ALASKA TRIP 2012
Wednesday May 23. Take off work at lunch and we Fly out at 3:30pm arrive at 11:30pm /we
gained 3 hours.
Let me start this by saying that I was surprised that we saw so few bikes. I guess it was early
season but I expected to see many more. We only saw a handful of bikes except on the last day
in Anchorage and it was sunny and the cruiser and chopper crowd was out. But out on the
roads I expected to see many more adventure bikes than we did. On the Dalton we only saw 4
bikes and 1 on the Denali Highway and that’s all on the dirt.
The roads were also much better than expected. A single track vehicle has a lot better time on
rough roads than cars and pickups. 4 wheel vehicles have to slow for the dips, bumps and
potholes but I could blow past. I was also surprised that even on the dirt and gravel roads it was
easy to run at or even over the speed limit.
Let me also say that if you read this as a travel guide you may need to remember that this was
early season, in a month or so things could change big time when the place fills up with tourist.
Also even though it rained and snowed on us a lot, just a week later 2 major roads were closed
due to mud slides. And remember that several roads and the TOW ferry just opened days
before we got there. So, we got lucky and realize that! When planning this trip I posted on ADV
rider and asked a simple question. Would 2 weeks around July 4th or Memorial Day be the best
time to visit. Everyone said that even though the last week of May is early it would be a much
better time to go. A little colder and the dirt roads are not in as good of shape but overall
better. I suspect that because tourism is the #1 industry up here and that many places are only
open mid May – mid September it could get very busy fast. That would change a lot of things
like eating, ferry rides and traffic. Even the tour company that I stole my route from takes 2
more days than we did and I added the Arctic Circle.
Day 1 Anchorage, Alaska to Valdez, Alaska
After a silly phone call from work at 3:30 am and about 5 hours of sleep, we were at the bike
shop by 9:00 am and not as tired as I expected. The “motorcycle shop” is a Kawasaki, BMW and
Triumph dealer plus a bike rental and tour company, and they were getting busy fast! There
was a light rain as we met Keith, Andrew and Nancy and talked for a while. It is early season in
the rental business but in just 2 weeks all of their 27 rental bikes would be on the road. A KLR
rental was riding off for a 30 day trip and another dude was picking up a GS rental and then
going back to the hotel to pick up his wife. Met a dude that walked up and was picking up his
new Triumph 1200 adventure and he was really pumped. Another dude rode up and stopped
by to visit the shop and walked up and could not believe a short dude like me could ride a GSA.
He kept looking at my legs, asking questions and just kept on and on. All bike rental places rent
the GS but this one was one of the few with a GSA and that is exactly why I came here. They
asked many questions to make sure I could ride this large bike when I rented it 6 months ago. I
guess that when I told them I had one and even asked if I could ship my own seat they
understood that I could ride it. It took about 2 hours for me to wire my GPS, heated gear, larger
hand guards, install the seat, get dressed and then go through orientation. At about 11:00 am
we were off to Valdez, a 300 mile ride on great roads. Not far down the road in Palmer we
stopped for lunch at the Noisy Goose. There was a waiting line and they were busy. We amused
ourselves by reading all the funny signs on the wall. The crab sandwich and chowder was just
what we needed for our first meal in Alaska! Andrew from the bike shop was from Palmer and
had suggested that we take a side trip through Hatcher pass. WOW, our first introduction to
snow and a lot of it. We were in shock. After the hour or so detour we were back on the
spectacular Glen Highway and with no cops you could cruise at 80 on the normal 55 mph road.
All of a sudden about 30 miles from Glen Allen we saw a caribou and had to turn around for a
photo and we met a dude on a bike that also slowed and followed us to Glen Allen. There we no
services until Valdez so we fueled up. We talked to the dude on the bike who was a firefighter
and was going camping with his girlfriend. It had quit raining and had turned to 65 degrees and
summer time! As we turned south to Valdez it started to rain again and gradually got colder.
