Memories of Fairbanks Alaska

On July 1, 2005, after my visit to the Delta Agricultural Project, I decided to make it to Fairbanks this day, so it would call for a bit of a push. It would be a long drive, but at these latitudes, the days are 21 hours long. By 8:30pm I’d made it to Fairbanks. Weather hampered the drive. It rained either on me or ahead of me, and the roads were mostly pretty wet. As I neared the city, the sun was low in the sky and right in my face. The reflections off the wet highway were especially bothersome. I found food at a Denny’s, touted “The Most Northern Denny’s,” and a room at the Super 8 next door.

[07/02/05 – 07/05/05]: Fairbanks

The accommodations at the Super 8 where I stayed last night did not impress me. This morning I decided I would NOT stay another night. And after breakfast, I looked for a shipper to forward the extra gear I was packing around with me. I found the UPS depot, but it was closed. I learned about a “Mailboxes Etc.” store across town and I set off to find it. Of course these are all now called “The UPS Store”, and I could ship out all the gear I wanted to shed. What a relief!

That chore being done, I had the rest of the day to scope out the town. I knew from my bird finding books of a few places to look. After finding a dud, I found a jewel at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge.

Being that it was raining, I decided to find better quarters and come back later. I found the Comfort Inn. It had free wireless internet, nicer rooms, an elevator (Super 8 required a hike up 3 flights of stairs), and it was $20 less. I signed up for two nights. From here, I planned to head south past Denali Park and on to Anchorage and the Seward Peninsula.

I arrived in Fairbanks on July 2. I stayed there through the fourth and left the morning of the 5th, with the idea that being on the road on the Fourth of July might not be an excellent idea. I said ‘Adios’ to Fairbanks as I hit the route south, following the Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3).