Chillin out in Fairbanks

Spent the day drying off as everytime we went out it rained on us. Fairbanks is a small town with two military bases and the Universary of Alaska so it has an interesting feel. Ron changed his oil and we went to a quarter car wash (try a $7 car wash) to get the debris from the Alaska highway off. I checked out my bike, did laundry and picked up Tee shirts from the farthest north Harley dealer which is down a half mile pot hole filled dirt road. This dealership sells BMW, Honda's Victory's in addition to Harleys and snowmobiles which is very rare.

We met two guys at the dealership that had camped next to us in White Horse. They were mad at each other as the leader rode too fast over the 300 miles of bad roads. They also decided to take the ferry to Seattle as they would not ride that stretch again. If you zero in on our spot track, sometimes the tracks are close, meaning we were going slow other times we were flying! My Spot batteries finally died 0n the 16th after lasting 25 days!

Looks like Dawson City is out, 40 miles of the Top of the world Highway were washed away due to flooding. We are replanning out trip to spend more time in Anchorage area where one of my brother in Law and sistter in law live. I hope to get together with Doc, a friend from NC staying on the Kenai Pennisula. We have reservation for a guided fishing trip using a sea plane from Lake Hood to a river somewhere. Should be a fun day.

Today we are headed to an educational site on the pipeline then down to Denali to camp for a two days in the rain. Looks like rain (which had hail yesterday several times) for our entire trip through Alaska..

This picture shows Mt Mckinley, tallest peak in North America from the North. We will head nead there to visit Denali National Park where I can use my senior's pass, the only thing of value when you hit 62.

Some lessons learned on this trip, don't live anywhere that your car looks like the one pictured. If the parking spots have an electrical outlet, you won't be comfortable.

Second lesson, when traveling this way carry Octane booster if you use premium fuel. Many gas stations have 85.5 to 87 Octane only and probably 25-30% of the stations were abandoned. So you take what you can get. The Harley dealer in Red Deer, Alberta told me don't worry about it, use premium when you can, the dealer in White Horse, Yukon Territory said use the booster every time as you can't trust what you are getting. Most travelers carry extra gas.

Notice the trees on both sides of the road in the picture? Much of the 300 miles from the Yukon border to Fairbanks was through forest that were dense and green. there were a lot of scenic road side pull-offs but you were looking at the trees, wonder what's with that?

Last tip watch your mountings of luggage. Many bumps my luggage flew 3-6 inches in the air (me even higher) and one piece rubbed through the paint to the bare metal. You to pick up some black fingernail polish to touch it up.