From the Alaska Highway I turn north on the Taylor Highway (first section of the Klondike Loop), towards Chicken, AK. Before I left for AK everyone who had driven here said, “You must stop in Chicken”. That was another reason for taking the Klondike Loop, a road that traverses far to the north. The road is considered an  “alternative” to the Alaska Highway through the Yukon and is made of 3 sections: the Taylor Highway to Chicken, the Top of the World Highway between the border and Dawson City and the Campbell Highway between Dawson City and Whitehorse. Travel books and veteran travelers recommend that travelers do the Klondike on the way in or out of Alaska.

The terrain is disappointing. It is scrubby Black Spruce, Boreal Forest, which is usually interesting. However, a forest fire burnt large swaths of the land north towards Chicken. However, soon I will intersect the Top of the World Highway, which is above treeline and stunning, according to all accounts. So I know that in the end that the drive will be beautiful and worth the time, but I keep thinking about the area I am missing in the YT since I took this loop. The section of the Alaska Highway from Tok to the Haines Junction (the Kluane region) was some of my favorites so far. It is where I first saw the wide, braided river beds running between tall mountain peaks.

Although I had only traveled 325 miles when I reached Chicken, AK, I was tired. The road from Glenellen to Tok (Tok Cutoff) was awful. Then, it was only 66 miles to Chicken from the turn-off, but that road was brutal too. This far north the permafrost is melting and the roads are heaving worse than before. For a section, I dodge potholes, then the pavement becomes wavy then full of odd projections that would take out a tire if hit head-on. My alignment is out and the car pulls to the right. I average 35 miles/hour and it is exhausting. Tango hates all the wobbly motion, but he endures.

Anyway, if you take the Klondike Loop, Chicken will be the last stop in AK or the first stop, depending on which way you head. For me, my last AK stop, which makes me a bit weepy. Chicken is a touristy little stop that makes the most of its name. Chicken statues, chicken dinners in the cafe, chicken souvenirs in the gift shop. Well, by the time I got here I was exhausted and hoping for a safe place to overnight. I pulled up the cafe/bar/gift shop complex, which I have learned is often a good place to pull over for the night and to meet other travelers. Yep. I see a sign that says “Free Camping”. It is not much – a dirt lot and potties next to the stores, but I find other weary travelers there: a couple from BC who is traveling for a month and now heading Dawson City for the Solstice; a fulltime RVer who is headed into Alaska. Others are also hunkered down.

Suddenly I realize: Chicken is WARM. The little town sits on a hill above a river valley and the evening sun is angled enough that the air warms up considerably at this late hour, maybe even into the low 70s. I love the warmth and feel my bones finally warming up after months of long underwear weather. Inside the car, I put up the blackout curtains to shade the front and passenger side of the car. Eventually, I set up the car for sleeping and Tango and I take our spots. It so warm that I don’t need my sleeping bag. In fact, even at 10 PM it is too warm to close the windows, so I leave them down. Not long after we settle in, however, mosquitos start flying in the windows. Urrrrghhh. The warmth has its tradeoffs.