7/26/2014 Destination: the Arctic Circle; the adventure of a lifetime. (lots of photos)

An adventure? maybe.  It was only a van ride; but what a ride.

Two hundred miles north of Fairbanks.
One hundred of those miles are not paved.
Those not paved are dirt, not gravel; muddy when raining, with soft, crumbly margins as Mike, the driver, called the edges of the road.  
The dirt section is barely more than one lane in lots of places.
It's called the Dalton Highway. It's originally the "Haul Road", built to serve the construction trucks/workers/builders of the Alyeska--the Alaska Pipeline.

Not much wildlife: a mother moose and her calf, and several ravens.
Lots and lots of trees.
The Mighty Yukon River was crossed.  

The TAPS...Trans Alaska Pipeline System, parallels the Dalton Highway, both underground and above ground.

Destination reached.  The ARCTIC CIRCLE.
The fartherest north we will ever be.  

Look at the pictures.  We think we had an adventure, much more than a van ride.  I hope you agree.

 The gang of eight: Jeff, Marcella, Gary, Evelyn, Gayla, Glen, Dee, Jim

 One of the trucks that regularly run the Dalton "Highway"--96 feet long.

 It can be dusty.

 The skies can be beautiful.

 Typical of the dry, dusty surface.

 The bridge over the Mighty Yukon.  The pipeline is behind the metal grate along the side of the bridge.

 In front of the river: Glen, Gayla, Gary, Evelyn, Marcella, Jeff

 The fireweed has bloomed all to the top.  Local folklore says just six more weeks 'til winter.

 The ink pen shows size perspective.

Mother moose and calf.

 Typical: road on the left; pipeline on the right.  If there is permafrost present, then the pipeline is above ground.

 Around Finger Mountain.

 Finger Mountain.

Gayla and Glen...at the Arctic Circle. 

 Not everyone gets to celebrate a birthday at the Arctic Circle, but Dee did.

 This is the tour company we hired.

 After the rain, the rainbow.

 Yes, more rain. and more mud.

Going both north and south on the Dalton Highway we passed this gentleman walking and pulling this "trailer.  Why? good question.  Where is he going?  Wouldn't we like to know the answers.

Mike, our driver and narrator.  He is a college graduate.  After graduation he walked the Appalacian Trail north to south in three months; he is a certified white water rafter, an EMT.  He often works 80-90 hours per week.  He is quite a young man.