The Rest of Nabesna Road and then Back to Tok

Day 55 Monday August 8, 2016                              Tok, AK               Tundra RV Park, site 28
93 towing miles                             14.7 mpg!

Beautiful sunny day.  Not much of these lately.  Sat out with a fire and our coffee, even though it is a travel day.  We weren’t in a hurry because we had only about 100 miles to drive and we knew we wouldn't have a problem getting a spot where we were going.

We needed to see the rest of the Nabesna Road to mile 42.  There is lots of scenery to see yet.  Drove to the end and back to the campground.  Lots of nice pretty mountains.  We made several creek bed crossings and one with water flowing through it.  These creeks are raging torrents during spring runoff and heavy rains.  We spent 2 hours checking out the last 14 miles of the road.  Stopped for pictures and I even tried to catch a grayling in a nice looking creek.  Here’s some of the sights we experienced:

How can you not enjoy this ride.

Here's some colorful mountains.  Polychrome as they said at Denali.

Typical Nabesna Road scenery.

Mt. Wrangell again.

Crossing the creek with the water running through it.

These mountains were on the north side of the road, the Wrangells on the south side.

The early morning sun hit these colorful mountains just right.

Driving down Nabesna Road

Crossing one of the dry creek beds, looking north when we got halfway across.

Mt. Wrangell with some neat clouds around it.

We got hooked up and ready to go after we got back.  Left the campground at 11:30.  Still had 12 miles of gravel pulling a trailer to conquer before we hit pavement.  Then 16 miles to the Richardson Highway.  The Richardson Highway speed limit is 55 mph, but it is in bad shape in a lot of areas due to frost heaves. In some spots 35 mph made more sense.  Especially pulling a trailer.  Occasionally there were signs that said “Road Damage Next XX Miles”.  Those sections are the worse.  I think that’s why my gas mileage was a world record for me towing the Oliver.  Here’s some photos along the Richardson driving towards Tok.  We went through a little rain, but then it got sunny again further up.

Headed for some rain up ahead.

One of the many "Road Damage" signs.  You can see the dip

in the road.  It doesn't look like much, but if you hit

it at high speed you'll be airborne on some of them.

But they are working on repairing the road damage. 

We arrived at Tundra RV Park at 14:30. We stayed here on July 7 when we first entered Alaska from the Top of the World Highway.  It was sunny and 74^o, something we hadn’t seen in a while and it felt hot.  I know you people sweating back home will not understand how 74^o can feel hot.

The back of the truck was a mess when I got here.  I built a 24” wide shelf that fit side to side in the bed.  I put my solar panel, canoe paddles and jackets, waders, fly fishing equipment and fire starter materials up there.  When I opened the back of the truck after arrival, all that stuff was all over the back of the other stuff. What a mess.

Must of fell off going down the roller coaster up and down bouncing over the Richardson Highway frost heaves, because it was all OK when I left the campground.

We got a full hookup site, electric, water, and sewer.  Only $3.00 per night more.  I can dump the tanks before I leave right at my campsite.

Went to Fast Eddie’s for dinner.  I had pizza and one trip to salad bar.  Marsha had all you can eat salad bar. 

Sat outside in the nice sunny day under the awning when we got back.