Chicken to Tok, AK

Chicken to Tok

June 13, 2017

What a marvelous beginning to the day!  I’m not sure if it was the 36 degree temperature this morning, the fact that we had ice on our toppers or the deviation in the packing up routine to add some air to one of the tires but…..they dropped their guard this morning and left me in the rig….alone….with the bread basket on the floor.  You’ll never guess what called to me.  This perfectly round, double chocolate cupcake that Momma had baked.  Don’t fret, I didn’t let the fact that it was zipped in a plastic bag get in the way of a scrumptious morning treat.  I ate every last crumb….and they didn’t even have a clue until we stopped for a stretch break midway to Tok.  Momma opened the door to use our toilet and there it was.  I forgot to hide the torn bag evidence.  Caught!!

We got off to slow start this morning. The first 5 miles out of Chicken are all torn up and under road construction….complete with pilot truck and flag gal…..so we waited our turn to begin our bumpy ride. 

It felt like longer than just 20 minutes after watching big truck after truck haul loads of dirt up the hill and the line of empty trucks coming back down the hill.  They say there are two seasons in Alaska:  winter and construction.  Momma was talking to a gal whose hubby is on the construction crew.  They work 7 days a week and with all the extra daylight, they can easily get in 90 or more hours per week.  She said you can make as much money in the summer as you would make all year in the lower 48.  I wonder if she took into consideration the higher cost of living, as everything is flown or trucked in which is added to the price of goods. 

The average speed was in the 30’s again today until the last 12 miles when we got back on the paved Alaskan Highway that took us right into Tok.  This RV park has full amenities: FHU 50amp, cable, 1 hour of internet, and a double RV pressure wash station…pay by the foot at the office.   As an extra bonus, they have fresh baked cookies in the office just waiting to greet each traveler….’one per person please’.  With the jolt of energy from the cookie, we headed to the RV wash to blast and scrub off the thick coating of road grime and dust.  I just settled back, lounging in the whole backseat while M & D played in the soap and water.

Tok is a bit larger than Chicken as they do have a grocery store, laundromat, 3 gas stations, visitor’s information center, craft shop, souvenir shop and at least one restaurant.  There are also a few motels and choice of RV parks….but there really isn’t much more than that.  But the people are friendly and willing to share insights to the next leg of our trip as we head through Delta Junction (the end of the Alaskan Highway),  North Pole (you can get gas there) and on to Fairbanks which should take you about 4 hours on fairly decent paved road with no construction.  And don’t miss the restaurant in Delta Junction with the best burgers/bison and ice cream. 

Another marvelous day in the 49^th state.

Hickory

…….on the road again