Day 11 - Valdez, AK

Today was a day of sightseeing in Valdez.

Started by walking breakfast at the Totem Inn. Walt ordered scrambled eggs with reindeer sausage. I tried a slice. Tasted like a hotdog to me. (We're still looking to find moose, elk, buffalo and other exotic things to try!) The decor here is Valdez is definitely sportsman oriented. There are moose and bear heads all over. We ate right next to a grizzly bear. If we don't see more wildlife we'll have to start taking pictures of these things and get creative with Photoshop.

After breakfast we went to "The Prospector: Alaska's Finest Outfitters". Don loved this store. We've been back to it 3 times already. Found out they have a bigger version of this store in Fairbanks. Guess where our first sightseeing stop in Fairbanks will be! They really do have a great selection of stuff here. If you came up here as a city slicker you could walk out with everything you need for clothing and equipment. If you're in Valdez check out this store. The ladies were very helpful.

After browsing through other sports store we went to a couple of museums about Valdez. Lots about the history of Valdez and Alaska and lots about the 1964 earthquake. We're actually in "New Valdez". The old town was wiped out. Riding in it appear that some part of it is viewable still. Don't know much else about that. I'm deciding that although taking a trip like this is more adventurous than a typical vacation it is not really close to what people who settled Alaska went through. Walt pointed out a picture of a car on one of the early roads in Alaska. It was in 12 inches of mud with people pushing. Makes our little trip through highway construction seem very minor in comparison.

In the museum there was a little exhibit about early cargo flying here. These guys were a do it all type. One guy, a founder of an air cargo company here, rebuilt a wrecked airplane and decided he could get supplies to the mines cheaper than any other transport method. Thus air cargo was born in Alaska. Probably a good thing to be able to rebuild an airplane if you were a pilot then.

In the afternoon we did a little bike maintenance. Mostly cleaning the bugs from the windshields and checking tire pressure. Pretty mundane stuff. If you look at our bikes and our helmets (full face) you have to wonder about anybody who would ride up here without a full face helment.

Halibut (not fresh ones!) 

Don's new boat 

Valdez oil terminal 

As close as we'll get to wildlife 

The Prospector 

Fishnets! 

Day 10 - Beaver Creek, YT to Valdez, AK

Good morning from the Yukon!

The plan for today is to head to Valdez. Its one of our longer days but the time zone change works in our favor and we get an extra hour in the day. So we sleep in today and start the ride at 8:00AM. At 8:01AM we stop for breakfast. Hungry already! Breakfast is at Buckshot Betty's.

Beaver Creek is the westernmost town in Canada. We're only 30 miles or so from the border. Its a little confusing so that number may be wrong. The Canadian and US border posts are about 20 miles apart so which is on the border if either is unclear without looking at a map.

Just across the border looks a lot like the Yukon only better. Must be nice to be back in the USA again. I'm thinking about what I could write that is new and am concerned about running out of ideas if the ride looks the same as yesterday.

Curiously the landscape does get looking a little nicer. Near Tok, Alaska the trees are greener and more lush. About 30 miles before Tok I see a big 8'x10' solar panel for electricity. At the driveway that it must belong to I take a quick peek and see a house, a satellite dish, and a flag pole with a big American flag. I think to myself this must be a retired Marine or something. Remember the TV show "Northern Exposure"? (I think that is what it was called. There was an former Marine on that show that this reminds me of.)

We're on the Glenallen Highway now and we hit highway construction again. About 10 miles of it. Fortunately, it is mostly hard packed dirt and gravel. Not like yesterday. We can only go through it at about 20 miles per hour because we're following an RV.

Once we get through we speed up again and head for gas at Gakona. Once again Walt and Don hit the problem of only regular gas. We've been topping off frequently now so they're not mixing in as much regular gas. I haven't heard any complaints from them about the gas so things must be OK. Gakona is a mosquito haven. Got to drink a little water, have a Clif bar for lunch and get moving again.

Soon we start hit the turnoff to Valdez. I'd heard this leg was supposed to be nice. WOW! WOW! WOW!!!! It started out a little ordinary but the last 80 to 90 miles before Valdez are spectacular. In my head I was comparing it to see if I would like it as much as the ride to Prince Rupert. It actually starts off looking a bit the same. Lush green. Heading for a range of snow capped mountains. This time instead of riding along the base of the range we're heading straight for it.

Getting to the mountain is very pretty and I've already rated it better than the Prince Rupert ride. Once we hit the mountains the WOW! starts coming. We pass a couple glaciers and then over a mountain pass. The mountains here are amazing at this time. With the amount of snow left on them and the cracks and crevices the mountainside looks zebra-ish. Hard to describe (pictures will come below).

