Panamericana

31.08.08

87,6 km, 5:48 h, av. speed 15 km/h

sunny, 19 degrees C

Beaver Creek – Creek Lake CG

After a good nights sleep I didn’t wake up ‚til 9 am. It was freezing cold outside, 0 degrees C. I got a coffee, a warm breakfast sandwich and some food 2 days at the Motor Inn, loaded my bike and checked at the Visitor Center for accomodations, weather (sun for the next 4 days!!!) and road conditions.

Hendrik and I rode the first 12 km together, then we stopped for a short rest and each of us kept on at our own speed. I had a great view all day while the road was winding it‘ s way. It‘ s so wide out here, the road seems to be endless and the view made up for the climbs. 

In Koidern there was a small store that was open – though it should have been closed already. What a nice surprise. I got a coke and a piece of Walnut Cake, the owners told me about some nice Campgrounds and I was on my way again.

I was really glad when I reached the Creek Lake CG around 6pm because I was really tired. It‘ s a nice CG by a river, no showers, pit-toilets but free firewood and a cooking area with an oven. I pitched my tent and just finished eating some sandwiches when Hendik showed up. So we shared a campsite and tried to defend our food against the very annoying squirrels and birds together.

Later we sat at the campfire with our neighbors who are german as well. They are from Traunstein, Bavaria, traveling around in their camper and visiting their daughter who lives near Whitehorse. We stored our food in their camper for the night.

30.08.08

93km, 5:58 h, av.sp. 15,5 km/h

sunny, 17 degrees C

Lakeview CG t – Beaver Creek

I didn’t sleep too good last night and when I got up at 7:30 am it was 2 degrees C cold but sunny. I left at 9:20 am, a few minutes after Hendrik. We are both cycling at our own speed but always meet again on the road.

The snowpeaked mountains are just beautiful. After 22 km I stopped for a rest, met Hendrik there and later the swiss couple stopped by and we had another chat. After 50 partly tough km we reached Border City and ate somer burgers there for lunch.

8 km later we reached the US Customs. Though there was gravel, dust and some climbs I had a good run and enjoyed the ride ‚til the Canadian Customs.  The officer asked me the usual questions: how much money, where are you going, how long are you gonna stay? He was a little confused by the entry stamp to Canada I was issued when we were at the Niagara Falls but then he wished me a good night and I was in Yukon,Canada (we have a 9 hour time-difference to Germany now)!

It where only 2 km from the border to Beaver Creek where I stayed at a campsite and Hendrik in a motel-room. Later we had dinner at the Westmark Lounge. I had a great Philly Steak Sandwich. After taking a shower I filled the waterbottle the R8b (THANK YOU – that was a great gift!!! YOU‘ RE AWESOME!!!) gave to me with hot water to keep me warm  in my sleeping-bag for a few hours.

29.08.08 

85,1 km, 4:35 h, average speed 18,5 km/h

sunny, dry, light tailwind

Tok – Lakeview CG

When I got up around 8am the thermometer showed only 6 degrees C. I ate a sandwich, made some for later, drank a coffee and was on the road at 10:15am. I stopped at the grocery store where I got some bananas, bread and gatorade. There are some weired people hanging living in Tok, they are friendly but somehow they are different – well, there’s not much to do out there!

At 11:15 am I was finally on my way on the Alcan (Alaska – Canada Highway). The first 20km were great riding. Almost no traffic and a nice tailwind.

Then I had to stop because of road constructions and met Hendrik again who was already waiting for the pilot-car. After 15 minutes it arrived, we put our bikes on the back of it, Hendrik got on the back, too, and I sat in the front. The driver told me some jokes which weren‘ t too funny, but it was ok. We had to ride on two other pilot-cars and it really isn’t that much fun. 

The road was very dusty and so we were glad when we reached Northway Junction where we wanted to camp. Since the campground was full we only bought some food, filled our water-bottles and rode another 12km to the Lakeview CG.

Though there were quit a few climbs my bike was rolling pretty good. There were no showers, no water and only pit-toilets (very clean!!!) – but there was no fee and it was a really nice place. I met a swiss couple there who passed me in their camper earlier today. It was nice talking to them and at night we could store our food in their camper – because of the bears.  I had bread, bananas, trail-mix and poptards for dinner, saw a beaver swimming in the lake and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Tok

28.08.08

7,3 km, sunny

Today I hang out at my tentsite most of the day. Reading, surfing on the internet, doing nothing. Moreover I cycled to Tok to buy some groceries and check out the Visitor Center. 

27.08.08

Tag 9: Mentasta Lodge – Tok

11ºC – 16ºC, no rain, mostly sunny, changing winds

82,8km, 4:41min, Average Speed 17,6km/h

At 7:30am my alarm clock rang the first time, but I ignored it and didn’t get up ‚til 9am. I ate sandwiches with creme-cheese for breakfast and was on the road at 10:15am. Today I should pass the Mentasta Summit, the highest point of the Tok-Cut-Off, but I could’t really find it;-). The road was going up and down pretty much all the time but it was nice riding. There was hardly any traffic and many people waved at me or showed me „thumbs up“. It was warm enough riding in shorts and a logsleeve shirt and I enjoyed my ride with big mountain-ranges all around me and many trees that are already changing their color (didn’t I write that before?). I crosses the Little Tok River a few times and saw 6 bikers going the other way (3 and 3) but we didn’t stop to talk. About 16km before I reached Tok there was suddenly a bikepath along the road. At 3pm I reached the Sourdough Campground(20$ including hot showers and free WiFi) pitched my tent  and explored Tok. That didn’t take too long because there isn’t much more then a gas-station, a grocery-store, a souvenir-shop, a café and a visitor-centor.

