Fall is in the Air

At times throughout the year, we wonder why we live here. In July, intense and numerous wildfires choked Fairbanks and the rest of interior Alaska amid 90F temperatures and no rain in sight. This scene was taken only several days ago, and it was 85 degrees. A surprise and welcome rain pushed in and a north wind brought relief on Friday. Along with it, though, are frost warnings now. Some leaves have turned already.

A Most Amazing Adventure

After a long week at the office, wildfires, and everything else going on up here, I had some real excitement on the drive home tonight. I was going past the Trans-Alaska Pipeline view point, and I noticed an odd looking vehicle parked there. It was kind of like a dune buggy, so I decided to make a U turn and go check it out. I assumed whoever was driving was on some sort of road adventure. We see people on motorcycles, bikes, and all kinds of other wheeled things driving the road to Prudhoe Bay, but I never in my wildest dreams thought I would meet folks like I did.

Chris and Elayne Clash, a 50-something couple driving the homemade, bio-diesel/burn-anything, 38 mpg rig, are from Melbourne, Australia, and they're into about 2.5 years of a six-year drive across the world. This is not just circumnavigating. They are literally zig-zagging their way and have driven about 90,000 km so far. They actually did an international driving trek about ten years ago with their teenage boys over two years. They shipped the car to S. Korea, drove across Asia, Europe, parts of North Africa, Iceland, Canada, and now Alaska before they head to Tierra del Fuego, then back to Africa, etc. etc. etc. Wild! They have a myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/adventurebug

The car was built for about $4500, is very light, and has a 3L engine. It has no heater, by the way. Despite the looks, it's 2-wheel drive only and goes everywhere, Chris told me.