Haines Junction and Alaska Highway - warning lots of photos!!

Finding a place to sleep tonight was a bit challenging as normal.  Again the majority of places are closed.  I found a campground that looks open, I went in to have a look.

It was open if you have a hard shell camper.. which I do not!  Followed through the place to see what I might be missing and urgh.. I want to stay.  There wasn't another soul in the campground, otherwise I might have attempted.  Camping with bears around is something I have been doing for weeks now.  I wouldn't want to do something stupid, however I think it would have been a top spot.

I did eventually find an organized campground, where a handful of the last of the season super size American and Canadian RV's stopped.  I was the only tent, and the owners did have a bear kill their little dog recently, however, with the running of the generator and a research team with a helicopter here the last few days, the noise has kept the bears away.  I felt safe, sorry about little Fido.. ;-(

Lots of miles to cover today, so I'm packed up and on the road early.. can you tell? ;-)

Can't help but want to share one of the most important parts of my day.. finding a toilet!  I'm still very much in bear country and happy to pull over and do the road side thing.. but it's nice to come across one of these from time to time and not have to go while keeping an eye over your shoulder and then jumping back on the bike far too quickly!

I also got a kick out of the sign posted way out here in the middle of nowhere.. reserved parking..  fair enough!  Somebody however, mustn't think so... this sign has been shot at a few times!

This day turns into an amazing day of diverse landscape.. I had no idea what was coming up!

Kluane Lake

Views as I get around the bottom side are stunning!  Not like the first bits were, just differently stunning!

Not far from Kluane Lake is Haines Junction.  Currently traveling through the Yukon Territory in Canada, a turn onto the Haines Highway will take me down to the inside passage town of Haines Alaska.  My plan here is to take a ferry (the poor man's cruise) through the inside passage as far too many people told me I must.

Anyway, the highway is about 244 km (152 mi) long, of which 72 km (45 mi) is in Alaska.

Kluane National Park

I know.. there are too many photos here.. but I couldn't pick!!  Hope you enjoy this little drive down the road in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen on the planet.

This place is crazy beautiful!!!

Moving closer to Haines.. and.. Landscape change! I saw the clouds thickening, and the road change a bit... but it really didn't take long from those fall colors and moutain ranges turn into a ride that felt super remote to me.

Until I spotted this teepee.. at least it's good to know somebody's out here.. was feeling rather eery really...!

Not to mention with these dark gray clouds was some serious wind...

Hopefully you can sense with the photo below that it was a wee bit chilly.

A very long cold lonely Yukon road, but a most intriguing one none-the-same...  it's still amazing me that this is the same ride on the same day that I just came through the lake area and the Kluane Park show of mountains and colors!  So if you want variety in your ride.. pick this road! ;-)

Looks to me like that river below was carved neatly out by a glacier.

The road raised in elevation to 1,065m/3,493ft. It was such a gradual increase, I was wondering what was going on with the lack of trees and cold air.  Another great use for the gps.. with nobody around I can ask.. "Mr. Zumo, how high are we now?"  ;-)

Not long after, I see a bit of green as I'm coming out of the high elevation clouds..

Welcome to Haines Alaska!

Happy New Year!

Sorry for the lack of postings..  been having too much fun!  Still that same dilemma,  do I stay in a room at the computer or go out and enjoy life.    I will at some point get a break and get back to work typing, but for now.. a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR and thanks so much for following!!

Sherri Jo ;-)

Alaska Part 2 - Anchorage to Haines

While I was in Anchorage, my hosts and their friends convinced me I must take the boat from Whittier Alaska to Valdez.  I'm obviously aware of the Valdez history and would be interested to see, however riding my motorcycle back the same way I came would be far cheaper than taking this boat.  These well traveled people insist that this is one of the prettiest and most amazing boat trips I will ever see, and it would be a shame to miss it.

So I booked, even at the crazy high price.. and made my way (not that far) to Whittier Alaska.. far harder than it sounds!  They didn't warn me about the road TO Whittier!

Not far out of Anchorage where the weather was good,  I can see the change I'm about to face.  Oh well, I've got my best in the world Rukka gear, so suck it up and head in.

The rain was pounding.. but as I moved in closer, the winds around the mountains picked up in a super big way.. I was having the time of my life trying to keep myself up right.. It was hard riding through the strong wind and rain, but if I stopped,  I barely had the strength to hold the bike up.

The photo above is taken from this angle because I'm literally holding on to the back of my bike to keep it from going over.

I make it to the tunnel they told me about.. Here I pay a fee, as the tunnel has only one lane, we have to wait until the oncoming traffic is finished.  The attendant told me to protect myself and my bike here at the toilet building.. as he will have me wait and put me at the end of the line of cars and trucks.

