Event Coverage North to alaska living the dream

Nope we are in Denali, heading for Fairbanks tomorrow.

BB

 

Yeah K.B. we are heading there tomorrow morning and will be there for 2 nights and then it's on to Delta Junction after a run at the Artic Circle.
Thanks again for the hospitality.

And a big thanks to Eric & Sid also.

BB

 

Lets see now, i left off with the pics of the super secret 36 so we will pick it up from there.

Kona Cruisers lovely wife Jamie took me part way up this pass on Monday so I decided to do the whole thing in the 52 on the way to Denali. That decision was a little hasty but what the hell.




This rushing river was visible and beautiful for about the first 5 miles and then it trickled out.




Artic Ground Squirrels, the cute little bastards are every where.




I thought this was the top of the pass, yeah right, it was only a neat little state park at an abanconded mine.





Musta been the local Whore House.








The remains of a wooden dam on a small creek at the mine site.





The dirt road keeps going up and up. Getting rougher all of the time too. It's too late to turn back now, forage on stupid.





Fog is getting thicker than pea soup.





Oh Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




So damn thick I almost missed the sign.





But I guess shooting at the sign itself is OK





It got even worse on the way down, damn near ran off the road on a couple of switchbacks.





Lots of Beaver Dam's but this was the coolest one.





Washboard city, nice and wide but rough as a cob.





Looks like nobody want's that LAST CHANCE.





Looks like it was a nice place at one time. This was on a dirt road about 8 miles from the end of the pavement on a river east of Willow Ak ???





This must have been quite a place before it burned down. Just north of Willow.





About half way from Willow to Denali Maggie spotted this cow Moose with her 2 calves.






Reached the limit again. To be continued.


BB

 

It was between the Moose and the Igloo that I got hit by a big friggin rock that left me with this in the middle of my hood.










The igloo, the kids and I stopped here in 79, it looks like it has been closed for some time.





We arrive at one of our MAJOR destinations.





Had dinner here last night, Salmon, it was delicious.




As an appetizer we had this interesting item that I have never seen on a menu anywhere else in the world.





Here it is about half way gone, it was supprisingly good.





After dinner we checked in to our motel and went out to drive the Denali Park road as far as we could go in our vehicle, 15 miles. On the way out of the driveway of the motel, this guy tried to block our way.





The proof is in the pudding.





At the turn around this guy alighted on the top of the chevy and wouldn't move until I took a swing at him. Notice that the hood has a nice big stone chip in it. I didn't even notice this until we got back to the hotel.





Tomorrow we gotta be here bright and early (6am) for a 120 mile round trip to almost the end of the road. Hope to see lots of critters.

BB

 

Man Bob, sucks about the hit on the hood like that. Took out one hell of a bit chunk of paint. A little beyond just some touch up paint.

Cool trip though, worth a few 'memories' like that here and there. Thanks for posting along the way and sharing.

 

Hello Bob K! We are friends KB of Anchorage and he was letting us know how to get in touch with you. We are new members of the H.A.M.B. We live in Fairbanks and we would like to meet up with you guys! We can meet up and we can show you around town! It would be fun meeting you two.

 

Bob K, there is road construction in Healy and it's pretty rough when we went thru it. They have a pilot car on a one way lane, there might be a little wait but it was a lengthy one lane. Be careful of the double fines, AK State Troopers are very good at their jobs, especially in Healy and Nenana area, they are always within in 30 miles of the city jurisdiction.

 

Bob, definitely meet up with them. They can show/tell you about everything happening in/around the Fairbanks area. Be sure to check out his 50 Merc and Metro convertible. John

 

Check your Private Messages, I just sent you my cell phone number.


BB

 

Glad you got to do Hatcher Pass. I dont know if Jamie told ya but we live about 200 yds from the store at the bottom where you started. I did try to warn ya about the road. Wish it was sunny for ya it is beautifull up there when you can see everything.

