Ramblings

Glennallen, Ak:  Gakona Alaska RV Park
July 5, Wednesday

Travel day today on our way to back thru Tok.  Everyone enters and departs through Tok if they are driving.  There are only 5 main highways to use in Alaska and the ones on this side of the state intersect in the Tok area, so there really isn't much choice in the matter.  Tok gets to see ALL the road traffic unless you arrive by plane or boat/ferry.

Our campground owner at Gakona Alaska RV Park said he was the first campground in the Glennallen area...back when the Copper River was just a creek. (He is 80 years old.)  The glacier water has really increased the water level/flow over the years. We saw on the Anchorage news channel last night where one of the rivers had widen so much that it was eroding the banks back to the houses that at one time had plenty of land between the homes and the water.  One house was captured on cell phone video as it slid off the foundation and into the river yesterday.  The neighbor fears they will be next.

Our current campground owner has also observed the changes in travel over the years.  He said travel/business has really dropped off over the last two years.  The highway used to be bumper to bumper traffic until the last two years.  He said business is slow.  We are the only two campers here tonight.  There are two other rigs sitting here, but they seem to be empty.  He does have some competition as a couple other RV parks are open in the Glennallen area just off the intersection of Hwy 1 with Hwy 4.  (Note: There were 4 at one time but 2 have since folded.)  We stayed at one of the other ones on Hwy 4 before heading to Valdez as that was the road we were traveling at the time.  They were not full to capacity but they did have more guests.  Now we are on Hwy 1 and heading toward Tok and this campground is on our path.  With the improvements in the roads, I imagine people are traveling further and there really is no 'attraction' in this immediate area...unless you include the highest fuel prices.   It's just a restful stop along the river which would attract the nature lovers.  He said most of the 'traffic' he gets are Alaskans and Europeans.
Now, this may be a more remote area, but let me tell you.  This is the BEST wifi we have had in Alaska.  Valdez was pitiful.  The phone as a hotspot wasn't successful either. Maybe it is the lack of competition for bandwidth with no other campers here??? 

We are headed for Sourdough Campground in Tok and the 'best' sourdough pancakes in Alaska.  We'll let you know if that is false advertising!!

Hickory
......on the road again