Alaska trip 2022

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

Day off today. Well, I say day off but there is always something to do and somewhere to go apart from the laundramat.

One place we always go to is Dredge number 4 which is utterly fascinating. This thing dredged for gold from the early part of the century to around 1960 with only one alteration which is a staggering feat. All the info here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dredge_No._4.

Working in the dredge must have been hell on earth because of the noise but the thing pulled up millions and millions of $$ of gold in it's time.

I've been to this 5 or 6 times and it still fascinates me and if you are in the area, you have to visit it

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

Just up the road from the Dredge is one of the original sources of the Klondike gold rush at a place called Bonanza Creek.

You can still pan for gold there and occasionally someone will find small pieces but the good stuff has long gone.

Interesting to chat and watch the people doing it though but man alive, it's hard work. Those prospectors back in the day were made of strong stuff that's for sure.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

Another great spot locally is Midnight Dome which towers above Dawson. Nice little ride to get up there and the views are spectacular!!

On the first picture, you can make out across the river the TOTW which descends into Dawson and the ferry.

Second picture shows the valley in the distance where all the gold has been mined over the years and still produces a fair amount now.

Back to the hotel and we bumped into Itchy boots who was doing here thing in the area. More on this in later posts but she whisked out of the car park to do her thing toute suite and didn't have time to chat.

The day was rounded off by a a really good Thai meal at a new restaurant in town. I've noticed that a lot of Thai places are opening up in the north and I have to say it's a wonderful change from the usual US food.

The food here was spot on and for once, the portion size was spot on and no one had a "to go" box.

Off to bed ready for the trip back into Alaska tomorrow.

Mileage: 48
No music today.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

Earlyish start as we headed back across the Yukon river again to head back into Alaska.

The Yukon is a huge river and it's had t imagine quite how much water is flowing through and the currents are fast.

It's hard to believe that it's also frozen for 6 months of the year and the only way across is on an ice road! Rather them than me.

Winter temps here regularly get down below -40c and are known to drop to -50c on occasion. It make those prospectors seem even tougher as they still had to be out their minings through the winter!!

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

It had rained over night so it made the road a bit greasy in places so the first hour was steady away. There are some steep drop offs on the road and it's not the place to go off the edge as you'd never be found!!

The views again are simply stunning and you can see for miles and miles!!

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

A few more from the TOTW and my i phone really doesn't due it justice.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

Back to the Poker Creek border and we seemed to have joined a queue!! There were quite a few RV's trundling along the road and we just caught a bunch of them at the border.

No worries though and the US customs were very friendly and quick. It would be a good thing if they passed on there helpfulness and humour to their colleagues at the airports as a more miserable bunch you couldn't meet anywhere!!

I guess we waited for an hour but hey, not a bad place to be

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

There is a 12 mile stretch of perfect race track smooth tarmac on the US side of the border called the million dollar highway. No one really knows why it's there but the locals think the military are trying different tarmac types for their operations in remote area. Anyway, it's fantastic and the taps were opened on the KTM for a very enjoyable 10 minutes

Soon enough, we are back on the dirt and the sunny really starts to shine as we descent quite sharply. Again, words and pictures don't tell the full story here.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

We called back into Chicken for coffee and fuel and bumped into this wonderful couple and their dog who are travelling around the world. https://www.goruffly.com/world-adventure/

There big German Shepard Moxie sits on the back of her 650 and a specially designed seat which they sell. She's all strapped in and perfectly safe up there and loves it.

Moxie was stunning and really friendly dog who seemed to love the attention from a bunch of tossers and posed like a pro for pictures.

Good luck to them on their trip and they will be in Europe next summer so you may bump into them.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

We had a little stroll around Chicken which doesn't have a lot to see. Briefly bumped into Itchy boots again before we head back to Tok and teh wonderful road we came in on a couple of days ago. Just as good going the other direction

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

Arrived in Tok early afternoon and back at Fast Eddies.

You would think people would learn about the food quantities but Bob decided to order a medium pizza and a salad. He figured it wouldn't be that big and what he didn't eat he would have for a snack the next day.

Well, this dustbin lid sized pizza rolled up and fBob just said "I only ordered a medium" and the answer was "this is medium".

