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Motorcycle Stories and Other Assorted Tales
by C. C. Crow
1989 The Great Alaska Motorcycle Tour
6-3 SAT
Ride into Seattle, stop at boat on Lake Union, go to Fisherman's
Terminal and leave truck. Return to boat, give Les ride back. He
brings boat over to FT and we load up nets and bike. Have to move
Jenny O to get to lift. I pull off wheel and final drive, 50 cent
hoist. It's a tight fit. Lunch at Little Chinook's, finish
packing. I drive boat back. Get caught in wind, recover generator,
drop off final drive at Bill's, pick up tank bag.
6-14 WED
Stayed up last night till 2 a.m., packing, cleaning and generally
going nuts. Wake up at 6 a.m., alarm was set for 7. Decisions are
impossible. Packing for a simple cycle trip is a lot easier. I
have chores to run, we go out to Los Plumas and have Haverios
Metalinos then go to boat. Bad headache- Captain Les is on his
way. Have to load faring, bags and stuff before they arrive. Off
we go! I'm inside when they cast off and almost miss saying good-
bye. We go up around Whidbey Island, past submarine. After two
hours Les hands her over to me. Ten minutes later the weather
starts to get rough. Past Port Townshend to the San Juan Islands.
Does good cutting into sea but still very poor with following sea.
It's nice inside islands, we stop at Friday Harbor but guest dock
is closed so we go on. Camp at STUARD ISLAND, tired out.
6-15 THUR
Beautiful morning, cast off at 7 a.m., run on smooth water through
Swanson Channel, first whale alert, Killers. Through Captain's
Passage, eat bacon and eggs & HB, then through Dodd Narrows,
shower before customs at Nanaimo, take picture of customerette as
she confiscates our apples. Gas up at Esso, loose a bumper. Then
have perfect run across Georgia Strait- like glass, sunny. Past
Campbell River, fisherman, the weather starts getting rough.
Seymour Narrows we ride with the tide into the wind, it twists and
turns. We are into Johnstone Strait we buck three plus foot waves,
smoothly around Race Passage, we see Alaska Ferry and three cruise
ships. It's 8 p.m., we're looking at Port Neville but go on to
Havannah Channel, sneaking our way into the calmer back waters. A
guide book put us into Burial Cove for the night. We are all
tired, have a salad for dinner and a drink. Call home is blurred.
Then hit the sack. I dream about anchor line winding out and the
boat drifting, tangling with everything- bad guys and dynamite.
6-17 FRI
Sleep in till 7, then go up Chatham Channel and around to Cutter
Cove, crab but no luck. Move on towards Port Hardy via Knight
Inlet, weather outlook is bad, but we enjoy good weather all day,
partly cloudy with a shower or two near Alert Bay. We stop in Port
Hardy for fuel, no time for grocery or phone- we push on. Pass
through God's Pocket and into Queen Charlotte Strait, light ocean
swells, sunny, we set course for Pine Island, past Storm Island,
then Egg Island, with Cape Calvert as our objective. The crossing
takes two hours plus and we are thankful for the good weather. We
enter Fitzhugh Sound past Safety Cove and finally into Kwakshus
Channel where we anchor in PURTH BAY for the night. pretty spot.
Lori can't find a fettachini recipe so I volunteer to cook
spaghetti. Rob stays while Lori and Les row into shore to check
the trail that goes across to the ocean side beach. I'm cooking
away, when we see Les come back at the prescribed time but he is
alone and in a hurry. I yell that there is no rush, the foods not
quite ready. He yells back, forget the food, there's something he
wants us to do- we think the worst, what's happened to Lori? I
shut down the stove, drop everything. But he tells us to bring the
camera. We row to shore as instructed and head down the trail, we
greet the "Chief", a saber-toothed face hand-carved in a cedar
tree, we wonder through the deep woods on wood planks, through
fallen trees cut for our passage. Near the end we smell the salt
air and hear the ocean surf. The view is spectacular, a crescent
sand beach, light waves form lines, rocky points to each side with
the sun setting through a magnificent pastel colored sky. Click,
click, click, I should have brought more film! What a great place.
We reluctantly hike back. When we reach the boat I'm told I've
made a big mistake. Thinking I burnt dinner or something I'm
informed that I have been elect head chef.
6-17 SAT
We wake to gloomy weather, rain. Weigh anchor, and head north
saying good-bye to the saber-toothed chief and the little cove. We
make our way to New Bella Bella at noon, when everything closes
down for lunch. Wanting fuel, we eat lunch and wait. A couple of
Indians try to bum money for beers. Ron and Lori go up to the
store for milk, fresh food and chewing tobacco. Little kid asks us
if we are going to move for the Queen. The Queen, we wonder? The
Queen of the North, the BC ferry, due at noon. Oh, yea, guess we
will. We were wondering about all the car traffic on the pier. We
move around to the other dock. Rob and Lori reappear empty handed,
reporting that it was "gross", there were bugs on the lettuce,
used barbecues for sale- and Indian trading post, fresh produce
arriving once a week on Saturday. We leave Rob back on dock when
the wind blasts us away, it takes several tries to puck him back
up. Around a point on Seaforth Channel the wind and seas really
pick up, hitting us on the side. We seek shelter and wait it out,
then brave our way up Mathison Channel, cross Jackson Passage and
then into Graham Reach. We push past Butedale and at night fall
arrive in Bishop's Bay for anchorage.
6-18 SUN
Les and I row ashore to explore the hot springs. We climb up the
old float and walk the planks along the shore and trees to a
little hut. We jump into the warm water with an ah. The ceiling
rafters are covered with vessel names and dates. We add f/v My
Colleen, 6-18-89 above the door. I cook sausages and eggs as we
depart. There is a debate over the amount of fuel but we are using
less being lighter. We motor on up Grenville Channel with a lunch
stop at Lowe Inlet, anchored at the base of a small waterfall. Les
and Lori go up to explore, and report that there is a small lake
above. As we move on to Prince Rupert I photograph the water from
all angles. When we arrive at 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening all the gas
docks are closed so we tie up and walk into town. We go to Mama
Song's and Rob finally gets his chew- $4!! We walk to McD's and
chow down. The walk and air was good. All the cars whizzing around
are scary though, we're not used to such speed. Big city. We leave
a muffin on the dock for the sea otters.
