As we traversed the last 107 miles of the Alaska Highway, we delighted in the scenery and the realization of just how complicated this roadway construction task was in 1942.
We also spotted this spectacular Great Gray Owl, who was not bothered by us, at all. It seems like he's asking, "You looking at me?"
He even allowed us to watch him hunt. So very cool.
Moose #2 (and #3, not pictured) were also spotted on this last stretch.
In various blog posts, Steve has been chased by a bear and a huge beaver. We thought this mosquito was necessary, due to the Alaska State insect's rumored size. Ha.
Besides being the "end" of the Alaska Highway, this town was involved with the war effort. During World War II, the United States aided the Soviet Union against Germany by sending airplanes and supplies. This aid was authorized by the Lend-lease Act and sent from here into the Russian Far East. The Alaska Highway was built to connect an existing road in Dawson Creek, BC, Canada, with the Richardson Highway in Alaska, a distance of 1,422 miles.
Next stop was a visit to the North Pole (where all my Christmas cards were sent from last year). While many miles from the actual North Pole, this quaint spot is worth a stop. Homesteaded in 1944 by the Davis family, Dahl & Gaske Development Company purchased the Davis property in 1952. They then subdivided it, and renamed it North Pole, in hopes of attracting a toy manufacturer to the area, sure that someone would want to advertise "Toys built at the North Pole".
I took this photo for those who have no real idea about the "Midnight Sun". Sunset- 11:44 PM, Sunrise- 4:08 AM... 19 hours and 35 minutes of sunlight. It is the weirdest thing to wander about outside, at 10 PM and having it be FULL daylight. Wow, pretty cool.
Dinner and acclimating was at Fairbanks' three-times-a-week Farmers Market.
I thought this booth to be the most unique. Becca has an old typewriter and she types poetry on pieces of birch bark. Clever and beautiful.
I bought the beet & goat cheese muffin... delish!
Rhubarb is big here right now!
These wild strawberries were as sweet as they were pretty.
Okay, these bikes are awesome and the company's motto is See Fairbanks By the Seat of Your Pants. So far, we're loving this town.
posted under |
2 comments:
I loved the "daylight" data, everything on the pastry menu and how adorable you two look as Eskimos.
Wow, the owl is spectacular!
I bet those strawberries took forever to pick... so they must have been more costly than our unnaturally large strawberries we buy in the grocery store!
***
Post a Comment