It is actually good thing that Don, Walt, and I did a test ride in the Sierras in April. It is pretty cold up here with the snow still here.

The totally unexpected part is what happens going down from the pass. We hit a canyon with steep rock walls and waterfalls. All wrapped in lush green vegetation. Truly a beautiful sight. Its going to be hard to find a ride more varied, striking, and beautiful than this one.

We checked in at the hotel and asked for recommendations for dinner. Fresh Halibut fish and chips seems to be the choice of this group and that's where we head. The dinner was good. Might have this tomorrow too.

After dinner we head to Bad-Ass Coffee Company. Get some coffee, tea (and a brownie for me), and check in with the world via internet.

Tomorrow is a sightseeing day here in Valdez. No riding.

We're now start a little slower pace in the trip. Average riding days will be 200 miles or so instead of the 300-400 it has been. We also have some days with no riding for sightseeing.

Couple of tips we have to remember. The border guard in the US told us he was stationed at a crossing in Montana. Says it is a great ride. Walt and Don will have to find it on the map. I had my earplugs in.

Also, Fairbanks has a "Salmon-fest" at noon and 5. Some big salmon cook/feed for the tourists. We're planning that into our day that passes through Fairbanks.

Good night. All is well. Going to do some laundry, read, relax, and sleep.

Bridal Veil Falls 

Thompson Pass 

Glacier 

Heading to Valdez 

Mountain 

Tetlin Nature Preserve 

Day 9 - Haines, AK to Beaver Creek, YT

Today broke down into two distinct parts. Morning seems like a long time ago....

We left Haines and headed to 33 Mile House for breakfast. It was only a few miles from the Canadian border and came recommended as a good place to eat. They were right. This was a home cooked style breakfast. Don started breakfast with a piece of homemade boysenberry pie. Very nice with light flaky crust. I only got to look. Don got to eat it! I discovered homemade rhubarb jam. Very good!

Don and Walt pick up another tip on riding motorcycles. We were told that there was gas at 33 Mile House. That was correct but it was only regular gas - 87 octane. Don and Walt need 91 octane for their bikes. Rather than go back they decide to just add a couple of gallons to the tank and have the regular gas mix with the 91 octane the have left in their tanks. Then they hope they don't run out of gas before Haines Junction and that their bikes handle the mixed gas OK. This worked out well. The lesson learned is get gas when you can and don't count on small places having what you need. (My bike runs on regular gas so I don't have a problem. Don said if he ran out he'd siphon gas from my tank. Bad gas is better than no gas!)

I had high expectation for the ride from Haines to Haines Junction. It was described as a fantastic ride by people we met at Santa Cruz BMW. It was very pretty. I felt it had some of the barren beauty of Scottish highland with some Swiss Alps mixed in. The road was very good and we made good time to Haines Junction. Although we passed from the US back into Canada this time the border crossing took only a couple of minutes and we did not have to get off our bikes.

A stream runs down through this part of the Haines valley. Streams here tend to be shallow and wide with lots of rounded rocks. This is the kind of Salmon stream where you would see salmon in only a few inches of water. A sign near the side of the road said that in lage summer during the salmon return you'd see bears at the creek getting their fill of fresh fish. We didn't see any bears.

The Haines Highway also passes through a bald eagle preserve. No eagles for us to see here. We did see bald eagles in Prince Rupert and on the ship.

Every now and then we find a cabin (shack) in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere means 60 miles from the last time we saw a person. I guess you have to like solitude and living on beans.

Once we got to Haines Junction we were on the offical Alaska Highway. The AAA map marked this part of highway as a scenic route. I don't think so. From Haines Junction to Beaver Creek we just entered the great vast north. Oceans and oceans of trees. Not particularly dense or scenic, just lots of them. Life here is very hard on the trees. They look like they fight to stay alive and the wear shows on them. I'm amazed at the number of dead trees interspersed with the live ones.

Part two of the day starts just before Destruction Bay. The wind is howling off of Dezadeash Lake. We stop for gas, some water, and a snack. We're planning on getting to Beaver Creek for an early dinner. Eating lunch along the way is not really a possibility. Out here there is not much anything between the 60-80 miles between towns. And "towns" means a few buildings and only a few more people.

