June 29th, 2024

Major tactical error on our part! We assumed (a.k.a. Makes an ‘ass out of u and me’) that the post office would be open Saturday morning until noon as it is in the lower 48. Never assume. They are closed until Monday morning. Our guns have been mailed to this post office so… we sit… and wait.

We awoke to warm temperatures this morning but the sun is obscured. It looks cloudy but it’s not the clouds, it’s the smoke. There’s only about a mile visibility on the roads. We’ve learned that there are two fires close by. One just north of us but the more serious one is between us and Fairbanks. It has already consumed 100,000 acres and is 0% contained. I hope by Monday we are able to make it through to Fairbanks.

The difference between Canada and the US (among other things) is the cost of living, or in our case, the cost of traveling through. In Canada gas prices range from 4.05-5.10 per gallon. In Alaska we paid 3.93 in Tok. In Canada, on average, we paid 30.00 per night for camping. Last night in Tok we paid $85.00 for one night!! That’s why we opted to dry camp for the next two nights just 4 miles to the east of Tok.

Not a bad place to be “stuck” for two days though! I can think of worse places and besides, we’re on a journey not a trip remember. 

I wonder if there’s fish in that water??