To Anchorage

Kevin, Neville and Dave said their goodbyes and headed off before us, we were a little later on the road, roadworks everywhere and some gravel sections although unlike the South we could still hold 60mph through the gravel sections. We stopped at Tok for fuel and for food and guess what we bumped into the lads again, they had some business to attend to so we caught up. We managed to blag a free lunch courtesy of the Denali State bank who were having a community day. First time I've got anything free from any bank, well done Denali State Bank! Another goodbye, the guys headed for Fairbanks whilst we headed to stay the night at Glenallan, we arrived as the rain got heavy and luckily got an excellent B&B in "town" No beer at the restaurant and if I'm right a dry town so a sober night. Today was dark and overcast, we quickly ran into cold wet conditions, what should have been a scenic ride turned into a wet one but I really enjoyed it, just like home! We stopped at Palmer for fuel for the bikes and ourselves before reaching Anchorage.
Now the trip, Argentina to Alaska and beyond always had Anchorage as the turn around point so this is a major milestone for us, so far 22000 miles (35000KM's) plenty more adventures I'm sure in the "beyond" section.
We got to the BMW shop I'd E mailed a couple of weeks ago and the guys had everything I'd ordered, great to deal with a shop that delivers, cheers guys. Hopefully over the next couple of days I can get the bikes serviced and back to tip top shape then its "beyond" !!

We meet with los amigos again!!

Hail the Denali State bank, can you see RBS doing this?

Muchos Roadworks

Appropriate, Antler Rally hat at the most excellent Antlers Rest B&B

Kevin Doyle Creek!!

Anchorage, and a well deserved cup of tea all the way from East Lothian

It's one of these "I was there" photos 

Really cool ER6 flattrack bike

    

Whale watching, Alaska and back into Canada again

We left on the Tuesday ferry from Prince Rupert (which turned out to be quite a nice place to chill for a couple of days) and very soon made friends with our fellow motorcyclists on board, a different group of individuals but all here to enjoy motorcycling and the views in one of the last unspoilt wilderness's of the world. The Ferry is operated by the Alaskan Marine Highway ferry company and it is just that, it connects a host of small settlements on the Alaskan seaboard who have no other way of leaving the various islands and peninsulas that make up this spectacular coastline. Tuesday night we found we had 5 hours in port in Ketchican so we all the motorcyclists got of and had a collective meal in town, a great way to get to know each other. To be honest everybody on the boat was friendly and the whole thing was a great experience, we spent a fair time with Len, former schoolteacher and now a expedition guide, he gave us lots of advice on things to see and do in Alaska and the Yukon,
We had Wednesday afternoon whale watching, my photos don't do it justice, we must have seen at least 50 whales making their way past the boat feeding to stock up for the journey South to calf.
The bad thing was we were up at 02.30 AM for a supposed 3.15 disembark in Haines Alaska, we got off about 3.45 and spent an hour taking group photos, saying goodbyes and waiting for some light!
Fi and I set off when it was still Dusk, we knew the dangers from the wildlife at this time of the morning so rode cautiously keeping an eye out for the Bears, Moose, Deer and Caribou that are around here. It was also cold and wet the first since a long time, not good. After 50 miles the Canadian border, all the motorcyclists re grouped and we brewed up Tea for ourselves and Dave at the side of the road in pissing rain  whilst Kevin and brother Neville kept us entertained by putting their new gear into use to brew coffee. Eventually the border opened, the girl was a bit grumpy and didn't like my reply to her question "so what brings you to Canada" I replied, em well a motorbike , she then replied, oh a smart arse, do you want this to be difficult?  I apologised and we were waved through. A breakfast stop at Haines Junction and we met up with Kevin, Neville and Dave again, realising there were more opportunities for giving each other abuse we agreed to stop at the comically named Beaver Creek for the evening. The rain eventually stopped (after I was soaked through) and unbelievably the sun came out later.We had a great night at Buckshot Betty's and then spent the rest of the night making up ideas for reality TV shows. A great few days in superb company and thanks to all for making the last few days memorable.

Sunset at Prince Rupert

A nice Harbour

Pretty

Waiting for the ferry

This Ferry to be precise

Hanging around in queues

Nice Lighthouse

Sunset in the inner sound

Coming back from shore leave with Michael Angelo (Yamaha FZ1)

Waking up to this, not at all bad

Narrow and shallow waters in parts

Pretty, pretty

Sister ship heading south

Stop at Juneau

Holiday snap, Note the new haircut, 2nd in 8 months and as bad as the first1

Dive dive dive

Bye Bye, stunning creatures

You get the idea hopefully

Ploughing through the water

Thar she blows!

