Day 80 - Sunday August 6/17

(Posted on Thursday August 31st at Battleford, SK)

A quick oatmeal breakfast to start the day and prepare us for a “spot o' fishin’”. We set off in sunny 14 degree weather north to Bonanza Creek where Michael tried out his new fishing pole (purchased in Seward). (photos) 

Nancy chose to sit in the sun and read while Michael tried for an elusive catch. Few bugs and ever warming temperature made this a very relaxing interlude for us both.

We were back to Rocinante by noon. A lunch of grilled cheese sandwich and some housekeeping kept us busy until after 2 pm. We even used the brand new Yamaha 3000 generator for the first time to make sure the batteries were fully charged. 

We travelled from the Arctic Circle to about 30 miles north of Fairbanks, at the trailhead for trails into the White Mountains National Recreation Area, where we boondocked overnight …(map)

As we drove south over the bumpy road Michael noticed that the electric controller for the trailer brakes was malfunctioning. We stopped on a pullout to investigate. We decided the only thing to do was continue cautiously and try to get the issue resolved by our “now good buddies” at TrailerCraft.

We stopped at a couple of viewpoints along the way that we had skipped on the way north. One was Connection Rock (photo). 

the 'Connection Rock' is to the right of the sign!

This was the place where the crews building the Dalton Highway– one working from the North, one coming from the south - met up. It happens to be on an ‘S’ curve. Perhaps their coordination was just a bit off? 

The other stop was at Finger Rock. This distinctive granite outcropping is a ‘tor’. The surrounding softer rock has been worn away over the millennia leaving a pillar that looks like a pointing finger. In this case the finger was used as a navigational aid by bush pilots as it pointed them towards Fairbanks.(photos)

We stopped at the only location for gas for several hundred miles at Yukon Bridge. 

The E.L.Patton Bridge over the Yukon River on the Dalton Highway, from the north

The E.L.Patton Bridge over the Yukon River on the Dalton Highway, from the north

Crossing the Yukon

Crossing the Yukon

We also emptied the trailer waste tanks and filled up with potable water. An ice cream cone fuelled us for our onward journey.

We passed the same two cyclists heading to Argentina that we had encountered on our northbound journey. We also had to stop and pull over on the narrow shoulder for a truly oversized load. It was a super long concrete I-beam being pulled by two transport truck cabs working in tandem like two diesel locomotives pulling a train. Quite the sight!

We stopped at a highway pullout and had KD and weiners for supper, and then drove on until we were close enough to Fairbanks to have cell phone service (as we needed to call TrailerCraft first thing in the morning). We actually found free camping in a parking area for Wickersham Creek Trailhead which is part of the White Mountains National Recreation Area. We set up in the large gravel parking lot which had an outhouse and was screened from the highway by trees. It was about 10 pm and still light out when we enjoyed a rum and coke before preparing for bed. 

A note about outhouses: We have used many, many outhouses on this trip, of varying quality and in various states of repair and conditions of cleanliness, variable qualities of toilet tissue, and sometimes no toilet tissue at all (Nancy began to either always take some in with her - or at least check before sitting!). It seems that many outhouse providers, and users, have a lack of care about them! Sometimes the odours were just about overwhelming! Most of the vaults or pits were vented, but the venting only works well if the toilet lid is closed - there were often signs reminding people to close the lid (but many times the lids were up anyway). This was one of the best signs:

We did our usual crossword puzzling but were unable to read as our books were misplaced! (Nancy may have left them at the fishing hole.) It was midnight and still light when we turned in.