We made it to Fairbanks!!!!

Well, we are here! We arrived in Fairbanks yesterday, around 1:45 local time. What a drive!!! The stretch of road from Whitehorse, YT to the Alaskan border SUCKED!!!!! Don't get me wrong...it was BEAUTIFUL!! However, it is so wet in the area that the roads warp and buckle quite a bit. I think my car caught some air on the larger bumps =) We had no problems with the border either, which was one of my concerns. I do not have anything illegal with me, but those border patrol officers are usually very intimidating. Luckily, Stephen and I had a cute little blond lady check us in. I am pretty sure the site of two sweaty, sleepy, stinky, Americans who have the spent the majority of the last 3 days in a car looked VERY sexy...so she just let us in.

Here are a few pictures from the drive:

This one was taken after being on the road for about an hour...we left at 5am, so that gives you an idea of what time the sun was up. Also, if you look very closely...you can see some deer!!! (click on picture for larger view)




You didn't see any deer did you? They are pretty away far in the background. I put yellow stars to mark the deers' location so you can find them easier:
This next one is probably my favorite picture so far (well, it is tied with the picture of the road) This was right before the rain started to come down. It never rained hard, just non-stop drizzle. I think this is a picture of Kluane Lake, but I'm not sure.

As we continued Northwest, the moisture in the air was crazy. I'm sure the humidity was close to 235% The area was very swampy and the mist sat low on the surrounding hills. (This is in Black and White...I figured I haven't posted too many B&W's, so here's one)


Finally, we went through the border and entered Alaska. Here is a picture of my new home =)
(it was pretty nasty outside, so I didn't get too many good pictures of Alaska, but I'm sure there will be other opportunities in the next year to take a few pictures)



About Fairbanks:

As soon as we arrived in Fairbanks, the first thing we did was find a place to have a celebratory cigar and a beer. We found a great place called the Pump House, where we each had a local beer, brewed outside of Fairbanks, and a Padron 80 year (if you are a cigar person...you understand what a treat that was! Thank you Jay and Todd for the cigars!!!)


As we were sitting there, I took the most amazing picture. I need to stress the fact that this was NOT done digitally, although I am sure most people will not believe me. I promise you I did nothing to this photograph other than adjust the levels and crop it. I was trying to take some pictures of myself in the mirror blowing smoke rings and as I was reviewing the pictures, I noticed that the rings formed together to spell something out...let's see if it is as obvious to you as it is to me what they spell:

(edit: After talking with people, I guess it is not as obvious to others as it is to myself what it spells
so here is a hint...look right above my head for my name...all capital letters)

So after the bar, I found a hotel to stay at for the next two weeks. Something temporary until I can move into my apartment. This place is pretty ghetto, but has a bathroom/shower room down the hall, a bed, and internet...that's all I need. Stephen is staying a few days in town, then I'm on my own. I have a friend who gave me a name of a guy who lives here in Fairbanks and I think we are getting together tonight for a town tour. After the weekend, I start on Monday with a new teacher work shop and then in-service starts the 13th!

My blog posting will probably have less pictures for a while, since I'm sure I will be too busy to shoot, but keep checking back for some stories!

Rock on!
~Bobb