 

Bob, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned to you the roadhouse half way between Nenana and Fairbanks named "Skinny Dick's Halfway Inn". It's good for a laugh, a picture and a T shirt for your friend named Dick. Look for it on the left on a long down hill curve to the right. Stay safe, & Best Regards, KB.

 

Glad to hear all is well.

 

Hi Bob, enjoying your road trip at my computer desk. Sorry about your hood but I saw this new stuff on TV supposed to make scratches INVISIBLE. Maybe that will work..... if it doesn't buff out. Hope you have a safe ride home. Allan

 

If you drive thru St Cloud again this year on the way home, be sure to stop or give me a call. We have extra room to stay over...... Dale & Elvis

 

You two are doing one of my dream trips! Thanks for all the great pics ! I think it's gonna be tough to "buff that spot out on your hood" unless somebody has a magic buffer!! lol I have read about the dangers of rocks thrown back and breaking windshields on the Alcan. Stay back from cars ahead helps ,I guess. Looks like you guys planned this out quite well ! Enjoy,!!

 

K.B.

We stopped and took pictures, I'm to frugal (cheap) to buy a T-Shirt. Beshides he ain't skinny. We are trying to hook up with Alan, Banjeau Bob know who he is but so far no contact from him. Can you call him and tell him we are meeting for dinner at 5:30 at Gambardella's on 2nd ave.


BB

 

Bob K and Maggie,
This is the best vacation that i have ever had. Have gotten so see alot of beautiful scenery, enjoyed the wildlife and the food looks fantastic. The best part is i haven't had to spend a dime. Thanks so much for that

 

That is the best compliment that we have gotten on this thread so far. I really want everyone to know how much we appreciate the comments, it is fun sharing our trip, a lot of work posting to Picture Trail but worth it when we get comments like this along with the hundreds of other ones. We still have 2 weeks left on this epic saga. Tomorrow we head for the Artic Circle. That of course will be our farthest northern destination. Will post a few more pictures later.


BB

 

I just called and told Alan. John

 

I'm Sorry John, have met so many nice folks that I got mixed up as to who recommenede Alan.

BB

 

The bird shit on the car I had to clean up after the little sumbitch. Yesterday morning we boarded a bus for the 120 mile round trip to see what you can't drive your car to see. The first thing I got to see was this lovley creature.

She will kill me for this.





Willow Ptarmagin chicks on the side of the road.





Hooked up with mom and then flew off into the brush.





Young Bull Moose just posing in front of the bus, he then wandered off also.




Dall Sheep on eating up the greenery>






This guy was just a resting on the top of the rise.





Nice Caribou Bull, no it's not Rudolph.





3 young bulls high on a grassy ridge.





Very young one watching us from on high. I hadn't known that the females also grow antlers and keep them untl spring but the males loose theirs after the rut.





4 very nice Bulls not too far from the road, all they do is eat.





Another Grizz, he could have cared less about the buss and all of the humans taking pictures.

This was reffered to as the Grand Slam by our guide, we saw all 4 of the major critters, Grizz, Caribou, Dall Sheep and Moose on one trip. He says it is rare for that to happen. We did talk to other folks on different busses and they and not done that, in fact one bus didn't see anything large.


We were eating dinner when the sky opened up, by the time we were done it had stopped and we went to see a sled dog demonstration.

Female Musher with a very excited team, the sound of their barking changes dramaticlly when they start running. It's amazing how much they seem to love pulling.





Resting after the very fast run.





Maggie couldn't get them to move, she don't speak dog I guess.





After the demo you are allowed to roam around the kennels, the dogs are very friendly and will allow you to pet them when they are OFF DUTY.






Back in the day this was the only way to get here, the railroad, this bridge is old.





That is it for yesterday, will post the ones from today after dinner. We are having a small meet & greet at great Italian Restaurant and then going to the car muesum and then maybe Ice Cream.