6-19 MON
We wake at 7 and move over to the fuel dock, hang out until 8 and
get 100 gallons, then off we go. Weather has improved, W cross
Dixon Entrance and into the State of Alaska uneventfully. We run
into the southeastern fleet fishing and spot some sister Lindell
boats. the Betty Jean, maybe the Ocean Pearl and for sure the
Kokomo, a larger red boat built just before ours. We go over to
say hello, it's slow fishing. As we leave Les spots another boat
we saw in Friday Harbor and we swing over to say hi there too,
they toss us three nice fresh salmon. Tree Point was good to us,
happily we go on to Ketchican and hunt for customs, dock there and
pay $9 for a stamp. They don't even bother to inspect us. Lori and
Rob go do laundry and we go back and put 266 gallons of fuel in.
That with the 100 gal. Wow. Rob and I go buy groceries, a drink
and a wink. I buy a polarizing filter. Then we shove off. Up
Tongass narrows, into Clarence Strait, we decide to head for Santa
Anna Bay in Earnst Sound. The water becomes glassy and dolphins
play in our wake. We start the stove and cook salmon for dinner.
Also catch some crab at our good anchorage.
6-20 TUE
Lori has a claustrophobic fit, wakes up backwards. We get
underway, head up Seward Passage and around to Zimovia Strait,
have to zigzag up to Wrangell Island, turn west up the narrows to
St. Petersberg. We run into Betty Jane at the fuel dock and say
hello, then into town. I try to call Alaska ferry wanting to
prolong my passage home but it is busy. We do a little shopping
and then we are off again. In Fredrick Sound we see whales, they
surface with puffs out their blowholes, roll on their backs and
sink with a flip of the tail. We stop right beside one playing in
the kelp, twenty feet away. Then another large one surfaces and
they wallow off. Spectacular. We make our way into Warm Springs
Bay and Baranof where we dock- neat general store with hot springs
tubs. We hike up the river by the falls.
6-21 WED
Summer Solstice. I wake for a moment around three thirty, it's
light out and high tide. Now as I write this at 11 p.m. it is
still light out. Les woke early and we were underway by 7. It's
slow going. I sleep in a little but Lori and Rob are bunk rats. I
cook breakfast and wash dishes, then sit by the wheel. As we
approach Glacier Bay we see more whales. We go into Bartlett Cove
and check in a day early with Elicia, then head into the park
seeing more whales. We go up Muir Inlet to the end. The scenery is
more than spectacular, Muir Glacier has receded greatly since 1960
and the inlet's walls are noticeably scoured clean. At the end of
the canyon the glacier hides, small icebergs clutter the bay. We
stop a half mile off and eat sloppy Joes. We run back and anchor
for the night at N. Sandy Bay, bear country. Les believes he has
miss estimated the fuel and thinks we don't have enough to run up
the other arm as we intended. It will cost fifty miles to return
to fuel up. Yesterday I consulted him with my feelings that he has
been pushing the entire trip- contrary to what we had been saying
all winter while we were building the boat, that we would have
three full weeks, to relax and take our time, see Sitka, Glacier
Bay... Now we are blasting by everything and he's pushing to make
it there in ten days. But I understand he is the captain and in
order to do all this we have to catch fish. But we have passed by
this and that on the pretense of having time to spend here in
Glacier Bay. But we lost two days and a weekend to snow days (he's
a teacher). Not to rag on him, I went ahead and told him what I
was thinking. Hopefully that was the right thing to do. But this
was the chance of a lifetime. I couldn't short change it. At least
I wished I had know beforehand and I would have planned my return
trip to include these stopovers we had skipped. I will see if I
can still do it, if I ever get through to the ferries. Overall,
Les has done a good job, this is an outstanding trip. I'm already
on roll six- buy stock in Kodak! Bad news from home, Bill still
hasn't sent the rear end yet. That will suck bad when we pull it
out of the hole. Need to ask about RR tickets.
6-22 THUR
No bears. We go back to Bartlet Cove early and fuel up. I make
calls to Alaska Marine Highway and add stops at Juneau and Sitka,
briefly at Wrangell. Call Bill- oh well. Les realizes we need to
relax and go on vacation. Test fishery today and plans on getting
to Snug Harbor on Wednesday next week. So we have lunch at Glacier
Bay Lodge, then leisurely head up the bay. See whales, orca, slow
up and anchor in Reid Inlet, one mile off glacier for night.
Before, we anchor next to Alaska Solstice, big scope AHS, walk up
to foot of glacier to say hi. Meet Ausis, chin chon dinner,
Glacier Ice cube cocktails. Probably one of the greatest evenings
a person could ever enjoy- parked in something you've spent all
winter building next to something incredibly outstanding GLACIER
BAY ALASKA.
6-23 FRI
We move up the bay and check out John Hopkins Inlet. Lamplugh
Glacier is as far as we can go at the mount of the bay, there is
just too much float ice, we dance with the cruise ship Universe,
then follow her up the bay to Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers.
Margerie is very active, we eat a good breakfast and watch her
dump new icebergs into the bay. Alaska Solstice calls over the
radio to another boat, "Yeah, we're serving breakfast, could you
slow down a bit as you pass." The reply is tough luck buddy (buy a
bigger boat) 19 guests where eight would be about right. We hang
out, then move, seeing a couple of whales who elude or photo
attempts. We call on the radio and say good-bye to the
rangerettes, cross over Icy Straits into Cross Sound on the tide,
push through some ocean swells thought a passage into ELFIN COVE.
The small village is very neat, fairy tale-like. We buy fuel at
the fish station, then move around to the back of the cove and tie
up for the night. We take a walk into town, boardwalks wrap the
tiny island which includes a small post office, school and general
store. Les talks to the locals regarding our passage. We cook
dinner late, without coordination or forethought- we need to think
ahead.
6-24 SAT
We pull out of Elfin Cove at 4:30 a.m. After helping untie I sleep
in till 7:30, Les has put on 40 of the 140 miles across to Gulf of
Alaska, the open ocean, the Pacific. I take over and we do another
25 miles by 11. The seas have been ocean swells with a wind blown
chop running from behind. Rob takes over as the seas worsen. Les
works it again. We really slow down and take a pounding. It gets
really hairy when we finally make it to YAKUTAT. We stop and pump
water into the side fish holds to lower or center of gravity, then
follow two other boats into the harbor. As we pass the point I'm
thinking its only a few hundred yards, I could easily swim it, if
we were in North Carolina where the water is warm, only here, the
water is freezing, you'd never make it! As we pass the bar the ten
to twelve foot waves are breaking. You ride them in like you are
surfing, surfing on a thirty-five foot boat! It's very unstable,
the wave out run you, you either stay straight, or turn sharp left
or sharp right. You don't know which. But we make it. We want to
go into town for dinner but it is too late. It's taken us sixteen
hours. We wait for our food once again but we are all very happy
to be back on dry, hard, not moving land. We rename this place,
Yuk-a-tat. My bike seems to have made it okay, tucked snugly in
the net bags.
