This was a big 800 km day. We started the day at 6am and enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared last night by our host. Well fed, we hit the road by 7.15 in glorious sunshine which bounced off the snow and glacier covered mountains.

Early morning outside our lodge

I apologise in advance. The mountains in the early morning sun were awesome.

For the first 100km we drove the edge of the Kluane National Park and around Kluane Lake which covers 400 sq km. It was bright and sunny and spectacular.

After leaving the park the terrain became flatter and quite monotonous. This was exacerbated by the clouds and rain coming in and pretty much stayed that way for the next 500km.

Trumpeter goose, a big tick on Nicky’s birds book

At one of the view point stops we came upon a lady giving her dogs a break from the truck. She is a Musher, a dog sled racer, who makes her living racing dog sleds. We spent some time with the dogs who were very friendly and not nearly as large as I imagined. These are racing dogs, bred for speed, not strength and endurance.

The dogs and the racing sled.

Lunch in the forest. Note the clothes. It was 8C.

Me on an old water pump. The well is deep so it takes at least 25 pumps to start the flow. My exercise for the day.

Approaching Fairbanks we drove along a river that was incredibly wide but with little water. Apparently this river and many others flood during the spring snow melt. It would be quite a sight.

Fairbanks at last. We headed to the visitor centre which sensibly stays open till 9pm in summer. This is a fantastic advertisement for Fairbanks and Alaska with helpful and knowledgeable people, information and displays that really get you involved in their history.

A hut built in 1910 which housed a family of 7.

Visitors Centre

There is a lot to do in Fairbanks including three quilt shops so we headed out to the bird sanctuary for a look at the Sandhill Crane and some exercise after a long day in the car.

Falcon

Sandhill Cranes

Our walk took us through a sub arctic forest of this region which is quite different to the forests we have been walking through before on this trip.

One of the dogs we met on the walk. This one is a tow dog for skiers.

Tomorrow we explore more of Fairbanks. Collette and Nicky will explore the quilt shops. Peter and I will explore the car museum and breweries. Should be an interesting day.