Utah 2 Inuvik and back, hopefully.

Utah to Alaska, day one.


After missing my Tuesday, Wednesday and then Thursday departure do to the fact that I told my wife I would have the wiring and insulation done in the basement before I headed out, I was stuck running to the Home Depot for more rolls of batting, then hooking up a sprinkler timer, blah, blah, blah. But Thursday night I got the GS all packed except my wallet, keys and chapstick. Ready to go.


After a quick brush of the teath with the SO's toothbrush, I'm head out at 4:40 am, had the wife sign my starting witness SS1000 form and topped off with gas. Not much from Spanish Fork to Oregon except wind. Running at 4,500 RPM, an barn door to block wind (Aeroflow) and panniers and two dry bags packed full, the MPG was not the greatest. Ended up stopping more often than had expected but nothing to really take pictures of.


Stopped for an iced tea and a dinner salad in La Grande OR for lunch. “Um, could I have an extra scoop of blue cheese”? Hit rain around Cascade Locks for about 5 miles. Straight on to Portland, up I-5 to Longview where I spent an extra 10 minutes riding around trying to find highway 30 that would take me to Astoria. After asking, yes I asked, the cute little postal delivery girl, I was back on my way. “That's where I thought I should turn”. A quick stop in Astoria to take a picture of two fine young riders that appreciated the bike's setup, with the 101 highway bridge in the background. Man, it was windy up there, probably not as bad as the wind in Idaho, but then again I wasn't over a hundred feet from the earths surface below.


Light rain up the 101 to Aberdeen and then on in to Ocean Shores. Valentine One went crazy off as I pulled into Ocean Shores. “Oh, there you guys are. I need one of you to sign this letter”. Maybe I better check in to the Days Inn and dump the V-1 before addressing them. Officer Grossi and his partner recommended an the local Irish pub so I felt obliged after signing my ending SS1000 form. Not a bad choice, pint 'O Guinness and a bowl of chowder and it's back to the motel bed. I'm sure the knees and back will appreciate the mattress tonight. Damn! No internet access even though the sign outside specifically says Hi-Speed Wireless.


Saturday, day two.


I don't think the weathermen know shit from shinola. The forcast for the Olympic penincula was for dry and partly cloudy. Well, not to be. Rain most of the day, not hard, rust little misty stuff. The road around the penincula was great. Highway 112 was an excellent road and gave the Diastansa's a good workout, both dry and in the water. Saw a bald eagle with a fish in it's talons soaring overhead and some blacktail (I think) bucks feeding in the rain in Olympic NP.




Hoped the ferry from Port Townsend, then up the island, across Destruction Bay and on over to the Washington mainland. Number one lane, number one spot; almost as good as lane splitting. Pitched the tent on the wet grass of the KOA south of Bellingham.





Sunday, day three.


The short stocky 'lady' that emerged from the cabin across the roadway commented on how she and her 'friend' really liked my bike. I asked them how they liked the jet boil stoves they were using to heat up their coffee. It sounds like we both have made good decesions at least once in our lives.


Off to the boarder. Answered all the questions, "I'm going to have you step into Immigration to the left there. You can park under the overhang". Five minutes waiting for the four 70+ folks in front of me to get done and it was my turn. Four of five quick question and I was out of there.


Getting through Vancouver to get on the 99 North was a pain. Didn't even stop for a picture of the city. Off up the coast and finally stopped for lunch in Pemberton. Got a hot vegetarian panini sandwich and cup of slaw, tasty. Now it was on to Prince George, in quite a bit of rain. Arrived with knees killing me and my right arm cramping up. Motel tonight with internet access and a cold pool, I knew I shouldn't have jumped in.

Please forgive the first post. This is my first ride report and I'm just getting used to the formating layout. I promis to do better from now on. Mmmmm, maybe I can edit the first one.

Keep going! your just getting started. Nice bike!

Hope to see you in Inuvik. The road conditions on the Dempster Highway are great at the present time. Check in the Galley Coffee shop for the Inuvik motorcycle guys.

I'm so frigging jealous I can hardly sit still. Keep posting good buddy.

B

Haven't been able to upload photos so until I get to a system I can do that, I'll just say that it's a great ride. The internet access here at the cafe won't allow me to upload to my smugmug account. We'll see if I get another chance between here an Anchorage where I'll pick up my TKC80's from Barb.

Back on the road.
Gary

Road up to the Salmon glacier in the morning. The summit overlook was fogged in but the views from the bottom and up by the mining camp at the end were great.


Spend the night at the Sea Alaska Inn where the local gals were throwing a staggett party. I think every girls from Stewart and Hyder were there. Fun party.


Headed up the Cassiar. Wow, I thing i'm gonna go back this way as well unless someone can talk me into taking the Alcan back to, hard sell.

Well, off to Anchorage now. Hope to have better luck next time on uploadability for pictures but there at least got uploaded.

Be safe and keep em coming.

Sounds like you are having a great time. Keep the post coming. Good news from work. Jack's out, Ron steps up.

Monday, on to Hyder.


Left Prince George with the temp just perfect. Put the Gerbing jacket on but never turned it on. Weather wat great all the way to into Stewart. Apparently they are doing construction on the bridge as you leave Highway 16 at Kitwanga and head up 37. Lucky for me I came through before they started working on it. Talked with a couple that came through a day behing me and had to wait 2 hours for it to open for them to cross.


Waiting for a pizza in Hyder I spoke with some locals that suggested not pitching my tent that night because of the bears. So I decided to stay at the Sea Alaska Inn. Spent the evening out in the outback with internet access updating things. A local gal in Stewart was having a bachelorett party and I think all the ladys from both Stewart and Hyder were dancing having a grand old time in the bar. When I hit the sack they were still party'n prett hard. It looked like someone a little too hard when I left the room and say a bunch on the party booze and food on the floor outside one of the doors.