We also noticed that the mountains were closing in on us. Before long the rain became a hard
rain and the temp was now at 30 and snow was everywhere as we went through the mountain
pass. You could even see some ice on the side of the rode and I began to worry that the road
would ice over. It was nasty and cold. I did not have all my gear on and had not plugged in the
electric jacket. However I was so nervous that I did not pay much attention to the cold. There
was very light traffic and it seemed like it was taking forever to make this ride. Everything was
white and in this heavy rain it was getting hard to see. The rain broke and we had to stop for a
photo session. Before long It got better and we made it to the busy Best Western in Valdez. Day
#1 in the bag. We cleaned up and walked to the restaurant that had been recommended by the
road construction flag girl we met 30 miles down the road. We had a great meal of local
salmon, halibut and crab. This had been a great day and we had learned that the weather
changes a lot up here and FAST. The people are very nice and more than happy to talk and
share info.
Day 2 Valdez, Alaska to Tok, Alaska
Still raining and today was another short mileage day because we had whale watching on the
agenda. However after talking to many locals including the tour boat guide it had been several
days since any whales had been seen. With the rain and fog we decided that the 7 hour boat
trip and $120 per head cost was not worth it so we spent the morning visiting the town and
harbor. We then headed north back toward Glen Allen and Tok and soon saw the Worthington
glacier turn. Holy cow this place still had 6 feet of snow on the ground. After a short visit we
were back on the road and it was like yesterday, nasty but pretty but because we knew the
road the anxiety was gone so today’s ride was worry free. We stopped for a late lunch just
north of Glen Allen at 1 of many deserted hole in the wall restaurants that we ate at during our
trip. The owner and only worker made us a good burger and shared stories of life in Alaska. In
Glen Allen it is common for winter temps to be 50 below and just a few years ago a record of 80
below. The owner said that several years ago he made the decision to shut the place down and
winter in Hawaii. We laughed but he said that plane tickets were cheap and that he could rent
an apartment in Hawaii cheaper than he could pay the fuel bill for heat in Alaska. During the
trip we talked to MANY people that did the same. Another first for me was coffee. Yes I drink a
little coffee but this trip would be a lot of coffee. As we made the turn to Tok we soon saw a
road construction sign and started learning the symbols they use up here. They also flag the
roads at rough spots. You better pay attention because while most are not bad the few that are
could hurt! Throughout the trip most roads had a lot of dips and pot holes from the ground
freezing and thawing aka prema frost. There was a lot of road construction everywhere. On this
road about every 5 miles there would be a sign and the complete road would be torn up with
gravel for about 200 yards then repeat every 5 miles. When we got to Tok we took a quick ride
through town and then on to our B & B, that was very nice. We went to one of Alaska’s best gift
shops and got all the souvenir shopping done and the best part was that they would ship it for
you. That was great! Now off to Fast Eddie’s for dinner and back for some shut eye. By now we
were realizing that the daylight thing was a problem. After the excitement of the first day or so
was gone we discovered that sunset is about midnight and sunup was about 3:30. Even when
the sun is down there is still a lot of light and you can still see. When we planned this trip we
had read about so many people taking advantage of the extra sunlight and just staying up late.
Then after a few days they become totally exhausted. So with that in mind and also reading of
the bad roads I made most days low mileage. We made ourselves go to bed by 11:00 and up by
7:00 to keep a routine up. That was a good plan but it was still hard to sleep with light starting
to peep in around the curtains every day at 3:30 am. Unlike trips in the past, on this one we left
about 9am and arrived by 4pm. This was a slow paced vacation.
Day 3 Tok, Alaska to Haines Junction, British Columbia (Yukon)
Breakfast was served at 8am and we met the owner and another couple that were from Oxford,
England. Their son had just graduated from college in NY and they had always wanted to go to
Alaska so here they are. We had a good breakfast while visiting and sharing stories.
Good weather today almost nothing to look at and Haines Junction was the worst stop on the
trip. Good thing that Laurissa had found this great small 2 story rental home. We got in early
and went to find a grocery store to buy steaks to grill out. The store was closed and we were
bummed out. We then stopped for gas at I think the only convenience store in town. After
fueling up we asked where a grocery store was and the young dude behind the counter said it is
closed. It was just 5pm so out of curiosity I asked what time does it close and he responded, oh
it’s been closed a year. So I asked where do you buy groceries and he gave us the stink eye,
raised his hands and said here. We are the only store in town and we have all you need. He lied!
