Sgt Bilco's great Alaska Adventure 2016

[Wilburt]

Glad it's going well Chris, Michelle tells me they're putting in a new road from Stewart into Hyder so you might have a bit of a delay getting in there but loads of salmon and bears apparently


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[crumbles]

If you look at the tanker carefully you will see at the front end there is a mud guard attached to it,so a different tractor unit probably pulls it..
you will also notice that the 2 sets off axles in the middle have slightly smaller wheels they will be steering axles to help it around tight corners,
it,s all about weight distribution,as in the same here with multiple axels,more axles means less tonnage per tyre..
At the company i used to work for we had 44 footers with rear steering axles,these would also go where a 30 footer would go normaly,
its all down to the turning area...

 

[Ash]

Most enjoyable reading, I must say....

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Glad it's going well Chris, Michelle tells me they're putting in a new road from Stewart into Hyder so you might have a bit of a delay getting in there but loads of salmon and bears apparently


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds perfect mate.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

After Fairbanks we return to Anchorage down the Denali Highway. Very hot with big storms in the area and we run into the corner of one so have to dig out teh wet kit on teh side of the road. A common sight anywhere in the world!

A bit of rain then 30 mins later we are back in sunshine and sitting at some construction and look at the back drop! Could have sat there for ages.

Of course I had to take some snaps of this truck. It's carrying 46 tonnes of hot bitumin and you see plenty of these up here. Can you imagine that in the UK and I'd love to have a go in this beauty.

 

[Nutty]

Fantastic.

Gobblers knob

 

[newboy]

It's a good book - so anyone who hasn't read geoff - has to be worth £0.01 for a read

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Road-Gobblers-Knob-Alaska-Motorbike/dp/0856408042

 

[Sgt Bilco]

A great view of Mt McKinley (currently being renamed Denali) from a viewing point 43 miles away. Pictures from my Lumix LX5 can't capture the beauty of this place but you get the drift. The only way to get closer is to go around the park in a bus and 6 hours of bouncing around with a bunch of fat yanks isn't my idea of a good day.

Popped into tha famous town of Talkeetna and to be honest, it's an hour of my life I won't get back. Just a tourist trap but we did find a good sandwich so all was not lost. Mind your fingers there Jeff.......

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Struggling loading pics with dodgy wifi....

 

[Sgt Bilco]

A couple of pics from teh above post....

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Just after Talkeetnam we turned left to ride the Hatcher Pass and oh my god, what a fantastic little road. Probably 20 or so miles of utter beauty and totally empty. It's only around 40 miles north of Anchorage so it's jam packed at weekends but was just perfect when we rode it. It's right up there in my top 5 passes as you just don't expect it and it certainley made up for the hell hole of Talkeetna.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Back to Anchorage and a few well desrved beers at the local.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

No trip would be quite the same unless someone was to weild a hammer and our new buddy Bill Ness kindly offered to assist in teh process of trying to straighten Johns front wheel. He certainly improved it and it would be good to go but it's a pity the clowns at BMW Fairbanks just used a hammer and damaged the rim.

Bill also checked Mark's drive which had made a few clunking noises but was deemed Ok with maybe a tightspot in the U/J. We slso cured a wheel judder on my GS as well so a succesful morning. You will recall Bill had the big Dodge Ram and in his garage sits a Pontiac GTO (US Holden) which he's supercharged and bangs out 740bhp at the flywheel. He also had a little Dodge pick up lurking there with a V10 Viper motor in it. Boys and toys! Bill is one of those guys who seems to know how to do everything and he's a top chap.

We took Bill and his wife out to their favourite steakhouse for dinner and it was great. Much carniverous activity and not only did Boatman clear his plate he placed his dinasoar sized ribs in a nice sequence.........bless!!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Time to start the second part of the trip and we head south to Homer and what a way to start the day. the views are nothing short of fantastic and you don't know which way you should be looking in case you miss something.

A bid hazard over here is fire and there was one blazing away in the hills. Most are caused by lightening strikes and are left to burn but this one was a bit close to the road so they try and contain it. It leaves a haze over the whole area.

 

[Udders]

Beautiful!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

After those lovely mountains and views the cross country road down to Homer can be best described as dull. Nothing to see and lots of tourist traffic.

Two of my favourite things in life are Milkshake and coffee and we luckily fell upon a nice little cafe who sold them both in the same cup. I give you Vanilla Milkshake Latte and it was absolutely delicious and a health drink I'm lead to believe!

Stopped aAnchor point to try and grab a picture of the mountain range across the bay. The view was simply stunning of the snow capped mountains across the calm see and you can just make them out in the picture.

It was a small fishing area and we had noticed a tractor take a trailer down to the beach and then saw a fishing boat coming in. He was travelling at some speed and didn't sem to be slowing down as he approached the beach and the tractor. I chatted with the skipper a while later and asked him the procedure to get the boat in.

He approaches the trailer at high speed to keep his direction right through the swell and as he reaches teh trailer he throttles back. At the same time, the tractor pulls forward to cushion the impact and the lunatic standing on the trailer hitches the boat and pulls it out. I have to tell you it all happen in a flash and is a well oiled manoeuvre thats for sure.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

As I said, the Homer road is fairly dull but then........WHAM, you get one of the best views anywhere as you round the corner and drop down into the town and have another OMG moment.

It's a weird place as it's heavily touristy in place and also a working fishing port so a bit odd. Not many pictures from me I'm afraid but I'm sure other people will be along soon....!!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

As I mentioned before, teh road to and from Homer isn't the most interesting compared with many in the area but still has it's good points.

Had a few little diversions and going into Kenai saw an old DC6 and C46 Commando take off whilst sitting at some lights. The noise of teh old radials was fantastic and they still use these old girls to deliver freight to remote settlements. Investigated the airport nd saw this beauty awaiting engine bits by teh looks of it.

Mooched arond a great local art galley and checked out the wooden carvings some of which were brilliant. Prices were right up there as well and good job there is no room in the panniers for a 6ft wooden bear !

Finally found something fresh and reasonably good for you which isn't that easy over here. Frozen youghurt and fruit was perfect in the heat of the day.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Early startt from Palmer and a lovely cool morning in the mountains and some fantastic big scenery towards Glenallen!

People look pretty happy about where they are.....!!

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Great breakfast stop at a tiny place called Eureka at the top of the pass. Quite how these guys make a living is beyond me but they clearly do and the breakfast is excellent with great views out of teh window.

Note I'm having oatmeal as m body is a temple......collapsing and on it's way to ruins according to some wags!!