JULY 22ND, NEVER, EVER AGAIN!!!!!

We started out early this AM. The ferry (which looked like a glorified row boat and only carried one RV and 2-3 cars) was under maintenance until 7, but we decided we would get there early and be the first in line. We pulled out of the campground at 6 and was there by 6:15. You have to take the ferry across the Yukon to get to the Top of the World and the trip takes 20 mins. round trip. Had I known what was ahead, I would have hi-jacked it to Fairbanks!! At any rate, they finished maintenance at 6:30 and we were able to board early. We all elected, at the suggestion of our WM, to unhitch the cars. The trip across was uneventful. The rest of our group had followed us and we were all across and at our meeting place 10 miles up the road by 8 AM. The group that went the night before were a little disappointed because they had to pull out at 8. Some were still asleep and in their PJ's as they thought it would take us much longer to get across.

So, our trip started. Let me say at the outset, the day was beautiful and the scenery was breathtaking (when I had the nerve to look). The roads on the Canada side were paved in SHORT stretches with the longest pavement leading to the boundary. That said, let me tell you that from that point on, it was gravel, soft shoulders (we were told to stay 3' from the edges or we would flip our MH's) ruts, washboards, switchback curves, 3000-4000'ft drop-offs and VERY narrow roads (especially on the Alaska side). It literally made me physically sick. I don't like height and especially when its on my side of the coach. Our border crossing was easy. We met a large MH coming toward us at the narrowest point in the road, neither of us wanting to move over, but just turning the wheels enough that we cleared our rearview mirrors. Horrendous! I guess we would be there now, if our mirrors hadn't cleared. No way to back up and turn around. Of course, the trip was only 109 miles and it took us 4 hrs!!! When we finally made it into Chicken, Alaska, there were stories to tell. I had resorted to sitting behind Denny in the middle of the RV. Our WM's wife also did the same thing and this was her 4th trip. She said it never got any better. For our friends who read this that we drove the Baja with in Mexico, my comparison is for the most part, the Baja road conditions were better-no gravel and washboards, just occasional topes. The drop offs were just as bad. Also, the hairpin curves on the Baja were worse, but while on the Alaska side, the roads were much narrower and harrowing to me. I would NEVER so either one again. That said, if you are an adventurer, you have to do it at least once.

Our campground at Chicken (named because they couldn't spell Ptarmigan) was a delightful place. We stayed at the Chicken Gold campground. Our hosts were so nice. We had a really neat lunch (everyone was drinking wine or beer after that ride)!!!

Denny and I walked down to the campground below us and bought a Top of the World tee shirt and then went back to do some gold panning. It was free and they furnished the pans, etc. I had the best find. It was what they call a "picker-upper", large enough to pick up with your fingers and it made a clunking sound. The rest of our fine was mostly slivers, but there was a man there who did this everyday and he said he saved every sliver and he said he averaged an ounce about every 20 days. It was HARD work. We had a chili supper by the staff and the hosts of the campground came and brought us blueberry streusel with ice cream. They told us the history of Chicken (pop.6 in the winter) but it is too lengthy to go into now. We had some trivia questions and Denny won a Chicken baseball hat for guessing how long the Yukon is. He said 2000 miles and it is 1980. I was proud!

Finally retired at 9. I have never been so physically and mentally exhausted. Oh by the way, several in our group found a tee shirt they said I needed and one couple went to the "saloon" and brought it back for me and the TG's wife found a cute postcard and gave me. The tee shirt says "I drove the Top of the World and Survived". I said the Alaska Highway with its frost heaves and washboard gravel would be a piece of cake after this.