Fairbanks, AK, May 23, 2011. A few numbers: We left Kansas City eleven days ago, on May 13. We have traveled 3800 miles, averaging about 350 miles per day. We have also averaged over 14 MPG, despite headwinds, a heavy load and hilly terrain. We have paid as little as $3.84 and as much as $5.89 per gallon of gasoline. The cheapest was in Kansas City and the most expensive in Dawson City, YT, where the price was $1.55 per liter. Today, we purchased gas at the Safeway station here in Fairbanks for $4.14 per gallon.
This morning we met Madge from Maine and Clarence the crane operator (this is actually the way they introduced themselves) at the visitors center in Tok. Clarence the crane operator was quite proud of his class A vintage Winnebago. "I found it last year after it had been sitting for a spell. It had 31,000 miles on it. I bought it for $28,000," he said. "It had a lot of bugs, but I am handy and I finally got it road-ready. I sold my house and we live in the Winne full time. We don't need much. I operate cranes - all kinds of cranes. When we need money, we'll park and I'll work for a while. When we have what we need, we move on."
Meanwhile, Madge from Maine was telling Annie that, "The moose in Maine are smaller than those in Alaska. "Moose is an Athabascan Indian word that means 'twig eaters'. That's why you never see moose in zoos. The zookeeper can't recreate the necessary habitat for 'em. They eat moss, grass, leaves and twigs, you know." It sounded reasonable, but I have no idea if she knew what she was talking about.
Clarence the crane operator was also proud of the Harley he was towing behind his rig. "We don't need much," he repeated. "Just Madge, my motorhome and my cycle is all. Just give me Madge, my Winne and my Harley and I am as happy a a hog in slop."
We should all be so easily contented.
When we arrived in Fairbanks, we drove to the nearest Walmart to re-provision. Our supplies were low after three days in the Yukon where there are only three towns, Watson Lake, Whitehorse and Dawson City. Yes, we made all three of them. I gave Harvey a bath at the car wash and cleaned off the 200 miles of dust which resulted from the Top of the World Highway. Twenty dollars in quarters left Harvey sparking like new. I also replenished the window washer fluid which was depleted from washing mosquito corpses from the windshield.
The Walmart in Fairbanks - as do most - allow RVs to park in the lot overnight. In fact, this one has an area designated, "RV Parking." There are even electrical outlets provided. That sounds charitable. However, we spent over $150 in the store. I imagine other RV owners did likewise. Shrew marketing sometimes masquerades as charity.
We finished the Alaskan Highway at Delta Junction today. We drove on the Richardson Highway from there to Fairbanks. I don't know who Richardson is\was. However, he\she must be someone mighty important to have a whole road named after him\her. We got our first glimpse of the tallest mountain in North America. More about Denali later.
No comments:
Post a Comment