Leaving Fairbanks...

My girlfriend and her mom decided to surprise me by ordering me a new helmet for my trip.  Super awesome of them.  But as these last minute purchases tend to go, the helmet didn't show up when it was supposed to.  So I decided to wait an extra day for it to arrive.  It was due in at noon on UPS Red Label.  Of course it didn't show.  So I was completely packed up and ready to go but stuck waiting in Fairbanks.  The weather was getting worse and so was my mood.  


Just as I was getting ready to leave, the helmet arrived.  It fit perfect and was even equipped with a flip down shield, a huge improvement over the motocross and goggle combo I've been sporting all summer.  So I finally hit the road at 3pm.  Super late.  But the rain had stopped and the sun came out.  

Terrible winds around the Tanana River bridge before Delta Jct. The wind was so strong it was blowing silt off the river bed in thick clouds that looked more like smoke than a dust cloud.

The leaves between Fairbanks and Tok were absolutely booming.  They were the brightest between Harding Lake and Delta Jct.  It was incredibly difficult to keep driving instead of stopping and taking a bunch of photos.  But with the late start, I needed to cover as much distance as I could.

Quick stop in Tok, as it was six already, for a burger at Fast Eddies. I ordered and then drove across the street to fuel up to save time. By the time I got back and went to the rest room my food had arrived. I ate a mushroom Swiss burger and onion rings as quick as I could and got back on the bike by 6:45.



The drive from Tok to near the border was excellent. Good road and amazing scenery over the river flats to the mountains.

Full moon rise was beauty. Then fill up at last gas before the border. Road much worse now. Gravel potholes and big rocks on road. Pretty dark. 55mph to Canada. No problems at border crossing. Drove 25kms to Snag Lake camp.  10:30 pm AK time now. Alarm set for 6am Yukon time.