It’s starting to rain, I have to get back to my tent and put my stuff away!

Take care,

Anja

26.08.08

Tag 8: Chistochina – Mentasta Lodge

10ºC – 17ºC, mostly dry, tailwind, partly sunny

81,7km

My alarm-clock rang at 7am, but I didn’t get up ‚til 8am. I ate a nice breakfast that was included in the rate for the cabin. There were cereals and bread, english muffins, hard-boiled eggs, jam, honey and cream cheese, water, orange juice coffee and tea. While I was eating the owner of the cabins and me looked at The Milepost to find out about the choices I would have the next night.

At 10:20am I was on the road, it rained only a little bit, there was hardly any wind and 10 ºC. The first 20km were easy rolling, then I made a short break after which it was somehow a lot harder to ride. The sun came out and the temperature went up ‚til 17 ºC.

At a parking area with a nice view I made another stop and got invited by an older couple from Florida to have a tea in their RV. So we sat there, talked about all kinds of things and drank tea. They asked me if I’m riding together with the biker who was riding behind me. Since I’m not I was curious to meet him. He stopped a while later and got invited as well. So the four of us where sitting in the RV having a little “meet and greet”. His name is Hendrick and he’s from Amsterdam, Holland. He’s cycling in this area for three or four weeks and started in Anchorage as well. We took our pictures said goodbye to the friendly couple and road a few miles together.

After a while there was the sign for the campground where I wanted to spend the night. I rode down there, checked it out and decided that I did ‚ t want to stay there. A few miles later I stopped at the midway grocery store which was closed because the owner was voting. Finally, at milepost 64, I reached the Porcupine State Recreation Area. There was nobody there, the pit-toilets smelled disgustingly and there were signs with bear warnings at it. I didn’t want to stay there on my own because I knew that I would probably listen to every sound out there instead of sleeping well at night. I waited about 20 minutes but since I was still alone I got on my bike again and hit the road.

Though I didn’t want to (because it’s quite expensive) I rode on to the Mentasta Lodge at Mile 77 (I think). I rented a room for one night, put all my stuff in there and took a long hot shower. After that I had dinner together with Hendrick and we sat there and talked for a while. I ate a Cheeseburger with french fries, Hendrick ate a steak. While we looked out of the window a pilot used the Highway as his runway and took of in his airplane!!! Crazy people out here;-)

Now it’s 9:15pm and I’m sitting in my room, listening to some music while I’m writing my blog. I guess tomorrow I’ll make it to Tok. I hope I can get on the internet there.

Have a good one…

Anja

25.08.08

Tag 7: Northern Lights Campground – Chistochina

86,6km, 5:05h, Ø 17 km/h

9°C, rain all day

24.08.08

Tag 6: …Wilderness Campground – Northern Lights Campground (Glennallen)

30,9 km, 1:53h, Ø 16,2 km/h

12°C, rain in the afternoon

23.08.08

Tag 5: Grand View RV Park – … Wilderness Campground

109,9 km, 7:18h, Ø 15 km/h

rain all day, 9°C

When I packed my things together it already started to rain – and it didn’t stop the whole day. I had Bacon and Eggs with Harshbrowns and Toast for breakfast. It was great but I just couldn’t eat it all.I had a late start, 11:15am. When I arrived at the Eureka Roadhouse around 2pm I was totally wet. My feet were just freezing in those wet shoes. I drank a coffee (25 ct, but it didn’t taste good) and ate the soup of the day (beef) to get warm again. I thought about taking a room there but it would have been 115 $ and I would have had to wait for about 2 hours ‚til I could check in. So I decided to move on, another 60 km to the Campground. I arrived there around 8pm and got a tentsite right at the river – the mosquitoes were already waiting for me. The whole day I didn’t see anything except for dark clouds and rain.

Good Evening! (21.08.08)

After a hard days ride I’m staying at the grandview RV Park at Glenn Highway (Milepost 109.5). Before I could leave the King Mountain State Park(15$, no showers, no water), where  stayed last night I had to put a new tube into my wheel because I had my first flat tire. After that I drank a coffee at the small store just down the road and wasn’t on my way until noon. I had a hard time finding my rythm, going uphill pretty much all the time didn‘ t make it easier. At a construction area I had to throw my bike on the pilot car and got a free ride for about 5 miles. The scenery was awesome again, I road along the Matanuska River and then I saw the Matanuska Glacier. It‘ s hard to describe, you’ll see the pictures later. Finally I made it to the RV Park and I really have a grand view looking out of my tent. It just starts to rain, but my tent already passed the rain-test yesterday night. If it stays as hilly as it was so far I‘ ll need two days for the appr. 80miles to Glennallen. More later, I‘ m really tired and just want to sleep;-).

Anja