Haines Junction to Tok and Fairbanks Alaska

Beauty of the Canadian Rockies at Haines Junction, Yukon Territory

It's been a week since I left Haines Junction, Yukon Territory for Alaska, but you're just reading of that fact on yesterday's blog.

I am now in Fairbanks where I've been for the last five days.  From Haines Junction I traveled northwest to Beaver Creek the western most community in Canada, near the Alaskan border and then went west to Tok, Alaska.

The road from Dawson City, Yukon to Tok, Alaska (closed as result of the floods) was opened the day after I arrived in Tok, but I understand that it is still slow going and definitely sub-standard conditions.

Kluane Lake, Yukon Territoty

From Haines Junction to Tok, Alaska continued to be a thing of beauty.  As it past the region of Kuane Lake the scenery took on a new and different, but still beautiful look.

After a day and a half in Tok, I departed for Fairbanks having remained in Tok only in an effort to avoid the threats of rain.

The road to Fairbanks was excellent, although, devoid of any scenic beauty.  At least the weather had warmed up considerably and I arrived in a dry condition.

Surprisingly Fairbanks actually receives very little rainfall; with just 11 inches annually it almost qualifies for desert classification (by definition a desert receives less than 10 inches of annual precipitation).

Kluane Lake, Yukon Territoty

Fairbanks has all of the amenities of a big city without the typical big city congestion.  With a 2008 estimated city population of 35,132 that swells to a metropolitan area of 97,000.  Fairbanks also lays claim to the widest temperature spread of any city in the world, from -66 degrees to 99 degrees Fahrenheit.

This past week Fairbanks has been celebrating its Annual Golden Days Celebration which is accompanied by the World Eskimo and Indian Olympics (complete with events such as the ear pull, blanket toss and two legged kick) and included a Saturday morning parade.
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Many years ago the popular saying of the day was various versions of - "I just need time to find myself".  It seemed to be most commonly repeated by the young restless souls who were struggling to find their place in the world.

Kluane Lake, Yukon Territoty

It was never a comment for which I ever felt a kinship; I thought it was too much of an escape from the realities of life.  I always believed (rightly or wrongly) that I knew what I wanted to be and where I was going.

However, today I find myself harking back to that yesteryear and finding a new reality, a reality with which I am still not all that comfortable.

Like it or not I am a bit of a lost sole; not in a sad or lonely way, but in a sense that I am searching for new meaning and purpose in my life.

Strangely, and somewhat incongruent with what I've just said - I love my wandering ways!  I just feel a need to bring a meaning or purpose, into all that I do.

Blanket Toss at World Eskimo-Indian Olympics

No matter how much we tell ourselves that, "I don't care what other people think;" the reality, for most of us is - that we really do care!  We need that moral support (or at least we need to "feel" that it exists) in order to carry forth with our daily lives.  Perhaps, I should not be so bold as to presume what "others" think or believe; when I say "we" it is used only in the context that I believe that their are others of you out there, with whom I share that common bond.

And so I continue my quest to "find myself," - but I don't like it!

I would like to travel north to Prudhoe Bay, but that is a five hundred mile trek on mostly gravel roads with miles between gas stops.  I don't know how far I could go on my Harley; most motorcycle riders who go that way are riding BMW's, Kawasaki's or Yamaha's with tires designed to handle the gravel and mud terrain.

Golden Days Parade - Fairbanks

Maybe if I got fitted with pair of "knobby tires" on my Harley, in order to handle the gravel and mud, it would an attainable goal.  Even then, however, I would need a bit of luck; but then, - ...luck is very thin wire between survival and disaster and not many people can keep their balance on it."  ("Author's Note by Hunter S. Thompson" - "Fear and Loathing in America").

It would probably be stupid, absurd or even a little insane just to try the trip on a Harley - Got to Go!
                        
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The above was completed yesterday (7/25/10) and deliberately held for posting today; but now, today is here and I have received more information - both good and bad.

Some say that the belt drive won't handle the abuse of the Dalton Highway, others say that there are a lot of Harleys that make the trip, all say - it's a beautiful trip.

It's 499 miles from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay with the last half being all gravel; I'm heading north and at least as far as Coldfoot (which I've been told is all paved and the approximate halfway point).

Alaska and Back Again

The road out of Alaska and back in again, would take me from Stewart, British Columbia (Hyder, Alaska) to Watson Lake, a long ten hour ride.  The road is paved all the way except for a few minor stretches of gravel road along the way (the longest run of gravel is less than 5 miles long).

The gas stops are few and far between; it's no problem, one just needs to be sure to leave with a full tank of gas and not pass up any gas stations in-between.  It's a nice drive, but only moderately scenic (remember, - everything is relative).

My choice (and my recommendation for a campground) in Watson Lake is the Downtown RV Park.  It is conveniently located (as the name suggests) "downtown" and is within walking distance of most everything there is in Watson Lake.  

There is not a lot to see or do in Watson Lake, when we passed through there in March on the snowmobile trip (see the older blog dated March 4, 2010) I failed to get a picture to the famous Watson Lake Sign Forest; therefore I was intent on correcting that error and also looking through the "forest" in effort if there was a sign from close to home.  The "winner" was Jonesville, Michigan (see photo).

The Northern Lights Centre is another Watson Lake attraction that is quite interesting and in my opinion well worth the minimal cost.  Even if one chooses not to see the movie, it cost nothing to tour the small but interesting facility. 

Originally my thought was to go from Watson Lake west to Whitehorse and then north to Dawson City; but, once again, that was the same route I had traveled in March - Why repeat it? 

As it turned out it was a not moot question; torrential rains in Alaska (on a scale that had not been seen in this area in decades) caused flooding which washed out vast sections of highway throughout a purported 100 miles.  The highway is closed until repairs can be completed (an estimated 6 weeks working around the clock - providing that the weather cooperates).

With that one option eliminated another one was interjected - by missing the turn to Whitehorse and continuing straight to Carcross, I could turn south and go to Skagway (the second most, after Hyder, southerly point of entry into Alaska).

 It was an intriguing option, traveling (for me) an uncharted path, even though it would necessitate backtracking back to Carcross in order to continue north through Alaska.  There are no Alaskan roads leading north out of Skagway, the only option was to return via Carcross; unless, it was possible to take my motorcycle by ferry to Haines, Alaska (an even more intriguing option!)

It was a plan I could (and did) get excited about, the decision was made - off to Skagway.

Skagway was the starting point for the White Pass route to the Klondike during the gold rush; a historic town that was bound to be loaded with things of interest.

The only problem getting to Skagway before dark; with so much spectacular beauty to contend with, it all seemed magnificent to ride by with my camera packed away in my saddle bag (I couldn't do it!)  In the end, it was only darkness that made me pack the camera back in the saddlebag. 

Skagway (according to the 2000 census) has a year around population of 862 residents, but it's a volatile population that doubles over the summer tourist season in order to cope with boat loads of tourists that unload from 2-3 huge cruise ships almost daily, the White Pass Railway and a number of tour busses.

In appearance Skagway reminds me of Dawson City, Yukon Territory; but, despite the fact that Dawson City has more than half again the year around population, Skagway appears much larger.  The reason, Skagway has 900,000 annual tourists (15 times more than that of Dawson City's mere 60,000) that encourage more support services.  

With the volume of tourists flocking downtown, the streets are a swarm of activity up until 8:00 PM when the cruise ships depart and all of the numerous tour buses have long since departed; after the 8:00 o'clock hour, one could "drive a dragster" down main street without fear of striking a single sole!