First Night in Alaska! Tok, AK

Aug. 4, 2010 - After the high of being in the sky, touring glaciers and icefields, we had our low of the trip.  Traveling 294 miles from Haines Junction to Tok, Alaska, we unceremoniously and wearily cross the border into Alaska after the longest day of driving EVER.  The first 94 miles weren't bad and actually quite beautiful, with scenic views of the turquoise Kluane Lake.  The last 200 miles, we experienced driving on the fabled frost heaves we've heard so much of from other biker blogs traveling to Alaska.  I really don't know how to describe them, and picture them, I could not because I was holding on for dear life as Charlie kept the bike steady.  These exaggerated zig-zag dips in the road went for about 120 miles (frost heaves form from ice beneath the soil surface during freezing temps and then grow vertical from heat loss).  The driving was much tougher than unpaved roads or road cracks or gravel or anything else we've driven.  Combine all of the above plus the frost heaves, equals amazingly awful, gnarly driving forever.  A fuel truck even hazardously came out of nowhere and overtook us on the heaved road.  After the 120 miles, a large chunk of the mileage to Tok, AK was on construction roads, all dirt, in the rain.  Arriving Tok really late in the evening, we wanted in on a motel, but they were all full, so we headed to an RV camp and fought clouds of mosquitoes as we tiredly made our way into the tent.  Welcome to Alaska.

A crappy welcome to Alaska, relegated to an RV campground with all motels full.  We hunker down, hiding from the mosquito clouds.  Shortly after this shot, it rained. Boo!!