Good curtains are a requirement this far North. It's 6:30 AM here in Tok, and I don't think it ever got dark last night. The sun "sets" around 12:30, and rises at 3:00, leaving quite a bit of night to be desired!
It feels good to be back in the United States. Today we make the final run into Anchorage, and meet my mom at the airport around 9:00 tonight. Two days ago we said bye to Ed, pictured above, before he headed south on 37. He sent a comment to this last night and it sounds like the road he took turned out to be quite an adventure, incorporating landslides, river crossings, waterfalls and wildlife! All the best to you Ed, and keep safe!

Two days ago, South of Whitehorse, Yukon, we stopped in a small abandoned hotel and gas station (Jake's Corner) to get some pictures. While walking around I met Bernie and Robert, two old timer woodsmen looking guys installing a water pump on a 70's model Ford truck. While talking to these two guys, who, by the looks of it hadn't seen a stranger in a few months, I learned a lot of interesting stuff about the Yukon. For instance, only few over 30,000 people live in this 180,000 square mile territory. -40 is quite regular in the winter, though "s' not as bad as it was 50 years ago, then it'd stay down there fur 'bout 6 weeks, all you could do jus ta stay warm an' eat a bite". It turns out the man that built Jake's Corner was one of the few to escape from a Nazi concentration camp during the war, and according to Bernie he built the place from the surrounding woods, with his bare hands. Including the indoor swimming pool in the basement. It's a shame the place had to close up.

While at Jake's Corner another BMW rode up, Ron from Indiana, and after talking abit, he decided to ride with us to Whitehorse for some dinner. Once in the capitol of the Yukon, (and with the majority of the territory located within it's borders) we talked around and found the Klondike Ribs and Salmon, a little tiny locale that served what may be the best halibut I've ever eaten.

Moving on the next morning we hit dirt patch after dirt patch, resulting in around 50-60 miles of flaky, slippery, dirt road, where the most we could average was around 50 mph. Finally, with tense shoulders (from the death grip I had on my handlebars) we made it through the dirt and into Alaska. The scenery was about the same, still pine trees for miles around, but (and I'm not just descriminating against Canada) the roads soon became much better paved.

Rolling into Tok we booked a room at Young's motel, and then walked across the street to Fast Eddie's, where our waitress had just graduated from Tennessee Tech, in Cookeville, TN. Wait a second, did you say, Tennessee? Right down the road from home, it is crazy the coincidences you find when traveling the way we are.

It's time for a quick shower, pull on the gear, and meet mom in Anchorage!


Zack