Day 10 – Tok

Hi Everyone.  Today I leave Whitehorse and travel to Tok, Alaska.  it is a 397 miles (639 km) ride over some very messed up roadway lying upon semi-frozen perma frost.  I’ve had reports of some nasty frost heaves, with some sections of roadway dropping as much as five feet.  So it will be slow-going to say the least.

I’m staying at a place called The Golden Bear tonight in Tok.  I’m not sure there is a whole lot of internet access in Tok, so I may not be able to do any updates.  I’m betting Verizon will not work up there either.

Tomorrow, Sunday, I travel an easy 204 miles From Tok to Fairbanks.  I’ve just had another rider inquiry about the Dalton, and possibility of renting a vehicle for the drive up.  There must be something up with the road as I hear so many people talking about renting a vehicle.  I watch a website that Alaska has for road conditions.  All I see for the Dalton is lane restrictions, delays, pilot cars, heavy roadway equipment on the road, lane closures, etc, etc, etc.  So it sounds like for me, with a big heavy bike and load, the safer route for me is definitely the Ford Escape.

I would tell you all that the BMW id performing flawlessly, but that might jinx me, so I won’t.  Even laiden down with what I guess is at around total weight of 1000 lbs.  BMW says it is rated to 1045 lbs.  So I’m good, right?  After riding it continuously for 3,276 miles in the last 8 days, I love riding this bike.  And Rocky Mayer did a great job on my seat.  I ride all day without getting a sore butt.

So I’m off to Tok soon now.  The hotels here do not have elevators and I’m on the 2nd floor in the middle of the building.  So I have at least five trips to haul everything I bring into the hotel at night.  The panniers have ben staying on the bike since they are too heavy to haul up and down and back and forth.  I just take the essentials in at night.

Have a nice day everyone.