Saturday, May 21st.  430 miles.  Route 16 holds no excitement.  Route 97 south towards Vancouver has some potentially great valley views.  It is huge, side to side.   A little Sound of Music quality with a touch of How Green Was My Valley.  I took a few pictures,  but the cloudy conditions ruin the views.  Rained some too.

I’m definitely in Cowboy Country.  Lots of horses (a few donkeys and three llamas too).  My hotel would, in the big city, be the kind that charged rooms by the hour.  Here I guess it’s a place for cowboys to stay.  But it’s cheap and so far quiet.

Last full day in Canada.  I want to say thanks and goodby to terrific views, great people, and cheap campsites.  I further want to just say goodby to loose gravel, dust, a ridiculously high bug-to-windshield ratio, expensive hotels, kilometers, and the ever-present chip reader.  The last item, I fear, will soon be a thing in the States.  Be very afraid.

Going to drive through Canada wine country tomorrow.  Look, but not taste.  Maybe one place.  Certainly ice wine if they offer it.

Drove down to the lake. No swans.

This does not come close to what it really looks like.

Besides the cowboy, note that A&W is very popular.   However, the far most popular outlet is Subway.  If the community’s population can staff it, there is a Subway.

Friday, May 20th.  Cold!!  I planned for cold, but I didn’t plan on my age making cold weather more uncomfortable.  Departed at 7:30, the earliest start time of the trip.  Partially due to the bike’s heated seat.

Had breakfast at a heliskiing resort.  Can’t imagine what staying there would cost.  The young Paris-born waitress talked to me throughout the meal.  Her dreams come true!  The world is controlled by a hidden organization. Conspiracies are in themselves conspiracies.  Spoke in a whisper.  I had the image of Twin Peaks in my head.  I was very relieved when the bike started up.

Route 37 becomes absolutely gorgeous.  Seriously, it makes the Blue Ridge Parkway look pedestrian.  Trees, sweet smelling flowers, rivers, lakes, mountains, snow, and no traffic.  Nine vehicles went past in the first 60 miles.  And three more bears.

Took a beautiful detour 40 miles down 37A to a small town called Stewart.  Past Stewart I reentered Alaska, in the little town of Hyder.  No bank, gas station, police, fire department, or US customs office.  It does have a Post Office. In fact it’s called Hyder rather that it’s desired name of Portland because the USPS rejected that name: “too many towns in the US are called Portland.”  This is the only town in the lower part of Alaska accessible by road, and it was only built in the 70s.  Now there are twice weekly seaplane flights to deliver the mail.  They do have two bars where it’s popular to be “Hyderized”.  Drink a shot of 151 proof whiskey.  I resisted the urge.

It also has a National Forest, managed oddly enough by the Department of Agriculture.  It has a viewing platform where one can supposedly see black and brown bears.  A drive up a gravel road is required.  I was tired of gravel roads, so I gave it a pass.

Made it to the end of Route 37 and headed east on 16.  Warm and sunny.  In Hazelton I booked a room in the farther town of Burns Lake, 130 miles east.  Suddenly the temp dropped and clouds formed.  The temp went from 73 to 45, with rain!!  Not a fun ride.  But I made it.  Stopped in Houston long enough to take a picture of the world’s largest fly fishing rod.

I had breakfast here. Extremely fancy place. Very weird waitress. 

Plates are from Quebec.

Thursday, May 19th.  Completed my first 500 mile day.  I didn’t wait for the museum to open.  I think I’m like the horse smelling the barn.  Also, as I’m retracing my steps, I assume any good pictures have already been took.

(By the way, if you come up this way in a four wheeled vehicle, you must bring a bicycle.  Every community has bike trails.  Amazing.  I guess they’re also snowmobile trails.)

Met a gentleman on a BMW GS1200, the kind of motorcycle designed for rough roads.  He damaged his front forks on the gravel and had to send away for a replacement.  My Goldwing might look out of place in bad places, but it’s built for dependability.  (No jinx!)

I wanted to take route 37 south rather than continue on the Alaskan Highway, but I was concerned with road conditions.  It was built by Canada in 1972 and appears less useful than the Highway.  Fortunately there were several people going north and had current news. (Canada wisely has a web site for provincial roads, but the word is that it’s not up to date.)  All said the road was really good.  So near Watson Lake I hung a right.