6-25 SUN
My birthday. We all sleep in and then have pancakes and sausage.
The plan is to wait for calmer seas. None of us want to go back
out there again. Of course plans change. Les talks with some
people and we find some to follow to Cordovia and he's told ways
to enter there. So off we go again. We go to the fuel dock and
meet up with Bill Sulivan an the Argo and another boat, the
Capricorn. We have to wait for fuel, the guy isn't there... and
then we have to wait some more while they scrounge up a 55 gal.
drum. Capricorn has gone out ahead and reports fair seas. At 4
p.m. we begin our journey. Capricorn reports they have hit a
deadhead and broken a prop. No problem, they have two and will
limp back to port. We decide to rotate, two hours on, four off. We
are treated to clear skies and easy seas with spectacular views of
the coastline. Massive glaciers cover the shoreline, swirling down
from equally massive mountains behind them. Mt. St. Elias at
18,000 ft. is the tallest mountain I've ever seen to this point.
We push on into the night, thought it never really get totally
dark, more an endless sunset turning into and endless sunrise in
brilliant hues. The walkman is put to work. The waters are flat
and I have to remind myself where we are, in the middle of the
Pacific Ocean. I must keep watch, thought it is impossible to see,
we don't want to hit a log like the Capricorn. Morning finds us
passing Henchenbrook Point and entering Prince William Sound. This
is a beautiful place, ten times the Puget Sound I think. The main
difference being no input from mankind, no houses or homes, no
smoke stacks or bridges, no highways or utility poles, no motor or
sail boats polluting the view, less ourselves and of course the
haunting knowledge of the Exxon Valdez. We look for oil and find
none to speak of until we pass a cove where a clean up crew is
hard at work. Just like TV, small and large boats, a hotel barge,
a work barge, helicopters flying overhead, booms ring the shore
where workmen shoot powerful hoses at the rocks, while others are
down on their knees scrubbing individual rocks by hand. It's very
errie, and quite obvious that it is useless, there are hundreds if
not thousands of miles of coastline, this entire crew might be
able to do just a few. We continue on, back out into the Gulf once
again and finally around and into Resurrection Bay and SEWARD. We
pull in around 9 p.m., celebrate by going out for dinner, prime
rib at Ray's. Rob and I go to a bar afterwards and see a cowboy
try to pass a bogus $20.
6-27 TUE
SEWARD I wake up and go to the Harbor Masters office. It's
Christmas! Both packages, one form home and one, more importantly,
from Buckingham BMW, my final drive, are here. I call the Alaska
RR and confirm that my tickets are in Anchorage waiting for me. I
call BC Ferries and change by crossing to August 5th. The world is
spinning in the right direction! We fuel up, drop off the extra
drum, and pull my bike out. I install the final drive and it's
time for a test ride. Everyone wants to go. I cruise into town and
all the cannery boys like my ride. I try to find a secure place to
park it but find none. Haul Les and Lori up and back for laundry,
shopping. We have tacos for dinner. I have to divide up what I'm
leaving with the bike and what's going with me on the boat and to
Denali. I should have taken more clothing, left them on the boat.
Buy film, a book- see huge stuffed bear. Buy tarp.
6-28 WED
Decide to leave the bike in back of the Coast Guard Station on
City property. Leave bags with Harbor Master. We push off. Kenai
Fjords are great, we see whales playing, one comes all the way out
of the water. It's a beautiful day, water calm. We round the point
and enter COOK INLET, dock at Soldovia. I end up cooking chicken
fetticini- a lot of work but very good. I take a row out into
cove, around rocks and take cool photos, rocks and sky.
6-29 THUR
In morning we move over to Homer Spit and lands end. Lots of
activity and a very large boat basin. We run into Bill Sulivan and
other friendly boats. We BS and walk around. Go into town for McDs
and groceries. Rob and I go check out this cool bar, the Salty
Dog. At 6 we head up the inlet on the tide, turn at Anchor Point
and fight a following sea- the boat acts really poorly, rolls from
side to side. I'm at the wheel and Les keeps telling me to keep it
on the mark- I can't and get frustrated. Les takes over and
doesn't do much better. Rob's turn and he gets pissed. That's the
way the boat is, quit bitching and deal with it. Put water in the
holds, slow down- whatever. Finally we make it into KENAI, come up
the river and get very excited. It's midnight. We dock and have
Champaign, wake up people, meet Dr. Phil and Jeb.
6-30 FRI
KENAI, Ward's Cove Cannery, check the place out. People line up to
check our boat out. It is the talk of the dock. We happily receive
many compliments. We go to the cannery store to check for mail.
Then go to "mug up" at the 10 o'clock break. Go up to the lockers
afterward, weird guy. Make a run to NC in North Kenai, McD's
again, see bent bike. Return to chores, fix radar (attempt to find
intermittent power problem), auto pilot still too sensitive, fix
hydraulic pump position, remove nets, take on the skiff and other
junk. Then go to 3 p.m. mug up, check out the girls. Fishy but cute.
Continue chores, Cook pizza and barbecue chicken. Fuel up takes
forever. Run back into town for food. Rob goes for fish gear,
plays. We go next door and talk, look for party, have girls down
to boat. Get yelled at for staying up.
7-1 SAT
We pull out at 5 a.m. Rob, the all time greatest deck hand that he
is sleeping beauty again- it really bothers Les but he doesn't
know how to deal with it. I take over duties and enable it. We go
out and fish for halibut but no luck. Run into SNUG HARBOR, a tiny
finger inlet on the north coast of Cook Inlet's mouth. Meet up
with Dr. Phil and Jeb in the North Cape, a small wooden boat like
Les' old one. We drop crab pots, fish and play. We catch a couple
of flounders for dinner, no crab. We go over to the old cannery
for showers, HD ice cream and a look around. Cool old place. Can
imagine what it once was. Play trick on Harry, put "Sorry Charlie"
note on his fishing line. Very nice afternoon and evening. The
gulls just love to harass the bald eagles.
