Finishing the ultimate vacation

    With 30 days on the road this July, it all seems like a dream. A really, really good dream!

    I really enjoy meeting people in my travels but this trip seemed to be about Mother Nature and all her glory

I saw so much wild life. everywhere I looked was bears.

and not just black bears.

This made for exciting camping but I don't share my sushi, even if it is salmon.

This caribou stopped and posed for me before continuing to walk under the Alaska Pipeline

I also have tons of video footage that I filmed and when I get a chance to edit it, I'll pass it along here.

 Like my visit with Yukon Jeremy and his wonderful mom and my visit by boat, up the Yukon River to their home off the grid.

And of course, all my video of a little bit of what it was like to hike for 4 days, 42 miles "into the Wild" and see the Magic Bus.

Till then, I'll keep showing people that choppers were made to be ridden.

All the way to The Arctic Circle and BACK!

Into the WIld and The Magic Bus at Healy, Alaska

Hiking 42 miles total in 4 days through some very tough terrain to see the REAL bus that was in the book and movie - "Into The Wild".

Most of the trail was wet and muddy to say the least. This was just one of the beaver dams that flooded so much of the trail too.

But the views were spectacular and I'm sure very few people have struggled to get out here to see this. The trail with mid and thawed tundra, ruts and fallen trees not to mention the two rivers makes it near impassible even for off road utility vehicles.

This was a lot farther down than it appears.

Here is a video of two other crossing the river after I did. Crossing with full packs is brutal and VERY dangerous

But the harder the trail got, the better the views became

Camping 3 of the four nights but only 1 night did I sleep in the tent.

One night was in the ground in my sleeping bag
even after I found this bear track outside of my first night camping area and I know it wasn't there the day before. I think my snoring probably attracted it.

And one night was on the bus in the actual bed where they found Christopher McCandless aka Alexander Supertramp

This headstone is located at the door of the bus as you go in.

And the inside of the bus is signed with visitors from all around the world that have been touched by his story. Even his sister has signed the walls and visited here 3 times as the dates show.

So was it worth it for me? YES, it was on so many different levels. As I sit and write this, every muscles is screaming, I'm drinking tons of fluids and eating real meals instead of campfire food- and needing about a weeks worth of rest. But no time for that. I'm off on my next adventure

Slow Down and Smell the Moose Nuggets

 Finally taking a break on this trip but not by choice. It is 41 degrees and after getting wet for 2 days, I decided to get off the Alaskan Highway and wait it out. It should be sunny and in the near 70's soon again. In the mean time, I found this Hostel in Haines Junction. The sleepy little town is just like the town from the TV series "Northern Exposure". But then, most of the towns scattered along the ALCAN are like this. After two nights in my own tent, I wanted better accommodations but didn't want a standard hotel room although, up here you have to take what you can get. Things can book up fast in the evenings. I found a pretty cool hostel called " Wanderer's Inn". I got there early enough where I had some choices. For 40 dollars I could stay inside in a dorm with bunk beds. They also have an outside cabin/ tent set up dorm style but for a few dollars more, they have a single private cabin/ tent with heat, electricity and a big comfy bed. It even has wifi so I splurged.

  This cabin/ tent has wood floor and sides but the coolest part is the roof is made from a government issue tent from the 1930's era. It was decommissioned and sat until the Wanderer's Inn picked it up and incorporated it in this cabin. Instead of heavy canvas, it is made from thin parachute like material. You can see the tent on the inside but on the outside, it is covered with a tarp to keep out the in-climate weather. As it rained all night, it made the nicest sound but stayed totally dry. I got the best night sleep in awhile.

  Still, hearing the non-stop rain only reminded me that soon I would have to be off and riding in it. I should also explain that although I am still a ways south from mainland Alaska, daylight is prevailing. Sundown is about midnight and sunrise is 4:30am. I've been waking up pretty early.
    After morning coffee inside the main house, I came to the conclusion that what is the sense of being a motorcycle nomad if I had to be on a schedule? I'm going to hang out and talk to strangers who will soon be part of my next story. After all, isn't that what life is all about?

  "Downtown" Haines Junction.

Night before last in Watson Lake, Yukon. Clear sky and 20 degrees warmer. Weather here can change fast.

The road to The Arctic Circle just got longer

   Always pushing to go further, I saved up my money for another Alaska adventure but this time I wanted to push the limits and make ut up past the Arctic Circle and up to The Arctic Ocean. Not just to get up there but to do it by motorcycle. And not just the enduro type adventure bikes, but on my chopper. It will be the better part a month endevour. Still, it can't be rushed.
  I also wanted to hit some National parks along the way. Yellowstone and Glacier National Park just to name a few. After riding through Yellowstone and making sure Old Faithful is still spewing up, I also carved my name in a 6 foot tall snow bank at one of the passes.

 I left the park at the wrong exit though. It was the most direct one for my route but I missed yet another great scenic byway- Beartooth Pass. So this morning I wake up, and decide to turn around, go back into Yellowstone and head east. In a couple of hours I'll be at the north east exit and the beginning of Beartooth Pass. It's adding another day to the trip but hey, good things can't be rushed!

I can't think of a better way to spend my Fourth of July. AMERICA! Oh yeah!