Wow!  This is the road to take, though you wouldn’t know it based on traffic.  Nearly no one else.  The first section is surrounded by the remains of several recent (2010-11) fires, which gives the more distant views an eery quality to them.  Road has no shoulders and no lines.  Both sides often drop right off.  I’d be concerned if I thought about it.  They also didn’t smooth out the terrain, so there are ups and downs.  But the road is pretty smooth in detail.

Saw three black bears and one cute little fox.  I stopped at one bear, who took an interest in me and ambled over in my direction.  I took pictures/video until he got about ten feet away. Once I started the engine, he moved off in a real hurry.  Hopped up on his rear legs and did a 90 degree pivot.  Didn’t even wait for the horn I was ready to blow.

I thought I’d try a lonely and near vacant lodge, but $110 a night!!  Canada’s hotel, fuel and food prices are becoming a real drag on my enjoyment.  Drove another 70 miles to Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park, where I paid $8 for a lake-front view.

The fire started as a lightning strike and they let it burn.

The fur makes this look out of focus, but I don’t think it is.

Two seconds later I started my engine and he took off down the bank.

Wednesday, May 18th.  Got out of Tok at 7 AM, or 8 AM Pacific time.  Spent too much time in Alaska looking for a proper Alaska ball cap.  Finally, in desperation, bought one today.

Customs was all good.  Nice guy, no silly questions.

Spoke to two motorcyclists, both traveling into Alaska and alone. Their timing was probably better than mine.

Cold, partly cloudy.  Just a touch of rain on me, but lots around me.  Snow too I think.  There is new snow on the hills/mountains.  All in all, it was a fabulous view for hours.  Hills, mountains, lakes, rain squalls.  My words cannot describe the beauty.  Sadly, I wasn’t feeling especially eager to take pictures because it was cold and . . .

I had to drive through 30 miles of gravel, then 20 miles of mud.  Horrible.  The gravel of two weeks ago had had another layer applied.  The mud was insane.  They even had a grader pushing some, but not all, of the mud to the center.  I’m not an engineer so I didn’t understand their intent, other than to provide financial assistance to car washes.  And stress out motorcyclists.  I think a bicyclist got hurt on the road, but I had my own concerns and can’t be sure.  My shoulders are in pain.

Anyway, I made it to Whitehorse as per plans.  First thing I did after checking into the hotel?  No, buying a drink was the second thing.  First thing was washing the bike.  The capital of the Yukon Territory is mine to explore tomorrow morning.  I’ve got a much easier drive tomorrow.

No pictures worth posting.  No animals seen.  I think I’ll be out of wifi range for the next few days.  We’ll see.

Tuesday, May 17th.  Rainy day.  Views would have been great in sunshine.  They’re not half bad even in clouds, but don’t translate well in pictures.  Drove through mining town with nice display of old equipment.

Rough road in spots, perfect road in others.  No rhyme or reason (seconded by a local construction worker).  One construction site with muddy bypass; slippery!  Tok hotel manager (Golden Bear Motel again) said a blinding blizzard passed by in the morning.  Roads seem a little more crowded with RVs.  Season coming to life.

Got about 75 yards from some moose, which is the National Park’s standard safe distance.  The moose apparently agrees, for when I tried to get closer, they departed.

For the next two days I retrace my steps out of Alaska.  Tomorrow I will attempt to reach Whitehorse.  387 miles, including 30 miles of lose gravel (unless things have changed in the past nine days).  It’ll be difficult, but the shorter alternative is reaching Haynes Junction, which didn’t impress me coming west. I get to enter Canada again.  I still don’t have any brass knuckles, so I should be okay.

Monday, May 16th.  Took the Alaska Railway Tour train to Seward. Upper deck seating with an open-air balcony.  Beautiful sights!  Commentary along the way.  Train would slow/stop for good scenes and even stop for wildlife sightings.  Moose, eagles, no bears.

In Seward rushed to boat for six hour cruise.  Sea otters, sea lions, whales, eagles, goat, various birds.  Saw large pieces of ice fall into the sea from a glacier.  Crew hauled a piece of glacier ice on board.  Crystal clear.  National Park ranger, who neither talked too much nor too little, admitted we were lucky to see all the things we did.  Began to rain towards the end.  Cold.

Return train was under clouds.  Views not so good.  Arrived at 10:15, still daylight!

