11SEP2014
Fairbanks, Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska USA (620km)
After a night at a cheap but good hostel I left for the south targeting the Denali National Park, accompanied by the great Mount Mc Kinley (the tallest mountain in northern America). Unfortunately the park had already the season ended and I missed to enter by two days. I went as far as I could into (like 25km) faced the closed gate and turned around. Pickings have been a lot of nice pictures and two elk far away. The Mount Mc Kinley however hided in clouds and I could not see it well. Driving arround the park heading south I looked out for this mountain, had some shots but nothing really countable. Ended up searching for an accommodation and came so close to Anchorage (160km) that I decided to drive to Anchorage straight away. It was raining meanwhile a little and sunset was way behind me. Checked in at the Hostel. Had a look at my front breaks and found the reason why they only operate at 20%. The front fork oil was meanwhile wetting the brake pads. All non engineers out there:, Dont grease your breaks !
😉
12SEP2014-14SEp2014
Anchorage, a day rest
Had my motorcycle at the local Triumph dealer, and they repaired the fork seals , new oil and brake pads. Since then everything works fine with the motorcycle.
Changed the Hostel for the 2nd and the 3rd night. Had some IT work done, found a tank bag that fitted my bike and planned the next days. Nothing spectacular since it was raining a lot during my stay.
14SEP2014-15SEP2014
Anchorage, Alaska to Cantwell Alaska to Tok, Alaska (850km)
Going the same way north again to Cantwell (only to Cantwell, since I left late), but went to bed early.
Had a good time on the bar watching and talking to people. There was a guy, almost double the size of me, who had a fish-hook in his back. I don’t know how he did that, but it was in since hours. He was coming by car from the woods. An other guy pulled it out, with a well aged tweezers; alcohol on the inside and outside did the rest; of he went to continue fishing. I know a guy who is into fishing like that back at home in Germany, so I was not really surprised.
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Cantwell is the gate to the Denali Highway. The Denali Highway, a gravel road, was for many decades the only road to access the Denali National Park and Mount Mc Kinley (showed up all of a sudden with few clouds only). The Denali Highway is today barely used and I thought that it might be a little risk to go on alone. However I found out that it is also hunting season there and there have been hundreds of Pickups, Caravans and four wheelers (Quads) of hunters arround. 220km of gravel have been fun. I think once I am back I look out for a dirt bike and I think a fellow of mine will be in charge to teach me how to do it. Lets start among the Swabian alb …
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Crossed ways with a couple from Belgium on their bikes and a guy from Catalonia (Spain on his bike too). Also I met a couple and their rental camper from “Maulbronn”, who ever knows where this is without asking google, will get a free drink when we meet.
There was one pass to be done, the Mc Laren Pass (2nd largest after the Antiguan Pass on the Dalton Highway), but no challenge at all since I catch a sunny day.
Being in this pure nature with almost no humans or infrastructure makes me think that at home we are somehow raping nature to a extend we can nowadays only understand when we go back to these nature places. Lets nature breathe better wherever we can allow it.
See the Denali Highway pics and nothing more to tell. 😉
16SEP2014
Tok, Alaska to Dawson City, Yukon (Canada) (300km)
I was lucky the border highway 9 between Alaska (USA) and Yukon (Canada) was still open. They said the will close it on 21SEP. I got my passport stamped as a souvenir.
So I took the HWY 9 and first stop was in Chicken. Yes the place is called like that and is an old gold mining camp. I tried a little to explore some dirt for gold; no big findings … Met nice people from east and west of the USA; they invited my for lunch. Great talks, good atmosphere. Stayed longer than planned, which turned out to be fine.
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I had the “Top of the World Highway” right in front of me, and the final part at sunset. Amazing colours of indian summer; great view over the mountains to the left and to the right and as far as you can see. This highway deserves this name. Anyone that is traveling up here, do not miss to drive this highway. Simply amazing.
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Arriving in Dawson City, was like, arriving in the past. A little ferry took me over the Yukon river. The City kept hundreds of buildings from the gold mining times, like 150-200 years ago. Today they make their money with tourism. I arrived after season (by a few days) but still the stay was not cheap. I choose the Downtown Hotel (140USD), which was really a nice place and far above expectations. Of course they had a casino which was by the way the oldest one in operation in entire North America; operated as a not profit organisation (understood later why I did not win).
The reason to go there is the traditional dancing show with traditional outfits and totally worth it.
Conclusion: Dawson City, touristic insight to history place in one. More than worth a visit