Alaska and the Yukon 2024

[Sgt Bilco]

We roll into Tok and check into Fast Eddies and I went for a cruise around town to check out the old scrap vehicles which have been parked up and abandoned. I've been coming through here fairly regularly since about 2010 and some of these old vehicles are like old friends!!

Our American cousins just love to park up their old kit and leave it presumably thinking that it will come in useful someday!

Some interesting old kit in there for sure.









Quick shower then beer and food and a Fast Eddies Rib Eye sandwich seemed the right thing to eat!



Gary had been complaining about a banging from the front of his GS and on closer inspection, the front shock is leaking. Oh the joys of the unstoppable GS.

Quick phone call to my old mate Bill at the rental shop and he said he'd bring another bike out and meet us when we are back in Tok in a couple of days. Gary said it was rideable and no real problem and was happy to carry on for a day or two.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

The next morning dawned sunny and with beautiful blue skies so we headed off towards Chicken on the Taylor Highway which is a great road winding across the mountains. The surface is a bit rough in places due to frost heaves but it's an opportunity to check of the tyre sidewalls for a change.

The views are absolutley stunning from this road.



Mount Denali looking fantastic in the distance and I reckon it's about 150 miles from here!!





Gary still looking happy despite the dodgy front shock on his bike.



We roll into Chicken which is an old mining town, fuel up and get the obligitory I got laid in Chicken sticker.

There are still plenty of these old school fuel pumps in operation.

 

[OnHellas]

Fast Eddies. Top place…and they have a great salad bar too.
Or at least they did when I last went through.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Fully caffeined up, we head out on the Top of the World Highway which truly is one of the great rides as it winds it's way across a mountain range all the way to Dawson City. I've lost count of the number of times I've ridden it but it never fails to blow my mind. The riding is great and teh scenery just superb.





Short stop to enjoy the surroundings.



The road surface is slightly damp which is perfect and keeps the dust down





Then it was up to the friendliest border crossing on the planet.



And on into the Yukon.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Fast Eddies. Top place…and they have a great salad bar too.
Or at least they did when I last went through.

Yep and it's still there.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

So we headed off from the border where you get a great view of the Top of the World Highway as it snakes across the mountains.






Tossers on top of the hill



Road conditions are really good.








Down to the ferry to cross the mighty Yukon rRiver which is always a thrill.

 

[Bloomers100]

Great write up and pics. I thought more would have opted for a more manageable bike, interesting.

One day I'd love to be there.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Great write up and pics. I thought more would have opted for a more manageable bike, interesting.

One day I'd love to be there.

GS's are just about perfect bikes for Alaska.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Into Dawson and check into the Eldorado. We normally use a bunkhouse but thought I'd try this place and it's very good.



Quick shower and off to possibly the best bar in the area for a couple of snifters.




Dawson City is a touristy town but non the worse for that. It was the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush and they have tried to keep it as it was in the late 19th century. It's a cool place and if you can't enjoy yourself here, you need to have a word with yourself.

Diamond Tooth Gerties is a must with dancing girls and a bit of old fashioned gambling.

 

[TIJ650]

I actually think that’s the perfect terrain for them, certainly not the muddy & technical shite we have here! Lol

 

[TIJ650]

Into Dawson and check into the Eldorado. We normally use a bunkhouse but thought I'd try this place and it's very good.

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Quick shower and off to possibly the best bar in the area for a couple of snifters.

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Dawson City is a touristy town but non the worse for that. It was the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush and they have tried to keep it as it was in the late 19th century. It's a cool place and if you can't enjoy yourself here, you need to have a word with yourself.

Diamond Tooth Gerties is a must with dancing girls and a bit of old fashioned gambling.

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Actually reminds me of a lap dancer I once knew. She used to go work in Homer and Anchorage when the fishing boats came in. There’s already a disproportionate ratio of men/ women and much more so when the boats come in. Horny fishermen with pockets full of cash.
She did well apparently cause drove a nice Corvette

 

[brut33]

The fish in the top two photos look like cod. Not sure what the big one is being held by the girl, but I'd suggest it was a monkfish.

All great photos as usual, and no doubt many more to come. Have a great trip.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

The fish in the top two photos look like cod. Not sure what the big one is being held by the girl, but I'd suggest it was a monkfish.

All great photos as usual, and no doubt many more to come. Have a great trip.

If I recall, they were Cod and the one being held up was Lingcod maybe? It certainly had a mouth on it

 

[Sgt Bilco]

We always take a day off in Dawson as it's jam packed with history from the gold rush.

The inevitable visit to Dredge Number 4 was arranged and I worked out I've been there 7 times. I have to say I enjoyed every second of the tour and each time you learn something new about it.

All tthe details are here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dredge_No._4





The history of this is fascinating and it's a tribute to mans genius when he needs to do something.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

After the Dredge and learning all about the Klondike Gold Rush, it's good to ride up to the Dome which overlooks Dawson and the surrounding area. It's just stunning up there.



You can just see Top of the World Highway on the other side of the river and we'll be on that again tomorrow.



You can see the Klondike gold fields as they worked up into the mountains



A herd of GS's in their natural habitat. No Starbucks up here








Then we head back into town.



Local timber haulier. Amy idea of the overhang on that thing? I'm not sure they really stick to the rules out here .



A little warm for this part of the world. All the buildings are really well insulated because of the bitter winter weather they have and there is hardly any aircon. Good for the weight loss though!



Finished the day of with a brilliant meal in a Jamaican restaurant. Brilliant selection of great food in here and just goes to prove this townreally is bizarre.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Time to move out of Dawson and say goodbye to a room with a view.



And grab a decent breakfast at the local bistro.




With blue skies and great weather promised we headed down to the ferry to get across the Yukon river to the Top of the World Highway.




The highway is in stunning condition today and you just never get bored with the scenery.








A bit of gravel on the deck but no issues for anyone.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Back through the border into Alaska and no pics this time as the US side aren't quite as friendly but no issues for everyone.



The first 12 miles or so back into the US is on some of the best tarmac you'll find anywhere which is bizarre. Apparently, the US goverment spent millions on doing it to test cold weather road surfaces but as far as anyone knows, they haven't used
it elsewhere. Great to have a smooth surface to check out the sides of the tyres though.

We actually saw a big Grizzly up here but didn't stop for pics as he bolted as we came past.


Back to the scenery!!




A quick pitstop for lunch in Chicken.



Then back on the highway towards TOK




Temp has hit 27C which is very hot for these parts.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Back to everyones favourite restaurant at Fast Eddies.


And it's classic US motel rooms



I always have a walk around the truck park to see whats about and had a good look at one of these which we'd seen thundering past.

They are hauling spoil from a gold mine locally to a processing plant 200 miles away in Fairbanks. There must be a lot of money in it as these things are running 24/7.

The combination is called a B double and it's running at about 96 tonnes GVW and believe me, they aren't hanging about.

Apparently, they have relaxed the rules on gross weights etc to enable this work to go ahead. It's a great idea but with little traffic etc it's easily do able. Can't see it happening in the UK that's for sure.



A couple of other local trucks

 

[Deleted account 241025001]

Terrific pics, thanks again.

 

[wilbjr21]

Fabulous Chris.

Brings back happy memories of Fairbanks when I met you guys in the University and (extravagantly) bought you all a drink in the University after returning from Prudhoe Bay.

I was lucky with the weather on the Dalton - you weren't .......as Boatman tells me.