Between Destruction Bay and Beaver Creek we hit what the Alaska Highway is famous for. Highway contruction, dirt, gravel, and frost heaves. When there is a pilot vehicle they are pretty good about getting motorcycles in front of the RVs, campers, and cars. It is nice to get front of the line privilege because what we are riding on can be dangerous. We ride carefully and get through most of it with no problems. There is one stretch where the flagman lets us go by ourselves but warns us to give the right of way to the graders and construction vehicles. This section has the loosest gravel we've hit. Just as we're going by a grader Walt hit a section where he nearly lost it. This caused Don and I to slow down quicker then I'd have liked. (No problem for Don he's experienced at dirt riding.) It causes me a little problem and my front and rear tires start sliding some. Not enough to have a problem and we make it through OK.

Frost heaves are sections of road where the freezing action during the winter causes dips and bumps in the road that can cause some bouncing around on the bikes. I took a few where the bump threw me up off my seat a little. Don said he hit one that probably got his bike's wheels off the road for a sec. Lots of the bigger bumps are marked by little orange flags on the side of the road. It becomes important to look ahead and examine the road carefully. No time for sighseeing and there's nothing worth looking at anyway. Sections of gravel start with little or no warning and it is no fun riding from asphalt to gravel at 70 miles per hour.

We made it safely to Beaver Creek tired. More mentally then physically. (I'm REALLY glad that I'm riding my BMW and not the Harley.)

9PM in the Yukon (good night!) 

Highway construction 

Dezadeash Lake, Yukon 

Haines Highway #2 

Haines Highway 

Yukon sign 

33 Mile house 

Day 8 - (at sea) to Haines, AK

Pretty uneventful day. Just lots of time waiting on the boat looking at the clock go around. Due to the loading problems and time delays we got to Haines late and Walt and John were the last vehicles off the ferry. Oh well.

When we signed up for the ferry we were hoping that by having a couple hours at each stop we could get off and sightsee a little. That doesn't really work here unless you want to get a taxi. Most ferry terminals are a few miles away from town.

We did get to see some wildlife today. A group of 3 or 4 dolphins surfaced near the ship. Also, got to see an orca breech a couple of times. Saw the tail of a whale as it was diving and a couple of bald eagles circling high above.

Sitting right now in the hotel room at Captains Choice in Haines. I have a table at the window and am looking out over a bay (inlet?). The shore can't be more than a couple hundred yards away. Across the water is a snow capped mountain range. Best view I've had at a hotel room in a long, long time.

Yesterday and today seem to last longer then the first 6 days. We're ready to ride again.

Inside passage near Haines, Alaska 

Hotel room view in Haines 

Glacier 

Near Juneau 

Don's retirement home 

Day 7 - Prince Rupert to (at sea)

Got up early this morning. The ferry leaves at 11:30am and we're supposed to be there 3 hours early. We want to get breakfast first. We actually arrive at about 7:45 and begin the wait. After waiting we waited more. We talked to lots of people who were also waiting. We waited together. We waited in circles. We waited in groups. The bugs started to eat us. We waited more.

We met some interesting people. First person to come up and say hi was a guy who was driving his 1965 Corvette to all 49 capitals for their 40th anniversary. It took me a little while to figure this out. When he first told me of his trip he said something like "we decided for our 40th anniversary we would do all 49 state capitals". Naturally I assumed there would be a wife sitting in the Corvette. I peek forward and look. No other person. Hmmmm. It become apparent this guy is a Corvette fan. Just came from Florida via a San Diego Corvette show and and was on his way to Juneau. (If I ever start using the pronoun "we" to refer to me and a car hit me with something very hard!)

Met a couple of Germans who are touring the states. One explained the BMW logo to us. The blue and white are colors of the Bavarian flag and are for the colors of the sky and the clouds.

Met a guy from east Texas that was a lot of fun. He and Don had a lot of fun talking about hunting and such. Most important thing we learned though came about when some seagulls flew nearby. Walt made some comment like "flying rats". Our Texan friend said something like "you know about Alka-Seltzer and them right?". We didn't. So he told us that down where he lives a favorite event is to take some Alka-Seltzer and feed it to the seagulls. Seems they have no way to release the gas....

The story we got from the guys that load the ferry is that this was the first time they had ever had so many big vehicles and so few small vehicles Then or so motor coaches, a bus, lots of 5th wheels, trailers, cab over campers, a huge highway-sized snow plow, three or four cars and three motorcycles.

We finally got onto the ship about noon so I figured we were late in our departure. Wrong! Once we get onto the ship we change time zones to Alaska time by moving the clock back one hour. We're back on schedule.

Now we wait. Eat. Wait. Read. Wait. Eat. Sleep. Wait. Eat.

Ketchican Alaska