KS. Whitehorse to Liard River

Today started earlier than usual, temps were mid 40s again, but the skies were clear.  After some coffee, we were on the road just before 8 for another hopefully uneventful day of riding.   We needed an early start to hopefully get a campsite at the Hot Springs Park, ran by what seems to be like the Canadian Park Service.  There are no reservations, and first come first serve is not a great strategy when your starting from 7 hours away. 

After a few hours we stopped in Teslin for some coffee and a snack. We met up with Artem and his dog Ragnar who stayed in the same camp as us the night before. He said he had reserved a cabin, and recommended we do it also.  Last time Chip was through here years ago, everything was sold out, and there is nothing else close by.  So I called the number and reserved the last cabin.  The bridge out of Teslin is almost a half mile long, and does not have a solid surface. It's metal grating that tends to make motorcycles move around in strange ways. I actually kind of enjoy it, plus it's cool to look straight down through the grating as you travel across the bridge, looks like you're just straight above the water. 

A stop at the Signpost Forest let us walk around and see how many of the signs came from places we recognize.  I think it was a work camp at one point, with people bringing signs pointing them back towards home, and it just grew from there. 

We arrived at the Laird Hot Springs Lodge, and I have to say, it is "unique". When I called to reserve a cabin I was told it was the last one, and only had a twin bed. I asked if there was room to sleep on the floor and she said yes.  So I reserved it. After checking in, we ride our bikes back to find the row of cabins behind the lodge.  I'm not even sure how to describe it. So I'll just take some pictures and leave it at that. She did say it was a step up from a tent, now I wonder if she's ever seen a tent.   I actually went across the road to the park to see if any campsites were available, no luck. Was told we could sleep in the overflow parking lot for $26, no thanks.   Fun fact, the park/campground is totally surrounded by a seriously beefy 7ft tall electrified fence, all entry points are gated with cattleguards as well.  The overflow lot is on the outside of this fence, I'll pass. Just saw a good sized black bear a couple miles up the road, so cabin it is.  I'll be sleeping on the slanted floor, Chip will be sleeping on the crooked bed mattress.   Not sure who got the better deal.  

Now we're going to grab some dinner, then walk over to the Hot Springs for a soak in the heated river.  Then hopefully a good nights sleep on the floor, so we can get up early and get far away from this place.   Win some, lose some.  

Layover Day - Whitehorse

We got up on Tuesday morning and checked the weather along our planned route and found the forecast to be bleek. Pretty much guaranteed rain for the majority of the day - not what we wanted at all after getting drenched most of the day before. So why not stay another day at this amazing motorcycle camp and relax and get some things done.

Ken was able to get a new rear tire installed and did an oil change on his bike. We both got laundry done and I cleaned up some areas on my bike that had accumulated enough dirt and dust to start becoming a problem. We also got to dry out our wet camping gear from the past couple of days of rain. Once the chores were done, we spent the afternoon chatting with fellow moto travelers - mostly with Chase, Tyler and Artum who had cabins right across from us. We shared stories of the journey to Tuk - they also had similar experiences with the weather - while enjoining a few beverages. Other travelers arrived throughout the afternoon and we enjoyed sharing stories on the road with all of them as well. A very welcomed day, mostly off the bikes, getting rested for the push south.

Not much else happened. Had another great meal in the on-site restaurant and we’re hitting the beds around 10pm. Love these cool little tent cabins!

CN

KS. the word of the day is rain

This one is hard to write, not because of writers block, cause I ain't a writer, but because after two wet nights in tents, we sprung for the upgrade of a wall tent in Whitehorse, BC. Currently, I'm laying here in a warm dry bed with a thick mattress, listening to raindrops falling onto the metal roof above me, so before I fall asleep, I should tell you about our day. Now lets back this up just a bit.

We woke up in Eagle Claw motorcycle camp in Tok Alaska, after another damp night in the tents.  Breakfast was leftover pizza from the night before, it's always a bit dicey keeping leftover food on the bikes in bear country,(which is everywhere up here, and they've got big ones, in both colors, brown and black) I'm certainly not keeping it in the tent with me, and for some reason, Chip gets, well, let's call it unhappy, if I try to stash food items around his tent at night.  On this morning it was in the low 40s when we broke camp and went to fuel the bikes before heading back towards Canada. This was the first time I have been able to use my heated jacket, after finding the proper power cord in Anchorage. I'm sure in a dire situation that a functional workaround could have been created, but I'm trying to keep most of my electrical systems in factory condition. I had forgotten how nice it was to be surrounded by warmth in my riding jacket again. Up to this point my main source of insulation has been an alpaca wool sweater, purchased from a street vender in Peru on our journey to the bottom of the South American continent.  I remember the reason I bought it, I was cold, and it seemed like it would help fix that situation. Again, not a writer because I'm rambling. 

