On route to Delta Junction, AK

​I left Dry Creek camp. Fortunately the wind was enough to keep the mosquitoes from killing us, as Jo Jo and I did a little morning stroll. I hit the road and programmed Google maps to Delta Junction. I drove through a lot of forest, what I call a hobbit forest, with the tall, thin stickly spruce. Eventually, I climbed up to a summit, a glacial area, which was absolutely stunning, above the tree line, and I even passed by what looks like a little village with brand new homes, in the middle of nowhere. From a distance, it look like snow falling on the mountains, and I saw glimpses of glacier and puffy clouds that seemed to roll fiercely with the wind. I continued on up and down some stunning mountain ranges. I encountered several sections of the Alaska pipeline, the Valdez pipeline. Where I was able to park, and go right up to the pipe, and touch it. I was a bit surprised to see that it looked like a piece of sheet metal! The kind that would be in your house, like your furnace ductwork. Though I am sure it was not. When I tapped it, it sounded solid, not hollow, but solid. There were plenty of warnings about climbing the pipeline. Much of it was within reach, and some of it way above my head, and other sections were below the ground as I drove along. There would be a lot of this to see in case I decided to go to Prudhoe Bay. I was getting closer to Delta Junction, but since it was already late afternoon, I decided it might be wise to find a camp leaving the rest of the town for tomorrow’s adventures. I did find one of the few remaining spots before the forest ended, and it was incredibly windy up on the top of this knoll. But at this point the wind is OK as I know it will keep the mosquitoes away. I also found a few interesting rocks, and it was nice to be outdoors again for a little while with Jo Jo. I’m within a few hundred feet of the highway, so not too far off the beaten path in a very easy exit. 

Yes, work was nagging me, and I felt guilty for not doing more of it. So I spent at least two hours carving the wood pieces for a new series. I decided to do this upfront in the cab, with the sun beating through the windshield where it actually got pretty warm, but I soaked it all in. I got done what I intended to get done, and then I had a massive cleanup. 

This area is pretty open and I have a clear view for miles around in each direction. This is the land of the midnight, sun, and at 3:30 AM I captured a brilliant glimpse of that sun.



















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