Day 18 Valdez, AK to Chicken, AK

Day 18 - Friday, July 17/2009
Starting Location: Valdez, AK

Ending Location: Chicken, AK that's right-Chicken
Distance Travelled: 346 miles or 561 km
Distance Travelled to date: 5666 miles or 9507 km

Started off from Valdez and the weather was a cool 54 degrees and very overcast. Clouds were hanging low so could not take any photos. This has been a bit of a disappointment as the area is so beautiful and is an area of continuous snow-capped mountains, mountains with lush vegetation and deep, lush valleys. It has been overcast and hazy the whole time and I could not capture the beauty. As we were leaving, the clouds started to break and blue skies were coming thru...Go figure!
Drove to Tok for lunch and then to Chicken to do some gold panning.

The area must have been dessmated by forest fires a few years ago becasue as far as you can see, the area is burned out. Purple strife is coming out of the previous forests, covering the fields in shades of pink. Got to Chicken and stopped at a RV campground that has a site for panning. A few retirees who live year round on RVs showed us the technique for panning. You do get gold, but microscopic dots of gold. I quess we can't expect to pay for our trip by panning.
We will pan a little tomorrow before starting off to Dawson City. We want to travel on the "top of the World Highway". Dawson City is supposed to have a music festival going on so we may see what's happening. Few photos today as we just drove and backtracked over the roads we used to get to Valdez.
Have really noticed the difference in the light at njight over the past few nights...or should I say days. Go to bed after 11:00 and it's still daylight and when I awake during the night, seems like the lights are still on. Full light by 5:00 a.m. The sun does down slightly, but it's like dusk all night.

Gas:
Glennallen, AK $3.409/gal 5.459 gal $18.61 total US
Tok, AK $3.329/gal 3.006 gal $10.01 total US

Chicken Gold Camp, Chicken, AK $10/night plus $10/person to pan for gold.

The weather started off cool, about 54 degrees, but by the time we arrived in Tok, the temperature shot up to about 75 degrees, making the day comfortable. A few hints of thunder, but no rain is forecast.

Highway 4 to Valdex is paved and was in very good condition. Hwy 1, the Alaska Highway is paved and was in excellent condition from Tok to Glennallen. From Tok to Chicken, the road started off paved, but started to change between pavement and a tarred gravel surface. A few loose gravel sections. Within 5 miles of Chicken, the road is loose gravel. Not to thick, but a lot of small potholes to chatter your teeth.