Day 12 - June 26

Day 12- June 25^th

We are at the half way point of our trip, not to Alaska, but in entirety. We have seen and talked to so many other riders fulfilling their dream of riding the Alaskan Hwy, to go to the Arctic Circle, or the big fish - Prudhoe Bay, the furthest you can go north on a road. People do it alone, two up, with a side car, and even pulling a trailer.

I am surprised how quiet the highway is. It would be interesting to know what the most popular mode of transportation is. I believe it is motorcycles.

Looks cold...is cold

Beautiful black and white

 Shawn called today a black and white day. It was overcast; the top half of the mountains were blanketed by a cloud, the lakes and rivers had no sparkle. She also called it her least favorite day. My instrument panel seemed to be stuck on 50 degrees. It got down to 42 for awhile going over some mountains between Haines and Haines Junction. This was supposed to be the most scenic road of the trip. We have to take the good with the not so good. Let’s say it had a different kind of beauty. We were so fortunate to be there to imagine what it would have looked like on a sunny day. The cold, windy, cloudy, and rainy day today…..I will call it, one of the more adventurous days.

A little fun along the road side at the Honeymoon hotel

Scott didn't quite make it in time..10 second drill

Scott and Shawn...second honeymoon?

We did have a real treat today. On Hwy 3, the Haines Hwy, we got to see another grizzly bear. Chuck and Barbara were leading and they passed by him without noticing. Imagine not having the protection of a couple of layers of sheet metal and glass between you and this powerful beast. Shawn got the camera as I rolled to a stop, of course leaving the bike in gear and clutch in case we needed to get away quickly. I would say the bear was 100 ft away busy eating grass and flowers. The pictures are good but don’t do it the justice of being there, all alone, just the three of us. As we rolled away he stood up to check us out. He was a giant! Chuck and Barbara turned around and we met a few miles down the road. We went back only to see him stand up again as he heard us approach. He then ran into the woods. Seeing how fast he ran, it was frightening to think how fast he could have coved the 100 feet that separated us. 

Do bears poop in the woods? Apparently not all the time.

We joined back up with Hwy 1, the Alaska Hwy, today and rode to Beaver Creek, Yukon. They call it the farthest west town in Canada or “301 miles from Nowhere”. It is 301 miles north of Whitehorse and 308 miles south of Fairbanks. 

Electric gear controls

Warm wife...happy life!

Scott getting a performance award.

We stayed at the Westmark Hotel, a chain owned by Holland America. We were treated to one of the best dinner shows we have ever seen. We were pleasantly surprised and a colorful end to our black and white day. We are the four luckiest people in the world! 

A splash of color on our black and white day.

Having a hard time seeing the dirt? My fender is actually black!

Cute quansut hut church at Haines Jct.

 And that's all we have to say about another great day exploring the northwest.Glad you have joined us!

Scott, Shawn, Chuck, and Barabara