Alaska 2012
 
 

Day 13

July 17

 
   
 
 
 Since the ferry booking said we need to be there two hours before sailing, we figure we'd best hit it early and go quick. There's a long gravel section on the ALCAN that we have to traverse but I am hoping we will get there before they get to work. It is probably the worst gravel we have encountered so far, so it is a good thing when we hit and have it all to ourselves. When we get to Haines Junction, we stop at an unattended Shell station to fuel up. We are thankful that it works even though the sign says 'Opening soon'. When we turn right off the ALCAN on to highway 3, we don't get too far before we hit another construction zone.  
  
 Fortunately, when the flag lady tells us that the pilot car will only be about five minutes, she is right. It's a long section but mostly hardpacked so not much to pucker about on this section.  
  
 Once we get back on pavement, it is hard to believe the views before us. This is the section of road that I have really been looking forward to riding, and I am not disappointed.  
  
 It's just like riding inside of one of those scenic calendars that the gift stores try to sell you.  
  
 We take a short break just to sort of let it all soak in.  
  
 Just when you think you've seen a pretty view,  
  
 you round a corner or ride over a hill ...  
  
 and you see another one.  
  
 As we move along, we notice there is an Alaskan DOT truck leapfrogging us as we stop for various photo ops. We exchange waves as we move back and forth in front of each other. I see that up ahead they have pulled over with their flashers on, so we slow down to see what's up.  
  
  When I look to my left, I realize they were doing us a big favor on many levels. There's a big momma grizzly with her cubs in tow just off the road. We snap our pictures very quickly then get out of Dodge. Most folks don't realize how fast a mad grizzly can cover ground - especially if she thinks someone is going to harm her cubs.  
  
 The temperatures are cool and we have the road to ourselves and the scenery just gets better and better.  
  
 The constant play of the clouds around the snow touched mountain tops are fascinating to see. 
  
 And each curve brings a different perspective of the natural wonder around us. 
  
 This is definitely not the road if you don't like looking at snow covered mountains. 
  
 Each one has it's own particular beauty as the road dips and weaves between them. 
  
 In the distance we see a massive range covered with heavy snow.  
  
 As we near the Alaska state line, the road begins to come down out of the mountains as it carries us toward the ocean. 
  
 

When we get to the US Customs, it's a pretty quick crossing. The officer is a really nice guy and I appreciate that. But I just have to ask him one question when we are through -

"Do you ever get tired of the scenery around here?"

"Nope, I never do" he replies.

Sometimes when we live near a thing of beauty we begin to take it for granted. But I find it hard to believe you could if you traveled the road we have just been on, even if you did it quite often.

 
  
 Once we are down in the valley, the road runs between the steep mountains on our left and the river on our right. 
  
 And I'm sure the mountains to our right provide plenty of run off for the river when the snow begins to melt, judging by the width of the channel. 
  
 As we move along, Fred 'loses' his brains - he can't pick up the satellites. I have to figure it's because we are going right next to the mountains, or else he's just messing with me.  
  
 But the views take my mind off his contrariness and there's only one road into Haines anyway.  
  
 It's such a peaceful run along side the rapidly surging river with mountains in the background. 
  
 The river seems to get wider as we get closer to the ocean. I wonder if the salt water reaches this far inland.  
  
 Then it turns from a river into a full fledged inlet. Some of the road in this area does not have a guardrail, so we have to take special care as to where our eyeballs are looking most of the time.  
  
 I imagine these fellers are enjoying their passion as much as we are as we both are moving right along.  
  
 The closer we get to Haines, the wider the valley becomes.  
  
 

When we reach the outskirts of Haines, Fred wants to take us in one direction and we have a disagreement. We follow the road into the main town and lose the ferry signs. I stop and ask a construction worker -

"What's the shortest way to the ferry?"

"Well if you were going in the opposite direction, you'd take a left at that corner and just follow the road."

I figure I can fix my direction, so we do a quick u-turn and soon we arrive just like he said. For all our rushing, it appears that we even beat the ferry office people here. Alain walks over to the building and sees someone inside. They motion for him to come on in and he motions to me. Once we check in, we find out we don't have to be here until an hour before launch. Having not had my daily dose, I ask her -

"Anywhere back in Haines we could get some breakfast?"

