Deep Within

Well I'm sure everyone from back home, would probably want to ask me, "what about the bears?". I remember one evening, I heard a low frequency growl. I was camping near some other people close to Glenallen(within yelling/screaming distance) and walked around to investigate while eating dinner. I would occasionally hear the growl return and give me chills. As I walked around a clearing, I had an idea where in the thicket it was coming from. Then I realized it was an ATV, and the person drove off with it, haha.

Fortunately, the only bears I have seen were the two black cubs I saw as I descended from Exit Glacier, right at the base (I'm still hoping to see a brown, but from the road and not from camp of course). I almost forgot that I did see an Artic Tern on Turnagain Arm before arriving in ANC. I saw three bald eagles in one day, a few hawks/immature eagles here and there.

I'm in Tok now, and only two days of riding from Canada! I left Anchorage and rode for 8 straight days. Had a fantastic rest day in town; shower, beer, laundry - the good life. I have met so many wonderful and interesting people.

Leaving Anchorage, I was stricken with a pang of loneliness for the first couple days. My cirst day leaving town, I got a chunk of glass in my rear tire and the subsequent flat forced me to take everything off my bike, after having just bought more than a weeks worth of groceries, I ended up leaving my two front bungees, biked two miles and realized this when one of my front panniers fell off. I had to bike back and get them, with my pannier, and tool bag, falling off several more times. This was not a warm return to the road and I was so close to staying yet ANOTHER day. The second day starting out was emotional, shifting from sheer sadness to laughing, and a little at the same time. It soon passed, started covering some ground, and began to enjoy fresh adventure once more. The weather leaving town was pretty nice; mixed clouds and sun. Closer to Tok, the mosquitoes became worse the last few days, had lots more rain and some colder days. I had a few very nice campsites (always free-camping). I had one site right next to fresh glacial melt along the Kings river, directly next to where it fed into the muddier Matanuska.

I've already had some very trying days, and some marvelous ones. I remember an evening pulling up to a camp site. I couldn't find a decent tree to lean my bike against, so used my kick-stand, then my bike fell over and broke my stand. For the next hour I would be cussing aloud as I tried to make camp and something else would piss me off, haha.

I faced lots of construction, and on kne stretch past Glenallen, had to ride for about 20 miles on a gravel road, ughhh. There was another stretch where I stopped at a lodge for water. Returning to the road, and more construction, I rode along for a mile or so as a water truck and a bull dozer passed. A pace car drove up somewhat erratically, and a woman jumped out exclaiming, "you can't ride through a construction zone!". I laughed and apologized as we loaded my bike into the pace truck, and she drove me (CHEATING!) about a half mile to the end of the area.

I have met a few cycle tourists already. James I met going the opposite way on a sunny day just souh of Glenallen. He rode from Minnesota to Homer to try and raise money for cancer. Kanetomo, a Japanese cyclist riding around whose legs were bitten up so badly I had to ask about them (I should have realized this was a sign of things to come, as the damn mosquit's def got worse). Markos, from Austria, I met in Tok. Markos has ridden all over Latin America already and loves it down there. He speaks spanish, French, German, AND English - very jealous... We hung out my last night in Tok at Fast Eddies - basically the only restaurant in town.

Fast Ed's reminds me of "back to the future 2", when Biff ends up getting rich and has a casino. I felt like Marty when I came to town and lots of people kept saying to go to Fast Eddies. When I rolled up, there were tons of cars, RVs, and motorcycles outside. I kind of expected to hear some TelePrompTer telling me abou Biff Tanner's life as I walked into the joint.

There are LOTS of old retired people driving RVs on the road - a less than ideal cycle touring situation. I've seen lots of motorcycle tourists too.

I have had some pretty decen hills already, crossing over Eureka summit at around 3,000ft, as well as some other steep hills. One day, after climbing a VERY steep hill somewhere north of Chickaloon in the hot sun, I was close to running out of water. I got to the top and saw two women on a side road (un)loading something from their trailer.

I went over to ask for water, and saw a woman drenched from head to toe in blood, a dead moose, and another woman. Turns out it was a mother and daughter trying to load the female moose onto the trailer. They are part of a program that collects freshly killed moose, cuts up the meat, and distributes it among the community.

Before I could even ask for water, they were asking for help, and I was happy to oblige. Their winch battery was dead, and the moose halfway on the gate. It took us about 20 minutes but finally got it on there. The poor moose must have been hit by a semi, because it had flown clear into the bushes on the side. She had two broken legs and looked pretty beat up. When I inquired about the two holes in the head, the mother (sorry forgot both your names, email me and I'll put ya in!) responded, "those are bullet holes from where the cop shot it.". Nice to know they tried to put it out of it's misery soon. She told me the moose would feed about three families = stoked.

