Lone Rider Pedals: 2016 Epic Road Trip

June 20, 2016

Day 38 - Chicken, AK to Tok, AK - 78 Miles

Decided not to stay the second day in Chicken, AK. The lack of internet is killing me. That, plus the fact that I’ve seen all of Chicken – been there, done that, and got the T-shirt. I decided to leave Chicken and head to Tok, even though I had planned to stay an extra day.

As I was driving down the Taylor Highway, I can see evidence of the 2004 forest fires. Alaska lost 1.3 million acres of forests in this one, putting the total for the year at over 6 million acres destroyed.

Fireweed is a wildflower (AKA weed) which thrives in burn areas. The colors are brilliant and they bloom all summer long. There was supposed to be bright areas of them, but I didn’t see any fields of them, just a border along the roadside.

Tok is a very small town...not much bigger than Chicken. But it did have a place to wash the RV, so that’s how I spent some time this afternoon. The mosquitos and bugs are as prolific as the love bugs in Florida. It also had a gift shop, owned by a former iditerod contender and Yukon Quest Winner. There are a couple places where a musher gives demonstrations or talks about the races. The Burnt Paw Gift Shop had a couple puppies on display and for sale, owned by a local musher.

I have internet today and cellular service. Feeling better already. Gas is $2.70 per gallon, about half of what I was expecting.

Tonight is the summer solstice and it should be daylight just about all night long. Debating whether to stay up and check it out. Unfortunately, the town is too small to be having any sort of celebration.
Oh, well, what can you do.

Spent the rest of the afternoon in the 'lounge' on the internet and having a couple of Kokanee beers. It is the only place I have been in where you can still smoke at the bar. Seems the indoor smoking ban is not a state law, so businesses can decide for themselves.

Steak for dinner tonight! Finally have a fire ring, but there is a fire ban, but the lady running the RV Park said I could use charcoal if I am really careful. Done!