They had chips, cokes, snacks lunch meat, bread, hot dogs and eggs. Not even any bacon. There
only 2 only restaurants to choose from and the supposed best was of all things a Chinese
restaurant located inside the lobby of the dilapidated motel. The good news was it was run by
real Chinese. So after buying some eggs and hot dogs for breakfast we stopped by the Chinese
joint hoping the cat would be fresh. It was and it was actually good. Well maybe on a scale of 110 it was a 4 but with not much competition it could have been the best in town! The rental
unit was very nice with a great view and after a good night’s rest I made a hot dog omelet for
breakfast that turned out to be a nasty concoction.
Day 4 Haines Junction, British Columbia (Yukon) to Whitehorse, British Columbia (Yukon)
Haines Junction to Haines, then the Ferry to Scagway and on to Whitehorse. Not a long mileage
day but the ferry at Haines only ran once a day and you had to be there by 11:15am. So me
being the planner I am and not knowing what to expect ( and after reading tour guides and
internet blogs) planned the 160 mile ride at 4 hours and because if you miss the ferry you are
screwed I threw in an extra hour. We left by 6:30 planning on being there between 10:30 and
11:00. Smart me forgot that when we go back into Canada we gain an hour. However it started
raining got cold and then started snowing. We still made it in less than 4 hours and had time to
spare. This was an awesome ride for a southern boy. It was right out of a story book for me. The
day started dry and clear with great roads and the throttle set on 70. However we soon realized
we were headed through a mountain pass. This was close to unbelievable. It was now raining
32 degrees and snow was everywhere. Absolutely beautiful. On this 160 mile 3.5 hour ride we
saw less than 10 vehicles. We crossed the border and stopped in Beaver Creek for a break. A
short ride to Haines and toured the city. The hammer museum was not open but we saw a
restaurant that looked like a good place for a real breakfast. It was! Nice people and great food.
This was the first good breakfast I had had in several days. After warming up with fried eggs,
bacon, pancakes and several cups of coffee we rode down to the ferry. Along the way we filled
up on $5.60 a gallon gas and then just a mile down the road was an eagle sitting in a cedar tree.
The rain was slowing and the sun was starting to come out. When we arrived at the ferry there
were several Harley’s parked on the side walk under an awning with their ½ helmet, fingerless
glove and leather wearing owners looking frozen and wet.
They were nice and had also made the same cold ride down the same highway that we had. All I
can say is that they are much tougher than me. They were very nice and we talked while
waiting to board the ferry. In fact they knew the routine of ferry riding because they lived in
Whitehorse and made the loop often. With the sun out it was a nice ferry ride to Scagway and
that is a very neat town. Cruise ships make this a port of call and there was one there now.
Scagway is a tourist trap and as such was clean and lots of cool looking buildings, businesses
and things to see and do. Spent a little time there and then on to Whitehorse. Now this was an
absolutely great and memorable ride to Whitehorse. GREAT sweeping roads with very nice
scenery and no police. Light traffic and easy to pass when you did catch some. Several tour
busses and even a caravan of 4 Jeeps for some Yukon tour group that thought they could keep
me from passing, wrong. Then a border crossing and some jerk “custom” officers on a power
high. It was funny to see them exercise their authority. We were nice and they let us cross
without searching the bike. For about the third time now I was asked such things as do you
have a firearm, and do you have more than $10,000. Well do you really think I look like I would
have $10,000, oh let me count my cash. Fun stuff and now on to more great riding. (A thing to
note is that this road was damaged by mud slides just a week later and was closed for several
days, wow!) We pulled over at an overlook for a photo shoot and there were 2 bikes there.
