Slower Pace from Tok to Valdez

Mountains between Tok and Valdez.

Saturday was the first day of our more relaxed schedule. Instead of traveling up the rest of the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks, we decided drive to Valdez and later to Anchorage. There's a lot more snowfall on the coastal routes, which made for some gorgeous views and snow-covered roads.

Waking up in a log cabin under a moose quilt in Tok, we took our time getting ready for breakfast. The landmark restaurant Fast Eddy's had become our dining choice. The roads of Tok were quiet after the Halloween festivities at the K-12 the night before. After breakfast, we purchased gas for the trip to Valdez, checked out of the cabin and then began the trek southwest.

Restaurants along the Tok cutoff and then Glenn Highway are few and most have already closed for the winter. While we were not hungry enough to eat, we stopped in the larger community of Glenallen expecting to find something open. A combination gas station, convenience mart and gift store was our only choice. After perusing the gifts and using the facilities I purchasing a pizza stuffed pretzel from the young cashier behind the counter. She was from Salt Lake City but had moved to Glennallen with her boyfriend to be closer to his parents. 

Back on the road, the snow began to blow in tiny flakes. On both sides of the road, freshly plowed snow piled up. Mountains from the Alaska Range were so close you could reach out and touch them. Narrow valleys between these tall giants were obscured by the grayness of falling snow. Bumpy roads that had been plowed too many times kept Rick occupied while I opened and closed the window on the passenger side to capture some of the awesome beauty we kept seeing. 

When we neared the Thompson Pass, Rick mentioned the long descent that would ensue on the west side of the mountains. At an elevation of more 2700 feet, the car's descent would go on for miles. The snow continued to fall and deep pockets of snow revealed themselves as we made the descent. Alongside the road, there were happy snow trompers on holiday from Valdez. 

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline appeared close to the road now and again. More than 800 miles of oil transported from Prudoe Bay crescendos at transport stations in Valdez. Offloaded onto barges for the lower 48,  millions of dollars worth of oil were flowing through that pipeline while bald eagles perched on branches watched for food along the Robe River. Several were sighted flying around various parts of the river's delta, and we continued our descent.

Valdez is located on the Prince William Sound near Cordova, Rick's old stomping grounds as a kid; and Whittier, where he had spent two and a half years as a city manager. We drove the streets of this wealthy city looking for a hotel to stay for the night. After scoping out the possibilities, we settled on the Valdez Best Western. We rented a king room with a view of the harbor on two sides. The heat had been turned off and the room was cold when we entered. 

View from our room at the Best Western

We rushed to unpack and made our way to the Pipeline Room, a local hangout built at the same time as the Alaska pipeline. In its younger days, the bar was frequented by pipeline workers. We met the bartender at the door. He informed us the bar wouldn’t open for another half hour we could go across the street to Sharkbites for food and to watch the Ducks game.

Across the threshold of the darkened room, a blonde woman in her fifties was bartending and a fisherwoman was having a slow drink at the bar. Big screen tv with the Ducks game playing. A twenty-something couple decked out in Ducks gear cheering. The girl's father was visiting from Wisconsin. Rand had passed up on an opportunity to work in Alaska when his two daughters were young but passed it up due to the weather extremes. Nelli had much love for her father. She and her husband are working to prevent a mining operation from setting up shop on Bristol Bay where the largest population of salmon are found.

We ordered pizza from next door and watched the Ducks beat USC while people filtered in and out of the bar. Three women dressed in Halloween contests make a grand entrance. Guys off from work took up residence at the end of the bar. 

Cheering for the Ducks in the smoke-filled bar, we asked ourselves whether they still allow smoking in Alaska bars? Clothes smelling of smoke and two beers later, the fourth quarter ended with the Ducks stomped on the Trojans. Our fellow Duck fans, dressed in yellow and green, walked over to the Pipeline Club for dinner while we drove back to our room. Snow was falling in large flakes.

Taking a slower pace today meant giving into impulses to do the unexpected. It brought us in contact with people from different parts of the country and outside of our pattern of movement. Gorgeous mountains, snow-leveled roads, a couple of waterfalls, and some bald eagles were in our route.