7-2 SUN
Wake up early for clam tide. We go up harbor and around corner
into thin water, anchor and take the skiff into shore, run aground
early and have to wade in. We decide we are shy of good digging so
we go back out and swing over to the spot- and start digging. Tons
of razor clams! We pull four large buckets out in less than an
hour. Some are as big as you hand. Four float planes have landed
and are digging clams too. The tide turns as we are tired and
certainly have enough clams. We quit and go back to My Colleen and
then back to anchor. We board Helen B and go on The Bear Hunt. Up
the inlet again but turn the other way, following the narrowing
channel. First we see a sow and two cubs. They are brown. The
three cubs on the glacier, black. We see ten in all. We circle
back and see huge bear prints in the river bottom below us! A big
brown male hangs out in the grass. He could careless about us. We
go back to anchor and clean our clams. Clean more clams, and more.
Dr. Phil cooks the sauce and I cook spaghetti noodles and we have
a big clam chow down. Lori and I take the skiff over to the
cannery for a shower. Meet the fish hippies, some set netters
(nets that are anchored to shore). We pull up to shore and find it
had full of water, the plug came out. We run back, Rob, "I'll do
the dishes" is over at the Denali. Others want to dump the skiff
in Les. So we will have to hang around and miss the good tide
while it is loaded. Les is pissed but takes it. Lori and I clean
up the deck. When Rob returns we make him clean the dishes. He
didn't want to do it. Play cribbage, Denali ties.
7-3 MON
Dr. Phil whistles over, you're dragging anchor! It's 5 a.m. I
let out more line and we catch. Spend next hour keeping one eye
open to make sure we are still there. About six we are drifting
again. I wake Les so we can move closer to shore. About nine we
wake and are almost on shore. So it is time to pull anchor- move
to see Denali, pull halibut line- get two. Drag race back to
cannery, we pull away. Top end is about the same but we get up to
speed quicker. We drop anchor at cannery and everyone ties to us
and go in to shower. Decide it is too rough to cross Cook Inlet,
we'll wait till evening. Cook bacon and eggs for breakfast. Hang
out in boat. I go to shore to do some laundry. Old washers, run
back and forth. Wind kicks up. I talk to Rangers from Clake Lake
National Park. Les calls, I gather wet laundry and row back to
boat. We leave Snug for Seldovia, it's a rough crossing. The
window leaks in buckets. Rock and roll. We pull in and cook
halibut. Helen B's stove acts up so they us ours, talk and drink.
7-4 TUE
FOURTH OF JULY Everyone comes to SELDOVIA for the celebration.
Well, really none do but it's a fun little party. A few boats we
know roll in. We go up and watch the parade that consists of Coast
Guard honor guard, a fire engine, kids dressed up on their
decorated bikes, pipe and drum core, two (wild) horses, a mule
drawn wagon and some oil spill protesters. That's it. We said wow
and went back to the boat where we had a good view of the log
rolling contest. Chris and Jeb entered and did pretty good until
he fell in the second round. The water was 52*! Then there was a
canoe joust. Some kids in a dory prowls around shooting off boom-
booms and bottle rockets. Rob drinks all day. I cook clam
fritters. We go up to bar, stay till 3 a.m.
7-5 WED
We move over to HALIBUT COVE, a small artist community on a nearby
island. We take a hike up over saddle mountain to see Grewicgk
Glacier. Seen one glacier, seen 'em all. It was fun. Then we move
over to cove. I cook carrot stew while the others take a walk
through town. They return and report that it was pretty nice so
after dinner Lori and I go there. The Edward's boys (Helen B)
follow along. We see tame ravens. Nice harbor and isthmus. I buy a
pitcher of Whatney's at the Sultry for $10, Lori beats me a crib.
7-6 THUR
We all sleep in. At about 11 we move over to Homer. Jon gives the
word, still no fishing Friday or Monday. Exxon has a claims office
where the skippers go and collect $10,000. Les exclaims that will
pay for the insurance. It's grim. We decided to go further back,
to Kechakan Bay and spend the night in Bear Cove. We have fun at
dinner, table two.
7-7 FRI
BEAR COVE was a nice enough spot but we decide to go back to
Kenai. The run up Cook Inlet is like a pond. The auto pilot still
acts poorly so we mess around with it trying out different
settings. Seems best, though not good, if everything is set to
minimum. I suspect it is the boat's instability in following seas-
though these were the best conditions. Who knows. We arrive in
KENAI, shower and go see Ghost Busters II. I meet up with Kari,
one of the cannery girls, again for more laughs in the net loft.
She's crazy. Fun.
7-8 SAT
I buy a hat, we go to Seldotna Moose Ranch, look in bushes for
moose (see none), then go to grocery store and I prepare to
depart. Say good-bye to everyone.
7-9 SUN
I wake up at 4 a.m., Rob has just come in. The alarm was still on
Seattle time, so I had another hour before I woke up for real. Les
brought me over to the airport, for a quick turbo-hop over to
Anchorage. Busses don't run on Sunday so I took a cab over to the
railroad station. It was only $12 plus tip. I talked to the
baggage guys and took photos of the train. I take a seat in the
dome car for the lazy ride north with a good narration by Pat. We
are treated to an air show as we pass the AFS northeast of
Anchorage. I'm starved and have eggs, biscuit and juice. Mt.
McKinley is out. See salmon in streams as we pass. Eat
cheeseburger for late lunch just before we arrive at Denali
National Park. I walk short distance to back-packer's camp and
find a deluxe spot for the first pitch of my brand new North Face
Westwind tent. Pretty cool. Walk to Ripley Creek ranger station
and get coupon for bus ride to Elison visitor center in morning.
Check out the hotel, it's a shake, call Rooti, see store, meet
flyers and Robert, the Canadian. Have beers and talk, try to pick
up chicks. No luck.
7-10 MON
Walk to Riley, take Kathy's bus into park. They use school busses
to shuttle visitors. No cars allowed except by permit to
campsites. Pretty good idea. See nearby mountains, wildlife, semi-
cloudy so no big mountain. Polychrome Pass is neat area. Section
10 is vast. Hang out a visitor center, cloudy so I don't go
further. Take next bus going back. We have a flat tire. The way
this guy drove it was no wonder. We get other bus drivers to help
out. Meet girl with braided hair, nice. See fox, Charlie, bear,
and caribou. Jean wants to see my tent. Yeah right.
7-11 TUE
Rest day, decided to take vacation from vacationing. Sleep in till
9:30. Jean has to return to her friends. They leave. It was fun
while it lasted, we'll write (but she never answers back). I take
walk under and over railroad bridge. I walk over to Riley and get
a ticket for next morning. Wash my hair, check out RR station and
take photos of train. Take more photos when southbound comes in. A
work train levels out the bridge. Pretty interesting. Back at camp
I read and relax. Help Brit. figure out his tent.