Nice day, way too many pictures.

Sunday, May 15th.  Just walked around town.  Visited souvenir shops, had a reindeer dog, sat in the park.  The city has its history written on many walls and signposts.  I didn’t go to the museums because they appeared to be more art than history.  I wasn’t in the mood.

It’s clear the city is preparing for summer.  Three stores were training new employees.

Went over to the seaplane lake to watch some takeoffs and landings.  They’ve really got to put the pedal to the metal to get up.  The lake is adjoining the real airport, which must make air traffic controllers nervous.

Learned that the large mosquitos are preferred to the not-out-yet small ones.  Easier to kill.  It’s been years since I’ve had to deal with mosquitos.  I’ve got to say that this new bug repellent is vastly better than the old stuff.  They hover, but they don’t land.  The old stuff would smell bad and work worse.

Few pictures today.  Tomorrow I’m doing a train-boat-train tour.  I should be loaded with pics.

Made in Davenport, Iowa. I had lunch there last month!

Saturday, May 14th.  Marvelous day.  Packed up in a leisurely way in almost cool weather.  While driving along the edge of the National Park I’d see Denali and stop for a photo.  Five minutes later the view would be better, so I stopped again.  Repeat several times.  Fantastic war memorial at a rest/scenic stop.  Also a memorial to two military air crashes in Alaska, with the background stories.  I learned a lot more about the Park from the outside than in it.

The road was busy northbound.  This is a dusty state.  Too much gravel at gas stations and elsewhere, though not as bad as Canada.  A lot of ATVs on trailers.  Many ATVs driving alongside the road.  I’m not sure, but there might be a gas discount if you have a long beard.  Duck Dynasty wannabes.

Alaska Transportation Museum, which sounds fancier than it is.  Private.  A good start at something.  Old equipment rusting in fields mostly, but what they have on display is way worth the $5 admission.  They’ve certainly got the stuff, just need to organize it all.  Someone hang glided off Denali? A Department of the Interior “Mine Rescue” train car?

Camping at the air base.  A bear problem.  The camp host has actually used bear spray!  $12.  No showers yet.  Maybe Monday.  I’ll have stayed 6 out of 7 days in my tent.  Good on the budget.

Downtown looks promising for tomorrow.  Lots to see.

Quiet place indeed. Excellent idea someone had.

Sorta obligatory. Muddy.

I’d like to see someone put these on a horse!

This trip (by an 18 year-year-old) is so much cooler than mine. But makes me less crazy.

Caption said “Pupmobile”

Love this shirt!

This was a planned picture that turned out MUCH better than I expected. Scares me!

I’m too early.  The 92 mile road into Denali isn’t open yet.  The buses aren’t operating either.  I was able to drive 30 miles up the road, 15 on very dry gravel.  You can’t see the mountain during the second 15 miles, and the scenery is nothing spectacular.  At the endpoint scenic view I asked a threesome talking loudly about nothing important to take it elsewhere.  After a 15 mile gravel road, my patience was thin.  They did indeed take it elsewhere and everyone else expressed their appreciation.

The Mount Denali is extremely impressive, from any angle and any distance.  I put it up there  with Mt. Fuji for beauty and majesty.  The park is less so.  They may have wildlife, but it wasn’t present today.  The hills are brown.  The air is dusty.  The campsite, for the first time on this trip, is full and noisy.  Overall, it hasn’t been a good day.  I’m leaving tomorrow for Anchorage.

Fairbanks

Toured the Museum.  Very fancy, extremely professional layout.  A lot of nature, a little light on recent history.  A video about Aurora Borealis went a long way towards teaching me what it is, though I was surprised to learn that scientists aren’t exactly sure themselves.

A free museum downtown about dog sledding and the gold rush days was more to my liking.

Saw Mt. Delani for the first time.  Hope to see a lot more of it.

Worked briefly on the details of my trip home from here. I’m first going to visit Denali NP and Anchorage.  Then , just getting back into the US will require driving 2,300 miles.  From the border I’ll probably use the “Historic 101” as much as I can.  The entire trip will be about 3,700 miles, so it’ll take several weeks.  But much of this leg will involve retracing steps already tread, so my pace might be quicker.

That’s Denali in the distance

Very fancy outhouse

The Museum had a lot of artwork. This was my favorite.

UA is the only university with it’s own rocket range.

Incredible!