Day 16 - Dawson, YK to Tok, AK, USA

The Top of the World Highway

I could stop right there.  The Top of the World Highway.  Starting at Dawson, Yukon (West Dawson) and ending near a little settlement called Jack Wade, Alaska, this highway is nearly continuous vista. One beautiful view after the other, mile after mile....It does not fail.

We got up fairly early, for us, and got started.  Gold, that's the history of this town... and riding out to the Dredge No. 4 led us past piles of tailings, cast off dirt and rock that yielded no gold.  I was surprised that gold is still big here, still being mined, still saying "No Trespassing"...

Arriving at the historic Dredge No. 4 we find a few more early risers, none on bikes though.  The bikes will come in droves in just another few days or so when the summer solstice arrives at Dawson.

The No. 4 was built in 1912 and ended service in 1959 the year of my birth producing as much as 800 ounces a day in gold.  No. 4 facts.....

We took the No. 4 tour and enjoyed it. Lots of information about the life of the gold miner's back in the day.

No. 4 Dredge

Our guide.  Very cool dude, and a good guide.

After seeing the dredge we pointed the bike back into Dawson.  Kathy said that she wanted to look around a bit so I covered a few blocks of downtown Dawson.  Then finding the ferry I proceeded onto it and got parked.  Then I found out Kathy meant shopping....my bad.

Once we crossed the river into West Dawson we were greeted with gravel road.  Well kept, we made great time and enjoyed many miles of scenic wilderness.

With no Mickey D's around, a can of SPAM is luxurious !

As we came over a ridge the border post came into view. Cairns were stacked up, I guess people want to leave a mark, a testament that they had been here.

While at the actual border checkpoint the camera was off of course, per rules of most checkpoints. One of the station agents even asked about the Go-Pro on my helmet making sure it was turned off, They were friendly and warned us to take care on the USA side of the "Top of the World Highway" account roadwork that was underway.  I sorta scoffed to myself...really, please, I'm on a GS.  When we got to the roadwork I understood her warning.  The contractors had left a layer of railroad ballast as the top grade, a deep layer that made the GS a handful to keep upright.  We passed two cars that had shredded tires on the rocks.  

After about 12 miles of construction and railroad ballast we resumed our normal ride thinking we had made it over the highway unscathed.  That would come back to bite me tomorrow as it turns out.

We stopped at Chicken, AK for a snack before riding on to Tok that evening for the night.

Some good eating at Chicken 

Tomorrow, it's raining you know...