7-12 WED
Wake up at 6 a.m., bus for Wonder Lake leaves at 7. The usual stuff.
Terry is good but Kathy, the bus driver the day before, was great.
I ride all the way out. The mountain is almost out. You can see
this side of it or that, but never the whole thing at once. Oh
well. It's still a beautiful and wild place. We see caribou up
close, some bears fairly close too. On the way back I get off and
walk a few miles over Polychrome Pass and down to the bridge.
Dale's bus is a wreck. I take the long way back to camp, , through
Mirino trail loop. Go get food, eat and talk with Brit. and other
neighbors.
7-13 THUR
I over sleep and miss bus. It's overcast so I say forget it. Take
hike to Horseshoe Lake- see beaver and cool burr spruce forest.
Take in Denali wilderness film- Rangerette Rebecca. Hike RR a
ways. Eat cheeseburger. Talk to Alan, Brit. bird watcher tour
guide. Shower. Meet two chicks, have dinner and party. Think I get
rolled but turns out they paid. Wild party.
7-14 FRI
Time to break camp and catch the afternoon train south. Ride in
dome car again. Cloudy so no mountain again, but it clears up as
we go south, figures. I BS with kitchen help- they are out of
water so there is no fancy meal service like I had planned. Arrive
in Anchorage and I walk to B&B. Pete, the host is asleep.
Europeans, Canadians, Swiss. It's pretty informal. Watch TV, drink
beers and meet S. Florida girl and Ruth.
7-15 SAT
Eat good breakfast, Mike is cook. Go to history and Art museum-
great. Window shop and then visit arts center- weird modern show.
Birds need more places to perch. At visitors center Peter has his
tee-shirt cart. He's sort of a jack of all trades. Meet Susan,
Darlin Lily. Go see Omni Dome Alaskan Wilderness- okay, best part
fly-over Clake Lakes NP. Meet Jane, talk. Then we have afternoon
salmon cook out back at house. Good chow down. Watch TV, meet
Denver couple, talk. I go downtown to Great Alaska Bush Company
Best show is tall skinny blonde's lotion show, Bridgette, dancing
to Freeze Frame. Excellent. Best body is black girl. Military boys and old
guys love it. They go through tons of ones. Rude fun.
7-16 SUN
Wake a 6 a.m., tough, eat cereal and run. Double railcar takes us
to Seward, great trip. Lady talks my ear off. Hang out by door
taking pictures. Meet Bostonians. Talk to Jenny, our hostess,
cute. Mountains, tunnels and glaciers. I take a little nap. When
we arrive I march into my motorcycle, get the saddle bags, and
spend about an hour sorting. Too much stuff. I skip lunch, ride to
Moose Pass, grill is closed, eat apple pie. Nice road but too many
people, RVs. Go to Portage Glacier- I am not impressed, camp at
wig-wam, nice. Eat at cafe, special deal $5.00. Nip breaks axle in
parking lot. Cold night.
7-17 MON
I pay on my way out, could have saved $5.00, I don't know? Have
juice and donut break, follow broken school bus being pushed. Stop
at Potter Section House RR museum. Cruise into Anchorage, look for
Peter. Park in town and shop for socks. Go out to REI, buy film
mailers and wet boots. Go to very slow post office, mail extra
junk home. Head for Glenn Highway, skip groceries- but find Carrs
at Palmer. Eat cheeseburger. Ride into the hills. Wave to
sunbathers. Great scenery. I don't pay attention to mileposts and
pass where I intended to turn towards cool glacier. Find Little
Nelchina CG, okay. Cook ribs- meet Buzz, eat salmon and talk till
2 a.m.- thought it was mid-night! Cold, cold, burr.
7-18 TUE
8 a.m. water truck arrives to fill up. He backs by then starts his
pump up. He pulls out and drops his load- flood just about kicks
my ass! Rough morning. Has to do it all over again. I finally pull
out at 10:30. Rough road at times- great otherwise. See three
moose, should have stopped and mailed film and letter. Go to St.
Elias NP, watch film and get cool book. Go towards Chitna, stop
for lunch at Liberty Falls, then up dirt road to campground. It is
a dust mess. Road is too rough to go on. I turn around and go back
to Liberty Falls and camp. Someone camps right on top of me very
late at night.
7-19 WED
Well, what's for breakfast? More Swiss, three, but no bat food. I
eat cereal and leave for McCarthy. This is one of those I should
haves but I just didn't know or I couldn't figure it out. But also
I just wasn't sure I would make it all the way out. So back to
Chitina, through the RR cut across the bridge, and on to
adventure. Seventy miles up the Kushulana River is crossed a
monster of a bridge. I stop and walk the catwalk, take photos.
Then on I go. The road is potholed and washboard all the way. So
slowly I go, stop by stop. I stop and eat at the trestle ruins.
Further on mountains show great views with lakes but mostly it is
just brush and trees that line the dusty road. Sixty-one miles and
I arrive and the end of the road. I leave my bike. I should have
brought (the tank bag) and planned to stay overnight- or had
gotten up at six- it was already 4 p.m.! I walked over to the
raging Kennicott River and there with four others took two turns
across the muddy devil. Walked a little further and cross another
branch in the same manner. Then it is a short walk into McCarthy.
It's hot and I suck down two three dollar beers. The Swiss are
there. It is the turning point. I cannot go on up to Kennicott
mines and then make it all the way back. I should have thought it
out and stayed the night at the lodge or in McCarthy. I could have
brought my sleeping bag. I'm worried about all my stuff back at
camp. I have this great book so I know what is up there. So I must
turn back. I don't know... So I return the sixty-one miles plus
ten paved back to my tent. I'm tired and dusty, I stop for pop at
Silver Lake and talk to Pops. Dinner is left-over ribs, soup and
peas. I wash my hair and have a fire.
7-20 THUR
Finally it is overcast. I'm beat from the day before and it is
slow going. I break camp and go to the highway and head south.
Nice road but I am beginning to learn about the bumps and gravel
breaks, Alaska-size. A rough road ahead is a stick with a red flag
on it (occasionally there is a sign). It may mean a small patch, a
mile or several miles- you never know. At about thirty miles from
Valdez it starts to rain. It's cold so I turn back. There's
nothing I want to see anyway. Maybe some of the oil clean up. So I
turn back. Again I kick myself for not going up to Kennicott. The
day is wasted. I go up the highway to Glennallen, stop and do
laundry. I go to post office to mail the book home, post girl says
I missed the best part. Well, yeah, I know that. I put wash in
drier after waiting for lady doing a hotel. Then go to grocery.
