Riverboat Discovery @ Fairbanks / Arctic Circle

The Riverboat Discovery

     We left Denali and headed north for the 3 hour trip to Fairbanks. While driving through a construction zone just out of Denali we had a flat tire. The tire had a large screw in it. I put the spare on and headed to Fairbanks looking for a tire dealer. I decided to replace my tires as they were getting down on treads and this was our second flat. We found Giant Tire and replaced our tires in about an hour or so. We then met the rest of the crew at the Riverboat Discovery parking lot for our 2pm river tour. It was a nice warm day. The boat went past Susan Butcher's sled dog kennels. Susan was a top notch Iditarod racer for years (2nd woman to win) but she lost her battle with cancer in 2008. Her daughters have continued to run the kennels raising first rate sled dogs. We also stopped at Native Culture Center where several college students did demonstrations of various things from trapping and making clothing from the furs, catch salmon and smoking them, raising reindeer, building log cabins, etc. It was a relaxing and entertaining cruise up the river. 

Susan Butcher's Sled Dog Kennels

Native furs being demonstrated

Reindeer

Fish wheel used to catch salmon

     After the Riverboat it was time to say goodbye to Steve and Leanne as it was time for them to head home. Gary and Janet were staying in Fairbanks for a few days waiting for parts to show up at the dealer for their truck. We headed north out of town and camped at a free state rec campground. The next morning we drove up the Dalton Hwy with plans to make the Arctic Circle and camp overnight there. The road was actually in pretty good condition and we were able to travel along 45 or so most of the time. There was a nice BLM campground right at the Arctic Circle to stay at for free. As it turns out we probably spent our warmest day in Alaska at the Arctic Circle with temps in the 80's. Even overnight I don't think it got below 70...not quite what you would expect.

Lots of Fireweed along the road to the Arctic Circle

 This bridge over the Yukon was built in a short time with a large crew of 700. It is nearly 1/2 mile long and 200' above the river. The decking you drive on is made of lumber and the oil pipeline crosses here.

We were very happy that we made the trip to the Circle. We came back south the next morning and headed down the Chena Hot Springs road and found a nice free campsite by a pond.