We rode about 2 hours to the Canadian border, experiencing a couple rain showers during the journey, and ultimately we were allowed back into British Columbia with very little fuss from the border agent, (there's a lot of countries that could learn from this type of efficiency)  From there, it was a pretty uneventful journey, rain, rough road, construction, mud, more rough roads, followed by more rain.  When I say rough, I'm talking about stuff that can destroy a car over a certain speed.  On the bikes we have the luxury of being able to thread the needle thin line between potholes and stand up on the footpegs to help the suspension absorb the larger hits.  I'm pretty sure I've seen at least one oncoming car become airborne during a passing maneuver today.

As we reached Haines Junction in the Yukon, after several more bouts of rain, lightning and and even some hail, we had a change of plans.  Originally we were going to get a tent site at Yukon Motorsports Park outside of Whitehorse,  but with the impending rain, we decided that the minimal upgrade in cost to rent a wall tent, versus a campsite, was likely going to be worth it. So we actually made a reservation ahead of time, I'll try not to make a habit of that, with planning ahead being a personal nemesis of mine.

The last couple hours threaded us around the edges of some rainstorms, and right through the middle of others.  As we came through the town of Whitehorse, we hit the mother of all rain.  A solid heavy downpour, with water flooding across the streets, and just general cruddy conditions that left us soaked (technically speaking, just the outside of our gear was soaked, but it's still not the most pleasant feeling)  but we knew we had a roof and two beds waiting for us at the end, so we pushed on through the deluge. Finally, we reached our destination, finding our reserved wall tent, and then the camp restaurant in short order.

Which brings us back to where I am now, a wonderful meal from the camp restaurant in my belly, a soft bed in a heated wall tent, and raindrops falling on a tin roof overhead.   Proof that even when the weather is bad, life is still pretty good.... really good actually. 

KS 

Homer Spit to Tok

After a night in the tent with on and off rain, we packet up wet and hit the road around 9am to promising skies. As we rode up from the far end of the spit, the low lying clouds opened up a bit and we could see what we had missed the day before. The views across the water to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve were absolutely stunning. We had cool temps and mostly sunny weather all the way up until just before Anchorage. What a beautiful stretch of road it is between Homer and Anchorage - and you get to do it twice!

We made a quick stop in Anchorage at the REÍ to look for a tent cot. I think that would help my back a bit getting in and out of the tent. Unfortunately they were out of the small lightweight model I was looking for. Then after a quick fuel up in Palmer we were off towards Glennallen on the AK1 with Tok the goal. About 550 miles - a relatively big day. All the way through to the Tok Cutoff was filled with stunning views of rivers, snow capped mountains and glaciers. By the time we hit the 4, the temps had warmed up considerably and I shed a few layers.

We got into Tok around 7:30p and once again camped at Thompson’s Eagle Claw Motorcycle Camp and had a meal at Fast Eddy’s - the things to do when in Tok. It also was forecast to rain overnight so was anticipating packing up camp wet again. Ken had bought a wing shelter to string between the trees so we had some created cover over the picnic table to relax under before hitting the tents for the night. Another great day!

CN

Anchorage to Homer

After as good nights sleep, I was the first one up this morning, so I made my way downstairs and brewed a cup of coffee.  It was quiet, so I sat on the couch and wrote my blog update, from about two days prior,  in comfort. It actually does take discipline to keep this thing up to date, but somehow we manage to do it anyways.  As I was finishing up, the rest of the inhabitants of the house (and Chip) were making their ways downstairs.  Rachael cooked us a breakfast of fresh eggs from their chickens as we discussed the days plans, and future weather reports as well.  

After breakfast and more coffee, it was time for us to get ready to load the bikes and ride off into the wild, not so blue, yonder.  After saying our goodbyes, and thanking them for their hospitality, we took the group pictures and headed down the road.  Jack and Rachael were both wearing their K&M Farm shirts, which made me smile because it's the 4th place I've stayed where the "hosts" we're repping our farm.  

A quick stop for gas and we were headed out of Anchorage along the Turn Again Arm, named for something I can't recall.  After passing a few cars we settled into a comfortable open spot and just cruised down the road enjoying the amazing scenery.  After a while we were running alongside the Kenai River, which is famous for it's salmon fishing, and this year has been epic from what I understand.  There were plenty of rafts and anglers casting for the spawning salmon. It would be great to go try to hook some, but there just is not a good way for me to deal with fish, on a motorcycle,  4500 miles from home. Thankfully Jack and Rachael gave us a package of salmon they had smoked. (Had some for a snack when we arrived in camp, delicious!)

We arrived in Homer after a few rain showers, and foggy roads. Halibut fishing Capital of the world, and the town is all about fishing, so it does pain me a bit not to try the local occupation.  We made our way out to a campground on the end of the Homer Spit and setup out tents in a very basic parking lot style campground.  With water on both sides, snowcapped mountains in the distance, and restaurants within walking distance, it will certainly suffice for the night. It's calling for rain, so I guess I'll learn how waterproof my old tent is.  Probably a good time to find out, since my wife will be taking this tent on a week long backpacking trip in England when I get home.  I'm a big fan of Sierra Designs tents, this one has been with me for about 12 years, serving duty on the Appalachian Trail,  and both previous motorcycle trips, spanning 34 different countries over 6 months worth of travel. So I feel pretty safe saying I won't get too wet this time either.   Tonight does mark the turnaround point of the trip,I guess.  Now I'm headed towards home, 4,500 miles away. There is still many places to visit along the way, but pretty much from now on, each day is going to bring me closer to Virginia. But it ain't over yet, far from it...

