Top of the World #52-12

July 7, 2005 (Thu)
West Fork Campground #7 dry $4.00 c-
Dawson City, YT to West Fork, AK (131/5792 miles) Q018106

Last night we woke up several times, never in the dark. It never got dark. Even at 2:30am it seemed like only early dusk. If we'd opened our shades, we could have read without turning the light on. It made getting up at 4:30 easy so we could get off at 5:52 (53.6°). We headed for the ferry across the Yukon River under blue skies with high puffy clouds - a beautiful morning! The ferry was very small, able to carry only a couple of RVs and 4 or 5 cars (or the equivalent) in two lanes. We got off early in hope of avoiding the "rush hour traffic" of a departing caravan. We just made it! As we cast off there were 11 RVs in line waiting. The 11th may have had to wait as long as 1 1/2 hours!

The section of our route we were on is called "The Top of the World Highway" And what an apt name! From the ferry landing, we climbed nearly 1500 feet into the mountains on a gravel road and were treated to a wonderful view of Dawson City and the Yukon and Klondike River valleys far below. The road continued to climb for several miles presenting panoramic views out either side (and sometimes both at once). Topping out at over 4000 feet the trees were gone, we were above the timber line, and the views of mountains were endless. Except for the gravel road - so rough at times that 25 MPH was way too fast - it reminded us of the Blue Ridge Parkway but without any sign of civilization. It was 106 miles of wilderness and spectacular views. It was also an exciting ride. There were many times when the edge of that rough, very dusty road dropped hundreds (maybe thousands) of feet directly down into the river valley below without the protection of either shoulder or guard rail. One doesn't go to sleep at the wheel on that road!

Chicken, Alaska is a tiny village with a few stores, a post office and a couple of campgrounds. We stopped, perused all the stores, mailed some post cards, for the post mark, and went on. West Fork campground, 20 miles further on, belongs to the U.S. people and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Like a National Forest campground, it is low on amenities - there are pit toilets only - but it's not a parking lot like those in Chicken. The mosquitoes are bad but the camp fire seems to be holding them at bay.
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July 8, 2005 (Fri)
West Fork Campground, West Fork, AK (2)

We are so far out in the wilderness here (Chicken 20 miles North, Tok 50 miles south, and nothing but this campground between) that we can't get any radio, not even the ever popular high powered rock music stations. Obviously there's no TV, cell phone, or WiFi either. Some would find this uncomfortable but we like it. In fact we've decided to stay another night. Chip and Kim needed to go on so it was only us and Bob and Pat (and Thandi, their poodle).

Our campground host, Don Marshal, is a WW2 veteran of Iwo Jima among other battles. He drove a tank. Since being discharged from the army he has lead a very interesting life with many varied careers. Among them is writer and has had several fiction and non-fiction books published. Because we seemed interested, he stopped by this afternoon to loan us three of the books he has written, one was a magazine devoted to the battle of Iwo Jima in which he was the principal author telling of his experiences there and explaining some of the photos taken, including the famous one of GIs raising the flag. Another is a book about ship wrecks off the coast of Oregon. And a third was a compilation of common words and phrases that have their root in terminology of the sea. i.e. bamboozle, Posh, big wig, between the devil and the deep blue sea, and even little bo peep. He is a very interesting fellow.

The afternoon was devoted to sitting around reading and enjoying a beautiful warm day. This evening it was another rousing game of dominos.
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July 9, 2005 (Sat)
Tundra Lodge & RV Park #15 w/e $20 A+
West Fork, AK to Tok, AK (62/5854 miles) Q018168

Up at 6:00 (50°) off at 7:25 (57°) Another beautiful clear morning with a few clouds. Although it was cool last night it has warmed up nicely. Traveling South on the Taylor Highway, we could see how devastating the forest fires were last year. We drove through mile after mile of dead and charred trees and the hill and mountain sides were black and barren as well. We understandably saw no wildlife - except for a young red fox who obligingly stood watching us as we looked at him. At one turn out we thought we could see Mt McKinley but the campground operator doubted we would be able to see it from there. We may continue to believe we did though.

We rolled into Tok at about 9:15 and found Ed and Katy waiting for us in road side pull out. After some discussion we decided to stay at Tundra RV Park as originally planned. It's a very nice campground with roomy, quiet and wooded sites at a good price. The atmosphere is very much "state park".

After an in-motorhome Eucharist it was dinner at Fast Eddy's down the road. The fish and chips - although they called it Halibut Fingers - was delicious and the restaurant lived up to its name. Service was prompt but we never felt hurried. Six hand dominoes at 7:00 in the campground office lobby yielded great fun.
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July 10, 2005 (Sun)
Pioneer Park RV Campground # dry $10
Tok, AK to Fairbanks, AK (205/6059 miles) Q018373

We went to sleep with rain on the roof last night even though there was blue sky all around. Up this morning at 6:30 (54°) and off at 7:00. There is a bicycle trail north out of Tok along the Alaska Highway. We'll have to remember that for next time. The snow laced mountains of the Alaska Range, muted to pastel by hazy distance, made a beautiful picture straight ahead. The road was mostly flat and straight - except where it curved to around the base of one set of mountains and the next. Wildlife was scarce, as it has been the last several days, but we did see a big bull moose with a huge set of antlers cross the road up ahead then stand to watch us approach. Another car approaching fast southbound scared him into the woods. A female who crossed the road a few miles on didn't even pause, she was into the woods long before we got to her.

Delta junction is the official end of the Alaska Highway - mile post 1422. We stopped to have our picture taken in front of the sign post stating that, to prove that we had made it. The name of a dog grooming place on the way into town: Doggie Style. This is where we picked up the Richardson Highway to Fairbanks. It's where we now sit in a parking lot for Pioneer Park, a city run small amusement park. What an experience it was driving here - 4 lane highways, big buildings, and heavy traffic. It's been a long time since we've experienced such civilized surroundings! After settling in, we went with Ed and Kathy to do some shopping at Sam's and the Safeway. Chip and Kim arrived while we were gone.
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July 11, 2005 (Mon)
Pioneer Park RV Campground, Fairbanks, AK (2)

Now that we're back in civilization we had some real shopping to do - Walmart first for a new inverter, and RV supply store for a part shaken off Bob and Pat's motor home, the post office to mail packages and buy stamps, and a grocery store. Joy says that the grocery shopping was the most exciting because it was a "real" grocery store for a change. It was a "Fred Meyers" store and was more like a Walmart Supercenter - huge and maybe a step up in quality. Lunch was a buffet at Pizza Hut but we won't talk about that!

This afternoon, while Mark, Ed, and Kathy hunted up the city library to "do" email and web research, Joy, Pat, Bob, Chip and Kim ventured out of town to find a yarn shop. The shop was in the owner's home, a log cabin - through the living room and up stairs - and had some wonderful yarn. Most interesting was Yak yarn at $90 a small skein from the under side of a Yak. It's still on the shelf out there! Later we all went to the University of Alaska Museum to see the displays on local Native American history. It was very small but very good and interesting. On the way home we stopped at the University experimental gardens. It was so interesting to see what all the additional sunlight can do for plants and flowers.

Pioneer Park is really a grouping of reconstructed or moved, gold rush one room log cabins converted into little shops. There is an amusement area for kids - small kids. The only ride suitable for adults is on a small train that circumvents the park. "The Alaska Salmon Bake" is also part of the park. At $28 a head for all you can eat, it remains untested.