Eat lunch at Frosty and head up the highway. 20 miles of
construction- bad to good gravel- some real shit. At Slona I turn
up Nebesna Road- Do I go up to primitive camp or stick to pavement
and camp with the RVs? Gravel road is nice for a change. I find a
spot where the trees are chopped down, green, bar and cabins real
close (mile). Oscillate. It's free. I have my new tent to pay off.
I stop for a beer at the road house and get hammered. Veco workers
(oil clean-up), Ron and bartender and others buy rounds and shots-
So it is drizzling rain as I set camp. I cook steak and then have
a nice fire- of a a nice dry spruce I fell.
7-21 FRI
I go back to roadhouse for a $3.00 shower- see TV and have coffee.
Break camp by noon. I'm on my way to Tok. Still overcast but
improving. More construction- 12 miles but not too bad. It will be
a very nice highway when they are through. Find Eagle camp for
lunch- very nice CG. Stop in Tok for groceries, rum and gas.
Look for good water. Check
out Deadman Lake CG. I missed one before and I am not impressed so
I push on. I stop at Alaska/Yukon border and talk with two bikers
from Edmonton, take picture of Alaska sign. Check with border, TV
on. Go to Snag Junction Government Camp, full, I bum some water
and see a dirt road across lake. Go check it out and find an OK
campsite. I cook BQ chicken with spruce coals and watch the
endless sunset of a dozen photos. Loons crawl on lake. Light rain.
7-22 SAT
Rain early a.m. quits by 8 a.m. It's hard to get up. I have dishes
to do so I make oatmeal. Get ready for riding in the rain. It
works, just a few showers. (It would have poured if I didn't suit
up.) Road is good and bad, patches improve to where you can go 45
mph on gravel and 60 on paved. Take photo of totally burnt out
roadside RV. Stop at CG for lunch, write. Kluane Museum at Burwash
is good. Lots of stuffed animals. Call home. I've done real good
this day, 120 miles! Camp at CONGDON CREEK on Lake Kluane.
Spaghetti, fire and read, go to bed early. Tired.
7-23 SUN
Sleep till 9:30! I must have been tired. Leisurely I break camp
and continue on my slow pace. Stop here and there for photos and
look sees. Surprise at Silver City, ghost town. I think Fred and
Irene came through this way. Lots of tour busses. Along Kluane
Lake and on up to Haines Jct. Gas up, shop for food, Frostie. See
slide show of Kluane N.P.- very good. I check out Kathleen Lake,
okay but go on, miss Dezadeash CG- signs were down, windy, so I go
on. Meet Beemers on way and follow them for a few miles then check
out Million Dollar Falls CG- this is it. Spot No.1 near falls.
Share site with bicyclist- Dave from Ashland, Oregon. Nice to
talk.
7-24 MON
I wake very early and can't fall back asleep. When I hear Dave up
I get out of the tent and eat. The road is being worked on but
passable after a mile or two of really rough stuff. Huge gravel.
Then onto the new highway which is very nice. Into the clouds over
Chilchat Pass (very cold). Little rain. I report to customs that
it is "very cold". Down into Haines through the eagle sanctuary. I
ask a local kid where the best cheeseburger is- Bamboo Room- its
pretty good too. Then out to Chilkat State Park, find okay site
24. Then I go down by water and find site 33 within yards of beach
and have to move. Take nap. Relax and read. Eat dinner after walk
around peninsula. Neat spruce forest. Thunder- oh no! Sky is
clear? It's ice fall on glacier across bay. Evening fire, drizzle.
pokeypine climbs tree, eagles fly around screeching.
7-25 TUE
Rain, rain, rain. I hate the rain. It slows down a little around
8:30 when I get up. It's foggy over the water. Well, I wanted to
come to southeast Alaska. I break camp and put a wet tent on my
wet bike. But this is the first day I've really had to put my rain
gear on. I go over to the ferry terminal at the prescribed time,
10:30, two hours before departure. The rumor is confirmed, there
is a big sign about the threatened strike. I get my will call
tickets and then talk to Hazel at her coffee stand. They do it
every year. Hope so. Nothing I can do so we'll see. I get a hot
tip from a dockman, there's a hot shower on the boat. Good idea.
So I get in line and watch the ferry arrive. Finally I'm directed
in. They don't know what they are doing. It's a big self inflicted
hassle. Or maybe they do know what they are pre-strike doing. I go
up and find the free hot shower. Have the place to myself and take
as long as I like. It was great, and much needed. Afterwards I
roam the Taku, have a cheeseburger, $3.75 with fries! Cheapest in
Alaska and good. Only one hour into SKAGWAY. The rain is off and
on. Now I have to decide what to do. Go up to Dyea campground, or
stay in a hotel or B&B? It's stopped raining and I find an in-town
CG for $6.00 and do it. If it is too bad I can do the hotel
tomorrow. I set up camp and then tour the town. The cruise ship
tourist herd through town. See eagle movie, city hall museum and
walk the town. Lots of girls- I've been out too long. Big chow
down dinner, steak, fried potatoes done to perfection. Talk to old
folks and drunks.
7-26 WED
At 8 a.m. the train rolls by. I think he lays on the whistle by
the campground for his own enjoyment. Time to get up. I cook
oatmeal, then decide to go into town. We'll look at the train
first. I follow it up the pass. There are some good views and
there are some great ones. One great one, where a waterfalls
ribbons down the entire mountain side. Well, I'm here so I
continue up over the pass. It is rough and rugged. It's easy to
see why so many lives, both man and animal, were lost crossing
this place during the gold rush. It is bitter and wind swept,
treeless rocks at the top. It's appropriately cold and wet as I
return. In town I meet Pa and daughter on motorcycle, Connecticut
bicyclists, and too many friends. Weather improves and I
photograph downtown. I decide to go back up to the pass, bring a
coat and my helmet this time. Customs lady tells me to go to
Spirit Lake to eat but I turn back at Carcross. I'm just goofing
off. Have poor (lots of) ice-cream. Run into Robert- a hitchhiker
I met in Denali, at the RR crossing. He's just come off Chilcoot
Pass. Run back to Skagway and have big cookout, pork chops, Rice a
Rooti, salad and green beans.
