Leaving Fairbanks, September 14, 2013

On a final walk around the Chena River State Park I found some mushrooms growing (we have had some light rains while here)

  and the fireweeds has bloomed out and snowed

On one of our visits to the Visitor’s Center we learned about a group here (Cold Climate House Research Center) that held seminars once a month on Thurs.  Since it was being held this week we decided to attend.  The leader shared some very interesting studies (facts) about building in remote areas of AK where all building material and labor had to be flown in. Also the way they insulated both with foam and natural (earth) to cut heating material and cost.  As we walked through the exhibits we came across items that had been removed from a north slope homestead including tools, a homemade sled and canoe.

Driving out the Richardson Highway we stopped along the Tanana Valley.

There was a roadhouse located here at the site of the Silver  Fox Farm.

The birch and alders added a lot of gold color for the fall

 

and the road followed the Tanana River.

Arrived at Quartz Lake State Park in the late afternoon.  The clouds reflect the setting sun.

The next morning we headed out for a road trip including a stop at Rika’s Roadhouse after crossing the Tanana River

We were disappointed to learn that  while the State Park was open Rika’s was closed (in fact we were told at the visitor’s center at Delta Junction that the restaurant and gift shop may be closed permanently due to loss of tour bus business).

 

Rika’s Roadhouse

                                          

Prior to the upgrading of the Richardson/Valdez trail and the building of the bridge there was a ferry crossing the Tanana River.

The ferry manager’s house was built in 1923.

When the Alaska Hwy. was built during WWII it stopped at Delta Junction where it connected with the Richardson

Even though Fairbanks still claims the Alaska Hwy. ends there.

Also in this area is the Sullivan Roadhouse which was  moved from the bombing practice field by the military.  This was the second move for this structure since the Sullivan’s moved it the first time when the Tok Cutoff was rerouted about 4.5 miles from the roadhouse to eliminate some of the  steep grades on the highway.

                      

              

The kitchen and dining area were located in the roadhouse.

               

                

However the sleeping quarters one room for men and one for women separated by curtains was in a building in back.

                

After we returned we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

We have not seen a lot of large animals but did enjoy the swans at Quartz Lake.

 

The 800 miles of pipeline  cover lots of different terrain.  It crosses many rivers the Yukon being the largest (1900 ft) but here it crosses the Tanana

It travels above and below ground.

The heat exchangers keep the permafrost from being disturbed.

The pipeline is designed to withstand maximum 8.5 Richter scale earthquake.  It has withstood a magnitude 7.9 earthquake centered in the Denali Fault in Interior Alaska.

On the morning of Sept. 18 we woke to snow

so we decided to move on East to Tok.

Upon arrival we learned that the Visitor’s center closed last Sunday but decided to visit one of the few “gift shops” we like in the area.  There are a number of interesting exhibits in the shop like the mountain sheep and wolves

and the bear scene

Some of the interesting decorations are the post with burls

Have been told burls are growths caused by insect attacks under the bark of trees.

Moose antler chandler

They have all size burl bowls for sale

as well as some huge ones like this one nearly 2 feet in diameter.

Of course the prices are also large.