2003 NH To Alaska Trip

27 Days and 13,400 miles.

By Richard Doucet.

Day 1
June 4 2003, Rich Sivigny on his 1980 GL 1100 Goldwing, and myself on my 2001 GL 1800 Goldwing left Somersworth, NH at 6 AM. 48 degrees when we left, good weather  all day, got as warm as 77 in Mattawa, Ontario. Arrive North bay Ontario at 6 PM 674 miles today.

Day 2
Left North bay a 6:30 AM had a couple brief showers temps ranged from 45 to 80 degrees going around Lake Superior. Saw a small forest fire, aircraft
were dumping water on it. Saw 1 deer. Arrived Thunder Bay Ontario at 7:50, 738 miles today, staying at a Ramada Inn.

Day 3
Left Thunder bay at 7 AM, gained an hour crossing into the central time zone but lost it to Road construction. Good weather most of the day, the last couple hours were rain, stayed in Brandon Manitoba, 645 miles.

Day 4
Left Brandon at 6 AM cool and damp, hit about an hour of rain. Had a late breakfast in Regina, Manitoba. Warm meal was good, sun finally came out around 3 PM. 75 degrees in Calgary when we arrived there at 6: 20 Mountain Time. Prairies were a little boring but relaxing, cruise set, feet up and tunes
playing.

Day 5
Left Calgary at 5:30 AM. Rode past Olympic park and took a picture of the Ski Jump. It started raining when arrived at Banff National Park. We had breakfast and then suited up. Banff was very nice, right in the Canadian Rockies, lots of wildlife including a black bear and her cub. It cleared enough to get some pictures, sun came out when we got out of the park. Got a picture of Athabasca Glacier. We crossed into British Columbia and the pacific time
zone. Arrived in  Prince George, BC at 5:30 PM. 530 miles.

Day 6
Rode from Prince George to Prince Rupert on Trans Canada Rt 16, very niceride, lots of mountains. Arrived Prince Rupert around 4:30 PM . 478 miles.
Staying at the Anchor Inn, we will be here two nights because we don't take the Ferry until Wednesday the 11th.

Day 7
Today is a down day, we take the Ferry tomorrow. We did some laundry and ran errands. I went to the library and did some Email. When I came back  to the hotel, I looked out our second floor window and  there was a deer  looking up at me, took some pictures. Tomorrow we take the Ferry and arrive in Haines, Alaska on Friday the 13th.

Day 8
Arrived at the Ferry terminal at 9:30 AM as directed. Finally got under way around 1:00 PM  pacific time, gained another hour getting on the Ferry and into the Alaska time zone. Saw a few whales and porpoises had some good meals stayed up late for the navigation through the channel in Petersburg.

Day 9
Awoke and ate breakfast and walked around the vessel looking for whales. Cafeteria reopens at 12 noon, more eating and looking for whales, spent some time talking to the bartender this day.

Day 10
Ferry stopped in Juneau, disembarked and got pictures of Bald eagles there at the Ferry terminal. Arrived at Haines 3:15 PM. Finally back on the bike! Haines is nice, saw more Bald Eagles at Chilkoot State Park, Ate supper at the famous Bamboo house, they are noted for their Fish and Chips. Glad to be back on land and my Goldwing, I'm glad I did the Ferry trip, but this part of my Alaska trip I will not repeat.
 

Day 11
Left Haines at 7 AM and headed up the Haines Highway reentering Canada. Weather was pretty good, had A couple showers, temp dropped to 43 degrees at the Highest elevation on the Haines highway in the Yukon. Lots of constuction on the Alaska Highway between Haines Junction, Yukon and
the Alaska border. Arrived Tok Alaska at 5:30 PM 460 miles. Bright sunshine at 11:30 PM when we went to bed.

Day 12
Left Tok at 5:30 AM, blue sky and 40 degrees, took the Tok Cut Off Highway to Glenallen. Then the Richardson Highway to Valdez. Lots of snow covered mountains on the way. Took pictures of Worthington Glacier, Bridal veil falls and Thompson pass.Stopped and got a picture of the pipeline. Had a good late breakfast in Valdez at the Totem Inn. Light rain and fog in Valdez. Temp. went as low as 34 degrees along the Tok Cut Off  Highway. We
then returned to Glenallen and took the Glenn  Highway west to Anchorage. Took pictures of the Matanuska Glacier, the Glacier that the ferry we rode
was named after. Scenery on this road was spectacular, lots of construction though. Saw a black bear crossing 6 lanes of traffic near Anchorage.
Stayed in Anchorage at the Econo Lodge and had supper at Chilkoot Charlie's. 603 miles today.

Day 13
Left Anchorage at 6 AM and headed South on the Sterling Highway to the Kenai peninsula and  to Homer, A fishing community. Halibut fishing capital of the world. We had our mandatory showers for the day, but overall the weather was good. We have not had a completely rain free day with the exception of day 1. We had Brunch in Homer and walked the Boardwalk. From there we rode to Seward, another Port town.  You can take a Helicopter or boat to view Glaciers from Seward. We took a picture of  a Huge cruise liner, and headed back North toward Anchorage, stopping at Portage Glacier, and Portage lake. Arrived Anchorage at 7:30 PM 589 Miles. Anchorage is all one way streets.

