7/28

Well I mad it back to Tok. I checked on the fairy and bad news. It's not $450 like I had been told, shock. It's $850. So after leaving and returning and leaving and returning again I finally gave up and gave them my money. My boat leaves on monday from Skagway so I have a few days to explore. After that Iwas thinking I would ride the "top of the world hwy" and stop in Chicken Alaska, then on to Dawson City. But after looking at my back tire I decided to go back to the campground I had stayed at on my way up. I was so disgusted at getting jacked by the one armed gold diggers at the fairy I decided to have a beer before I set up my tent.
On my last visit there the locals had told me about this elusive biker crazy Walter.
Just my luck he was sitting at the bar. Crazy Walter it turns out has driven tour buses all over the world. And not just your ordinary buses. These are all wheel drive buses. He has driven across china, afghanistan, libya, and countless more. He's big German guy, and now that he's retried he's riding his BMW all over Alaska. Well we got to talking and drinking and before long we were old friends. After a few more beers we needed to set up our tents. As it was now raining the lady working the bar told me I could us one of the camping spots that had a overhead cover, that it turns out were built by Walter for his bus when we would travel through here. So off we went, it was a race to see who could finish first. Walter says he won, but with walter the truth maybe a little shaded. I think I was finished first but was just being polite. When we returned it was my turn to buy a round for the bar. Me, Walter, and Ernie who I had met on my last visit. Walter informed me that my tire would last two thousand more miles, and coming from a man that has changed tires on a bus in the middle of Africa while watching for lions his information has to be good.
I woke up this morning as you might expect. Head throbbing, raining outside and cold. It let up for a bit so I made a run for breakfast. I left my rain pants back at the tent and now it's pouring. So I'm stuck in the lobby of a nice hotel waiting for a let up in the rain. I don't know what my plans are for today, and that's been my existence in Alaska everyday. This is the hardest place to make plans and then follow through.
Hum.

Some pictures

7/27 anchorage

Well I got up to rain again, this time no waiting, I'm up packed and out. Denali was covered in rain and I didn't get to see much. The lower mountains were very nice and the ride was un eventful, and that's a good thing. The rain finally let up and the sun started to come out.
Half way to wasilla I stopped and asked a guy where the next fuel stop was. He said it's at least 50 miles. That was doable but just barely. So I parked the bike and went into the store. On my way out I found a fella with no teeth, looking like a local I asked him how far to the next gas. He said it's right over there on the other side of those trees. But then he added that 14 miles down the road is a big truck stop and the fuel is much cheaper, finally an honest man, no teeth but honest.
I made my way into wasilla and maybe it's when you come from the mountains it looks like crap, but it does. It got better as I went, but my first impression was of a city on the decline. I looked but couldn't find sarah, maybe she's off killing something. The city is surrounded on three sides by big mountains and wonderful views, I could see how growing up in this place might leave you with an impression of the world that might not be to clear. Surrounded by beauty, isolated from the outside, and from what I can tell an easy going grope of folks. As I'm writing this outside my window at Mcdonalds people are walking in all directions, strolling, going places or maybe just walking in circles. But the fact that it's 10:00 pm and it's light out and people are walking about is something you don't see in other places in the country. I'm not saying it's wrong, it's just something you don't see everyday. In the lower 48 if it's more than a block we drive. Here they walk or ride bikes, I'm sure in winter you might even see some sled dogs. This is not your typical America city.
So I continued on to Anchorage and am camped for free at the local Harely dealership. They give you a code for free showers and bathrooms, along with free coffe in the morning. Very nice!! Tomorrow I'm going to try to find out about the boat from Skagway, keep your fingers and toes crossed.
So I'm off to the pub across the street and then to bed.

Downtown Wasilla

No sign of Sarah yet, but the locals look goofy. I'm at the local hang out I think. The kids are big into face jewelry, so yesterday.
Coming into town I passed what I first thought was a skid row kind of thing, but then relied realized that they were ice fishing shacks, but I think people were living in them, not to sure though it could be some kind of flee market. The mountains are beautiful but the town not so much. Lots of bars, pawn shops and churches and litter. But I'm sure Sarah's smile would brighten this place up.
So I'm off to Anchorage

7/27

I've been having issues sending photos, so I'll try to send them with a very small post. Things are well. Heading for anchorage in the rain. Good stuff.

7/26 the best laid plans

I made it the North Pole easy, nice ride with good weather, but a bit flat and straight. I met up with John and Barbara and had a wonderful diner, it's always nice to get some home cooking. After diner we looked at the map and it looked like if I wanted to get to the artic circle I would need to be above Fairbanks to do out, so I shoved off.
I filled the fuel tank and faded up the hill. Just past the hilltop gas station was a sign says last fuel for 117 miles. No big thing I can 220 or so. After a few miles I decided to go back and make sure. When I got there I asked a truck driver if there was fuel at 117, he said no, they closed up a few years ago. So I asked him if there was someplace to camp. He said there were some hot springs with camping back about 30 miles. So off I went. When I finally got to the turn off it said 27 miles to the springs, so off I went. After 30 miles I stopped and asked a guy where it was and he said 30 miles down the road. I said the sign said 27 miles from the turn off, he smiled and said it's stil 30 miles down the road. So off I went. After a few more miles I found a gas station in the middle of nowhere and asked the three people inside if they knew if there was camping at this mystical springs, the first one said she had no idea, the second one said this is Alaska just camp anywhere you want, and the third one said yea there's camping there. Three people, three answers, this is becoming typical here in Alaska, maybe it's due to there gold rush days when everybody was selling each other worthless gold mine claims. So off I went. When I finally got there it was beautiful, I went to the front desk and the guy said camping was $20 so off I went to pitch my tent. When I came back and asked him where the showers were he said there right over there and there $10 so I said where are the hot springs and he said there right over there and there $10, so I said where is the wifi wmnf he said in that building over there and it's $10. SO OFF I WENT TO MY TENT.
On my way I met two english guys that had just been up the road with no fuel and they said there is indeed fuel at the 117 mile marker but the road was nasty and muddy and they wouldn't do it again if it got a worse. So off I went to my tent. Just as I was thinking I would run it tomorrow and then come back here and invest in the hot springs it started to rain. It kept raining all night long ands in the morning I emmy and had a $15 plate of eggs.
After my nap it was still raining, so I got up and packed up in the rain. I'm on my way to denali national park tomorrow and then on to Anchorage.
So shower, laundry, and off to bed. By the way I love my new tent. Didn't leak a drop and was easy to dry out before I set it back up. Looks like rain again tonight. That's fine just dont be raining when I take down my tent.
Dryer is done!

7/25 good morning

Excellent night of sleep. I'm trying a new system, I put on a blindfold and it seems to make a big difference. I have very short day planed today. I'm going to the North Pole. It's only about 200 miles from here, so it's like costing down hill. I'll be looking up some friends of my moms, and am hoping for my first home cooked meal in a long time.
My plans my have changed a bit. I am at the very end of the two weeks of summer. Before I left people told me this, and I thought it was a nice funny thing to say about Alaska. Turns ot there is some truth to it. Up at Deadhourse winter is already arriving. One day it could be nice, the next a mess. So my new plan my include a boat ride along the inside passage. It's a trip that takes 3 days and drops me back in the USA. I was thinking about it before I left, but was told it was $1600+ and that was to much for my budget. But now that I'm here I'm hearing that it may only be $450 or so, and that might fit in my finances.
With that I have finished my $13.00 french toast and am headed back to pack up camp.