Alaska 2023 - As it happens!

[Sgt Bilco]

Day 4 brings some more superb weather and had a little mooch around the lodge before breakfast.

It's family owned and it's a pretty tough life out here 70 miles from the nearest town. These guys are made of strong stuff that's for sure but Jennifer says she wouldn't change it for the world.

A few shots of the Lodge and surrounding area and I guess the location makes it all worth it.



This is the bar and I can't imagine a better view!





Just one of the machines needed to keep the place open. They have to maintain the road to Cantwell and it takes 16 hours to grade the snow once it starts to lie.





24th largest Grizzly recorded was shot locally about 5 years ago!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Then it was time to go and we rode back to Cantwell back tge way we came. Hardly a chore as this is just spectacular!!








We stopped at an overlook and the view was staggering. All you could hear was birds singing and we must have stood there for a good 15 minutes just looking and hardly saying a word. As Mark said, you just couldn't make this up!!!




Tossers contemplating the meaning of life......






Then after a coffee in Denali, I want to be known as Ole Chris from now on, we headed across to Fairbanks



Encountered some road works which didn't hinder us for too long

 

[Khulu]

Brings back great memories of my trip up to Alaska in 2004.
Keep it coming.

 

[ShakeyGS]

Love that place........ and I've always thought of you as Ole Chris

 

[Jon]

We had rain just about all the way to Talkeetna but it had stopped by the time we parked there for coffee. Those of you who followed this trip last year will remember the biblical rain that fell when we were here.

Do I! And the f-off moose taller than me that burst out of the trees across the road in front of me as we rode in

This is definitely a shot for the front page and I just had to sit here for a minute to take in that view.

And then it was onto our brilliant motel called the Alpine Lodge which is as remote as you can get. It's mainly used by hunters, hikers and in teh winter snow machines and is just a wonderful place. You eat what they have cooked on the day but it's good home cooked food and it was superb brisket this evening.

The Alpine Lodge is such an amazing place and the ride to it is just stunning - 50 odd miles off the main highway with view after view, into the middle of nowhere. If you go to Alaska, try and go there for a night.

 

[richardbd]

This is definitely a shot for the front page and I just had to sit here for a minute to take in that view.

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Susitna River?

 

[Traffic893]

Loving the pics. Great read.

 

[rjsmith26]

Loving the report - keep it up! Ride safe Gents

 

[wilbjr21]

Great photos and trip report Chris.

Bumped into Boatman at Strontian and he mentioned I'd bought you all a pint when you were there in 2012 (i'd just got my pension lump sum )

I had good weather on the Dalton ...... you didn't.

 

[gerarddwatts]

Loving the pix....I went to Anchorage ...in March(?)...about 30 years ago...my bro worked for BA when they used to go there regularly, so went with him and stayed in the Hilton with the crew. I had a contact, through Venture Scouts, and had a run down to Seward on 4 wheels in the snow....lots of it! Epic scenery...the gunshops as well! Even the pawn shops had a good selection, mostly of rifles.
You could still spend time in the cockpit then...the pilot did a slight detour to give me a decent look at Mt Mckinlay on the way in.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Posh Pete]

Them's brilliant pics Chris. Here's summat apt to entertain the troops! Hope the weather's better for you guys!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

So we rolled into Fairbanks and the slightly off the wall Svens Basecamp which I really like. The accommodation is basic but clean and we get to BBQ which makes a great change from restaurants.



Obligitory truck picture



We got our groceries bagged by this young lady in Fred Meyers and she said she'd recently been on holiday yo Anchorage!! They obviously don't go far up here .



And then the rain came in in the form of a huge thunderstorm which at least dampened down the dust for a short time at least!



Paul was chatting to his wife who had just been to the Coldplay concert in Cardiff and throughly enjoyed it by the sounds of things. I could only send him this.....

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Day 5 dawns warm again and always an exciting day as we head for the Dalton Highway and Arctic Circle.

Fuelled and headed to the Hilltop transport cafe for breakfast where the food is basic but plentiful and cheap for Alaska at any rate.





Pauls eyes may have been to large for his belly and we thought we may be able to use those pancakes for either spare wheels or butt pads!!



So off we head north and after 60 miles of lovely sweepy tarmac we hit the infamous Dalton Highway and the weather is sunny and warm which is a huge plus.






As usual there are roadworks and the girls on the stop go signs are very chatty. She ga ve us a complete safety rundown on how to survive the Dalton and I didn't have to heart to interrupt her spiel and this was my 9th time on the highway!!






