49 states-chapter 5

[travelingbyguzzi]

Chapter 5 brings me to Alaska; a chapter all on it's own.
Launching from Seattle, on the 4th day, I was in Tok. Eastpeasy.
By the 2nd day I was on the Cassiar Highway, a true wilderness. The roads have been fairly good with the exception of a couple hundred miles in the Yukon.
The 3rd night, I stopped in a motorcycle only campground in Whitehorse YK. There, I fell in with a GS rider from Palmer AK. He had been out 52 days to Nova Scotia, etc.
He directed me to another m/c campground in Tok, AK. Then I traveled with him to Valdez and down to Palmer where he put me up for the night.
The next day, I got together with this list's Matteo on Anchorage.
A lady friend of mine flew up from Seattle and we are in a rental van in Seward. (The Norge is in Matteo's garage).
The weather has been great. On 2 days, I head back to Seattle.


Bill Lovelady       IS
Eskimo Spy














       

[frozengoose]

Should of come to Fairbanks, then could've rode to the locally world famous Chena hot springs for a soak!

[Texas Turnip]

Bill,
You don't know how happy I am for you that you are taking the big rides. Unfortunately, I've known way too many riders that were "gonna do" when they retired, when they got enough money etc.
Keep riding and reporting,
Tex

[travelingbyguzzi]

The big question, Mr Turnop, is: What am I going to do next year?
We are discussing Australia.

[wrbix]

The big question, Mr Turnop, is: What am I going to do next year?
We are discussing Australia.

Consider NZ - wife and I did the South Island on rentals about  ten years ago now. Beautiful country, great people, fine trout fishing!

[Tkelly]

Be sure to see the wild animal park on the way back to Anchorage ,every animal in Alaska in a nice setting.

[leroysch]

 

[travelingbyguzzi]

Be sure to see the wild animal park on the way back to Anchorage ,every animal in Alaska in a nice setting.

TKelly, we were going to stop there. There was road construction and we missed the turnoff. Tonight we are streetcamping in Girdwood and tomorrow my lady flies out of Anchorage and I burn a trail up to Tok.

[Gliderjohn]

Keep on truckin and safe going. Adventures of a life time. 
GliderJohn

[fotoguzzi]

Did you ferry in to Whittier where the only way out is where everyone drives onto a flatbed car on a train through a mountain to Portage and Turnagain sound? It’s a really dark long tunnel. That was quite an experience but was about 30 years ago for me.

[travelingbyguzzi]

Did you ferry in to Whittier where the only way out is where everyone drives onto a flatbed car on a train through a mountain to Portage and Turnagain sound? It’s a really dark long tunnel. That was quite an experience but was about 30 years ago for me.

I did not. Word is that now the tunnel is timed. Eastbound on the hour, westbound on the half hour. Bikes have to ride between the rails and cars straddle them.
Just not enough time to do everything, so we did a few things well rather than several things poorly.

[fotoguzzi]

Oh so now it’s open to drive? When I was there it was trains only so we drove onto a flatbed car and rode that.

[Matteo]

Oh so now it’s open to drive? When I was there it was trains only so we drove onto a flatbed car and rode that.

Yes, like Bill said. Open a half hour in each direction. Not fun on a big bike riding on smooth wet stone from the constant dripping water between dimly lit tracks. Large baggers dump occasionally, kinda like gutter balls at a bowling alley. Don't hear about small bikes dropping much. Can't remember how long it took but seems like 10 minutes for a 2.5 mile drive. Most toll gate operators let bikes go first. A few make them go last for fear of blocking the tunnel if someone falls.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Awesome trip. Thanks for the pix, Bill..

[travelingbyguzzi]

Home again, home again, jigittyjig.
17 days, right at 4000 miles, a bit less than I thought it would be.
Primary thoughts: Alaska is expensive.
Fuel in Canada was between $7.5 & $8.5.
Fuel in Alaska is about $4.25
Fuel in Washington is about $4.50
After about the third bear, I started getting bear fever.
The mosquitos were not as bad as I expected, but take bug spray.
The highways in interior Alaska were mostly nicely surfaced but not very curvy. The coastal roads are curvy.
I think the highways 100 miles either side of the Alaska/Canada border are intentionally kept poor as a bit of a tourist draw so that people will talk it up a bit.
There were BIG mountains everywhere you looked, in every direction.
LOTS of motorbikes traveling, big GS bikes were most prevalent.
I saw 1 Guzzi in Anchorage.

All in all, a very fun trip. I am glad I did it, but it isn't a big step for a stepper like me.


Bill Lovelady             IS
Eskimo Spy

[Matteo]

Hey there were 5 in my garage, ok 2 are in storage, 6counting yours
Don't forget the Canadian prices go down after the exchange rate is applied to your charges.

[Chuck in Indiana]

but it isn't a big step for a stepper like me.

that's a fact..