Travels of The Mercury: Alaska – Canada Travels 2014, Fairbanks, AK, June 30th to July 4th.

We’re spending 4 days in Fairbanks. This is as far north as we’ll go and we may not be back this way again so we'll make the most of it. Fairbanks has many things worth seeing so we’ve filled each day with an attraction. On the day we get to Fairbanks we spent the late afternoon exploring Pioneer Park. It was late and we almost had the park to ourselves.

Pioneer Park.

The shops are cabins from frontier Alaskan towns.

The all seeing Raven tops this totem pole.

Ride the salmon at your own risk. He doesn't look too friendly.

Our first night we camp in the parking lot at Pioneer Park which has spaces for overnight parking. This is a city park based on the theme of an early Alaskan Village. Most of the shops are original homes from frontier towns. A train loops around the park and a river paddle boat sits proudly at the center of the curving village streets.

The Air Museum features this Pratt & Whitney "Wasp Major" R-4360, 28 cylinder four row, air cooled radial, 2600HP engine. Whew!

Attractions include an auto and air museum, restaurants and food stands. It's a great place for family fun.

The river boat features models of Alaskan frontier communities.

The details in the frontier town models are amazing!

In the river boat are exquisite models of frontier villages and their histories that take you on a tour of frontier Alaska. The craftsmen put a lot of detail into them and they are fascinating.

This great shop featured beautiful antler carvings.

The next 4 nights we camp at Chena River State Park in the middle of Fairbanks. It was too noisy with lots of local people just driving through. The parking lot at Pioneer Park is a better option.

The Morris Thompson Visitor and Cultural Center features frontier and native life and culture.

The heartiness of the Alaskan people.

On our 1^st day we went to the Morris Thompson Visitor and Cultural Center downtown with excellent displays of lifestyle and culture. The log cabin gave me a feeling of what an Alaskan winter must be like.

The Alaska Museum of the North.

Raven totem tells story of raven saving his children from a flood.

So many fabulous exhibits.

The only time you want to face off with a bear this big.

On our 2^rd day we go to the Alaska Museum of the North at Northern Alaska University. This extensive museum is well worth the visit. Its displays are a wonderfully integrated mix of culture, wildlife, science, geology, crafts and artifacts that flow together to tell the Alaskan story. Another must see.

A bike ride around Fairbanks.

Our 3^th day we visit downtown and ride our bikes on the paved bike path that runs along the river and around Fairbanks.

Entry to the multi-use path along the river from the Visitor & Cultural Center.

It’s been raining almost continuously and they say it will be a record for June. On our 4^th day however the clouds break and we get a nice day to do a 30-mile ride on the Parks Highway. It’s the 4^th of July and we can’t think of a better way to spend the day.