It will be a 180 mile drive to Fairbanks tomorrow, our furthest north campsite, where we will spend 5 nights.

We departed Oregon 4 weeks ago on Saturday, June 14.  All has gone well, with no issues of any significance.  I guess all the planning worked.

Roads today were either very smooth or very bumpy.  Had about 25 miles of gravel and several single file pilot vehicle escorts through road construction/repair areas.   The bad parts were not as rough as yesterday.

Border crossing into Alaska today was the easiest yet.  Only several questions – “Where are you headed?”  And “What are you going to do in Homer?”

“Fish, of course.”  And then the border Agent and I talked about salmon fishing in Oregon.

Only wildlife I saw was two swans in a roadside pond.  

Rocky terrain with zero evidence of glaciation.  Passed through some burned areas, but the fire must have been several years ago.  Scraggly looking trees, small.  Karen read in The Milepost that a 2” diameter spruce tree might be up to 100 years old.

The permafrost makes road building and maintenance especially difficult, with frost heaves that crack the pavement, resulting in lots of potholes. We saw dozens of telephone poles leaning heavily to the side and some that appeared to have sunk about 10 feet.

A brief rainshower or two, then sunshine and high cumulus clouds.  Mild.  Arrived at campsite in Tok at 1:30 PM.

Tundra and Airstream exteriors are filthy from the dusty roads and rain.  Few things are uglier to me  than a dirty Airstream.

“Down The Road”

Well it’s down the road I go

And I got those worried

Lonesome homesick Jones

Way on down the road

Well it’s down the road I go

Well I got the blues

From way down in New Orleans

Way on down the road

And I got to be so far away

Oh don’t you see

All our memories, dreams and reflections

That keep haunting me

Well it’s down the road I go

And I hear those gypsy voices

Calling me

Way on down the road

Well I got to be

So far away in my memory

Dreams and reflections come on

Keep on back haunting me

Well it’s down the road I go

Well I got the blues

From down in New Orleans

Way on down the road

Well it’s down the road I go

Well I ve got the worried

Lonesome homesick Jones

Way on down the road

Way on down the road

Oh down the road

Way on down the road baby come on

Way on down the road

Trying to find my way back home

Trying to find my way back home

Further on down the road

Trying to find my way back home

Further on down the road

Down the road of peace

Down the road of peace

Down the road of peace baby

By Van Morrison