Two RV Gypsies travel photos in Tok, Alaska and some interesting Alaska facts

The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers in Tok, Alaska 2009 (Tok rhymes with smoke) This was the first stop in Alaska for the two RV Gypsies located around Mile 1313.4 Alaska Highway
Tok Elevation: 1,635 feet. Tok began as a construction camp on the Alcan Highway (now known as the Alaska Highway) in 1942. Highway engineer C.G. Polk was sent to Fairbanks in May 1942 to take charge of Alaska construction and start work on the road between Tok Junction and Big Delta. Tok has more hotel rooms and camping spots based on a per capita ratio than any other town in the state.

The name Tok (rhymes with Poke or smoke) was long believed to be derived from Tokyo Camp, a road construction camp that sprung up in 1943 as part of the straightening and improvement projects on the Alcan Highway. During WWII, Tokyo Camp was patriotically shortened to Tok. Another story - perhaps the real story - is that Tok was named after a husky pup on August 15, 1942 when the U.S. Army's Corp (the 97th engineers - an all black corps) were breaking trail north from what is now the Tok cutoff. The young pup was their mascot and upon their arrival at where Tok now is, it was unanimously decided to name the junction after the pup.

Tok R.V. Village, Mile 1313.4 Alaska Highway, Tok, Alaska '907.883.5877. This is a nice family-run and owned campground. It had Wi-Fi but only one hour and one minute free, then you pay for the Wi-Fi usage. No Skype - No FaceTime - No photo downloads. However, the Wi-Fi of the two RV Gypsies worked OK here. Large tree-divided sites, full hook-ups, pull-through sites, tenting, 20/30/50 amp services, cable TV (limited stations - channels 14-21) restrooms, showers, laundry, gift store, dump station, pay phones, trade-a-book library. The office had free cookies for visitors as they checked in. They were good, but hard. Lee took a chocolate chip cookie and Karen took a peanut butter cookie. No pool which is pretty standard in Alaska. Most standard campground rules apply. On this date, the two RV Gypsies saved 2-cents per gallon on gas at DSL Village Gas with their campground receipt. This was a Good Sam / AAA discount park $48.37 per night. Check out time 11 am for RVs, 10 am for cabins.

Vehicle washing in sites was prohibited, but the campground had a high-powered vehicle wash for the car and RV (at an additional fee of course) and that was sure a welcome sight for the two RV Gypsies. But that's when they discovered all the damage to their car and RV from the roads getting here................. - see link at bottom of this page for Bumps and Gunk

After washing the car and RV and settling in at the RV park, the two RV Gypsies drove their car around Tok for a short time, then returned to their RV for dinner. Later they went to the park office and listened to a local person, Dave Stancliff, sing songs about Alaska and tell tales about Alaska. The two RV Gypsies enjoyed Dave Stancliff’s performance so much that they bought one of his CD’s. However, that was in 2009. When the two RV Gypsies returned here in 2016, Dave was no longer performing here.
Leaves on the tree in the campground- each leaf had a different design on the underside

Tok is the major overland point of entry to Alaska, and is primarily a trade and service center for all types of transportation, especially for summer travelers coming up the Alaska Highway. Tok claims to be the only town in Alaska that the highway traveler must pass through twice - once arriving and again on leaving. (Yet the two RV Gypsies only went through there once). The governor proclaimed Tok "Mainstreet Alaska" in 1991. Townspeople are proud of this designation and work hard to make visitors happy. Tok has 8 churches, a library, a K-12 school, Lions Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars Club and Chamber of Commerce. Tok is also known as the "Sled Dog Capitol of Alaska" because so many residents are involved with dogs and dog mushing - Alaska's official state sport. No politicians live in Tok. There is NO state tax, NO property tax, or tax of any kind in Tok. Tok has had winter temperatures of -58F and summer temperatures of 100F. That is quite a temperature range.

80 degrees F below is NOT too cold for school in TOK, Alaska

The two RV Gypsies were told that in some parts of Alaska there are days that are considered just too cold for school. Usually the cutoff point is around 50 to 55 degrees F BELOW ZERO. But NOT in Tok! School goes on no matter what the temperature. Local residents have told the two RV Gypsies that children who walk stay home more often, but those who are bussed to school go to school no matter what the temperature may be.

Judging by the number of Alaska Highway travelers washing their cars and RVs in Tok, it may also qualify as the Vehicle Washing Capital of Alaska as well. No joke -

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The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers in Tok, Alaska 2009 (Tok rhymes with smoke) This was the first stop in Alaska for the two RV Gypsies located around Mile 1313.4 Alaska Highway

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Continue Navigation in the order of your choice via the alphabetical or category buttons below

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The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
in Tok, Alaska 2009 (Tok rhymes with smoke)
This was the first stop in Alaska for the two RV Gypsies
located around Mile 1313.4 Alaska Highway

Continue Navigation in the order of your choice
via the alphabetical or category buttons below