They came over to chat and were irritated but on a “high”. They had a 10 day trip planned from
Long Beach California and were delivering 2 bikes to Anchorage for Motoquest. They were
headed the opposite way we were and also loved the road but were irritated that they could
not get a room in Whitehorse. The only room they said was available was being guarded by a
hooker and a pimp. We assured them that we had reservations as they headed south on to
Scagway and us north to Whitehorse. 20 miles south of Whitehorse we caught up with a KLR
with what appeared to be his “new” milk crate strapped on the back. We blew past him but just
a few more miles down the road, just as promised there was a 10 mile section of gravel. It was
good gravel but I slowed to about 50. In just a minute or 2 KLR dude dusted me and I could feel
his sense of pride as he showed this big ole beemer what he could do. Great stuff! Just a few
more miles to Whitehorse. Whitehorse was not what I expected. I had expected another tourist
trap but it was a real and normal, modern town. You would never know you were in the middle
of the Yukon, nice.
We walked the downtown area and decided on a rib and salmon shack that looked good but
had a very long waiting line. We put our name on the list but then were offered a table if we
were willing to share/ why heck yes we will share. Our table buddies were from Ontario via
Colorado and were private contractors teaching boating safety classes. We had a good time
talking with them but they appeared to be libs and I could see that with just a few wrong words
I would have had to lay the fat one out. I had some elk stew that was really good and a local
beer. The end of a very, very good day.
Day 5 Whitehorse, British Columbia (Yukon) to Dawson City, British Columbia (Yukon)
Day 5 was Whitehorse to Dawson City and started out with a $47 dollar breakfast. Laurissa
picked some good places to stay but they were not cheap. In truth I am glad she did. Neither of
us had any real ideas of what to expect in Alaska. We had talked to a lot of people and read a
lot but were still not sure. Most of the travel guides and broachers had painted this picture of
terrible roads and I had really thought that I would only average 40 -45 mph. Reality was that
on the paved roads I could run much faster. The hotel situation was more accurate and if
Laurissa had not done the good job she had, even if it was expensive, we would have had a bad
vacation.
Today was gorgeous and may have been the best weather of the trip. It was an uneventful trip.
On this road there were long stretches of good road and every 75 miles or so would be a
community. A community would be 1 store that was the post office and general store. There
would be a population of less than 50 and that was it. This is also a good example of trip
planning. Google maps said that this leg was 330 miles and would take 8 hours and 8 minutes. (
look it up!) The travel guides said gas was limited so you get this idea that 330 miles could be a
long day. No cops, good road and a bike that can go 300 + miles on a tank made this day very
good and even with a stop at 2 of the communities it did not take 8 hours. Funny story that
does point out areas of concern. We somehow missed the only restaurant along the way so at
one of the stops we took a lunch break. 2 cans of Vienna sausage, 1 small pack of crackers, 1
small package of cheese and 2 cokes was a little over $22. We sat in the post office and ate
while reading all the interesting posting on the community bullion board. After a few more
hours of riding we arrived at the great and famous tourist town of Dawson City about 3:00 pm.
What a cool looking place. This town is right out of the movies. All the pretty multicolored
buildings and dirt streets just like the late 1800’s. In fact it is. This complete town is on the
historic register and as such must be kept to look like an old gold rush town. The codes even
prohibit the paving of the streets and they had wood sidewalks. As stated, this was a tourist
town and there were many tour busses parked on the streets. We walked and found that many
of the nice looking buildings were actually unoccupied or city offices. There were some great
gift shops and a general store that had everything a big store in Anchorage would have. There
were also many restaurants and saloons. After shopping and touring the town we ate dinner
and went to the oldest gambling hall in Canada for the Diamond Tooth Girdy can, can show.
GOOD TIME. I would go back but Laurissa was not sure if she would!
Day 6 Dawson City, British Columbia (Yukon) to Delta Junction, Alaska
I had dreamed of this day for a long time because it included the top of the world highway.
