We’d made it to the top of the Americas but there was still a lot of Alaska to see. We left Fairbanks and headed to Anchorage where the best value accommodation was the Harley Davidson Campground. In the dealership’s garden, there is a lovely, green campground and a clean bathroom. The only drawback is that it can become party central!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no circuitous route around Alaska with most roads heading back to Anchorage or Fairbanks. We took the road to Seward with John Blood, one of our Prudhoe Bay team. The weather wasn’t brilliant – cold and wet. The scenery was breathtaking – even more dramatic because of the cloud cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our way back to town we took the unique ‘road’ to Whittier. This port town was built for the military and the only access is by sea or via the train tunnel. The tunnel is open to one-way traffic and motorcycles have to ride within the train tracks. It’s an eerie experience riding through this 4.2 kilometre tunnel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another side trip was to Valdez, where the Alaskan oil tunnel ends. The day we rode down here the sun shone, making the glaciers awe inspiring…an icy blue against the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

roads in Alaska are great for motorbikes and apart from the Dalton most are sealed, offering a great time for all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we left Alaska we took the Top of the World Highway through the tiny dot on the map of Chicken. The locals wanted to call the town Ptarmigan, after the bird that thrives in the area. The problem was they weren’t sure they could spell the name correctly so they opted for Chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a unique town and worth a fleeting stop on the way to the Canadian border. While the road isn’t to the ‘top’ of the world – the view along the way gives you the feeling you are on top of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossing in to the Yukon we stop at Dawson City on the banks of the mighty Yukon River. The river flows so quickly driving the car ferry is a true art from. In winter this river freezes to the thickness were cars can drive across it! It must be stressful to be the first to take their car across the Yukon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dawson City was a gold rush town that shows the tourists just how life was during the Yukon gold rush of the 1890s. They say the streets were paved with gold which isn’t far from the truth. Gold dust abounds in the dirt under the raised, wooden pavements and the buildings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thing you must do in Dawson City is go to the Downtown Hotel and try a sour toe cocktail. The blackened human toe is put in to a shot of your choice and down the hatch it goes.

 

 

 

 

 

“You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow – but your lips must touch the toe“

The photos tell the story…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We cut back in to Alaska to Skagway to experience the inside passage – the protected waterway that runs down the east coast. We had bad weather but it was still a relaxing way to end our stay in the ‘last frontier’ – smooth sailing on untroubled waters.