I pour some hot coffee from the thermos while I consider my options...I can stay here in Haines...or...I can drive down to the trail head and see if the weather is better...or...I can pack up and head for Alaska.
I opt to head for the trail head...30 miles south on the Haines Highway. As I drive south, the drizzle turns to rain and, at the trail head, it's all mud. Hike...no...not today.
So...I head north to the Alaskan border under cloudy skies. About 50 miles north of Haines, the clouds part and the sun comes out...it's a beautiful day. I motor up the Alaska Highway...around the huge Lake Kluane...onward and upward.
Around noon, I finally reach the border with Alaska and gain an hour when I switch to "Alaska time". Customs at the border is a snap...my customs officer is a UM fan. He asks a single question..."Hey, are we gonna beat those buckeyes this year?" "Hell, yes", I reply. Then I'm motoring down the road...in Alaska...back in the U.S.A. I stop in the town of Tok for gas...hey...a fill up is only $60.00, not $100.00 like in Canada. I give some thought to staying in Tok, but I decide to push on towards Fairbanks. It's been a hot dry summer here in Alaska and, on my drive today, I pass several forest fires (small ones, fortunately). At around 4:30, I'm in Delta Junction...about 95 miles from Fairbanks. There's a nice RV Park, and I pull in there...only $25.00/night...with great Wi-Fi.
I set up camp, enjoy a few beers, chat with some nice folks from Oregon wine country, then head into town for dinner. At the Alaskan Motel and Steakhouse, I have a double Knob Creek on the rocks and order the "special"...chicken-fried steak. The special is good...really good...particularly since I haven't had a really good meal in a restaurant since Dawson City.
Back at camp, I enjoy a few beers in the comfort of 65 degree weather. More beer...some time on the Internet. At 10:30, I turn in for the night. It's about 60 degrees now...I'm looking forward to a great night's sleep.
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