BB

 

It was probably KB. He went to school with Alan's Dad. I actually met Alan, via his wife, up inFairbanks before I met KB. KB contacted me via a posting I'd made on a Buick forum. A word of caution, do not try to pet sled dogs chained up to their huts - or in harness - without their trainer nearby. They can be unpredictable. Children in the bush frequently get mauled by them. Actually a lot of the dogs are fed frozen chunks of whole salmon hacked up by their handlers. John

 

Good Morning from beatifull rainy downtown Fairbanks Alaska. Got some time before we head up to the Artic Circle to post some pictures from yesterday.


The Depot in this small town on the huge Nenana River. Kinda neat but the place where we planned to have lunch, the riverside inn was closed. oh well I prolly should have purchased a newer milepost than 2011.





About half way from the park to Fairbanks is this place, we stopped for pictures, how could we NOT.








We got to Fairbanks in the early afternoon, looked around a bit and checked into our motel.

Then we had a meet & greet at Gambardella's restaurant. Only 6 folks were able to make it though.

Left to right they are. MERCMANAK, banjeaux bob's wife Ann, banjeaux bob, You know who these 2 are, MERCMANAK's wife Becky. We also got to meet austinhunt when we went to the museum after dinner.




This museum is AWESOME, not quite what I expected way up here. The owner evidently has done very well in the real estate business and collected some of the finest are rarest of the classics.

Here are a few of my favorites.


Caddy V16




These engines always blow my mind.





I just love these old Chryslers and this was a marvelous example.





Packards are my 2nd favorites after Chryslers and Caddy's





I am in love wth Packard Grilles. I wish I could afford one just for wall art.





The rest of the car ain't bad either.





Finally something of real HAMB interest.







This obviously is still under restoration and supposedly has one of the first Offy midget engines.




That's it for now.

More after the Artic Circle.


BB

 

Good to meet you Bob and Maggie!

 

Dang I missed this thread and you. I hope we get to meet up for that hello and a hand shake before you head south. Man had I seen this I would have tracked you down. What a bummer. Enjoy your ride up north.

 

Lovin' this trip Bob and Maggie . . . the last frontier, very cool.

 

Seems like my Grizz picture didn't post yesterday, I'll try again.





There, got him that time.

BB

 

Nice to meet ya'll! Good luck! Maybe tomorrow will be sunny for your drive.

 

This morning we headed north out of Fairbanks to the Dalton Highway, the road to Purdhoe Bay. No we are not going all of the way to the Artic Ocean but we are shooting for the first 200 miles and the Artic Circle.


As you can see we brought the weather with us to Fairbanks and points north.





The first stop will be the Yukon River for gas, that's about 140 miles north.





That's kinda intimidating, but understandable when you see the amount of dust and mud that is in the air.





Rough Road




YUKEEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





I just love the names of the towns on this road.





Here's hoping that they don't need this crew.





These supports are about 30 yards apart on every mile that the pipeline runs above ground.





The bridge over the mighty Yukon River.







There are lots of places where it makes corners like this and I don't understand why.





The car is just a little dirty after the first 140 miles.






The hardpack here was better by far than the pavment, no frost heaves on the hardpack but the dust more than made up for it.





Here they are zig zaging, what the hell is that for??? My first thought is that it's slowing down the flow but ain't that all controled by Pumps anyway?




Then all of a sudden it runs underground for a few miles. What determines whether it is best to under of above the ground???? Some one of you genius's ought to know that.





Our destination is in sight.




TAAAAAAAA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA




Have to prove to the world that we were with the car, right? There are a bunch of you that think I'm crazy for doing this, you are prolly right.

But how many guy's do you know that can honestly say they drove their Hot Rod or Kustom to the Artic Circle?????




Damn, I did it again, too many images.


BB

 

Here are the rest.


It will look worse than this by the time we get back to Fairbanks.





Spotted this on the way up but stopped to get a picture on the way back, it looks very recent. At MP 47 on the Dalton Highway.





It's a dirty filthy mess.





Gotta at least get the chunk's off.





I actually thought about leaving it dirty and entering it in the parade tomorrow but Maggie talked me out of it.

To be continued tomorrow from Delta Junction Ak.


BB