We made it to Fairbanks. In fact, we’re about to leave again after a busy 36 hours. Dad has the boys downstairs in the hotel pool while I scrape together a quick update. It’s funny how quickly the time seems to go up here, even when the daylight lasts forever, as you’re tempted to keep cramming in activities and stay on the move. Following dinner last night, we left my brother’s apartment at nearly eleven with the sun still up and would have probably stayed there and kept talking until the wee hours had the boys not kept us honest by looking tired.
The Alaska Highway took us a leisurely four days, and I might have a lot to say about the drive if I had more time. On the other hand, how much is there to say, really, about a drive? In general, the road was emptier and prettier and in better condition than I expected once we got beyond the surprisingly busy and refined Dawson Creek and Fort St. John area. Our campsite at Muncho Lake will undoubtedly be a highlight of the trip.
Every chance they got in this campsite, the boys would say “You know where we’ll be” and disappear to the lakeshore to journal, skip rocks, and fish. The boys have now fished unsuccessfully in Wyoming, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory.
We saw lots of wildlife, including this black bear right at the side of the road who probably would have let us hang out with him all afternoon.
Hey, BooBoo. Let’s go get us some motorhome tourists!
On all accounts, the drive out went astonishingly well.
So now we begin the slow road back. We’re heading toward Denali and will then take a few days to reach Haines. From there, several short ferry hops through the southeast islands will take us to Prince Rupert, BC. On the 12th, Belinda will meet us in Vancouver and I’ll kick my Dad out of the car so she can travel with us for a week or so.
postcards from the outback 