Our final destination today for our slowly diminishing group of riders is Paxson which lies on Paxson Lake, at mile marker 185 on the Richardson Highway, at its intersection with the Denali Highway.
Yesterday on our first down day some did maintenance on their bikes while others got caught up on mundane stuff like laundry, still others took in the sights, like to a visit back out to Fairbanks (55miles away) to visit a car museum. And I got to visit the local Kawasaki shop to purchase another new chain and a chain breaker tool. Next I washed the little Klondike down and loads of a fine dust cane out from all over.
The Fountain head museum boasts Alaskan car history where in addition to the cars they have hundreds of outfits and accessories on display.
Back then people dressed up to drive; similar to the way us motorcycle adventure riders gear up today; except they did it with more flare than we do; like for silk bustle dresses for the mrs; motoring dusters and shimmering flapper shifts for the car and a dapper tuxedo for the male driver.
And today our ride group of Todd, Tom, Jacob, Roberto, Paul, Flying Brian and myself. Everyone met up at the gas pumps and then it was on for buffalo burgers. I had a Yak basket and an iced tea while others sampled the Buffalo burgers, halibut or other fabulously.
Within our midst Rodney and I compared notes and decided there’s a doppelgänger look alike that we hadn’t noticed until now.
And at the Big Top Drive In – Bart meets a rich boy from Pahrump who goes by the handle of Flying B Woosterfield, who happens to be his exact look-alike and claim to fame is having wheelied at 183 mph and taken our heroes record away.
The parties nearly over for some but, not for all! We are having way too much fun except for our stay in Cheena where the mosquitoes are relentless; and the rooms resemble a cross between a sauna and walking in Death Valley in the summertime.
Today we heard that Gpskevins ferry from Haines to Bellingham has been cancelled on account of required mechanical maintenance. Gpskevin is a real stickler for maintenance so I am sure that he approved. NOT!
He is now forced to journey back to SoCal with Jane on the roads we recently traveled, to get here. And you know what they say; Friends come and go like the waves of the ocean, but the true ones stay like an octopus on your face.”
And today we also lost Canadian John, a man of steel and expert in anything mechanical; who unfortunately had to abandon his rental BMW 850 somewhere by the side of the road with a slashed front tire. Another casualty of the Dalton highway. The surcharge according to John for riding the Dalton highway to Prudoe Bay is $1,000 on top of the $215 daily rental rates.
Two more days and we wrap up Todds greatest Alaskan adventures ever. We were all definitely more “Indiana Jones” than “Into the Wild” on this outstanding Alaskan ride adventure. And some would even say Roberto 1 and I on our little Kawasaki Versys were at times a little dumb and dumber for doing so. And still today they are running like a top.
Yesterday on our way to the lodge at Maclarand river I nearly ran into a yearling moose on my motorcycle and at full speed. When I saw the creature he was at a half gallop and across my lane of traffic. I locked up my front brakes as the littlest of Klondike has no ABS. I’M the only bike without it on this ride. The bike moves slightly to the left into the intended path of the moose and I was nearly able to compare his face with that of Bullwinkle. He winked at me and then was at a full gallop and gone. The boys pulled up behind me and were I would say quite surprised that I was not part of a roadkill.
On our Canadian riding adventures up to meet with the other Alaska riders we lived the “Saturday Night Live” Wild and Crazy Guys routine when Freddy and Roberto 2 were riding with us.
And if you want more specifics about Paxson it’s south of the Delta Junction and 62 miles north of Gulkana. And Gulkana, it was originally established in 1903 by the US Army Signal Corps as a telegraph station.
Tonight we lodge at the Maclaren Lodge. The lodge is located on the Denali Highway in the majestic Maclaren river valley near the base of the Maclaren Glacier.
More than 400 archeological sites are in the area we are staying in indicating that this area has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years.
And on this day our first Stop is: – Delta Junction(142mi) Gas and lunch…gotta get a buffalo burger.
Stop 2 – Maclaren River Lodge (122mi.) Mile 42 Denali Highway Paxson, AK 99737 (907-388-6361)I
Tomorrow’s ride schedule is:
6/25 – Maclaren River Lodge to Anchorage (293mi).
Total Mileage 2,171 (Approx. 1200 Miles of this ride was on dirt roads)
Trawlercat Chronicles 