7-27 THUR
I get up early and go down to White Pass & Yukon RR depot and
question the schedule. They do two round trips to Frasier, so I
take the 7:45 up and back. I have my tank bag and that's it. I bum
a donut from Terri, the hostess. She's pretty sweet. It is very
relaxed, I'm the only full trip passenger- three others get off at
Denver, mile post 5, for a day hike. The rest of the crew is back
in the "prison car" or "war wagon", the cupola car. Terri's duty
is to entertain me. Rather than make her narrate the whole trip I
tell her to maybe just point out her favorite spots. It is a wild
ride. The route clings to the mountain side like a poorly
constructed model train layout. On the side of cliffs, across
thrown together bridges, past Dead Horse Gulch, wisely bypassing
the old steel girder bridge. Finally at the top we turn around at
customs and fill up with tourist off of busses. I climb up to see
the locomotives and probably could have talked my way into a cab
ride however a pushy Brit ruins it. Back aboard, though there are
only a couple of people in my car, I lament that the ride up was
much better. I liked having the whole train, and especially Terri
as my personal guide, alone to myself. Back in town I cook up
lunch and break camp, do laundry, and then have beers at the
Golden North Hotel, my home for the night. Sully, the conductor,
comes in and I talk to him about the railroad. I check in to room
10. The hotel is furnished with 1900s decor. I should have stayed
here when it was raining. Oh well. I shave and shower, re-humanize
myself. Then wonder around town before dinner, F + C downstairs.
Retire to my room and read.
7-28 FRI
I sleep in till 9:30, shower and pack. I take a tour of the hotel-
nice lobby area upstairs. I
look into some of the rooms. They are all different. NP tour of
Skagway, take photo walks and tourist trails. Ride over to Dyea
and eat lunch. Nothing special, just low woods. Return to Skagway
then a quick run into the mountains, then back for a buying spree.
Trinkets for the kids. Beer at the Red Onion. It's a slow tourist
day- no ships. Out to ferry at 5:30. I'm told to be in-line by
6:30 so I take one last tour of town. In line I talk to the other
bikers and check-out a $300,000 RV. Ferry is two hours late. We
have lots of beers while we wait. Finally on board, my plan for a
hot dinner is dead, they stopped serving at 9 p.m. This strike
stuff is bullshit! I'll crack heads if they go on strike. Wonder
around. I have to move my bike in Haines which is totally screwed
up. I read a while and then crash in the forward lounge, lots of
snoring.
7-29 SAT
JUNEAU BAY in fifteen minutes. It is 4 a.m. I go down. My poor
bike is really squished in. Hey, I paid for ten feet! I get off
pretty early, head towards Mindenhall Glacier. I stop by CG sign
but fresh oil and gravel turn me away. So I run up to see the
glacier. Seen one, seen them all. But it is pretty cool. A big
one. I walk out to the photo point. It's okay but there must be a
better trail. I find a 1.5 mile East Glacier Loop. It climbs and
climbs into a great mossy rain forest. The trail goes over rock
and gravel with cable handrails and sometimes long wooden steps.
Unfortunately, the view of the glacier and especially the powerful
Nugget Falls is a let down and he return trail quite dull. Upon my
return it is 7 a.m. Now what to do? I attempt to check out the
camp but they are ready to pour some more oil so I check out AUKE
BAY CG, site 8 is unoccupied so I pull in. Nice tall firs. I set
up and follow the fishermen down to the bay and watch them fish
for a while. Then it's time for a nap.
12 noon. Good snooze, I eat some soup and sort some of my gifts
for the kids, my five nieces and one nephew. I have a leather
pouch and odd trinkets for each. It's time for my tour of Juneau.
The outskirts around Mindenhall with the University of Alaska
remind me of Boulder, Colorado. The tourist shops in town are
crammed into one tiny area. Beyond that the Capitol, banks and
buildings, and the homes are pretty dull. Here and there are some
interesting constructions. I wonder up a road and find Last Chance
Basin, hike around the mining area, see an old trolley and do a
little prospecting. Good color? I don't know what I'm looking at.
I take some samples for the leather pouches. I take a run out to
the south end and see them reeling in the salmon. I pick up some
groceries and call home. Big chow down, T-bone steak, potatoes,
salad and three beers.
7-30 SUN
Alarm is set for 5 a.m. I wake at 4:30 and pack up. Go check in at
ferry, it's two hours before a one hour late ferry- I'm beginning
to see a pattern. So I go up the road for a little ride, thinking
I could have slept in. It begins to rain. At least my gear is
packed away dry. Finally, I board the Le Conte, grab all sorts of
stuff and head for the solarium deck. I hang out, sleep and play
tapes. It's a smaller ship that the Taku. It rains all the way, a
persistent sheet, a little more than a drizzle. At 6 we arrive in
SITKA. I sort my gear and prepare to get wet. This isn't going to
be any fun. First I go check out the campground. There are plenty
of spaces. The occupied sites seem to be well prepared for rain,
with blue tarps and extra plastic. I decide I may as well go the
ten miles into town and check it out. Not much to it. The onion
dome church in the center. I spot the movie house. And things
Mitchner mentions in his book, Alaska. McDonalds? That wasn't in
the book. Motel 8. Hun? I wonder town and fight my thoughts. How
bad could it be? Okay, let's check. $60 less 10% if I join the
club. Ah shit, okay. It's raining. I hate the rain. I go see the
movie, Batman, and watch another on TV back at my room.
7-31 MON
It's much better out in the morning so I don't have to make
another decision. I'll move to the campground. I wonder town and
decide it is okay. Looks better under these conditions. I'm
disappointed in Castle Hill, there's no structures. I visit Totem
Square, Pioneer House, City Center, and Community Center. Take
some photos of the church. Then out to the campground. Pick site
5, eat lunch and then go find good site by the water but it is too
wet to move. Back into town and out to Sitka NP and the Totem
walk. Great place, walk trail through woods discovering dozens of
totem poles. Wonder stores and check out neat stuff- canoes,
graves, blockhouse. Sitka is very cool.
8-1 TUE
SITKA- go to Bishop's House, neat old wooden construction.
Upstairs is finished. Cute Rangerettes. Go to Jackson museum and
then out to totems again and walk it twice. Then it is time to go.
Stop for food and then out to ferry terminal and wait for
COLUMBIA, the big one that goes all the way to Seattle. Hang out
in solarium among the tents and crowds of people. Finally I pull
together a site. Eye two girls but don't talk to them, I don't
know why. I walk to the back rail to check out the sunset and one
of them comes over. She's from Boston, without the accent, went to
BC for computer science/English, was visiting relatives in
Anchorage.
8-2 MON.
Aboard the Columbia. We dock at Petersburg at 1 a.m. I get up for
a look see. Guess who I run into? We stay up talking as the boat
moves on to Wrangle. At 6 a.m. we are there, I shower and
change clothes. There enough of a layover in Wrangle to tour town.
