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We finally got around to setting up our blog so here begins the chronicle of our trip!
Road miles to date: 285
We landed in Anchorage, Alaska at about midnight. After a few hours sleep in a last-resort room above the hotel boiler room (so we were told later on) we awoke to clear blue skies. A brief orientation of downtown Anchorage had us snapping photos like seasoned tourists! The immensity of everything, from the trucks to the food portions, made us realise we were a long way from home.
We went to pick the bike up from the air cargo on the first morning with everything crossed in the hope that it had arrived in one piece. A few wrong turns and trek from one terminal to another got us to the customs desk where an expat Brit overheard us talking to the officials (with guns). After some small talk he had invited us to his house for two BBQs, no less. It goes without saying that the Alaskan welcome and hospitality so far has been incredible and we could be wrong, but we think we have probably arrived at the right time. They are just coming
out of their winter when temperatures can drop to below -30 and the sun will only light up the skies for about 4 hours, and are heading into summer when it flips right around and the sun doesn't really disappear, staying light until about 3am.
Anyway, we finally got clearance to import the bike and went to collect. It came out in a crate, delivered to us on a fork lift truck. Not quite what we were expecting but like kids at Christmas, we tracked down a crowbar and claw hammer and broke in!
On the highway near the airport we saw out first urban moose. They are massive and nonchalantly walk down the sides of, or even in the middle of the roads. Moose are responsible for more road deaths than anything else up here. The locals with trucks (everyone) carry chainsaws to butcher the moose road kill they happen upon! We could see why as some of them weigh in excess of 1,600 lb. That could keep a small family going for a year. We are yet to encounter any road kill, but rest assured we'll post photos having a go at some amateur butchery with
the Leatherman.
After two nights above the boiler room, we moved to our first campground next to a freight railway where we were dwarfed by colossal RVs. That night we met the Northern Riders BMW Motorcycle club for a meal at a local Alaskan restaurant, Gwennies. We were bowled over by their kindness and chuffed with their great advice, maps and even club t-shirts!
We woke the next morning to hear rustling in the trees behind our tent. With just enough time to grab a camera, a moose sauntered out, looked us square in the eyes and then strolled within inches of our tent. With that little wake up call to start our day, we set off north for Denali, stopping by Wasilla where we had been invited the previous night by one of the guys we met at Gwennies, Brandon. We spent a great the afternoon with his adorable kids and his wife Stephanie. They are planning their own trip on a bike once their kids have grown up so it was good to exchange plans and experience first hand the life of an Alaskan family...and their guinea pig, and dogs, and cat, and frogs!
We
haven't stopped at a 'gas' station yet without at least one person asking where we're going and telling us they once had a bike like ours back in the day. While the attention is flattering, we might regret the Union Jack stickers in a few thousand miles! Trying to get in and out of one station not far from Denali as quick as possible, we heard "that's a mighty fine motorcycle you got there". The next thing we knew, this pastor for the American Christian Motorcycle Association asked to bless us and all that travelled on our ve-hicle. Before we knew it, he had called his wife over and we were all stood around in a circle holding hands while he did so. It felt like a great omen and immediately Byron felt guilty for initially wanting to knock him out!
The further North we travel the more it sinks in just how remote this area is. Towns are so far apart that you have to fill up with petrol whenever you get chance as you just don't know how far it needs to get you. Food and groceries are incredibly expensive as everything has to be imported in.
Roadkill could be pretty useful right now.
We're currently camping in Denali National Park and took a trip right into it today. We saw wild caribou, Dall sheep, moose, grizzly bears and a porcupine. The scenery here is incredible and we have every sense of being on the edge of the wilderness.
After getting lots of good tips from people we meet on where to go, tomorrow we'll get back on the road to head north to Fairbanks . It should be a great ride.
(Scroll down to the end of this page for more photos)
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Lin Saunders
non-member comment
rv
Hi you two, WOW what an adventure!!! Those RVs are massive - that is it Alan will have to sell the shares - we could live in one of those!!! Take care. Lin x