polar bumble bees expedition day 16: leaving fairbanks

Day 16 Fairbanks to home 7/13
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Last day in Alaska. I wish Michelle and I had taken photos of our giant duffels, backpacks, fancy camera and science tote all loaded on various carts to get from the hotel room to the shuttle to the airport check-in. It was a potentially comical amount of equipment, but tents, sleeping bags, plant presses, rubber boots, and two weeks of collecting gear are not a small amount of stuff. We decided that Fairbanks is likely one of the nicest small airports ever. Everyone was very nice and helpful, from the check in desk to TSA to the pilot who kindly kept us updated when our plane was late arriving and then had to wait on a maintenance person because a screw somewhere was loose. We were worried we’d miss our connecting flight in Seattle, but fortunately our aircraft from FAI to SEA was the same one going from SEA to LAX. No worries! Two uneventful flights and a very kind LAX long term parking shuttle driver later, we were back at the car and on our way home.
 
Polar Bees Expedition: over 1,171 miles on the road, 16 days, and a whole lot of bumble bees.
​Definitely a good trip.