Tidbits from Alaska, Day 8 -July 10, 2010

We woke up at 5am to spitting rain--so it was a quick camp take down--luckily we has all showered the night before. Tim was disappointed yet again that no grizzly showed up at our camp. Debbie said that if we hung a donut around his neck, they would be sure to come to him. He has yet to take her up on that theory. After we left camp, we found out that no gas stations are open at 6am.

Tidbit #1: Gas up the night before (there was a gas station 5 miles up the road that they should have gassed up at the night before). Another fill up from the gas cans in the truck.


Tidbit #2: Gas up before 8pm because that is when everything closes up here.

We left camp with no gas, no breakfast, and no makeup. The guys are getting sunburned.

Tidbit #3: Put sunscreen on multiple times during a day's ride. Might also need mosquito repellent.

Each morning the guys huddle up and put their fists together and shout "Fairbanks" and then get on their bikes. When we crossed the Yukon/Alaska border we took pictures under the sign. It was sort of anti-climatic since they were pushing hard to get to Fairbanks today...so we hurried on.


Tidbit #4: There are multiple stops for postcards along the way and multiple post offices. So, many chances to send greetings to the people back home.

Tidbit #5: Take the road between Destruction Bay and the border early in the morning while the bikers are fresh. This was a treacherous road at times, but we could continue at 50+ mph (you dirt bikers would have been proud of the bikers and truck drive Amy for they way they maneuvered around potholes and supposedly fixed ruts).

At one stop Harold changed socks and left them on the top of the trailer. One flew off, but one hung on for dear life for over 50 miles. Harold gets the "Little Sock" award for this part of the trip.

Tidbit #6: Always talk to the other bikers because you never know when you might meet someone of interest.

We have met someone from Iowa practically every day on the road. Today it was Jim Martindale from Waukon. Yesterday it was a school teacher from Minnesota. The day before that a guy from Lone Tree (just south of Iowa City), and it goes on. Simply amazing that of all the people that might be stopped the road at the same time as us, they end up being from Iowa.

Tidbit #7: For support personnel, it is hard to do things while driving because the scenery is so wonderful all the time. So keep your minds active. Our original perceptions were:
--the roads would be worse than they are
--there would be more animals on the road
--there would be more mosquitoes (but we have our fair share of bites anyway)
--there would be more rain

We have had the good fortune to have beautiful days and less animals for safety sake.

We stopped at Delta Junction where the Alcan Highway ends. Fairbanks was still looming in front of us so we quickly took pictures and got on our bikes.

Tidbit #8: SOMEONE has to make T-shirts that celebrates the riding of the Alcan Highway and sell them to the visitors center in Delta Junction. Not one to be found that was worthy of purchasing.

We stopped at the North Pole, but Santa was too busy to visit with us. So we went up the road to Fairbanks. We finally made it. We checked into a hotel and went out to eat at Big Daddy's BBQ. It was apparent that the owner was from the Chicago area with all the sports stuff on the walls. The place was featured by Guy Fieria (sp?) on the food network. (He is the host of Minute to Minute and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.)

The girls did laundry and Tim says that he is set for the rest of the trip. But we did talk him into a shower--even though he says he still didn't stink yet!