Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Well our plan to get up early and get to the ferry went well...for a bit anyway. We left campground about 6:10 and only 2 blocks to ferry. However at least 7 other folks had beat us to the ferry so we waited...can't do anything else. Ferry closed for maintenance Wed. a.m. from 5 - 7 so we had planned at least an hour's wait while we were first in line! HA! I had fixed coffee and we ate breakfast while waiting. The ferry did start running before 7 but the first rig on had problems getting on. Just when he got the RV on, his tow hitch got stuck between the ramp of the ferry and the ground. Took them about 45 min. to fix that. Meantime buses were arriving to cross as well. You know that 2 hour wait I mentioned yesterday...we waited 2 hrs 15 min. But we were finally on and across!

Leaving the ferry on the other side of the river, the highway climbs up a hill and there is overlook where you can get great view of city. We stopped for pix and then continued. We were ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!! Let me tell you what the top of the world is like....the highway is dirt/gravel and potholes for 110 miles to just past town of Chicken AK. It is called Top of the World Highway because it follows the mountaintops. It was a spectacular drive for scenery, but by the time we got back onto asphalt highway I think I had a mouthful of loose teeth. Everything was rattling and we were bouncing a lot! A LONG day but not a fun drive.

We crossed the border into AK at the northernmost border crossing in U.S. - Poker Creek - population 2. The border guard and his wife (I assume it's his wife) have a log cabin at the checkpoint. In fact the "town" sign is on their front porch. It was a beautiful day and his wife was sitting on the front porch as we went thru. No problems thank goodness.

Shortly after border was Boundary - a stopping place, only I think the whole place is for sale. There is a run down log house w/ sod roof in front that has for sale sign on it, but the building in back has store, coffee shop, etc. No one was there. There was even airstrip.

Continued on to town of Chicken - population 21. Stopped at a store by a Chicken Creek called the Goldpanner. They offer free gold panning and even provide a gold pan. They had brought in a few loads of gravel/rock/sand from a river bottom and you filled your pan with some of that (be sure to get some with the black sand stuff) and then go sit by the creek side and begin winnowing thru the stuff in your pan. First you scrub all the big pieces clean in your pan in case any flakes are clinging to them, then you shake your pan to get gravel out letting the creek current do the work which means you have to keep your pan under water. THE WATER IS COLD!!!! At least that is how it is supposed to work. Jerry tried his hand first. We both got our rubber boots on so we could put our feet in the river and use the current better. He found a very tiny flake of gold which he picked out with his knife and put in a container the girl had given him. Then I tried. I found 2 flakes....very small, but bigger than Jerry's....however, not enough to show up in a ring or necklace! It was fun and a nice break from the bumpy road but time to press on.

The rest of the drive to Tok was uneventful and we got there about 3 p.m. We had a time change so it was really only 2 p.m. local time, but felt like 9 p.m. to me. I had a bit of a headache. The good news is that we can use our cell phones now. It really sucked trying to use them in Canada, especially Yukon b/c we could get service nowhere. I think I already said how there was a monoply on phone service there...yucky Yukon in that respect!

On the way into town we heard a beeping that we didn't recongize at first. It was Jerry's cell phone message beep! We both grabbed for it - it was a foreign sound and music to our ears! By the time we were ready to retrieve the messages, there was no service as we were still several miles out of town. But when we got to town we made up for lost time...we had both cell phones out and working while driving into the RV park! It really feels good to be in touch again!

Did not choose to get internet here tonite (fee for use) because I was just too tired to put much time and effort into it. So I just wrote down the day's doings in my word pad and will enter it tomorrow or so.

all for now, Love Linda