ONWARDS TO ANCHORAGE

Sun, Aug 10 2008 08:58 | Permalink


a 2 week plan-3000 miles

I completed the main objective of my journey by reaching Juneau the capital of Alaska. That made 49 States and 49 State Capitals. Journey’s end really I guess. However, although a beautiful setting and quite a busy little city, Juneau is landlocked and only connected by ferry and air. So you arrive in Alaska’s capital by boat, plane or by birth of course! For me it made more sense to continue to Anchorage.


fjord lined mountain range


So, back on the Alaska Marine Highway north to the small town of Haines. It was a moody 4 hour journey down the narrow fjord with cloud hanging over the mountains. A grey evening with not a hint of blue sky. The odd sighting of a glacier studded onto the steep slopes and waterfalls falling out of the clouds down the hillsides, provided some photographic opportunities. The occasional splash from a hump back whale in the relatively calm water ahead of our ferry, MV Malaspina, offered some excitement.



glacial shades of grey



Thankfully not saturated with tourists like Skagway, Haines turned out to be an interesting little place with some good watering holes and eateries. Grizzly Bears are out and about in the lakes and rivers close to town at this time of the year. They are gorging on salmon prior to their winter snooze. I was warned to be on my lookout for these giant creatures, who now even challenge wading fisherman for their prize.

motorcycle friendly Haines


look out-there may be a grizzly about


On the road again and leaving Haines, I crossed back into Canada heading north west. British Columbia briefly, then into Yukon. At Haines Junction, it was left to rejoin the Alaska Highway. This was the section I had been warned about, lookout for construction. There was some around Destruction Bay, but nothing to get excited about. The GS was in its element as expected through these rough areas. Whilst waiting for the Pilot Car to take me through this section, the ‘stop sign’ lady said that a Grizzly had come quite close to her yesterday. Maybe that’s why all these girls have big dogs close by to their station and their trucks!

Still in Yukon, next was Beaver Creek. A one street dusty town with a couple of hotels, cabins, restaurants and the odd shop. Remarkably, I stumbled across a musical show in one of the hotels. The night’s performance was a humorous tale of Yukon life, led by 2 professional actors and singers. This place is on the tourist coach route and the show has been on the go in the summer season for years. It made for an interesting evening, before I returned to my cabin at midnight in perfect daylight. Slightly confusing.




a Beaver Creek haunt

Crossing the border back into the USA, the next day was just a quick 100 miles up to Tok. On this bit, the road is under much re-development with lots of mud, gravel and perma frost heave areas. Again the bike was in its element and it made for an interesting ride. However, I now know why the Harley guys I met in Whitehorse a couple of weeks ago were not happy with this section. A big heavy HD with rider and passenger, towing a trailer, is not designed to go over roads like this! It was definitely GS territory! Tok is another one street town, with the usual amenities including an airstrip next to the roadside. From Tok, the Alaska Highway continues to milepost 1422, where it ends at Delta Junction. The road does go on to Fairbanks further to the north west, before looping south into Anchorage. That bit is not part of the famous Alaska Highway. I didn’t go that far. That’s next year. From Tok, it was a left turn on the Glen Highway and onwards to Anchorage.

The remaining 320 miles passed very quickly. Journey's end.


anchorage float plane base-the world's busiest



around anchorage
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