Alaska bound

WELCOME TO MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT A BLOG. I PLAN ON USING THIS SPACE TO SEND "REPORTS FROM THE ROAD" FOR A MOTORCYCLE TRIP MY FRIEND BOB AND I ARE TAKING THIS SUMMER. MASSACHUSETTS TO ALASKA! A FIVE WEEK ODYSSEY THROUGH BRITISH COLUMBIA, ALBERTA, The YUKON And ALASKA....ALL THE WAY TO THE ARTIC OCEAN. If you would like to be notified when we update this blog, simply drop me an email or send me a "comment" and I'll add you to the notify list......... THANKS FOR COMING ALONG FOR THE RIDE!

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Bob's got the BLOG....





Bob has the BLOG this evening…….

Sunday - July 9th. I awake at about 0430 as is usual for this trip. Apparently it never got dark last night. Read in the tent until about 1030 without using the flash light. Pretty cool. Oh! Did I tell you Roy got lost yesterday? We pulled off the road to look at Fox Lake. Got a couple of pics and we both started to pull out. Me in front. But Roy has this problem of overactive eye syndrome. He sees everything! So he stops to see these eagles flying in for a fishing session as I pull away. No biggie. He looks for animals and I do my thing looking for lakes and stuff like that. Ever wonder what’s down that road that turns off your route? Well there are lots of those dirt roads turning off up here. I pick one that looks like it goes down to a lake off to the left. The track isn’t dry yet from the last rain, and it’s a slippery ride, but I make it. At the pond is a camp site, fire pit, and a great view. Talk about all alone! Back up the trail in good shape and on to Stewart Crossing, where I wait for Roy for 40 minutes. Man, he must have found something really good to be this late! The destination is Dawson City, so he’ll just have to catch up as best he can. I get to Dawson and wait for 100 minutes at the welcome sign. No Roy. In to town, I park the bike on the main drag in front of Sourdough Joe’s and have some supper. As the food arrives, I see the German guys drive up in their Iveco huge machine. A quick run over to them and I learn that they didn’t see Roy or any accident on the way up. We learn later that Roy was about 50 feet away at this instant, reading a book on the board walk. Guess he didn’t hear me cruise the main drag about 4 times! Oh! He parked his bike on 2nd Ave. Not to worry, I found him in the morning and he’s fine. It’s not a case of being lost, merely a bit confused.

After a breakfast at the hotel this morning, we head out to see Dredge #4. Check out the picture. The thing is huge. It was used to dig out the river bottom and pan for gold. The thing that amazes me is how they got these things up some very small creeks. This #4 is about 2 miles from the main river, and is about the size of two houses. Back to down town, we see the old buildings and such. Most everything is closed because it’s Sunday morning. So we head for Chicken. This involves going across the river by ferry, and then along the ‘Top of the World Highway’, or route 9 on the map. Much construction and gravel, but it’s very well done and we move right along. One way to explain is that we pass everything we see, without exception. Well, except the bear. I’m in front (this really doesn’t happen all that often), and at the side of the road is this brown bear . . . WHAT!!! . . . That’s a Grizzly! Stop Quick! Roy says it crossed the road, but as usual I didn’t see that. What a sight, and as close as a car parked at the side of the road. I come to a stop about 5 feet past him and Roy pulls up behind. Since I can’t turn around enough with the camera, I do a quick ‘U’ turn and pull back up for a shot. Meanwhile, Mr. Bear is thinking it’s time to leave. My shot turns out to be a tree trunk as the bear is in the bush by the time the camera is ready. Sorry you don’t get to see him this time. Will try again, just for the club! The Top of the World Highway is simply one of the greatest rides you can imagine. We had about the perfect weather with unlimited visibility to the horizon. The bluest sky I’ve ever seen. And drop offs at the road edge to take your breath away. Here’s a pic, which doesn’t even begin to convey this experience.

OK - So we cross the border and arrive at Chicken for lunch. Finally in Alaska! Three buildings, a burger, and that’s about it for Chicken. On to Tok via routes 5 (Taylor Highway) and 2. We’re here camping for the night. Today’s miles are 220, of which about 100 plus was dirt. Great day, and more to come.

5 Comments:

At Mon Jul 10, 07:16:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dad
Sounds like your having the time of your life. miss you, Claudia, Hailee & Reece:)

 
At Mon Jul 10, 05:13:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Still here guys. Keep up the great fun and send pictures - you know the thing about a "thousand words and all"! Ride-on my friends, ride-on!

 
At Tue Jul 11, 07:17:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Have you guys looked in on the Adv Riders site lately? Shoganai, the woman riding an older k-bike from the Carolinas, seems to have made it to Dawson the same day you two were there. Didja met her?
Meantime, back home, where we just continue to ride back and forth to work, we had 3" hail in Exeter NH, today. Breakfast at Stone's this Sunday! Give us a call why doncha?

 
At Thu Jul 13, 05:36:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

keep on takin' those gorgeous pictures when you get back we'll show them on your brand new Tweeter Burlington store plasma tv wall!! keep on truckin'-- from your nsd crew! (Pete D)

 
At Thu Jul 13, 07:31:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

No one is awarding you guys any Naomi's until you start posting more often...

 

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