Fairbanks to Tok ... completing our circuit tour of Alaska

The Tanana River Valley south of Fairbanks.

We took the Alaska Highway, Route 2, out of Fairbanks.  The first town we drove through was North Pole. This is a theme city: "Where the spirit of Christmas lives year round."  The street light poles are painted to look like candy canes and many of the streets are appropriately named.... St. Nichols Drive, Santa Claus Lane, and Mistletoe Drive. Many children's letters addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, end up here. There were Santas at every other shop, but we managed to get through town without getting caught in the glitter of the Christmasy tourist traps. 

The highway follows the Tanana River most of the way.  We stopped at one roadside display that said, "Gold deposits found in 1902 north of the present day Fairbanks proved to be the richest in Alaska..... A second strike in the following summer catapulted a temporary trading post (Fairbanks) into the largest city in the territory."

A braided section of the Tanana River, with the Alaska Range in the background.

As we followed the route in The Milepost, time and again there was a red caution notation... "Watch for moose".  And sure enough, we spotted a moose beside the highway who fled into the woods just as we approached! 

We finally saw a moose when we were not looking for one!

We stopped at Dot Lake which was once an Athabascan hunting camp and a spot on the Indian freight trail to the Yukon River. The area was homesteaded in the 1940's and was a work camp called Sears City during construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942-1943. Dot Lake Lakeside Community Chapel was built in 1949 and is a wonderful example of an old-time Alaskan church.  It is still being used by the local population of 33 people.   

Dot Lake Lakeside Community Chapel, built in 1949.

A view of Dot Lake from the chapel.

We made a point to stop at Dot Lake because David's favorite aunt is named Dot. We picked up a brochure in the chapel, and decided to send it to Dot with a note.  We knew she would get a kick out of this, and it was fun to mail it from the local post office so it would be postmarked Dot Lake.

(The post office is housed in the former Dot Lake Lodge, which is now a private home)

David, mailing the note to his Aunt Dot, in Maine.

Of course this little side trip brought back sweet memories of our trips to Maine and our visits with Aunt Dot.  Every time we go there she spoils us. She stocks up on all David's favorite foods, including Moxie sodas, haddock stew and LOBSTERS!

That's Aunt Dot in the middle...  with me and Uncle John and all the "lobstahs".