Quick as a flash she says -

"Yes the Bamboo Room. Just take the road you came in on and you can't miss it."

 
  
 Now I'm from the country, and somehow bamboo and breakfast usually don't end up in the same sentence. But I reckon we'll have to go by faith this time and see how it sorts out. It's easy to find, so we pull into the gravel parking lot and make our way inside.  
  
 It turns out to be really good and they know how to put on a breakfast. Miss Denise waits on us and she is absolutely top notch. We settle up and head back to the ferry. There are some pretty views of the inlet on the way back to the terminal.  
  
 With a full stomach and time to kill, I figure I'll take me a little nap. I've found I can sleep just about anywhere and this works out pretty nicely.  
  
 

As vehicles start to pull in, I hear someone say

"Well, Uncle Phil, I'm sure glad to see you."

It's Jack, a riding friend from McMinnville back home and he has four other fellers with him. They've been camping the whole way and are headed to Hyder from Skagway. They didn't buy their ferry tickets ahead of time but they have no trouble getting a booking on the boat. I file that away for future reference as we could have probably slept in another two hours and still been fine. Soon the ferry arrives and the loading begins.

 
  
 Motorcycles are loaded pretty much at last but that's no big deal as long as we get on. It's nice ride and a bit of a break after so many miles on the road.  
  
 There are some beautiful views from the decks of the ferry ...  
  
 pretty much any direction you want to look. That is ...  
  
 if you like snow covered mountains. 
  
 I remember some of these scenes as we came into Skagway on a cruise ship many years ago.  
  
 About half way through the journey, the ferry does a 'man over board' drill complete with the lowering of a rescue boat. 
  
 The pilot turns the ferry in a complete circle as part of the drill. After several maneuvers, they hoist the rescue boat back into it's place and we proceed on to Skagway.  
  
 As we near Skagway, I see several cruise ships already anchored. 
  
 One is from the Holland line that Sharyn and I took our cruise on. They tend to have smaller ships and cater to a 'quieter' group of customers.  
  
 On the right are the major cruise ships which are just floating cities. They tend be more for the 'party minded' folks.  
  
 The departure from the ferry is run with great precision, and we are at our lodging for the evening pretty quickly. I've booked us a room at the Sgt. Preston Lodge, just off the main street of Skagway.  
  
 Once we get our stuff in the room and the bikes put away for the evening, we take a strolling tour of the town. Down near the docks is the rail station. 
  
 It used to be a real railroad but now it is primarily for scenic rides for the tourists. Skagway was the jumping off point for the Yukon Gold Rush and this railway hauled a lot stuff for that short period.  
  
 The most fascinating thing about it is this 'snow engine'. It is self-propelled by steam and it was used to plow the deep snow off the tracks in the winters.  
  
 In the nearby park is the Skagway Centennial Statue, commemorating the time of history in the town.  
  
 It represents a native Tlingit guide with a gold seeking greenhorn following him to what he hopes is a lifetime of wealth. The Yukon Gold Rush lasted a little more than a year or so and more found bust than they found boom. 
  
 Since Skagway is a major stop for the cruise ships, the town's main street is well taken care of.  
  
 A lot of the historical buildings have been restored and preserved.  
  
 Some of the buildings still retain their 'old' signage though they have been converted to other uses.  
  
 I find this building particularly interesting built in 1899. It is know as the 'A B Building' which stands for the 'Arctic Brother Hood'. It a fraternal organization whose motto is "No Boundary Line Here." The front is covered completely with driftwood.  
  
 But it is also certainly the land of t-shirts and jewelry. I count thirty jewelry shops on the main drag before I give up counting. 
  
 

When we get back to the motel, I ask one of the owners about supper and breakfast. He never skips a beat -

"Skagway Brewery for supper, the SweetTooth for breakfast."

With that information in hand, we go as we are directed. It is on the upper end of the main street, slightly past the souvenir shops and such. So it appears to miss a lot of the tourist traffic and is more of a local place. The supper choice is excellent and the service is good. It's a short walk back to our room and I have no trouble finding the land of sleep.