Even though I ride a GS adventure I do not ride a lot of off- road. The top of the world highway
also runs into Taylor Highway and between them is 100 + miles of dirt and gravel. This road also
just opened a week ago. All of the travel guides made it sound like this could be rough,
especially if wet. Rain had started during the night and as we waited for the ferry I was thinking
the wet metal ramps and floor of the ferry could be slippery. If you can believe it some tour
busses take this route as well as lots of RVs. In fact there were 3 RVs in one line waiting for the
ferry and a septic tank pump truck, us and a van in another. The septic truck driver came over
and said that he was a rider and gave us tips on the road. He told to watch for mud and the
dark colored spots that indicated a soft spot and sink hole. He said the soft spots were worse
than any mud. Tour guide books said that at times you could wait 3 or more hours for your turn
on the ferry . When the small ferry made it back 1 RV took a complete side and then they
loaded us, the van and the septic truck on the other side. The trip did not take long and on the
other side the crew let us off first. As we drove off the ferry we had to ride up a muddy hillside
from the river. After topping the hill there was an RV camp ground that was full of RVs that
were waiting the rain out. We soon got into heavy rain and fog to go along with the mud and
gravel. The fog was very, very bad and in truth I could not see more than a car length ahead.
This really was scary. This road runs on top of a ridge so just a few miles down the road when
we got on top of the ridge the wind was there as well. So: rain, mud, sink holes, fog and high
wind and then of course the road was twisty and unfamiliar. Can you say pucker factor. Riding
slow my visor covered with rain drops and every few minutes I had to use the wiper on my
thumb. However I soon realized that the mud was shallow and that the road was actually in
pretty good shape. As long as I did not get crazy and dodged the dark sink holes It would be OK.
With my fear under check I could look around a little and I became a little POed because the
great scenery that had been promised could not be seen due to fog. The fog broke after about
20 miles and then the septic truck blew past at about 60 mph and at about1/3 way in the rain
stopped and we could see. Then at about ½ way there was a detour that took us down in the
valley. It was not in good shape at all but had little mud and was actually fun to ride. Back on
the real road at some point we passed a tour bus but just a few miles down the road we
stopped for a break at the top of the world sign and while we goofed off the bus went by.
Several more miles down the road we caught the bus again at the border crossing and there
was the septic tank truck pumping out the sewer at the guard shack. After we cleared the
border we passed the bus again and it was dirt but good dirt and it had not rained here so we
could make good time. Then here came Chicken. Chicken is a small town with just 2 buildings
but from all the hype and it even being on the map, you would think there was a little more.
The tour book says 17 people live in this town year round. There is a camp ground, a gift shop
and on top of the hill is new Chicken, a tourist trap that was built to cater to the tour bus
crowd. There is another gift shop here, a restaurant and a saloon but all are connected and
have interior doors that connect and you see that it is actually all 1 building. It is designed so 1
or 2 people can work the whole thing and the tour busses have lunches prearranged. We had
spent a lot of time at both of these places and had a good time visiting with some locals. Then a
group of brave women from the tour bus came over and wanted to talk. Several were from
Australia and having a great time. By now their husbands wondered over and we talked a bit
more. They commented that each time we passed they would watch as we disappeared and
how much fun we must be having. YES we were!!!! I They had spent the night in Dawson City
and were headed to Tok and us, Delta Junction. We had been here a good hour and a half and
they had been here about 30-45 minutes. I heard the bus driver shout “time to go” and he was
right. We left before them and headed out for an uneventful ride to Tok for fuel. At Tok we
fueled up and got a quick bite to eat and then spent almost an hour talking to a dude at the gas
pump. He was a local that drove a 18 wheeler fuel truck but was off for the day. It was so funny
listening to him bad mouth the ice road truckers. In fact others did the same. Just in case you
have not noticed, reality shows are not reality. They take a very interesting idea and then turn it
in to Hollywood. Yes the danger is there, yes all the hazards are there but just not like what you
see on TV. Anyway after our visit we made the quick 90 mile run down to Delta Junction at the
end of the Alaska Highway. This was a nice little town but our hotel looked like the pits.
