Sorry to hear about your friend. Thanks for all the awesome pictures. Enjoy your journey.

 

 

A day for pictures.... and remembering.

 

Terrific shots. I know it takes time out of a ride to produce these. Your patience and attention to detail are appreciated.

 

I was telling Brad (Goldwing Trailer guy) the other day that a lot of my motivation comes from you guys. The nice thing for me is that it slows me down and I "smell the roses" more.

 

Joe and I have been crossing paths since Whitehorse. We finally sat down for coffee today at a Subway and had a chat.

 

This fellow stopped to see if I was ok just to find out I stop on the highway to take pictures and eat. He flew in from Florida, rented his ADV Bimmer and was on his way to meet some friends on their way back from Prudoe Bay. Then they are running around Alaska for a week or so.

 

There are three lanes into and out of Anchorage. And they are grinding and repaving one lane at a time. So, pick your lane carefully because you do t want to be in the ground lane .... which is exactly where I was.... and now there is about a 2 inch ridge you have to climb to get out of it ..... and you really shouldn't go much faster than 50 because it is Grover and has loose gravel and rock. So here I was, In the far left lane, would not go over 50, and would not switch lanes (ghosts of Bakersfield dancing Around in my head).

There are a few rough spots from Anchorage to Fairbanks, but most of the road is great.

Once you get out of Anchorage area, not much traffic at all, until you get to Denalli. I was surprised at how little truck traffic there is heading North or South.

Now, for those who have not been to Alaska, and been on the road through Denali, well, if you have ridden the Banff/Jasper parkway.... well it is like that. High mountains, snow covered mountains, rooms for $300 a night..... lots of tourists. I drove through the park and did not stop, except for pictures.

North of Denali it gets a bit flat for a while, but you climb up and down a small pass just before Fairbanks.

Lots of gas stations and places to eat along the way.

 

As I rode by I am sure I said "What the F**K!!" In my outloud voice. I had to turn around on the highway to investigate. Called the Igloo, not sure what it was, but it had paved parking..... but the place is abandoned and all boarded up.

 

Tomorrow I will ride as far as Tok. I already have a room booked there. Looks like the weather is going to be good for a bit. The sun doesn't set until tomorrow.... at 12:45 am. Then rises at 3:00 am.

64.83 degrees of latitude. Just south of the Arctic circle.

Pretty cool. I will be back.