Days 28 & 29 are combined in this post. On day 28, we leave Dawson City, YT but we have to cross the Yukon River which does not have a bridge to get to the other side of the river. We have to load all the car and motorhome onto a ferry to cross. We have to take the car separate from the motorhome for easier loading. Judi took the car and was on the other side before Tatanka, Winnie and I were able to cross. This process was very nerve racking for me! I had to drive the motorhome onto the very, YES ME! I was the second rig to load onto the ferry and they put me next to a bigger motorhome. The ferry attendant was very good at guiding me and very patient with me. I was within arms distance of reaching the motorhome next to me and my passenger mirror was just inches away from the control room on the ferry. Prior to us boarding the ferry, we watched the motorhome on the previous crossing get stuck as he came off the ferry. They had to jack up the motorhome as he bottomed out. It was nasty rainy out and you had to drive off into a HUGE mud puddle. Judi mentioned when she drove the car off how the car hit bottom off the dock ramp.
By the time Doug, the other motorhome driver and I got off of our ferry crossing, they started laying out large planks to help us with the transition from the ferry dock to the mud. I survived without any damage but other rigs in our group were not a fortunate. After arriving on the other side, Judi and I had to hook our TOAD to the motorhome in the rain. The road we are about to travel from the Yukon Territory into Alaska is dirt and not much better than a two track. At times you have on coming traffic, I just pull a small amount to the side and stop. I let it be their problem to get past me. You don’t want to go to far to the side because there is no shoulder and the dirt gets a bit softer.
We stopped at one point because we could no longer see the TOAD in our camera, both were plastered in mud!
As you will notice, we were driving in the fog, actually clouds. The road we are driving is called “Top of the World”, with a summit of 4,515 feet. Here on the Top of the World Highway, we finally cross into Alaska! The border crossing was not painful as many try to make you believe. We have our paperwork and passports all ready for the agent. We are told it also helps to be part of a caravan group like we are. We answer a handful of questions, mostly about weapons, ammunition, where are you from, where are you going. Then they run our passports and send us away.
Next up, we spend a couple of nights in Chicken, AK with a population of 4 yearly. I understand there are some added benefits to living in Chicken, but that is not my place to live. They only have electricity if the generator is running! The owner of the campground has been a gold miner and has his own dredge, We were able to pan for gold. I found that I would not survive on my gold panning skills. I really suck at the process.
Chicken is a unique little town with a gift store, bar, cafe, post office and a chicken poop house if you have to go potty!
Judi and I are honorary members of Chicken, AK. We received our certificate to say it is true!
Stay tuned for more adventures…