However after checking in we found this to be about the best room of the trip. It had a kitchen
and even a little covered entry way that we could have parked the bike in. It was very nice and
so was the good locally owned pizza restaurant that we got take out at. The next day was going
to be a down day so we stayed up late watching TV. This was an absolutely fantastic
day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Day 7 Delta Junction, Alaska to Fairbanks, Alaska
We slept late and then road down to the Visitor center to take a picture at the Alaska Highway
sign. Who do you think is hear? Our Australian friends! They are seeing the same things as us
but from inside a very large cage. They have to leave at a certain time and everything is on
someone else’s schedule. They were having a good time and so were we but that way of travel
is not for me. They were also going to Fairbanks and Denali. We said good by and we thought
this would be the last we would see of them. We headed north to Fairbanks for a quick 90 mile
trip but road construction brought us to a dead stop in front of the air base where a F-16 put on
a show for us. The temps were rising and it was here, stopped in traffic that we first met the
state insect. These mosquitoes were large and there were lots of them. With gloves on I just
closed my visor and watched the show. After about 30 minutes we headed on.
North Pole is just south of Fairbanks and is a nice little town. We visited with Santa and sent
post cards to the grandkids. Santa rode a Harley but shared his secret wish for a Beemer.
We got to Fairbanks and had a late lunch at our first fast food place of the trip. Even though the
local hole in the walls looked bad I liked them better and It was interesting and educational to
talk to the local owners that did it all. We toured Fairbanks and found ourselves at the visitor
center and a museum and had a good time resting and goofing off. At the visitor center I picked
up an arctic circle tour bus brochure and also on something called Alaska Salmon Bake. We
goofed off and then looked for a camera shop to fix Laurissa’s camera. For dinner we went to
Alaska Salmon Bake. All the prime rib, fresh salmon and all sorts of other goodies you wanted.
They also had a show. Who do you think we saw again? Yes the tour bus group. It was all good
and we went back to the hotel. Looking forward to the next day’s ride to the arctic circle. My
curiosity was about to kill me and I had to call the arctic circle tour folks. The brochure made
the trip sound like a journey to the edge of the world. After talking to someone on the phone
they made it sound like you were on a dangerous journey. The 20 passenger vehicle would
leave at 6:30 am and would return about 11:00pm that night. Sack lunches would be taken and
they talked of the rough roads and terrain that would be encountered. At the circle there would
be a ceremony and you would be awarded an arctic circle patch. All this for $189 per person. All
I could say was WOWzer. Off to bed thinking of the next days ride.
Day 8 – Fairbanks, Alaska to Arctic Circle to Delta Junction, Alaska
Another day I had been waiting on and Laurissa dreading!. We got up and were on the road by
7:15am. It was a beautiful day that was blessing us with sun shine and warmth. The first 80 or
so miles is the Elliot highway and is paved with great sweepers. Not what I was expecting and it
was great!!!!!!!!!! After just a few minutes on the Elliot we passed our first tour group. No
wonder it takes them so long, they run under the speed limit! It was very light traffic of mostly
18 wheelers and only 1 every 20 – 30 minutes. We then saw a sign that said no services for 118
miles. Not far down the road we saw the Alaska Pipeline for the first time. I thought it was all
underground but in places it would go through mountains and even under creeks. We finally
came to a fork in the road and right was the Dalton Highway and it turned to gravel. But good
gravel. Nothing but a good road and nice scenery. At mile marker 60 (on the Dalton) you cross
the Yukon river and there is a place called the Yukon River Camp. They sell gas, have rooms
available and a restaurant. Several workers stay here. It is advisable to fuel up whenever
possible so we did. When we pulled up there were 4 bikes parked out front and I saw an ADV
sticker on one and MTF on another. It turned out that we knew Ray from Alabama and MTF and
ROM events and the other was from Grenada MS. The other 2 riders left while I was fueling up
and I never saw them. However it was great talking to Ray and friend and in fact they had been
with Fletcher just 2 days earlier at Watson Lake. Small world. They said the road was good and
to let R rip. I was not as experienced on gravel and dirt as them so while I did turn the horses
loose it was not full speed. Again this road is good, but condition is dependent on the weather.