We follow the pilot car for about 5 miles and they are certainly spending a lot ot money widening and straightening sections of the highway. As this road is only used to support the pipeline and oil production from Prudhoe Bay, it would suggest that they have no plans to slow production and as it is currently running at minimum capacity, I would suspect production is going to be increased.

We get to the Yukon Crossing camp and fuel up with some of the most expensive fuel in North America!!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

All fuelled up, we head north from the Yukon crossing and the weather stays on our side.

The road conditions are as good as I've ever seen on the Dalton and an unbelievable improvement from when I first rode it in 2007. It's hard packed dirt with gravel on teh top so although you have to keep your wits about you, it's no real issue. I'm sure further north it's not as god as this but we'll take it and with the GS in Enduro mode, it just eats it..





We arrive at the Arctic Circle at Mosquito feeding time and the little fuckers proceed to eat us half alive. We give it just enough time to have a few pics before getting the fuck out of there!! Everyone is happy they made it and they have proof of bragging rights at any future meet you may see them at.

I make light of getting there but in reality it's no mean achievement and it does take some commitment and balls to do it I reckon. Top marks for these guys on this trip as there isn't a huge amount of dirt riding experience on show. It's all down to the tour leader I reckon...........






It was then a question of following the pipe south for 60 miles to our motel at the Yukon River crossing. It will be ever known at Fawlty Towers from now on but to be fair to them, we were the only people there and they were closed to walk in busines due to new staff training. All was good in the end and everyone slept like logs.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Just before I retired and to get my steps in, I donned a mossie net and went to have a close look at the bridge and what a fine structure it is.

It was built to take the pipe over the Yukon and obviously for the trucks and other vehicles servicing Prudhoe bay 360 miles north of here.

The wooden road surface is to stop it freezing in the winter when it regularly drops to -40C and it's also easier to maintain. It's also quite common for road bridges to have wooden road surfaces up here.

Great end to a very satisfying day taking yet another group to the Arctic Circle in Alaska.

 

[Kitsilano]

Sgt. Bilko....Superb photos from a challenging environment - thanks for sharing and ride safely up there, all of you.

(Curious to know what kind of passenger-types sustains a flight from Frankfurt....I suppose there must be a fair few German hunters going out for the 'real thing' but I wonder if you came across any other Europeans that were on a motorcycle odyssey, such as yourselves? It seems to be a Shangri-La for GS riders and I'm curious to know if there are other groups that you have seen?)

 

[brut33]

A nice Sunday morning read before my paper arrives. The photos of those magnificent mountain ranges are stunning.
It's a place I'll probably never go to but thanks for posting this trip of awe. And fair play to the riders who don't normally
do unmetalled roads.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Sgt. Bilko....Superb photos from a challenging environment - thanks for sharing and ride safely up there, all of you.

(Curious to know what kind of passenger-types sustains a flight from Frankfurt....I suppose there must be a fair few German hunters going out for the 'real thing' but I wonder if you came across any other Europeans that were on a motorcycle odyssey, such as yourselves? It seems to be a Shangri-La for GS riders and I'm curious to know if there are other groups that you have seen?)

There are groups up here from all over the world and the rental company have regular groups from German and Italy. We bump into all nationalities and yesterday there were a group og GS'ers from Brazil in te restaurant on their own bikes.

Condor fly daily from Frankfurt and our flight was full. There seemed to be a mix of passengers but couldn't tell you what they were doing. There are a lot of cruises operating out of Alaska so I'm guessing there are lot of people for that.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

It's been raining overnight but only fairly lightly so it should keep the dust down as we head off the Dalton.




Richard chatting to a flagger which must have been an interesting conversation. One in a proper hard US accent and the other in full Somerset mode.

The mossies here were really thick and it's horrible sitting even for a minute. Not sure the pics picked up the swarm!!





Anyway, were soon off the Dalton and back in Fairbanks enjoying a very well deserved ice cream.



And then on to Chena Hot Springs were we spent a nice evening relaxing in the natural hot springs. This adventure riding is hell I tell you.......

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Woke up this morning to find this Cow Moose enjoying a morning bathe in one of the pools!!



Fully refreshed, we head back through Fairbanks and breakfast at a great cafe I know which serves the best corned beef hash on the planet.



Christmas comes but once a year except in North Pole Alaska where it's 24/7. It's a strange place that's for sure but I guess Santa has to live somewhere and make a living.







We are heading for Tok today and the road is just about dead straight but luckily, it's flanked by wonderful scenery. I call these days music days where you have some good sounds on and just enjoy the ride.