Day 79 - Arrival!

2004_0619Image0002.JPG The Alaska pipeline 2004_0619Image0004.JPG The Alaska range 2004_0619Image0006.JPG I finally get a picture of a moose 2004_0619Image0010.JPG 2004_0619Image0012.JPG 2004_0619Image0015.JPG 2004_0619Image0025.JPG The Tanana River valley 2004_0619Image0026.JPG Birch Lake 2004_0619Image0028.JPG North Pole, Alaska 2004_0619Image0029.JPG The finish line - my new employer, The Geophysical Institute - UAF 2004_0619Image0031.JPG A 40-Oz Miller to celebrate 2004_0619Image0032.JPG Hell, Yeah!

Day 79 - 6/19/04
Delta Junction, AK to Fairbanks, AK:  Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska - Fairbanks
105 miles

I made it!  I can't believe I'm finally here.  I got up early and got on the road by 7:00 a.m.  Last night was the first time I saw a moose on the entire trip, and then this morning I saw a couple more.  One hung around long enough for me to get a couple of good pictures.  I barely made it into Fairbanks, as I had two flats during the day and used both of my spare tubes.  One more flat and I'd have been trying to patch a tube on the side of the highway. 

I decided to make the "finish line" for the trip my new place of employment, the Geophysical Institute on the campus of the University of Alaska - Fairbanks.  It is on the opposite end of Fairbanks from the way I entered town, so that decision added about a half-hour to the final day.  I arrived at right around 6:00 p.m.  One of my friends up here, John, was waiting for my arrival with a 40-oz Miller; what a pal.  Also waiting for my arrival, on a Saturday afternoon no less, were my new boss and his administrative assistant, which was very nice of them.  I have some good pictures of my arrival.  I went with several of my friends up here to celebrate with a big steak dinner at the Pump House, a very nice restaurant up here. 

I did get a chance to weigh myself after arrival.  I've lost about 23 pounds, going from about 193 to 170.  I don't have a lot of fat on me; the last time I was at this weight was when I ran the marathon in January, 1997.

Theoretically I had set things up so that a key to my temporary faculty housing apartment would be waiting at the campus Residence Life office when I arrived.  The only hitch was that the key that was left for me was for the wrong apartment, and the faculty housing office isn't open until Monday.  Fortunately, the student working at the Residence Life office was on the balland gave me a dorm room through Sunday night.  So, I won't really get to start gettin settled in until Monday.  I did get my Jeep back.  After spending 2 1/2 months riding a bicycle, I feel like I'm driving a rocket ship just going 40 mph in my jeep. 

It is great to be here and I am excited to get going.  I'll try and post a few updates here and there as I get settled in.  Thanks again to everyone who has supported me along the way.