Alaska Caper -- Day 14

June 17, 2007
Posted by: Steve Larrabee

Fairbanks, Alaska: 75 degrees and sunny

Hello All: This is my first addition to the blog, and since Dick has done so well keeping it updated, I thought I'd wait for some perspective almost 1/2 way through the trip. I have run 5500 miles on the bike since leaving the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia on May 22nd -- headed for Boise. The miles traveled on the great ferry boat ride are not included. There are so many positives I'll condense it down to the two most unforgettable, in my view. Regarding more pictures, Dick tells me there is some technical problem with getting more of them on the blog, and he is trying to remedy that. The first highlight was the ferry boat ride for 3 and a half days through the thousands of tree covered islands that allow the inland passage from Washington to Haines/Skagway, Alaska. That's the same route some of the pioneers and folks hoping for gold riches in the late 1890s gold rush took. The rest came overland -- the way we are going back to the "lower 48". Dick has told you about the ferry so I will just add that it reminded me of the little packet boats that run through the islands in Casco Bay off the coast of Portland, Maine, delivering their people, goods and mail. The scale was much larger and the beauty magnified many times as we slipped through channels not much wider than the ferry and past untouched, pristine forests of green in every shade. The second highlight was the run north to Coldfoot, Alaska. There was some doubt as to the availability of gas at the Yukon River outpost, but not enough rumors to squash the spirit of the thing. We could always mooch some gas from adventurous souls doing the same senseless thing we were, right? It turns out the road was not as bad as I had heard it was; there was plenty of gas at the spectacular Yukon River, and the scenery and natural beauty was much more beautiful than I had heard it was. A net, very big positive. The only hiccup was a freshly laid down 1/2-mile section of large jagged edged stones on a downhill -- a new one for me, and quite tough. The stones' pointed edges jammed the front tire left and right, and not necessarily the way I wanted to go. Balancing this 700 pound machine was tricky and I almost dropped it in the middle after I mistakenly stopped to find a smoother path ahead. The secret is to keep it moving at a steady speed and let the rear tire do the work of pushing you through it. This concept made the next day's return up the hill much more manageable. The rest of the 175 mile road was a "pick and choose the best path" all the way. Potholes, ruts, cracks, and whatever obstacle demanded your attention. I had to remember that the roads really take a beating here with temperatures down to MINUS 50 and more in the winter. Below the roads is "permafrost" or perpetually frozen ground that sometimes thaws a little and causes huge frost heaves or waves in the road, or cracks in the road. The road crews up here have the impossible task of trying to fix what they can during the summer. We punched through the Arctic Circle at 66 degrees North latitude and stopped to treat the millions of mosquitoes to a free, tourist lunch. The 500 mile round trip to Coldfoot was through the most beautiful country of its type I've ever seen (including the Alps and the Andes). To keep me humble and grateful, it was one heck of a workout, too. The hard part is over, me thinks. Tomorrow we head south to Denali, (Mt. McKinley, at 20,000 feet, the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere) and the surrounding Denali Park. Then on to Anchorage, Homer, Seward and the Kenai Peninsula. What a fantastic opportunity we have, and I am trying hard to be patient, absorb as much as I can, take as many pictures with my brain as I can, and be safe while keeping track of Dick, too. I have had no problem sleeping since day one. Thanks for "listening" and I'll jump in with some more down the line. By the way, Fairbanks has the beautiful and modern main campus of the University of Alaska here. Dick and I went to see their "Museum of the North" yesterday and it was superb. The building is of modern architecture, trying to show the many faces of Alaska; inside, the native art, crafts, carvings, totems, uumiaks (canoes), wildlife, and history of the Native peoples is wonderfully exhibited and explained. The Museum is really a treat!! Next time you are in Fairbanks, remember the "Museum of the North" at the U of AK.

My best to you all, hasta pronto

Steve