In many places even I could run it up to 70 with no problem. Then we came to construction and
had to wait. After the construction the road was rough and then at mm 89 there were some
bad places and from here on you had to be careful, not bad but just be on the lookout. Again
very light traffic. At the circle there was a tour group eating their sandwichs and after we took
our photos we watched as they did their ceremony. The tour guide laid out their magic carpet
and they danced and jumped across the Arctic Circle. They were having a good time and so
were we as we snacked on our salmon jerky and diet coke that we got at North Pole. Time to
head south and it started out as a repeat of the trip up but we could see rain clouds in the
distance. Before long we could see it raining in places but we somehow managed to dodge it
and all was good. Then it caught up to us. It was not heavy rain but a steady one and enough to
make the top of the road a little slippery. We pulled up behind a truck at the road construction
and he got out and came to talk to us. He told us to go first and I thanked him. The pilot truck
woman driver had to take a toilet break and she gave the bushes a good 10 minute workout
and had a smiling face as she walked back up the side of the road. We were on a hill and spun
tires a little as we tried to maintain the slow pace behind the pilot truck. Once through the
construction even though it was wet we were able to run a decent speed. JUST be careful.
Traffic going north was now getting constant with 18 wheelers 1 every ½ mile or so but nothing
going south. I had expected the 18 wheeler at the construction to be pushing me down the
road but we left him behind never to be seen again. Now back at mile marker 60 we stopped at
the Hot Spot for our almost daily late lunch. The bathroom was 1 outhouse so I used a tree and
let Laurissa have the princess room. The outhouse was posted with funny signs that said things
like if you are in the bathroom and see a bear don’t be scared just wait. We went to the kitchen
and ordered. We asked if they had fries and the owner said NO WAY. She said that the cooking
oil attracted bears and that those funny signs at the outhouse were for real and that bears were
a problem. A worker for some exploration company drove up and we talked as we ate. A
hamburger, turkey sandwich, 2 bags of chips, 2 diet cokes and 3 post cards was $43 and very
good. Even though I had plenty of gas we still stopped at the Yukon River Camp just ¼ mile
down the road to fuel up. We went inside to pay and this time the owner was the only person
there so we talked for a while. We learned that just like many others he wintered elsewhere
and I teased him about hibernating like a bear. He laughed and said yes and then brought out a
photo book and told us in 2004 while the camp was closed for the season a black bear broke in
and hibernated for the winter. His picture book included a newspaper article and many
pictures. This bear had torn up the place! We finished up and then were back on the road. We
got to enjoy the great Elliot Highway sweepers again on the way to Fairbanks and then Delta
Junction for the night. Once at Delta Junction the bike was one nasty mess and we headed to
the local car wash, then to dinner and back to the hotel. Another GREAT DAY!
Day 9 Delta Junction, Alaska to Denali National Park, Alaska
Every day was a great day some just better than others and today was going to be very good.
The day started out with a misty rain and about 45 degrees. We did not put on all our layers of
clothing because we expected the day to warm up. As we headed South to Paxson it soon
started to get colder and then the rain turned to snow. It kept getting colder and colder as we
headed toward Paxson. It was a good road with nice scenery and when we got to Paxson and
the turn off to the Denali highway we were cold and surprised that the old run down store,
motel and restaurant all-in-one appeared to be all there was. We planned to put more clothing
on and to eat brunch. Just like all the other places this place was almost deserted. Back home
we would be scared to stop at places like this but in Alaska this was normal. An old black man
(uncommon up here) came to great us and appeared to be a mind reader as he offered coffee
or hot chocolate. That is exactly what we needed. We ordered our breakfast and then went and
put on our long johns. Breakfast reminded us of back home and as we talked to the cook we
discovered he was originally from NC. After our break we got on the bike and headed out. It had
quit raining but was overcast. We headed out on the Denali Highway into the unknown. The
first miles were paved and then it turned into gravel. Because of the unknown it felt good
passing one of the very few vehicles we would see. At least if something happened there would
be someone bringing up the rear. It started to rain again but the road was generally good but
there were many areas that were slippery and soft and in others, ridges of deep gravel. The rain
got harder and the windshield started freezing over and I had to keep my visor wiped to keep it
clear. Now it started to snow and even though it would melt when it hit the ground it was
snowing a lot. There were lots of beautiful mountains and scenery in all directions. We would
see a vehicle about every 45 minutes and every one so far was a 4X4 truck with a slide in
camper. At some point on the road there was some sort of really nice looking resort but we
were good and had no reason to stop. The rain and snow stopped so not too much farther we
stopped for a water and photo break. As we continued we come up on a Jeep on the side of the
road that had a flat tire but no driver in site. A reminder that you should always be prepared.