318 lb halibut,  massive!

KS

Layover Day - Anchorage AK

We had a short one hour ride from Palmer to Anchorage for my 10am appointment to get the new tires I had reserved mounted. The shop had a small cabin in the parking lot that served as the waiting area for those waiting for service to be done on their bikes. Very nice with internet, coffee, snacks and a nice work table for me to get on a couple of conference calls for work while I waited. I asked them also test the battery and electrical system to see why I was having the starting problems intermittently since leaving Colorado.

Ken went on scout trip looking for a large rain fly solution when camping. Since entering Alaska it has been raining pretty much more often than not so we wanted to have a shelter solution outside of our individual tents. He was successful finding something at suitable at a Sportsman’s Warehouse just down the road from The Motorcycle Shop.

I ended up adding brake pads to the service and $1000 later we were out the door and headed to Rachel and Jack’s place in Anchorage for a visit and to spend the night. We went out for Tacos and to a cool microbrewery nearby and had a fun evening of socializing. Their eleven year old son Bryson was also in tow and provided endless entertainment with his energy and whit. Rachael and I had actually met about 20 years ago at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver with Nichole and several mutual friends. It was great to reconnect in Anchorage after all these years.

Tomorrow we are headed down to Homer and enjoy the beautiful Alaska landscape.

KS. Tok to Palmer

Sleeping in a tent is not that bad, it just takes a bit to remember how to set things up right to be comfortable.  Around 4am is when I finally remembered what that setup was, after that I slept pretty good.  It's kinda hard to wake up at daylight in Alaska,  since there's only just a couple hours when it's dark this time of year.  I could hear Chip talking in his tent, he had a work meeting he needed to be part of. Just serves as a reminder, you never know what's going on around the other end of the phone call, what you think is a quiet office, might actually be a quiet motorcycle camp in the backwoods of Alaska.  

After making coffee on my small camp stove setup, I started to break down my camp. Not long after that the other campers around started waking up and wandering about, some of them making phone calls back home as well.  After coffee and some food, we loaded up our bikes, wished the others well, and headed out for the next destination.  

 The road was smooth and riding was easy until after our first had stop when we turned south.  Heading into a valley surrounded by tall snow covered peaks the wind picked up. The gusts started to push the bikes around pretty good, and I had flashbacks of a previous windy situation, luckily today was dry and not in the middle of flatland, and most importantly, without lightning.

 Side note, many people tend to think it's the rubber tires of a car that protect you from lightning. It's not. That bolt of overly excited electrons has already covered a couple miles, it will easily jump the remaining foot of rubber en route to it's soon to be thermally reconfigured destination. The metal structure of a car that surrounds the passengers acts as a Faraday Cage protecting the occupants (look up what that is) and a motorcycle is severely lacking in that department, actually non-existent. 

 The wind died down as we got further into the mountains and by the time we turned we into the Denali Highway, it was no longer a concern. The skies were still cloudy, but maybe we would be alright.  

The Denali Highway is a typical highway here in the far northwest corner of the continent.  Single lane, maybe asphalt, maybe chip seal, maybe dirt, but definitely with potholes.  As we wound our way across the 130 mile stretch, dodging potholes, the views were typical Alaska, awesome. Snow capped mountains, glaciers, and open valleys scattered with lakes.  Some of the potholes had been patched, some skipped, with no rhyme or reason to the pattern, but it does make for an engaging riding experience.  I avoid brakes as much as possible, preferring to pick a smooth path while snapping the bike side to side in effort to dodge the craters.  After about a hundred miles of this, the pavement disappeared and was replaced with smooth gravel road. As usual, just because there is no pavement, doesn't mean you have to slow down. 

Motorcycles in general seem to be an insanely durable machine. Over the years we've covered tens of thousands of miles over some of the more hostile terrains around this planet, I've raced through the woods on smaller bikes, and haven't seen anything break yet that lead me to believe that bikes are fragile. Maintenance wise, I take very good care of my machines, but when it comes to riding them, I push them pretty hard and tend not to worry about it.

So our day ended in Palmer Alaska, just north of Anchorage.  We found the typical too expensive hotel, luckily with a place a couple doors down where we could find food and drink to finish the day. Our room was next to the hotel laundry, so we gathered up all of our worst smelling clothes and chucked them in the machine.  Tomorrow's plan is to ride to the motorcycle shop in Anchorage, where Chip's bike will be getting new tires and an oil change. After that, we'll meet up with my friends Jack and Rachael who live here in Alaska.  From there we will head to Homer Alaska, I guess we'll turn around there, and start headed back towards home. 

KS