DAY 16 FAIRBANKS, AK

Day 16. The night in Delta Junction was cool--low 40's--but comfortable. We had a casual morning including repeat trip to the visitor center to purchase some memorabilia commemorating our completion of driving the Alaska Highway. By late morning it was off to Fairbanks. We had our first sighting of the Alaska pipeline--impressive. We arrived in Fairbanks mid-afternoon. The weather is warm--mid to upper 70's. We are camping at the River's Edge RV campground, which is very nice. We are now researching the best way to get to the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay. It is a public road but a bit rough. The literature cautions about flat tires and broken windshields. In addition, Prudhoe Bay itself is private property; it is owned by the oil companies. So we will need special authorization to reach the Arctic Ocean. In addition, after 9/11 security was tightened. We have been told we will need to fax our identification up at least 24 hours in advance to receive clearance. It all sounds pretty complicated. But I am determined to do it because of what I have read we will see along the way. We also want to collect a vial of sand from the Arctic Ocean to add to our collection. In addition to Prudhoe Bay, we want to take the Discovery Riverboat tour, visit North Pole, Alaska (about 10 miles outside Fairbanks), and possibly take the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Denali National Park. We have been blessed with very good weather for which we are very thankful. There are many things outside of our control. Thankfully, everything is under God's control. We are counting on that. Tomorrow we continue our preparations from Fairbanks.

Mileage for the day: 122 miles
Mileage for the trip: 4,073 miles