There isn't much to it. Chief Shakes little island with his grave,
a tribal house and several totems. The tide is out and we are lead
down to view some petroglyph. We meet the other girl and talk to
her on the way back. She is a fisher person form Oregon. I relate
my My Coleen fishing story. Back on board, take a nap, read and
talk to people. Too soon we pull into KETCHIKAN and I must depart.
I'm tempted to stay on board with my new friends but the adventure
must continue. I cruise town and go to the totem museum, totem
park and a couple of tourist traps. Everything is 50 percent off.
50 percent off the 200 percent marked up price I suspect! I learn the Taku
will be 1 a.m. late! So I go see Lethal Weapon 2, good show. Back
to ferry, now due at 1:30 so I go get beers and talk to Honda guys,
and wait and wait and wait. It's past 3 a.m. when we finally
board. I can barely function. AK Marine Highway SUCKS!
8-3 THUR
Wake a little before 9, we're nearing Prince Rupert. I feel like
shit. Get into PR after being last to leave the boat, wait through
customs. I shop and run out of town to eat at rest stop. Decide I
should get ice, gas and take a dump so I retrace my steps. Then
run out along the Skeena River. Nice but cold and overcast. Stop
here an there. I'm tired so I find a campground 55 miles out
called EXCHAMSIKS RIVER. Read and think it over before I decide to
stay. I get out my tent and look for a good pitching site. The
drive is elevated a dozen feet above the natural floor. It's all
hardpan gravel without any spot for a tent. There are big trees
all around. A spot below looks good so I begin to set my tent up.
Then the attendant comes by and says that I can't put my tent up
there, it must be on the gravel pad. This is ridiculous. Some big
deal about the liability if a tree limb decides to fall and hit me
on the head. Shit, does it matter if I'm laying on the gravel of
the forest floor when that happens? It's impossible to get the
tent pegs into the packed gravel with hand-sized rocks. I am so
pissed I can't take it. I'm too tired to go anywhere else. He
retreats as I boil, fucking BC Parks, $8 and rules! We're out in
the fucking middle of nowhere and some pencil neck 500 miles away
who has never camped out in his life is telling me... Finally I
cool down enough to use the nail trick and pound pilot holes into
the ground and secure my tent on their precious gravel pad soaked
with drip oil from the car and RVs. It's a fucking drive way you
idiots! Some outdoors experience. Truly quality stuff. I was
realizing my return to civilization would take some getting used
to. I fumed, cooked spaghetti and read by campfire light. I'm sure
that was probably illegal.
8-4 FRI
It rains and rains. Finally, during a lull I get up and pack. I
figure I'm already wet so I may as well go see what's further up
river. Wearing all of my rain gear works, the sun slowly breaks
out near Terrace. I go buy film and eat. Then I continue the run
but fining nothing spectacular I begin my return. I stop at a park
and dry my tent and write. Then move on stopping here and there. I
think about a BC Provincial Park CG 12 miles out but opt for the
free shower at the Park Ave. campground in Prince Rupert. I meet
Frasier Crikinlaw, a beemer. Cook spaghetti and take a shower,
then swap no-see-ums. Cutter's doesn't work!
8-5 SAT
You don't need an alarm clock. Car doors slam, RVs roll by. I
break camp and get into line. They put the bikes on first. And
they provide tie downs and chalks. We pull out of PR and head
south. I wonder around and talk to the bikers., tell them my story
and listen to theirs. Eat the buffet lunch, it's deluxe and all
you can eat. I chow down. Good price, okay meal. Hang out, write
and read. When we arrive at Port Hardy I'm off, go directly to
WILDWOOD CG, site #1, pitch the tent in the dark. Rookies come in
on jap bike and entertain me as they try to set up their tent.
Nice chick in lobby office.
8-6 SUN
Sleep in till 11! I needed it. Everyone has gone except the kid
picking up the garbage, he's singing high pitched and out of key,
it's a laugh. I check out Port Hardy and go shopping, get gas, and
head up the road. Cool mountains but lots of clear cutting. Almost
have to help biker- his old bike is barely running. Gas in
Campbell River, then run up to STRATHCONA P PARK, great bike road.
First camp is full, go to RALPH and get next to last site! Huge
trees.
8-7 MON
Run up to end of road, find big zinc, gold and silver mine, wonder
around and find some color. Run back down hill and then Vancouver
Island. It is British Columbia Day- a big holiday so the place is
a zoo. RVs with all sorts of cars trying to pass them. I give up
on my plan to go out to the beach at Pacific Rim NP. I go to
Nanimo and catch the 6 p.m. ferry. The Angles are having a big
party. From Horseshoe Bay I follow 99 south. Canada doesn't have
super highways- it runs right down through the city, down
Grandville, light after light. The sunsets and there is a quarter
moon. Nice night. I go through US customs pretty quickly. They got
a hot tip. I go to Bellingham and stop at McYiks. It's only an
hour to home. You know, you go three thousand miles and you have
thirty to go. Nothing bad has happened the whole trip. I've been
very careful. I'm running along at 65 mph, the traffic is light.
Out of the dark I see a light figure, ghostly. No, it's a dog, a
golden retriever, I'm on the brakes, turning left. NO! It's the
wrong way, the way he is walking. I turn to the right, he stops.
I'm out of time. I hit him square in the side. You have time to
think how stupid this is. As the bike is torn out from under my
hands, flipping over on its side, up-side-down. I'm sailing
through the air, flying at 60 mph. Still time to think this is
something I never wanted to experience again as I hit the fast
moving pavement. I hit on my right arm and hip. It burns. I skid
and begin to roll over, this isn't good and I put my left foot out
to stop it. Before I'm completely stopped I'm getting back up,
trying to get off the highway before someone runs over me. I see
this isn't going to happen and I pick my duffel bag as I look at
my bike still sliding finally to a stop. I can't believe this has
happened again! Damn dog. A couple of people have stopped and help
me lift the bike. I go an drag the dog off the road, poor pup. I
give him a last pat. I limp my way up to the next exit and stop at
the closed Shell station and tape myself back together. I remove
the lamps and disconnect the broken turn signal. The front end is
screwed up and wobbles between 35-45 mph. I run home and pull in
around midnight. The place is locked but I find a basement door
that is not fully latched and break-in easily. It wakes the cat
and I give her a good pet.
Only 2566 miles put on the bike, but one of them very hard.
Next Log - 1990
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Cycle Tales
MOTORCYCLE TOUR LOG - 1989