This is me being too slow to catch the one that jumped right out the water but I got the splash!

Another night

Another morning (4am)

Setting off in the danger zone

Our new friends outside Buckshot Betty's, L - R Kevin, Fiona, Dave and Neville

Prince Rupert

We have picked a holiday weekend to stay here which wasn't that clever, its a small place and mostly shut for the weekend! We spent Friday night in the company of Ed & Peter, they are ships Captains working as pilots taking ships through the inner sound and Vancouver, they were waiting to join a cruise ship to steer it down to  Vancouver, Ed is also a motorcyclist so we told bike stories whilst I quizzed him on the intracacies of being a ships pilot! All in all an interesting night. Saturdays main event was my second haircut of the trip so I no longer look like a troll (Honest Mark!) and today we rode to Port Edward to the North Pacific Canning factory, luckily they have got rid of the fish and its just the machinery left so no smell ! Really interesting to see how muck hard graft went into supplying tinned salmon for the UK market. An interesting aside, the workers here were a mix of Europeans, First Nation, Japanese and Chinese, its no different from any other place the Europeans exploited, find a natural resource, take over the land, use the locals as cheap labour and any others looking for a better way of life, get rich, leave!  The other side is of course would the locals be any better or worse if that sequence of events hadn't happened? Not a political rant, just an observation and trying to fill the blog when there's not much happening! Anyway ferry Tuesday to Haines and hopefully we will get some whale photos for you! Alaska here we come!

Signs of the old country everywhere

Enjoying a Friday night with Ed & Peter

They had a replica of me on the wall!

Never expected to see this, interesting fact, the Chinese in Canada didn't get to vote until 1949!

The North Pacific Cannery complete with Scottish like weather

This is where it all happened

You get the idea

This machine was so called because it did away with 30 Chinese workers who killed, and gutted the fish, imagine the uproar nowadays!

The mist did lift for the run back to our digs!

Lake Williams to Prince Rupert

We left Lake Williams and stopped at Vanderhoff just past Prince George (now a topical place hoping to cash in due to the naming convention of the British Monarchy!) We eat at the local pub and I had the best Thai Green Curry since the last time I was in Applecross, a real surprise and a pleasant change from the Burgers usually on offer. We stopped in a Motel as the temperatures were around 38 Degrees Centigrade and we had to escape from the heat!
The following day we rode on Highway 16 to a campsite at Telkwa (Fort Telkwa) just before Smithers, Really nice campsite in a stunning location and the best toilets and showers of any campsite I've stayed at so we decided to stay two days. The campsite was busy (and we met some really nice people there) and getting busier as it is the town of Smithers centenary celebration this weekend so we reluctantly left there to head to Terrace which we found was also having a busy weekend to celebrate British Columbia day this weekend so we could only get one nights camping there so today we headed to Prince Rupert a day earlier than planned. We get the ferry to Haines from here on Tuesday so we have 4 days to explore this town which is round the size of Crieff (for the Perthshire followers) so a pretty relaxed few days ahead. The roads here are excellent, the last 700 miles has been like riding in Scotland and today we even got some mist and cold to make us feel at home. Other notable incidents this week have been me getting hit just below the eye with a wasp just as I opened my visor and then as the wasp recovered it decided to sting me as well! That and both of us being attacked by mosquitos this week have led to us starting the British Columbia league for the eradication of insects!
Oh and we met fellow British Travellers Pete & Rob on their 800 BMW's heading for Prudho Bay (nice to chat guys) and Pierre an almost local from the Interior (Bonjour Mon Ami)
Canada and BC are proving to be incredible for motorcycling, Petrol and Whisky is 30% more than in the US so that parts painful but some wonderful roads to enjoy!

We were there....Prince George

Breakfast at KFC, not a good start to the diet!

Just like the A9 they laid on roadworks to make us feel at home

Campsite at Fort Telkwa

Preparing dinner

Our tent looks a bit silly next to the RV's

This is when camping is the best! BUT it's also when the mozzies attack!

The trains here are incredible, I measured one at over a mile long!

Outside the campsite some commotion, a car load of kids got pulled and at least one got arrested for drug posession, I was hiding behind the fence watching the goings on, better than TV, glad they never noticed me taking the photo!

Another day another Gas station

Back to glaciers again

Canpsite in Terrace, Mozzies the size of small birds!

Highland mist.....

Another stunning motorcycle road