Alaska

When we left Whitehorse Thursday morning, the intention was to drive to Tok (pronounced Toke), AK, which the wonderful Jeannie had said would take us about 9 hours. She was right. It was right at 9 hours when we finally pulled into the Tok Visitors Center. The lady there was equally as helpful. Even as she told us that Tok was full. The entire town of Tok. Yes. Full. Was she sure? Yes. Wonderful. Apparently this was unusal for Tok. She hands us several pamphlets and says there might be something further on. We look at each other and say, well if we're gonna keep going, we might as well just drive on to Anchorage and just get a place nearby, or stay up til dawn and see if the office manager can't meet us before her jury duty (did I mention the office manager had jury duty last week?). The woman looks at her watch and say you just might make it. Might make it before what, we ask. Oh before they close the freeway.


Excuse me. Close the freeway?


Oh, yes. They're blasting, she tells us.


Blasting. What does that mean?


They're widening the freeway at Hicks Creek, just north of Sutton. As the freeway hangs off the side of the mountain, that means they have to blast. As in TNT blast. We ask if there's anywhere we can get some quick food to eat on the road. We have 6 hours to get to Hicks Creek before they shut down the freeway at midnight and turn us around. We intend to be past that before midnight. She tells us it takes about 6 1/2 hours to get to Anchorage from Tok. It took us 4 1/2. Amanda was driving. And driving well, I assure you. As we neared the blasting area, the sun began to set. Mind you, it was 11:15pm at this point. But still, it was beautiful. When the mountains go pink, they call it alpenglow. I had expected to see it, but not my very first night in Alaska. It was, as you can see for yourself, the most beautiful thing ever. The snow there is the glacier. I don't remember what it was called. But it was miles of snow. Beautiful.


Welcome to Alaska.

I'll start a sign-up sheet for visitors. Don't worry, guys. I'll be here for at least 3 years. You've got time.