Day 82 - Tuesday August 8/17

(Formatted and posted on Thursday August 31st at Battleford, SK)

A leisurely morning in full sun, wearing shorts and sandals. Who’d think it was Alaska? After coffee outdoors beside the ponds, we had heuvos rancheros created by Michael for breakfast. The trailer maintenance issue has caused us to spend some time rejigging our travel schedule for the next few weeks. Planning ahead in the dining room last March for 124 days was a good place to start, but the realities of the road are now asserting themselves. Repairs and our physical limitations are making it clear that we need to slow down and take more time for relaxation. This morning we’ve cut some days out of time set aside for Dawson City and Whitehorse so that we can arrive earlier in Yellowknife and then take three or four days somewhere on our eastbound journey to just sit in a campground and relax. A good discussion was helpful in clarifying what we really wanted to do and see.

We left our beautiful, secluded, free camping site just before noon and drove to Chena Hot Springs, about 15 minutes away. The adult only hot springs pond had a natural look and feel and was pleasingly hot. 

Signs were posted stating that bathers should be quiet in the pond area. Unfortunately many people chose to ignore this suggestion. Shouting from one end of the pool to the other interfered with the calmness we’d hoped to enjoy. Meditation was very difficult and relaxation was less than optimal. After about an hour we left the pool to fetch our picnic lunch (a variety of cheeses and crackers) which we enjoyed at a shaded picnic table. We gamely went back into the hot springs for a second soak. This time it was much more tranquil and we found a sense a renewal as we sat in the mineral-laced waters. We enjoyed a conversation with Gail and Joel from Michigan who we met in the hot springs. A good shower ended our time at Chena Hot Springs and we headed back into Fairbanks around 4:30.

A stop for propane tank refill and an ATM withdrawal brought us to the state park located right in the middle of Fairbanks around 6:30. There were only two campsites left and we felt lucky to get one.  It was on the opposite side of the fence from a major highway. A far cry from our idyllic location beside the ponds last night. But convenient for taking the trailer to TrailerCraft in the morning. After booking into the campground, we went out to dump the sewage tanks in the sani-dump and fill the fresh water tank.

Nancy’s sister Jan called from Costa Rica, and they had a good chat. We had a lovely cold summer salad supper, cleaned the truck and trailer windows inside and out, and then washed up a load of dishes!