Another nice weather day

Day 116, "Every picture has a story"

It was August 2, 2014.  Terry and I were camping on the outskirts of Fairbanks Alaska.  An important part of our plan to visit all 8 Alaska national parks was to travel north to Gates of the Arctic National Park.  The visitor center was near Coldfoot.  Amy Lee had spent some time there during a college summer program.  In talking to people who had been in Alaska Coldfoot often came up.  The road north to the park, to Coldfoot and beyond is Dalton Highway or more often referred to as the hauler highway.  It was built by an oil company for transporting oil from around Barrow which is on the Arctic Ocean.  Our first plan was to travel to Coldfoot which is 250 miles north of Fairbanks and the another 250 miles north to Barrow to put our toe in the Arctic Ocean.  We learned that in order to get to the Arctic Ocean by Barrows we would have to make plans ahead of time and then pay the oil company $30 per person to be escorted to the coast.  That was not going to happen.  What the heck, it is only a coast line which should be open to all but.  The day before we stopped in a Walmart to get some things and I started talking to a lady in line.  I said we were going to drive the Hauler Highway the next day.  She said that her husband was an oil tanker truck driver and she had some advice.  She said the truckers feel that is THEIR highway so be kind to them when you meet or pass them.  IF you do that they will be nice to you BUT if you drive as if the highway is yours, you will be sorry!  We had also heard wild stories about the highway.  We were told to be sure and bring an extra tire as there was a good chance you would get at least 1 flat.  We did not do that and it turned out that the highway was really pretty good up to Coldfoot.  

THE town of Coldfoot
The store had a buffet for $24.95, we passed

Alaska Pipe Line

So on Sunday, August 4th we headed north to Coldfoot and the national park.  I would say at least half of the highway was paved and the gravel was not bad.  We did meet some truckers but not a lot on a Sunday.  There was NO need for extra tires as the highway was fine.  I expected to see a town as we approached Coldfoot.  Boy was I surprised.  There was a cafe, one gas pump and a sign!  By the way the gas there was $5.29 and I stared at the sign as I stood about 50 feet from the Alaska Pipe Line!  I put in enough gas for us to get back to Fairbanks as there the price was about a dollar less BUT there were NO gas pumps in between "for sure".

We found a nice but primitive camp site about 5 miles north of the the town where we stayed for the night.  We took in the visitor center in the next day and then headed south to Fairbanks.  We already had a plan to see the Arctic Ocean but it would not be in Barrows.

I rested my body yesterday from tennis.  Today I will play at 1:30 as I am playing with Ron on Wednesday and have never played with him so it will be good to get some practice in.  It looks like we have a nice weather day.  I did jump in the pool yesterday with the water at 84.  It was refreshing. I know Lake Tewaukan probably NEVER got to 84 and it never seemed cold BUT this body was a bit younger then!  I am guessing the temp will be up to about 88 or 90 this afternoon which will be perfect when I return from tennis about 3 or so.

AND

The year was 1957 or so.  I think Dad must have thought we would have a nice crop as he had decided to put in some steel bins for grain storage.  We had one bin that stood near the pasture fence south of the corn crib but Dad felt he needed more.  He planned 3 and we would put them on a cement slab.  Dad dug out the space which was between the chicken house and the corn crib and just south of the granary.  We would put 3 bins down with the tallest in the middle and the two end ones smaller.  They would be good for oats, wheat and barley.  Grandpa Lee came over to help.  Dad brought home many sacks of cement and then we brought in a load of rocks.  The day started bright and early with the cement mixer sitting near the chicken house and a hose coming from the barn.  Dad had set up boards for the edges and then dug out a large space where the bins would sit.  ALL day we poured cement into the mixer, put water fin rom the hose and had the mixer running all day.  It seemed to me that we ended up using more rocks than cement but there was enough cement to cover the rocks.  At the end of the day we had a large cement pad that we would erect the bins on before harvest.  I do not remember if we were able to fill the bins that year but I do remember setting up the elevator which was used to feed the grain up and into the top of the bin.  Years later, when I needed money for a down payment on the house, Dad said he could lend me some money but he would have to haul some grain out to get the money.  I thanked him but said I needed the money NOW so would find another way.  Sometimes I wonder what happened to the bins when Dad and Mom sold the farm.  I have no idea if they were saved or just destroyed and hauled away.  Today there is a grain field where the bins stood at one time!

FP was extra good this morning as Sunday is a day I feel I can add a bit of Irish Cream, just for taste but it is gone so will close.