Day 10: Salchaket Roadhouse to Fairbanks

July 21, 2015

Up at 7:30. Breakfast was cereal in the room. No restaurant nearby. On the road at 9:10. No hurry today, it's only 45 miles to Fairbanks, mostly flat. I should have plenty of time to explore Fairbanks.

Today was the sunniest day so far. Unfortunately I had very few views of high mountains today. One place had a view of snowy mountains far to the south. Most of the time the landscape is just forested hills.

The only clear view of the Alaska Range I had during the tour.

The Richardson Highway goes right alongside Eielson Air Force Base. Several fighter planes flew overhead as I approached the base. One plane was loaded with bombs or missiles on the wing. Just before the no photography zone I got a picture of a plane landing.

Jet fighter landing at Eielson Air Force Base.

An uncle was the base civil engineer at Eielson AFB back in the 1970's. Responsible for keeping the power plant and heating systems working on -40F/-40C nights.

Richardson highway next to Eielson Air Force Base.

Traffic has been building all morning as I approach Fairbanks. The Richardson Highway becomes an expressway starting at the main entrance to the base. The expressway goes 15 miles to Fairbanks where it splits into two expressways.

The Richardson Highway becomes an expressway starting at the Eielson AFB main entrance.

I saw a solo southbound bike tourist near North Pole, on the opposite side of the expressway.

I took the North Pole exit and found my way to Santa's Village. I went right by it but had to bike another 2 miles to exit, cross the expressway, and backtrack. I only stopped long enough to take pictures.

Santa's Village in North Pole, Alaska. I didn't go in to see Santa.

In the era when people mailed Christmas cards it was popular to mail cards here to get the North Pole, Alaska 99705 postmark.

Possibly the world's largest Santa Claus statue.

Then onward on the dreary expressway to Fairbanks, mostly flat with a debris-filled shoulder. It's quite jarring to suddenly have big city traffic.

On the edge of Fairbanks I took the Airport Way exit. Traffic was just as bad there. It's a controlled access multi-lane road, lined with fences. After a short distance it's signed No Bicycles so I exited onto the sidewalks outside the fence. The sidewalks are signed as bike routes.

Purely by accident my route across town passes the entrance to Pioneer Park, a truly awesome park and tourist attraction. The park has beautiful landscaping and many walking paths. The main feature is the pioneer village of log buildings moved from downtown Fairbanks. Next to the village is the Harding railroad car and the sternwheeler Nenana which once operated on the Tanana river.

Log cabin village in Pioneer Park. The cabins were moved from various places in Fairbanks.

This sternwheeler was used on the Tanana river.

Luxury car used by President Harding in 1923 traveling to drive the golden spike completing the Alaska railroad.

Inside the Harding Car, looking through a window.

The park also has a miniature railroad, playgrounds, picnic area, carousel, mini golf, river walk, arts center, dance hall, restaurant, and 3 museums. A truly outstanding city park for residents and tourists. Something for everybody.

Leaving Pioneer Park I continued across Fairbanks, all on sidewalks that are signed as bike routes, alongside busy roads signed No Bicycles. I don't like this setup. My average speed is slower on the sidewalks, and I'm supposed to yield to everything that crosses my path. A tall fence makes the road inaccessible to the bike path, so it takes 5 minutes to turn left: Wait to cross the divided highway ahead, then wait another traffic cycle to cross the divided highway to the left.

For the next 2 nights I will stay at Seven Gables Inn. It's a funky place in a residential neighborhood. $90/night for a Garden room (window facing the garden) with a private but detached bath, fridge, and large flat screen TV that I never turned on. Outstanding value for Alaska. I arrived at 3 PM and checked in.

First I washed all my clothes in their guest laundry. While doing laundry I had a good look at the large garden in back. Fascinating to see what grows at 65 degrees north latitude. Several types of squash, broccoli, kale, and other things I didn't recognize.

The hostess recommended the Museum of the North and the Botanic Garden, both at the university. After the laundry was done I pedaled to the university but didn't actually visit anything. The museum building has truly striking architecture. Not something I expect to see in the middle of Alaska. The university opened in 1922 and now has more than 10,000 students.

Museum of the North at University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Dormitory complex at University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Most of Fairbanks is very flat, but the university is on a hillside overlooking the city. I pedaled down to town and continued east to see downtown.

Downtown Fairbanks seems like a nice area. It has a long river walk along the Chena river. Several nice downtown parks. The main downtown street is fairly laid back, with mostly old buildings and a few new buildings. No race to build the tallest building here. The tallest building in town is old and vacant.

Stand up paddle boarders about to be passed by a very fast tandem canoe on the Chena river in downtown Fairbanks.

Antler arch in the waterfront park in downtown Fairbanks.

Fairbanks seems quite prosperous. The roads all seem to be brand new. The city population is only 33,000 but the Fairbanks Borough has more than 100,000 people. The second largest metro area in Alaska.

Walking path along the Chena river in downtown Fairbanks.

In downtown I had dinner from a food cart serving falafel wraps, run by a man from Lebanon and a woman from Serbia. Afterwards I followed the bike trails as much as possible across town, back to Seven Gables Inn.

Seven Gables Inn, in a residential neighborhood in Fairbanks.

I really enjoyed exploring the building and the grounds of Seven Gables Inn.

Waterfall and stained glass entrance lobby.

Looking down on the living room. My room is just past the book cases to the right.

The temperature rises noticeably as I go up the stairs to my 3rd floor room. Fortunately the room has a good fan. I have a private bath but the bathroom is around the corner, down several stairs. This place is cheaper and more charming than most lodging in Alaska.

My room is the middle gable on the rear. The wall is 15 inches thick.

Today was the sunniest and warmest day of the tour so far. High of 75F. It feels like summer now.

Distance: 65.9 mi. (105 km)
Climbing: 501 ft. (152 m)
Average Speed: 11.0 mph (17.6 km/h)

Today's ride: 66 miles (106 km)
Total: 487 miles (784 km)

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