Lakeview to Tangle River, AK Part 2 (6/26.2017)

Monday, June 26, 2017 (continued)
Continuing on Richardson Highway/AK-2...

The Knotty Shop, with unusual burl construction -
posts and railings from birch burl

"Whimsical" animals made from burled wood

See the "eagles" carved from parts of moose antler?

The Knotty Shop is known for its ice cream;
we tried the mountain huckleberry flavor

1964: Eielson Air Force Base (Dr M)

2017: Eielson Air Force Base, taken just before
the sign that stated "No Photos"!

North Pole, AK Visitor Information Cabin

North Pole began in 1944 with the homestead of Bon V and Bernice Davis, whose property was purchased by a development company that gave it its name in hopes of attracting a toy manufacturer who could advertise products made in the North Pole.

Santa Claus House (established 1952) is home to the
Original Letter from Santa, and where you can get a North Pole
postmark on cards and letters sent from here

World's largest Santa Claus (created in 1962 for the
Seattle World's Fair, purchased in 1978, but needed repair
after being delivered in four pieces, and erected in 1983)
(a Roadside America attraction)

View towards the reindeer barn

This is one huge Christmas store!

Over on E 5th Avenue is THE North Pole...

We arrived in Fairbanks, AK.

1964: Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
Midnight Sun Council (KSS)

2017: BSA Midnight Sun Council at 1400 Gillam Way

St Matthew Episcopal Church (1948)

Vents pipes downtown were painted in 2012,
this one is Pet Dreams by Karen Austen;
the vents are for fresh air intake for
underground utilidors/utility corridors

1964: Looking up Cushman Street at 1st Avenue (Dr M)

2017: Looking up Cushman Street at 1st Avenue
(the Mile Marker has been moved!)

1964: Looking down 1st Avenue at Cushman Street (KSS)

2017: Looking down 1st Avenue at Cushman Street

1964: The Explorer Scouts at Mile Marker 1523

2017: Kent at the revised Mile Marker

Marker 1523, signifying the mileage
from Dawson Creek, BC to Fairbanks, AK

Unknown First Family (1986, by Malcolm Alexander)
in Golden Heart Plaza, 

The Chena River in Fairbanks was the calmest river we had seen so far

Immaculate Conception Church (1904) was moved
to its present location in 1911, drawn by horses

World War II Lend-Lease Memorial (2006, by R T Wallen),
commemorates the program where airplanes and supplies were flown
from the continental US to Russia via Alaska, the exchange point where
Soviet pilots took over from US pilots at Ladd Field, now Fort Wainwright 

Moose Antler Arch (2010), the farthest north antler arch in the world, was
created from over 100 antlers donated by hunters from the interior of Alaska

We had the tire pressure imbalance light come on in the car shortly before reaching the North Pole, and filled the left rear tire with air. After dinner in Fairbanks, the tire was completely flat. We wasted an hour or so trying to reach AAA, then went ahead and unloaded all the camping gear from the trunk of the car. We changed the tire, putting on the temporary spare, with the help of a toothless mute man, who had a great sense of humor, although he communicated only in broad gestures.

Kent working with the jack

We were able to return to the Super 8 hotel for the night, and will have to deal with the flat tire in the morning.