This morning I called my State Farm agent and gave them the information about my windshield (the crack has grown from about 5 inches to almost 15 inches across the drivers side after my trip up the Dalton). They confirmed that I was covered under comprehensive for a 0 deductible windshield replacement and gave me the number for the State Farm glass repair approvals. After confirming that I could get it replaced in Fairbanks, I drove to town and parked in front of a Novus glass repair shop 5 minutes before opening at 8:00 AM. They called and were able to find a windshield match and agreed to go ahead and do the replacement this morning. Without insurance coverage, the windshield replacement would have cost me over $600. So by noon, I was on the road again with a brand new windshield.
Alaska is on fire... Delta Junction and areas near Tok have been burning for two days now and are not yet under control. The Richardson highway south from Fairbanks was closed for awhile yesterday due to smoke and fire fighters attempting to prevent the fire from jumping the highway. A military base was evacuated as were a number of homes. When I headed south today I drove through the Delta Junction area smelling the smoke filled air, and in the distance could see big white clouds of smoke rising above the darker smoldering smoke filled horizon, indicating still high activity. As I approached Tok, I saw a similar scene in the far distance, but I should be far enough south now to avoid any delays.
Tired after a long day, I stopped at 4:30 at Tok RV Village which is one of the premier "Good Sam" parks in Alaska. Santaland in Fairbanks and Tok RV Village are the best maintained that I have seen anywhere. Clean restrooms and showers, modem connections, and offering lots of help to tourists passing through. Both are recommended stops for anyone camping through Alaska.
While at the store getting my windshield replaced, I met a man from Missouri that was driving/camping with nothing more than a Subaru Forester station wagon. He had followed a similar route as I, but had driven the Dempster Highway to Fort McPherson in Northwest Territory with no problem, and was leaving for a drive up the Dalton Highway to Atigun Pass where I had been. He was sleeping in the back of the Subaru and would stop at a motel from time to time. He was a retired hearing aid salesman and wanted to make this trip while he was still able he said. Too bad I did not run into him earlier as we seemed to have the same objectives from the trip. I also met a couple from Oregon getting their RV windshield fixed that had come up here specifically to drive the Dalton, but chickened (as the wife told me hoping to intimidate her husband to try and make the drive).
Tomorrow I will be leaving Alaska, and next stop will be somewhere around Whitehorse on the Way to the Cassiar Highway. I plan to drive longer days and should be camping in Vancouver by Friday. I hope to make a sidetrip to Hyder/Stewart on the way. The 3 weeks I have allowed to drive back home is still aggressive, as I also plan stops in Washington and Oregon. Like many others I have met are planning, I could have easily spent the rest of the summer up here... and maybe someday I will.
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