The Story of Spam Singles – Cycling from Tok to Northway Junction in Alaska

The last full day of cycling in Alaska, and it was a wet one. Trying to keep dry on a bike tour is something of a challenge at times!

Cycling from Tok in the rain

(Blog post written Aug 7 2009)

It was overcast in the morning again, and a bit chilly, but amazingly the wind was blowing in the right direction for me, so I was eager to set off.

That said, I got talking to a few people as I packed my bike touring gear away, and still left at around 10.00 ish, which seems to be the time most suited for me.

The first twenty miles or so were great over a good quality road with a tailwind, and I felt my old cycling strength return… At last, I am cycling fit!!

Gradually, the overcast sky turned to rain, and the flat road to hills. I was still feeling strong though, and it made a change to feel my muscles burn as opposed to my knee aching.

Northway Junction Alaska

I reached Northway Junction pretty wet through, although the rain itself had died off. They had a mini campground behind a service station, so I decided to stay there for the night after getting a few vital supplies – skittles, beans and coffee.

There were a lot of mosquitoes around, so I quickly set up the tent and went about sorting my wet and dry clothes out.

My bike touring shoes were always going to be still damp in the morning, which is not ideal, but everything else mostly dried out for the following day.

As my shoes were stuffed with toilet paper in an effort to dry them out, I opted for cold food that evening, as that way I could also avoid the mosquitoes.

As well as the beans, I also had what I class as my ‘day emergency rations', which are two days worth of dry food I can eat cold if my stove ever breaks down, or I am stuck somewhere.

So I had my penultimate pack of biscuits brown, and a packet of Spam Singles. I had a lot of time on my hands, and so I read the back of the packet of Spam Singles.

Spam Singles

This is what the back of the pack said word for word:

Isn't this the most easy and convenient SPAM ever? SPAM singles are already cooked! This might just blow your mind. For your own safety, stop thinking about how easy SPAM singles will make your life. Its time to enjoy. Take another bite and throw your head back and think wonderful thoughts of faraway places while you chew. Like a magical SPAM castle in the sky, and what a delicious and convenient visit you'd have. This is the meaning of SPAM singles.

I am NOT making this up! This is what it actually said! Words escape me.

I just hope that none of the low grade acid that the writer obviously took escaped into the food manufacturing process and ended up in my pack. A magical spam castle? Marvellous.

 

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