Very early Sunday
(Father’s Day & the Summer Solstice), 21JUN, we hit the road for
Alaska. The entire drive to the AK
border was frost heave after frost heave.
Frost heaves are big problem on the AlCan where it is built on top of
permafrost (since ever thing north of Haines Junction, YT, is permafrost; we
are talking pretty much the rest of our trip until we get below Haines Junction
once again). And the last fifty miles
the road was stripped & nothing but mud, gravel & dust!
The few signs posted
said this portion was under construction?
But talking to people in AK later, they say the road has been like this
forever, & nothing seems to be actually being done (in spite of the money
the USA gave Canada for road improvement discussed in our last BLOG?)! Now the Toad’s front window will need
replacing back in WashingtonL! Also
the entire drive was in a slight haze from AK fires. Corrie saw a big grizzly right after we left
the RV park (no chance for photo). At the
border USA Customs confiscated our peppers (both bell peppers & jalapenos)?
We left earlier than
normal because we wanted to drive a longer distance than normal to Tok
(pronounced toke, like in “one toke over the line, sweet jesus”), AK. Hopefully our mail will be their Monday. After setting up the RV, Dan headed to the RV
park’s car wash w/the Toad; the park charges $8 for 1/2 hour! (that’s just the
charge for cars, not RVs). Dan didn’t
use the whole half hour, but still took more than twenty minutes. Next it was off to the Visitor Center &
then grocery shopping; before heading back to the RV & skype’ing w/Rebecca
& grandkids. To support the local
economy, we had dinner at Fast Eddy’s.
Corrie went with halibut fish & chips, Dan went with grilled
halibut; both very good!
Monday after getting
our forwarded mail, was sightseeing (what little there is in Tok) –
First stop was the
Alaska Public Lands Information Center -
“The Alaska Centers support the appropriate use and
enjoyment of Alaska's public lands and resources for information, trip-planning
assistance, and resource education. The Alaska Centers are a system of
information and education centers that help provide visitors and residents with
meaningful, safe, enjoyable experiences on public lands and encourage them to
sustain the natural and cultural resources of Alaska. These centers are
nationally recognized for providing consistent, high quality services at all
four locations.”
Then we stumbled
across the HQ for the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge -
“The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge is a “must see” on
your list of stops in Alaska. If you are driving into the state from the south
on the Alaska Highway, you can’t miss it! As soon as you cross the
border, the Refuge boundary is adjacent to the south side of the highway
for almost 65 miles. Wildlife viewing, incredible bird watching, camping,
fishing, hiking, boating, photography and hunting are all activities that can
be enjoyed on the Refuge. The scenic views are splendid as you paddle or hike
through the Refuge, as well as from numerous pullouts along the highway. The
Refuge Visitor Center provides information, displays and interpretive programs
daily, as well as a bookstore operated by the Alaska Geographic. Remote administrative
use cabins are available to the public through a reservation process.”
Last stop of the day
was Mukluk Land -
“George and
Beth Jacobs established Mukluk Land along the Alaska Highway in 1985. Since then, Mukluk Land has become an Alaskan
Landmark. It’s always been a great place
for road weary travelers to stop, relax, and enjoy themselves. Beth will greet you with a warm welcome and
start you on your enjoyable adventure.
George has a real passion for collecting Alaska memorabilia. A walk through the park is like a life sized
history book of Alaska. The Jacobs also
find time to publish the local Tok Newspaper, Mukluk News. It is a fact that a visit to Alaska is not
complete without a stop at Mukluk Land.”
According
to jalopnik.com – “Santa's Rocket Ship was built and owned by Lloyd Laster of
Tyler, TX. It was one of a fleet of five vehicles (3 Santa's Rockets, a
"Rocket Sleigh" and a "Space Sleigh") built from commercial
bus chassis for promotional use during the holiday season. The vehicles
traveled all over the southern and southwest parts of the country taking
Holiday Shoppers on joy rides while making appearances at shopping centers and
malls. Each of the Santa's Rocket Ships traveled with a crew of five; a driver,
two attendants, a hostess, and of course Santa Claus. Laster started in the
1950s with one Santa's Rocket Ship and had gradually built up the fleet of five
Christmas vehicles by the time he retired in 1974.”
Dan
paid the entrance fee for Mukluk Land while Corrie waited in the Toad. The couple running Mukluk Land are extremely
friendly & try their hardest to make sure you enjoy yourself. It was obvious that Mukluk Land has seen
better days; but Dan still gives it a thumbs-up, for those that truly love Roadside America!
No comments:
Post a Comment