Day 46 – July 21, 2001 – We left the Super 8 in Fairbanks for the 200-mile drive to Tok. It was a pretty drive, with no breakdowns, only a few minor adjustments.After the rain the night before, the day was surprisingly bright and sunny. It rains a lot in Alaska, so a sunny day is especially priceless. A couple of the Fairbanks Antique Club members came by and escorted us to the Richardson Highway and sent us on our way.

We stopped at Rika’s Roadhouse, a state historical park, to have lunch. Jennifer and Joyce had put together a chicken pot pie sort of thing at a pullout and cooked it in the manifold cookers. The greeters at the state park were interested in our cars but fascinated by the fact that we got our cooking pots off the engines. We met several other travelers who were moaning about the drive to Prudhoe or the drive over the Top of the World Highway. We just happened to drop into the conversation that we had driven those same two roads and they were astounded. One of them had lost both headlights and had a cracked windshield.

The drive to Tok was rather uneventful. It is a long, almost straight drive from Fairbanks to Tok, and Bruce Lilleker who had been reading about our adventures, was wondering where the excitement was. We rolled into Tok around 6:00 pm and the girls and Ross were going to go do some laundry. Then, into the parking lot drove our friend Bruce Campbell from Anchorage, pulling a trailer with a 1926 Model T coupe that he had restored. We had looked at the car when we were in Anchorage and Ben and Nancy had discussed it ever since. Early that morning, Ben had called Bruce and asked him to meet us in Tok with the ultimate Alaskan souvenir but we hadn’t told anyone. Ross suggested that Ben had bought the car for parts. Jennifer saw it more as a way to get away from the mosquitoes. We had a fun evening and a great dinner and the men tinkered with the coupe until bedtime.

721a
721a – Jennifer, Ginger, and Joyce prepare lunch in the manifold cookers. They stirred up a dish with chicken, peas, carrots, mushrooms, and sauce into a pot pie mixture. The cookers are mounted on the manifolds of three different cars and, in just a few more miles, lunch is ready. Of course, it starves the passengers in the cars with the cookers! Jennifer is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America but I’m not sure that manifold cooking is a class they offer. Our lunches are great when she cooks.
721b
721b – I think this is the Tanana River, which we have seen on other portions of our journey. This river eventually runs into the Yukon and is wide and fast at this point. The mountains behind (but not in our path) made for a lovely drive.
721c
721c – We came upon this moose and her baby eating in a small pond near the highway and stopped to take her picture. They were curious as to who we were but not frightened. Ben, Ross, and Bruce all moved in cautiously to take their picture.
721d
721d – The baby was telling her mom “look at those old cars!” The men hadn’t left the highway, just edged over toward them, but mom and baby decided to move on shortly after this picture was taken.
721e
721e – We stopped for gas and met this young man who was also very curious about our cars. Ross showed him about the crank and offered to let him sit in the car. We think he has a great future as a Model T driver but we have to teach him that the wheel is not always on the right hand side. This is Jonathan Phillip Selvaggio.
721f
721f – Ben and his new toy. This 1926 Coupe is a really good restoration by our friend Bruce Campbell. Bruce had it on the market but had the logistical problem of selling a car in Alaska to a potential buyer in the Lower 48. What better way to make a deal than to sell it to a driver who can DRIVE it to the Lower 48? However, Bruce says his warranty is only good as far as the sign on the motel. Ben figures that, since the other cars are running pretty well, this will give Ross something to work on for the rest of the trip.
721g
721g – Celebrating in Tok. Celebrating the start of our drive home, the acquisition of a new car (more luggage room!), and another visit with Bruce Campbell. After Tok, we leave Alaska and head for the Yukon Territory. From left to right around the table: Ginger, Jennifer, Bruce Campbell, Bruce’s friend Dave, Ken, Ben, Joyce, Ross, and Bruce Lilleker.