Heading South

Sept 14th
Left the city
48.6 miles
Avg Spd 12.6
Time = 3hours 51 minutes
Stayed at Harding Lake

Another short entry. I do remember being glad that we left the city. We left on the Richardson Highway. This highway turns into the ALCAN at Delta Junction. That's another 60 miles or so from where we ended up. I've got two distinct memories from this day.

First, just south west of Fairbanks, we rode through North Pole, Alaska. North Pole, AK is the made up wonderland workshop and home of Santa. Whoa! Can you say tourist trap? In my memory, it really wasn't that big of deal. Heck, a Walmart or Home Depot store are probably more done up than this place was, but it just stood out in Alaska.

Second, was Harding Lake campground. It was a beautiful place. I was shocked that the campground was closed and that we were the only people there. Again, telling of what was to come.

Being the only people at the campground isn't the distinct memory I have. The memory I have is the pay phone and calling home. I made several calls to friends and family. I remember talking to my mom. The calls itself don't really strike a chord with me, but the actual activity and the remoteness of those calls. The pay phone was on the side of the road with nothing around it. Imagine a pole with a phone on a road in the wilderness. Nothing around it. Just a phone on a pole. I was all alone and reaching out.