Day 14
Left Anchorage at 7:10 AM, 50 degrees, bright sunshine and blue sky. Headed North on the George Parks Highway, Alaska Route 3 toward Fairbanks.
Had perfect weather for taking pictures of Mt. McKinley, witch I'm told is usually In the clouds. Mt McKinley is 20, 320 feet, highest point in North America. We had a late breakfast and met two guys on BMW's, they had been to the Artic circle And said the road wasn't bad, we were glad to hear that as we planned on going there the next day. We arrived in Fairbanks early in afternoon, 80 degrees, first time the leather comes off since being in Alaska. Went to the Honda shop and bought some oil. We got a hotel and then met up with Rich's friend Rich who is in the Air Guard at Eielson Air Force Base. We went to his house and did an oil change. 395 miles today after running around Fairbanks. Thanks to Rich and his wife Marcie, having a place to do an oil change was a big help.

Day 15
Left Fairbanks just after 6:30 AM, heading up the Dalton Highway toward the Artic Circle. 67 degrees in town, cooled down to 40's not to far out. It is
140 miles to Yukon River Camp, no fuel in between except in Fox, witch is only 10 miles out of Fairbanks. We had breakfast, got fuel and some souvenirs at Yukon river camp, the Artic Circle is 60 miles from here, We got to the circle took pictures and headed back. We stopped at the  Turtle Club Restaurant in Fox, excellent Prime Rib, Rich had King Crab legs. They open at 6:00 PM, the place was packed by 6:30 on a Wednesday night.
It is about 200 miles from Fairbanks to the Artic Circle, just about half of that is gravel, Thankfully the weather was good so it was dry except for a couple short wet sections, Just those sections got the bikes pretty dirty.

Day 16
Rich went to visit a High school friend today. I went to the car wash and pressure Washed the heavy mud off the bike. Went to the Sourdough Café on University ave .and had an excellent Breakfast. Went and did some errands and went to Library and did some Email. I then took a ride down to Denali national park. The visitor's center was jammed , I didn't feel like taking a bus, so I opted for a helicopter ride but they were not flying Due to weather. It was overcast there, but nice in Fairbanks. I will have to do it next time. Went back to Fairbanks and met Rich, we went to Rich and Marcie's for some
King Salmon cooked On the grill, excellent.

Day 17,
20 June 2003. Left Fairbanks and went to Tok and  took the Taylor highway to Chicken, Alaska. An interesting little hole in the wall, no power. From Chicken the road turns to dirt, the Top Of The World Highway, Nice scenery on this road, we crossed back into Yukon, Canada went to Dawson City, A neat place, set up like it was during the 1898 gold rush. We stayed at the Triple J Hotel, I walked around town and took pictures in daylight after midnight. It was the day before the summer solstice,  witch is apparently a huge party.

Day 18
Another nice day, took the Klondike Highway south to Whitehorse, Yukon. Lots of gravel areas, very dusty, better than rain and mud though. Saw 3 Elk and a Grizzly Bear today.

Day 19
Left Whitehorse at 4:30 AM, cool, 43 degrees, a few light showers. Took the Alaska Highway to Watson lake, Yukon and took pictures at the Signpost
Forest. We then back tracked 13 miles and took the Cassiar Highway to Stewart B.C. Took pictures of Bear Glacier near Stewart. Went to across the border to Hyder, Alaska For Supper. 720 miles today, a  fair portion of gravel.

Day 20
Left Stewart at 6:30 AM, took the Cassiar Highway south to The Trans Canada 16, then East to Rt 97 South, stayed in 100 Mile House, BC.  NO GRAVEL TODAY! Saw 3 black bear and 3 Bald eagles. Day 21 Left 100 Mile House and headed South, through the Fraser river valley, very nice, stopped at the Duty Free Shop and got the Refund on the GST paid on Hotels. Crossed into Washington State, and into hot weather and traffic, got through Seattle and stayed in Montesano, Washington.

Day 22
Left Montesano, and crossed the Columbia River into Oregon and ran the coast down to Brookings, Oregon, nice ride.

Day 23
Left Brookings and followed the coast to into California, through the Redwood National Forest, and on to  Eureka California and headed East On Rt
299. 46 degrees at coast, 106 when we reached Reading, Ca. continued east on Rt. 44 to US 395 then picked I-80 in Reno, stayed in Lovelock, Nevada.

Day 24
Left Lovelock and headed East on I-80, across the Utah salt flats and stayed in Rawlins, Wyoming.

Day 25
Left Rawlins at 5:30 AM, nice and cool, no traffic, by the time we reached Nebraska The traffic was heavy with trucks and it got very hot. Stayed in Walnut Iowa. 745 miles.

Day 26
Left Walnut at 5 AM, nice weather. 12, 300 miles into the trip we are Paying our first toll just outside of Chicago on I-80. At the Indiana Ohio line
We waited in a mile long line for the privilege of paying $13 for the use of I-80 In Indiana. Another 4 bucks in Ohio, for a toll road that does not have
signs indicating what lodging is available, only a sign that says Hotels next exit, pick up sheet at toll. I will avoid this section of road in the future.  Stayed in Elyria, Ohio, 769 miles today.

Day 27
Rich stayed in Elyria to visit friends, I left at 5:15 AM, arrived in Somersworth at 3:30 PM And dropped off 15 rolls of film at WalMart. 735 miles today, 13,400 total for the trip. Good trip, no problems mechanical or otherwise, and pretty good weather overall, actually, no rain at all the second half of the trip.

Pictures can be seen at the site below. Email me for more pictures and information

http://quebecsnowmobiling.com/v-web/gallery/2003-NH-to-Alaska-Motorcycle-Trip


Richard Doucet
Somersworth, NH USA
doucetrr@comcast.net