I made it to Alaska! August 21st, 2009

The great North is, indeed, great

I left Smithers early this morning and North to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK.  AS I was hoping I arrived a little after lunch.  I got a "sleeper room" at the Sealaska inn.  Basically, it is a bed, a chair, and a lamp.  There is a shared bathroom in the hall.  I guess I can't complain too much for $36.  The ride was gorgeous, driving past rushing rivers, snow-capped mountains, and glaciers.  Stewart is a tiny town, and I could only get 87 octane fuel.  I put in 19 litres of petrol.  The bike only holds about 20.  I guess I just made it.  Hyder is almost more of a ghost town.  Apparently 10,000 people lived in Hyder, AK, Hyder, BC, and Stewart, BC back in the mining boom.  Hyder, BC is no longer in existence and Hyder, AK is mostly boarded up stores.  The population ranges from 75 to 150 people depending on the season. 

When I arrived I got directions to see the glacier.  I stopped at the bear observatory on my way, but saw no bears, just lots of salmon swimming upstream.  The road was pretty bumpy and I felt like a badass riding my Harley up the mountain to see a glacier.  On the way down I saw one of my passing lamps was out.  I must have rattled it loose, or just rattled it to death.  The glacier was well worth it, though, and I have spare bulbs on the bike.  I stopped at the bear observatory on the way down, just in case, and was rewarded with a grizzly feeding in the river.  He wasn't much of a hunter, though, and just noshed on some dead salmon floating around. 

The ride to Alaska has been awesome and my only regret is that I don't have the time to jump on the Alaska-Canada highway and see some of the "real" Alaska.  I'll just have to come back someday, and maybe on a more suitable machine.  It was such a climax getting here that I am a bitremorseful that I didn't schedule it later in the trip.  It was definitely the highlight so far, and I can only hope the Grand Canyon and the rest of the trip can live up to my expecations.  I think it will be ok, though, and I have lots of visits with friends planned, so that should keep my motivation up.  I was going to spend two days here, but I think I have exhausted all of this region that I can do safely on my ride, especially since I have many more miles to go before I'm done.  Tomorrow I will head down the West side of British Columbia to Vancouver and Seattle.  US of A, here I come, again.