eielson Air Force Base, carved out of the forest with displays of military aircraft for about 5 miles of highway frontage.  We arrived at North Pole, AK, a suburb of Fairbanks where we left the highway to find our Riverside RV Park.  Our site was ready and waiting for us.  Most of our group were already in place.  Our orientation talk at 5 PM was followed by some of the girls (?) heading off to Santa Claus House in North Pole for some Christmas shopping while Bob tried out some new Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover.  

Both of us were successful.  We had planned to go to the University of Alaska Viewpoint to be able to see Denali (if the weather was perfect) but the fires and smoke from Yukon prevented us making the trek.  We did have cable TV so watched the news and then off to bed for early start tomorrow.