I met, basically, the two state troopers in Alaksa, Al and Mitch, who both stopped on the road to talk to me and were curious about my trip. They are both great guys, and so refreshing to be reminded that not ALL cops are pricks! They drive all over the state in these sneaky, all-black, unmarked, crown victorias. They are like the CHPs of the state from my understanding.

I saw the oil pipeline while in Glenallen. It was amazing to see something that was constructed and crosses the entire state. It was also a disgusting sight to see this metal tube supplying oil to the states. It made me think of a simile; like some fat kid with a straw, just keeps sucking on a soft drink and keeps getting bigger.

My last night before arriving in Tok, I had a great evening wih a fire, made a good dinner and recorded some guitar playing. When I was reviewing some of the footage, I dropped my camera right into my pot of mashed potatoes. Amazingly, it still works, but just doesn't close quite the same.

The morning I rode to Tok, I cooked a wonderful meal fireside, but just as I was breaking camp it started raining. I packed up in the tent, stretched and thought it would soon pass, but didn't. So I hurriedly packed, but was soon wet and cold before even getting on the bike (it was in the low forties Fahrenheit). I had to ride hard for the first few miles to warm up. My feet wouldn't warm up and dry until I got to town, 40 miles away. This was one of my coldest moments of my trip so far.

As mentioned, I had a splendid day off in Tok. Took my time getting up, ate breakfast, played guitar, shower/laundry... all during a gorgeous sunny, warm day. While doing my laundry, and after having just returned from a shower. I met Roy, an Alaskan native. We got to talking, and ended up sharing some songs on my guitar. He has a unique kind of playing style, a country kind of folk feel that was very different than I'm used to but very enjoyable.

Some people have been so generous and supportive of my trip up here and are worth mentioning (if you have helped me in ANY way, don't think I am not grateful, I just probably forgot what you provided, and surely think of you while riding!):
Ryan at Chevron - Thanks for the glue for my sandal and helmet.
Fred at Fast Eddies - Thanks so much for a hearty breakfast to fuel my day of riding!
The older traveling couple at the laundry room that put my clothes in the drier while I took a shower.
Sam - The bear spray is SUCH an added sense of security, you're awesome bud!
Rob and Karla - I showed up at their trailer asking where the river camping was, Rob almost immediately offered beer. The following morning when I stopped by on my way out, they cooked me breakfast. THANKS AGAIN!



Thoughts while riding:

[Sorry if I am repeating myself - there is a finite amount of things to think about, and often end up thinking about some of the same stuff.]
I usually enjoy talking to people about my trip, but sometimes people catch me at a less opportune time, like just getting out of the saddle and I need to eat, drink, and urinate. I apologize if I'm rather frank, but I gotta go! Also, I don't think people realize how often I'm asked about my trip and get some of the same questions all the time, over and over. It's tough sometimes to be patient with people and give them the same answers after like the 10th person asked me in a day.

Not hearing any music for days, my mind starts playing juke box, and I'll hear stuff ranging from Jimmy Buffet, to Drake. Powering up the iPod for the first time in a while and listening to music while riding, I was giddy and laughing at such an amenity. Having some desolate stretches was nice, being able to sing as loudly as I pleased, with only the trees, the road, and my trusty steed to hear me.

This will not be easy and fast. Will it be slow and painful? - you bet!

Expect the worst, hope for the best (my personal motto) because when you expect less; you get more.

Camping in Alaksa is so easy. It's unanimously understood that you see a pull out, you can camp there (just not private property), even a cop told me the same thing. I don't even usually try to be concealed while camping compared to my last trip. I usually look for other people camping, like in "public use" areas, that way I know it's safe and good to camp at.

So many cycle tourists have all the same gear. Like they go online and are told to only ride a Surly long haul trucker, ortlieb bags, Brooks saddle, schwalbe marathon tires... I laugh every time I see it because so many people have the same set up - I have none of those things and am still getting by just fine!

I used to be a lot more anal about being clean. Cycle touring has kind of forced me to embrace being dirty, there's really no way arround it.

It's so refreshing to be away from the military scene, in both San Diego and in anchorage on the air force base with my father. The very sight of military related equipment/people, makes me think first of how much tax money we all waste on garbage that's only good for killing people, or providing the means to do so. If we halved military spending, we could have healthcare and education for all. With all the surplus money, we could enjoy our land as citizens, fee-free, as it should be...isn't it our land?

I like to think that what I'm doing gives people hope and inspiration. Something seems to light up inside people when I tell them what I'm doing, and appear excited.

Need to get on the road now! Not much between here and Haines, so gotta load up at the grocery store. Not sure if I'll have wifi any time soon, so my next update might be from Haines Junction, Haines, but definitely hope before I get to Whitehorse!

Pictures and video coming soon!

¡Vayan con páz!