Along the road there were many areas that could give you trouble but up ahead I saw
something that I really hate. Real MUD, standing water and deep ruts. Laurissa later called it
chocolate pudding. I picked my line and held it steady. I was slipping and sliding with little
spinning but with white knuckles. Then I came to where one rut crossed another and the front
tire slipped and I was headed to the ditch. This was the only time during the trip that Laurissa
squeezed me but she grabbed my waist and squeezed hard. It looked like a mud sandwich was
on the menu. Somehow I eased back on the road and continued on. I am not sure how long this
stretch was but Laurissa said it was exactly 2 miles because she watched the mile markers 126
to 128. It is of note that when we got back to the rental shop the tour guide said it was like that
last year and on a ride report I read on ADV rider a rider 2 days earlier had the same thing.
However we had rain since they crossed and this very night it rained 2 more inches. Very happy
that we made it as we got to the end and pulled into a filling station for gas and a coke! We had
actually made good time. It is very hard to plan days like this because the tour books and the
internet make it sound like it could take a full day traveling this road. It took us about 3.5 hours
and we stopped 2 or three times. Now it was time to ride to Denali and with overcast skies
there was no chance of seeing Mt McKinley. We rode to the visitors center and museum. Denali
is different than most National Parks and allow NO vehicles except the special tour vehicles. To
tour Denali you have to book a tour and then spend a full day. It would be well worth it but that
will have to wait till next time. WE had a good visit but while inside it started to rain. After our
visit we headed to the “Grizzly Bear Lodge” for our room of the night. This was a nice place but
had no restaurant. There were 2 restaurants across the road so we asked the desk clerk for a
recommendation. He said one was really bad but the other was great. Taking his advice we
made the short drive across the Parks Highway. It turned out that this place was a humongous
resort and had a very good restaurant. As we talked to our waiter we learned that most of the
staff here was college kids recruited from all over the US for summer help. They got a room and
discount food. They made good money and then went back to school in the fall. The staff did a
good job and we returned for breakfast the next day. The rain was picking up and just 30
minutes after making it to the room the bottom fell out and it rained hard all night. The end to
another good day in Alaska.
Day 10 Denali National Park to Anchorage, Alaska
The end is near and it is back to Anchorage. The parks highway is by far the busiest of the trip,
lots of traffic. As we get closer to Anchorage the traffic just keeps getting busier and then we
make it to Wasilla and stop for lunch. Then back on the road to Anchorage. We ride around a
bit and then go to Alaska Leather to see what they are about. They are a great motorcycle gear
shop and we shopped for about an hour before heading to the hotel just a block farther down
the road. We were early and the room was not ready so we spent time unloading the bike and
then taking the GPS and heated gear electrical wiring off that we had installed. The room was
ready so we took all we could to the room and then returned the bike to the shop. Perfect
timing and the shop closed in about 30 minutes. They inspected the bike and Nancy smiled and
said that she loved it when customers brought their bikes back covered with mud and especially
if they had not dropped the bike. Happy to say we had lots of mud and had not dropped the
bike! Then the bad, a customer had pulled up on a triked out scooter ( never saw one before)
and parked. These things have a CVT transmission and he forgot to put it in park. It rolled down
the hill in the parking lot, hit a gold wing, a GS and a KLR knocking them all over like dominos.
All were damaged and the owners were pissed! We had a prearranged “date” with Nancy and
Keith ( the bike shop managers) and they asked if Andrew and his girlfriend could come, of
course. Nancy took us back to the hotel so we could clean up and then picked us up for our
date at 6:00 pm. We went downtown and walked around for about an hour. What a beautiful
city with post card type scenery. Dinner was at Snow Goose and was also a micro brewery . We
spent about 2 hours having a very good time with our new friends. After returning to the hotel
we caught the shuttle to the airport for our 11:30pm flight back to the real world. The end of a
very good unforgettable vacation.