Fairbanks, Alaska - May 31 - June 3, 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 – We didn’t need to leave until 9:30, so we went over to the restaurant so Kenny could get his “free” breakfast (sourdough pancakes and reindeer sausage). We left Tok and it was a very pretty drive along the Alaska Hwy. through the Alaskan tundra toward Fairbanks, but there was smoke in the air…a forest fire near Dot Lake. We saw a moose alongside the road. At Delta Junction, we stopped at Rika’s Roadhouse, built in 1910 for lunch. Next stop was North Pole, Alaska…yes there’s really a “North Pole” where the spirit of Christmas lives year round. At the Santa Claus house (a Christmas store), we saw reindeer and Santa Claus. We did a little shopping and I mailed some postcards, postmarked with North Pole stamp.

We finally arrived at the River’s Edge RV park in Fairbanks (right on the river). We set up and went over to Fred Meyers to do some shopping and get gas in the jeep.

Rika's "beautiful" Roadhouse

At the North Pole!

Whoa! It’s Wednesday, June 1, 2011 – We met Spike at 9:00 and all piled in the vans and off for a city tour of Fairbanks. Went by the “Holy Roller Church” (they had to wait for the river to freeze up so they could roll it from one side of the Chena River to the other), and then to a viewing area of the Alaska Pipeline where Spike explained to us how it was built and what was entailed. At 1:15, we went over to the Riverboat Discovery for a cruise on the Chena River. We stopped in front of the late Iditarod Champion, Susan Butcher and David Monson's riverfront home where we got to see the champion dog team in action. Then, we got off at the Athabascan Indian Village where Alaskan natives shared their cultural traditions as they recounted how their ancestors hunted, fished and built shelters to survive for centuries in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. We got see a bush pilot take off and land on the river, how the Natives used the fur from the animals to make warm coats, a sled dog demonstration as well as salmon smoking techniques used by the natives for centuries.

Later, we all piled back in the vans and went over to Pioneer Park for a salmon Bake dinner. After we ate, we walked around Pioneer Park, a replica of an old gold rush town with historical buildings that had been moved there.

Thursday, June 2, 2011 – Today is a “free” day, so we went back over to the North Pole and got a few more things at the store there, then off to the Fairbanks Visitor’s Center. It had fantastic displays, and several vignettes set up of the “early” days of the Alaskan natives and early gold rush prospectors and trappers. From there we went by the University of Alaska and looked at the reindeer at the Large Animal Research Study, then toured the city on our own.



Friday, June 3, 2011 – Cleaning House Day!  Need to do laundry and mop the floor. It’s also a maintenance day on the motorhome, so Kenny ran into town to pick up an engine filter to replace in the motorhome. I had several loads to do, so I went to the Laundromat. It reminded me of when we were building our home in Montana and I had to use the Laundromat there. Since Spike knows David Monson personally, he invited our group after dinner to his home and dog mushing facility. He spoke to us about the Iditarod adventures, the dogs and mushing. He talked about his wife, the late Susan Butcher, winning the Iditarod four years in a row…a major feat for a woman. We had him sign the book we got for Noah, “Granite” that he and Susan wrote about her lead dog. After David spoke, we met Brent Sass, an up and coming Iditarod musher and just a really nice kid (he reminded me a lot of Justin and is the same age). We got to walk around the facility and play with the puppies and dogs. Brent introduced us to his lead dog, Silver and the other dogs he plans to use in the next Yukon Quest. Another fun and interesting evening.

Susan Butcher's Iditarod Trophies

David Monson signing the "Granite" book for Noah

Brent and his lead dog, Silver

Brent Sass

Brent Sass' Dog Mushing Facility