Where Next?

We're caught in a bit of a predicament... Wood Buffalo was too smoky... Haines, too wet... and we want to hit the Dempster no sooner than the last week in August to catch the colors.  We have about ten days to fill before arriving at Dawson City.  While there are plenty of wonderful places to visit, we're trying to stay within a reasonable driving range.  But when were we ever practical?

We left Haines and headed north, hoping that inspiration might zap us into a plan.  As we traveled, we spied something huge and gray along the roadside.  It turned out to be the largest brown bear we had ever seen.  He was an incredible specimen.  Although this shot is from the passenger's seat and over David's head, it may give you just an idea of how big this fellow was...

We camped in a state park about 30 miles from the Alaska border.  While we were setting up camp, a truck pulled in, carrying an ATV in its bed.  Both David and I laughed out loud as he passed.  Perched on top of his ATV in the catbird's seat was his trusty dog...  what  a hoot!

The catbird's seat

We broke camp this morning uncertain where our path would lead us.  As we entered Alaska (again), we stopped at the Tetlin Wildlife Refuge for a break.  While inside, the attendant announced that she, also, was a native Texan from the Houston area.  We struck up a conversation.  Soon we overheard her telling another couple that the sandhill cranes were beginning their migration south.

As we drove to Tok, we talked about our decision.  We had thought that we would arrive in Tok and travel east across the Top of the World Highway, perhaps arriving early on the Dempster.  Had God just whispered another destination?  Fairbanks and Creamer's Field, a stopover for migrating sandhill cranes, is a mere three hour's destination from Tok.  We could drive to Fairbanks, perhaps outrun the rain, and delay our arrival to the Dempster a few needed days.  As we sat at the visitor's center in Tok,  with misty rain and gray skies all around, the decision was easy...

So tonight, I write this from Fairbanks.  Sandhill cranes await in the morning... I can't wait!!!