We packed up a new bus with a new driver named Eric. Holland
America motorcoach drivers cover a certain territory so they become a master of
the road and the history of that particular area. We waved goodbye to Chris and
our blue whale bus and settled aboard our orange (!!!) moose bus with Eric.
Poor Eric gets the short end of the stick with the routes because he had to
navigate the dirt and gravel of the Top of the World Highway. We left Dawson
City and crossed the Yukon River by ferry. We were amazed that our large
motorcoach could fit on a little ferry boat! We didn’t even sink it! The Top of
the World Highway is not for the motion sick traveler. We bounced and twisted
up the mountains so we were well above the tree line. The roads were not paved
so our bus quickly became as dusty inside as it was outside. Holland America
truly has their travelers’ safety at heart because we learned at our first
picture stop that we were actually following a “pace car”. Holland America
hires a tow truck to lead the way for 2 motorcoaches when traveling from Dawson
City to Chicken, Alaska. The tow truck radios to the motorcoach drivers about
upcoming blind curves or hazards in the road. We stopped a few times for
pictures since it really did look like we were on the top of the world. I have
never felt as isolated as we were out there. You could see for miles and miles
but there was nothing but trees and hills.
We crossed the Canada/Alaska border
at the most northern entry station in North America (bragging rights!). As we made our way down the mountain we came
to the little community of Chicken. Chicken Alaska has approximately 7 year
round residents. I told you the towns keep getting smaller! Chicken had all of
the necessary makings of a town…a café, a saloon, a liquor store, and a gift
shop. It was a fun roadside stop that makes fun of it self! By day 9, the other
travelers were warming up to each other so I chatted with an agent from
Missouri for a while from Chicken to Tok. I really enjoy meeting other agents
especially since I am so much younger I always learn so much from them!
We arrive in the crossroads of Tok,
Alaska early evening to find that it is a larger town of 1200 people, but it is
truly a crossroads! The town makes the shape of a T and that’s all there is.
Most of the residents live in the mountains around Tok. We had 2 dinner options
in Tok, the restaurant at our hotel or a truck stop a mile down the road. Guess
which one we picked? The hotel restaurant! Home of the 40oz margarita! Roy
chose to eat out of the fancy vending machine, but I went to the lounge with some
of my new friends from the bus. We sat around until the bar closed and they
kicked us out at the late hour of 10pm. They are big partiers in Tok!
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