I wondering who's risk I have been using before I saw this sign.

I could have used one of these back in Ocean Shores.

I thought of you all day as I sat in my office wishing I was seeing Alaska. At least Jack and Joe Tibbetts are gone. You will get back just in time to watch the management team's latest plans roll out. Maybe you should just extend that ride? Have a blast!

She also want's me to pick something up from there. What?

Wednesday.


Left Whitehorse around noon, called Alaska Leathers to make sure there would be someone to change me over to the TKC's when I get to Anchorage on Thursday or Friday. No problem. Sitting in the Fast Eddied in Tok while it's raining outside but hey they have wireless access so i'm just camped out in the back corner. I wonder how long I can sit here after having just a halibut burger before they throw me out? Met a fellow Advrider Markc while eating and he informed me they have wall tents with cots at the Thomoson's Eagle Claw so I may spend the night here. If they haven't filled up by the time I get out of the resturant, I think I will.

This would prove to be one of the best construction zones so far as the others would require me to wait for a piolet car.


Tomorrow, Valdez and then Anchorage for new rubbers.

Thursday


Spent the night in Tok at little motorcycle camp. For $10 I got the tee-pee with a wooden floor and a cot. Broke out the Thermarest and bag and hit the hay around 2 am. Man I dig these long days. Sometime durring the night I awoke to what I feared was some Chinese water torcher, but alass it was only the rain dripping off the tee-pee poles. A quick change of the cot position and all was well the rest of the night. Up and dawning the rain gear as it was starting to sprinkel. I road with Mark through two construction areas, one of which we had to wait about 40 minutes for the piolet car, to somewhere around Mentasta Pass where we stopped for coffee and I got a big ass oatmeal cookie, right out of the oven, excellent. Mark is heading for Asia on a KLR, with some other rider from Ireland. They have plans for riding across Mongolia and the rest of Asia all the way to Europe. That KLR was pretty loaded down. Good luck Mark.



I left Mark and headed to Valdez. Beautiful drive in. Stopped at a bar with wireless to check on email then back on the bike and headed for Anchorage. Hit rain going both in and out of Valdez, then again just outside Glennallen for about 100 miles. Could see fresh snow on Sheep Mtn. maybe 1000 feet above the highway. It was quite cold and I had both Gerbing coat and pants on as well as the handgrips. Arrived around 11 pm and found a campspot at the north end of town. The Ship Creek Landing RV park. I was met by a bearded fillow who said "Hi, my name is Buck", man I hope he hasen't seen Kill Bill. As my luck would have it, I can't get a wireless connection tonight and the office doesn't open until 7 am. The camp manager said they could give me the "internet address thing" then. So, it's off to the shower then hit the hay. Oh yea, it's 2:30 am and I don't need a light to type or keep from triping over my rain fly strings.

Valdez and the road in:




I hope this is what the BC trafic camera got a picture of when I blew throuth that "yellow" light.



That's a German plate isn't it?

All I did today was laundry, had TKC 80's mounted on the rims at Alaska Leathers; thanks Doug, then catch up on this link for the folks at work and the family. Oh, yea, to any one else out there that looks. Went downtown for dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse. Great salmon BLT, but man the Oak Black Rye was to die for. I had to have a second glass and my server said this was the only beer on tap they wouldn't sell in a growler. So unless someone wants to see pictures of my clean undies, no pictures for today.

Head'n for Homer in the morning, but first I will go wash off the bike since it's covered with filth and muck.

g

If the goal behind this post is to make the world jealous as Hell--it worked. Love the shot of the plate! Leave it dirty so you can blow through every red light in town. No cop could catch up with that bike anyway!

Saturday Kenai Peninsula:


Headed south for Seward for lunch at Ray's. Excellent fish and ship! Doubled back and headed down the Sterling Hwy to Homer. Got the last room in town but anything that gets me out of the rain will do. Oh, the spings in this bed suck. Beer at the Salty Dawg Saloon and a tee shirt for the SO and a walk around to check out the halibut catches. I purchased a Homer pin that says "200 club". I got it since that's the closest one to what I weigh. The girl said "wow you got a nice one, who'd you fish with". Uh, I cant remember the name. I think it was a white boat.

unday, Homer to Denali.


Ride back up from Homer to Anchorage was nice. Stopped at Portage to check out the glacier but didn't go through the tunnel due to the fact that I was sitting in a light rain and the "boy" at the toll station said there was not much reason to go to Whittier on a day like this.


Headed back to the Glacier Brewhouse for their Imperial Blonde "which is served in a snifter" according to their menu. Man that was good. Picked up some binoculars a the Sportsmens Warehouse since I forgot to back mine and I plan on doing Denali tomorrow. Got in rain from Talkeetna to Denali. Pulled in to the camp ground at 2:30. Cold and wet I pitched the tent under the canopy and crashed. Damn, found a leak in the boots; cold toes. If the gear's not dried out tomorrow, there's a laundry and I'll dry everyting out at $2.00 a batch. Note to self: next time take heed from fellow travelers and dawn rain gear before it's to late.














Been raining all day here, hopefully the weather will be nice for tomorrow's ride on the bus through Denali. Forcast is for 60 and party cloudy. I think I got a lot a pray'n to do tonight.

Lookin good! And thanks for NOT sharing pics of your clean undies.

Weather in Denali Cold and light to moderate drizzle.......and the wind is up a little and out of the south....... currently. reporting from the window of my room at Denali warm and toasty......

I met ya at the gas station at Haines Jct. the other day glad to see your trip is going well nice pic's. I was'nt gonna go to Homer but after seeing the the bar ther looks interesting a side trip may be in order since I will be down that way........

see ya