2015 Summer Journey
Leaving Chena Hot Springs
Dalton Highway
Alaska Crossing part 10
July 03, 2015
It was an enjoyable time at Chena Hot Springs and other adventures were waiting for us. We had gotten used to the ever abundant rain fall during our journey and last night was of no exception. Before leaving I took advantage of their RV dump, water potable and non-potable. On the way back to Fairbanks, I wanted to check out a couple of waysides that were spotted on our way in.
Right at the North fork of the Chena River is a nice wayside with a fire ring, picnic table and pit toilets along the Chena River. While there, a racket of noise arose and from under the highway bridge an air boat appeared.
As it turned out the owner of that air boat choose this place to trailer his boat, the water was lower than when they had launch earlier. Julie and I sucked around to see them trailer their boat for they had to go over a gravel bar in the river.
Watch Video
Ron and Ron were able to trailer their boat and headed home from there, as for us we continue on to Fairbanks, traffic was sparse till we arrived back at Fairbanks.
We would be spending the night in Fairbanks at the Wal-Mart parking lot, meanwhile I used the internet at Barnes & Noble to make reservation for the Arctic Tour in Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay, pay some bills, e-mail check. Just a little note about this Barnes & Noble, they have a fire place in the round with some very comfortable reclining chairs and excellent internet.
July 04, 2015, Saturday, Dalton Highway, Deadhorse/ Prudhoe Bay
This morning we’re head for the “Haul “road, I’ve made reservation for the “Arctic Tour” through Deadhorse Camp. The schulde tour was a few days away giving us plenty of time to travel on the “Haul” road.
One more visit at the Sourdough fuel station on Airport Way to top our tanks up and dump whatever was in the waste tanks.
Making our way back to the Johansen expressway and catching Alaska SR2. Along the way there were a few things seen.
One could stop here to get an up and personal look at the pipeline.
Atvs buzzing on the opposite of the highway from us and along this SR2 there are plenty of parks to pull into for fishing and boating.
We’re just a little bit past Wickersham Dome Trail and a warning sign on the highway was posted.
Smoke from the somewhat close hill was showing.
Further on down the road there is a wayside that very good for looking at the distance smoke. Once parked there I had asked other people about the fire, I was told it was about a mile across and unless it endangered any home or the pipeline they just let burn itself out.
Motoring on we passed by close to the road smoke and fire, a passing helicopter was on its way to drop water flew over us.
Spotting another wayside, that gave us a better view of the column of smoke.At this angle the sun was shining through the rising smoke giving a sure real look to it.
Enough of the smoke watching, back on the road with the Alaskan pipeline diving in and out of the trees.
SR2 had many sections that had been patched over, some good and some not so well.
Dalton Highway (SR10) dead ahead wee reached the turn off for the Haul road.
Well we are here; it started off being somewhat on the washboard side, but not enough to lower the tire pressure.
A few more miles and the famous Haul Road sign appeared.
We have plenty of time to arrive at Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay and the speed limit on the Haul road was only 50 m.p.h. this road was busier that I thought it would be.
There would be long stretches of road where the only thing seen was the pipeline and the tree line road. Several steep grades would lie before us, nothing that my truck couldn’t handle.
A road construction stop was ahead of us, we would be behind a fifth wheel for a number of miles by choice. A trucker on the other end honked his horn for us to proceed.
Coming across a large area of what appeared to be a recovering burn area.
One of the things that I found surprising is there is more asphalt road than I had read about, some good, some very bad.
Traffic had died down to almost nothing, and the pipeline once again made itself known. A couple of crosses we did see memorial loved one long loss.
Spying a nice looking lake near the highway we made a short stop to take it in.
Back on the road there were a couple of vehicles headed towards us and it wasn’t long before the sighting of the Yukon River and the bridge we would soon be crossing to be seen.
Watch Video
Making a short stop at the BLM on the other side one has pass under the pipeline. By the time we stared back on the road some people we has passed up caught up with us.
Leaving the Yukon River area seeing other travelers till we reached 60 mile BLM campsite was sparse, an class C rental on way south was all that was seen.
Next to 60 mile camp is the famous Hot Spot Café, which we would visit on our return leg. The BLM campsite was open area with some picnic tables, just pick anyone.
Worn down by a good day motoring, sleep was calling to me. A quick dinner and put the sun blockers in place, sleep came shortly. A loud explosion occurred, jerking me straight up and hitting my head on the ceiling, then another one. What the hell was going on!, I stuck my head out of the hatch over the bed only to behold a group of people by the Hot Spot Café and their version of fireworks. Two guys with safety vest on, one handling a slingshot and the other lighting the fuse of whatever was in the sling shot and off it flew in the air reaching high heights and cal- boom, after all it was the 4th of July.
Thanks to everyone for following along,
Alex Blasingame
aka, c.travelingman21000
Alex and Julie's Travels