For the record a small is 12", medium 16" and a large 18" which is nigh on the size of a GS front wheel

A couple of beers washed down the feast and it was time for bed. If you've never been to the US you have to know that almost every motel room is the same. They are laid out with a couple of king sized beds, coffee machine shower etc etc and decor which comes straight from the 60's.

Mileage; 190

Start song: Blackberry Smoke - Bad luck ain't no Crime
Finish song: Steve Earl - Galway Girl

boatman · Aug 4, 2022

Stroke of good luck getting the Top of the World Highway in good riding condition Chris :thumb2

Fantastic views if it’s clear - proper nightmare 2 up if it’s been wet for a while :augie

Sgt Bilco · Aug 4, 2022

boatman said:
Stroke of good luck getting the Top of the World Highway in good riding condition Chris
Fantastic views if it’s clear - proper nightmare 2 up if it’s been wet for a while

to be fair Symon, I've ridden it many times and it's generally been pretty good. On that one occasion though...........

ShakeyBMW · Aug 5, 2022

Sgt Bilco said:
to be fair Symon, I've ridden it many times and it's generally been pretty good. On that one occasion though...........

I remember it fondly as the place Chris went from “FFS Martin, stand on the pegs” to “FFS Martin, Slow down”

as I graduated from the Sarge school of dirt road riding.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 6, 2022

Early start away from Fast Eddies and it's a great place.

Loads of different bikes parked up there on there way somewhere. One of these HD guys dropped their bike just after this pic and there was one almighty cracking sound which sounded very expensive. It took five of us to lift the fecking thing back onto it wheels before he roared off full of adrenalin and embarrassment!

Andrew got his boots polished by Jon before the off and we had a sneak preview into Bob's panniers to see what the discerning tosser carries on a big trip.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 6, 2022

Todays run on the TOK cit off and Glenn Allen Hwy is arguably amongst the best rides anywhere on the planet if you like big vistas and with todays weather being almost perfect, it was going to be good.

It wasn't long before we parked next to this stunning lake with crystal clear water which took your breath away.

I now know how to shut a group of tossers up and render them speechless.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 6, 2022

Not to be outdone, slightly further down the road the snowcapped mountains appeared and just dominated the horizon. I've ridden this road on numerous occasions and rarely seen everything so clear.

The mountains in the distance vary in height from 12,000ft to 16,000ft so a re serious contenders for the highest mountains in the Americas.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 6, 2022

Always nice to remember where the good little stops are and after surviving teh pandemic, this great little cafe hoved into view.

These places are the lifeblood of travel up here and welcome you with open arms and always serve a decent cup of coffee.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 6, 2022

We pulled into Glenn Allen to just about the only gas station for miles and who did we bump into again? Yep, the infamous Itchyboots who obviously wanted to get onto a UKgser trip report.

Turns out the little CRF300 called Alaska had blown a fork seal and spewed it's contents all over the place and she should henceforth be know as oilyboots

She'd had a seal done in Whitehorse about 600 hard mies ago and we don't think it was fitted properly as the dust cap and retainer ring had come off. Myself and Gazza (bodgit and scarper) effected this rather ingenious bodge to try and stop anymore oil coming out that's if there was any left in there.

As I mentioned in the "is Itchyboots a con" thread, when we first met here she was a bit standoffish for very understandable reasons which I won't go into here but we all became friends after this. For the record, she didn't ask for help and we offered it as we would have done for anyone in the same position before I get accused of anything. Some American riders had wanted their pic taken with here but none offered an assistance but they were riding Harley's.

She was off to McCarthy mine which is around 120 miles of hard dirt so if that bodge held it would be a miracle. Before she left, I contacted my buddy Bill in Anchorage and he said he'd look at fixing the job properly when she got there at about the same time as us.

All I'l say here is she is definitely not a con, what you see is what you get and she's very amiable when she trusts you. She a woman riding on her own and is one of the most recognisable people on the planet it would seem so she's cautious.

Sgt Bilco · Aug 6, 2022

We then carried on towards Valdez on one of the most stunning pieces of tarmac anywhere and I know I keep saying it, but it's some of the best riding on the planet. It's a bit like riding through the Alps and Scotland but everything is on steroids!!

Alaska trip 2022

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