I ate breakfast at the Klondike Lodge and updated this site.
It was warm in there so I took my Olympia rain jacket off and placed it over the back of the chair. After I paid for breakfast I took down the tent and loaded everything up. My Darien jacket and pants were a little wet as I had left them on the picnic table over night and it rained quite a bit. They didn't bother though. I rode up to the office and left the key to the shower then went out and worked on Lola, my Garmin, as she was being cantankerous this morning. While still there the waitress came out and said I had left my jacket. I thanked her profoundly and was glad I had given her a good tip.
I left about 9 AM. It was quite cool again in the low 50's but it was not raining. I rode into Dawson with the hopes of finding a sticker about the Dempster. And I did.
I looked for a church but this is what I found:
I crossed the Yukon on the ferry and started up the Top of the World Highway behind 3 huge motor homes pulling cars.
Looking back at Dawson
On the first long grade I passed all three and never seen them again. That is one of the great things about the motorcycle you can get out ahead of the group in a hurry. I had gone only a short ways and was glad i had the jacket the waitress brought out. If not it might have dawned on me I forgot it and I would have had to turn around. It started to rain and then got real foggy. It didn't last long though and the weather turned nice the rest of the day.
Top of the World:
I entered Alaska at Poker Creek at noon and sat my clock back to 11AM. It was a very simple entry with firearms and alcohol questions. Just my Jack Daniels I said. Have a good time in Alaska.
Welcome to the good old USA!
As soon as you cross the border the roads go to potholes. And since it had rained they were full of water. They are very narrow and most of the traffic are RV's so beware of them especially the rented ones. These people have probably never driven anything this big.
I arrived in Chicken and had a couple of Bud's and and burger and bought a couple of stickers. I visited with two couples from Colorado one on a Harley and one a Vulcan. They were headed to Fairbanks and then Anchorage. Both were two up.
After you finish the burger you can pan for gold.
The Taylor Highway from Chicken is mostly paved and in pretty good condition. It was newly paved 6 years ago when I was there. I stopped in Tok for fuel and it was $3.26 a gallon. I have been giving at least $1.20 a liter which is about $3.60 a gallon if my calculations are correct. I headed on up the Alaska Highway and it was fun to ride at 70mph again. It sure seemed smooth. I stopped in Delta Junction for some pictures of the end of the AlCan Highway.
The Alaska Range
I thought about camping there but it was still early. Then I came too the North Pole and should have stopped there. I came into Fairbanks and am staying at the Golden Nugget Hotel for $124. They gave me a suite though for the same price but the carpet has about 100 holes burned in it and the bed kind of sags. I asked about Wifi and he said yes it should be good where you are at as it's right above my office. It is a very good connection. Today is Midnight Sun Run and the downtown is full. I guess I won't partake and save my energy for tomorrow
I called Mary and they had arrived back from DC. It's still in the 90's there every day but they have been getting rain.
Tomorrow I am heading up the Dalton Highway. I called Wiseman to try and get a room but they are booked so guess I will camp at Coldfoot on the way up. Probably won't hear from me for a couple of days.
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