I ask why?  He says the tunnel is really dangerous, particularly for motorbikes.  Not only do vehicles use this tunnel, but so does the train.  The road inside is wet, and I have to keep my bike in between the two metal tracks.  He said if I sway enough to go into the metal part of the track I will certainly go down.  Many bikes have, and this is why they put us at the end so not to disrupt the cars and trucks.. Okey dokey then.. what in the H_ _ _ have I got myself into this time!!!????

I made it through the tunnel, and I was so happy to be in there.. complete protection from the wind and rain for several minutes.. It was nowhere near as hard as they made it sound.. and maybe it is to some, but I again think that at this point in my journey, I've been through so much worse that this tunnel is fine!!!

So guess what!!  I go to check in for this boat I have worked all morning suffering to get here on time and the dag gone thing is cancelled!!!  The ferry people said they called me 30 minutes ago.. 30 minutes ago!!???  I was on the road trying to survive, I can't hear my phone ring and if the you can't sail in this weather, you would have known that more the 30 minutes ago..?  (I was a bit grumpy by now and only thinking this.  I didn't say this out loud.. the people at the ferry terminal where really super nice.. ) It is what it is..

The good news is that I get the money that I didn't really want to spend on a boat that doesn't take you very far.. back! ;-)

This is Whittier..

Now, knowing what I went through to get here, I dread the thought of riding back through it again to get out. This is some of the strongest wind I have encountered to date.  But this is also part of motorcycle life.. deal with it Sherri Jo.

And I did.. ;-)))

Here I am waiting for the tunnel again.  This time I didn't wait at the back of the line.  I appreciate the attendants concern, but it's really not a problem. I would think the trucks and the campers would have more trouble than me, scraping those close walls for sure!

This is ALASKA!!!

 

I really thought this was interesting.. I don't remember hearing much about earthquakes in Alaska.  And I know it's hard to read this sign through my camera lens that is covered in rain drops.. But it says "These trees were killed by saltwater when the ground sank 10 feet in the 1964 earthquake."  Gee whiz, 10 feet...

Once I got back to Anchorage the weather was fine again.. It must just be that area, maybe due to the mountains, the sea, the glaciers, the changing season..  It is literally September 15, my cut off date as well as the cut off date for most businesses.

I have my late lunch in Anchorage, but I don't want to stay the night here, I still have things to accomplish, so I try to make my way back up the road to Tok, where I stayed on my way in.

This is 520 km (318 miles) and it's already 2 pm.. Ain't gonna happen, however, I still decide to go that direction and I'll get to wherever I get to.. I will camp tonight somewhere.

I got to Glenallen, the sort of halfway point and every single campground was closed - already!  I'll camp in the bush if I have to, even with the bears.. I'm used to it now! But I decided I still had enough daylight to shoot for the next town..

I pass this Gakona Lodge on the left, and I know the prices are going to be crazy, so no point in asking, but I could at least use a meal and ask around with the locals where I might be able to stop up the road.

They were also closing this week, but the wonderful owners offered me a very great price for a very modest room, and I couldn't believe my luck.  For two reasons, it is such a charming looking place, good food, and a warm and dry place to sleep.  I quite often get amazed when I think it's going to be a bad night, that the best option shows up for me right in time - unexpected.

Turns out to be quite a historic road house.  The sun went down quickly, but before it did, I got to read a bit about where I am.

In particular, there is a resident ghost in room number 5.. I'm in number 4.. darn!  I would love to meet a ghost!  I met the young guy who is staying in number 5 for a whole week.. they are the construction crew doing road works nearby.  He says he was hoping to see the ghost too, but nothing yet.

But the second reason for good luck was this... my BIGGEST AND BEST SURPRISE!!  (no, not a ghost).. I read here that my HERO.. the adventurer of all adventurers, the most amazing human being I have ever heard of on this planet.. stayed HERE!!  I was beyond happy and excited.. this was really a big deal for me.  I don't get the thrill out of meeting famous people, but if there is anybody I would have loved to meet, is SIR GEORGE HUBERT WILKINS!!!  I was hoping all night long that I was staying in the same room as he did... ;-)

I know I've posted this before, but if you want to read a book that will blow your mind on the sheer amount of accomplishments one human being can achieve in one lifetime, please read Simon Nascht's "The Last Explorer".. the best book to this day I have ever read.. Ok, I'll calm down now, and move on.. ;-)

Views from the road..

It's just so pretty here.. I have to say this is and has been one of my favorite places on the planet. (I  know I say that about nearly everywhere.. but it's true!)

Keep in mind that not only do the camping, hotels, and shops close up for the winter.. so do some of the fuel stations..  Not a nice surprise when a major fuel stop in the middle of nowhere (on the Alaska Highway) is c l o s e d !!  I did make it to the next fuel town (Haines Junction) far too far down the track .. on fumes.

Next stop .. Haines Alaska (I thought I'd be there already in this post.. nearly there! ;-)