Friday, June 30, 2006
Midnight Sun
I took this picture at 11:30 "p.m." in Fairbanks on June 28th.
I took this picture at 11:30 "p.m." in Fairbanks on June 28th.
Now abandoned, this is what it used to be a very nice hotel.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Chena Hot Springs
Yesterday (Wednesday June 18th) I went to Chena Hot Springs, north of Fairbanks. It was a very, very nice place, especially for a tired traveler like me. I have driven the bike for more than 4,500 miles so far and I needed a little soak. The water was 120 degrees F. I had to wait until the water was 108 degrees before I could get into the pool. The coolest part was to be in the hot springs pool until midnight with the sun still shining on the horizon. While at the pool, I could see a moose drink water from a pond about 100 feet away!
Back in Fairbanks
Today Thursday I left Chena Hot Springs and I'm back in Fairbanks. I checked in this little hostel called Billy's Hostel. Incredibly, it is only $25 per night, it is safe and very clean, it has internet, and a bunch of other amenities. Even some of the food is included in the cost. Compare this price to the $199/night I had to pay in a waterfront hotel for my first night in Fairbanks. The "fancy" waterfront hotel did not have a laundry room/service, rooms were very small, noisy, and one internet terminal for the whole hotel. The hostel was a better deal!!
Because I'm not going to Prudhoe Bay, I guess I'll stay here for a couple more days enjoying a Salmon Bake or something like that :-) I'll try posting pictures of this part of the trip tonight.
Prudhoe Bay
It looks like I won't be traveling to Prudhoe Bay because it is going to rain for the next two days. Well, I guess I'll have to do that part of the trip some other time. This is a 417-mile dirt road (800 miles round trip). I'm not that experienced driving in the rain, so I'll leave that ride for some other time.
Yesterday (Wednesday June 18th) I went to Chena Hot Springs, north of Fairbanks. It was a very, very nice place, especially for a tired traveler like me. I have driven the bike for more than 4,500 miles so far and I needed a little soak. The water was 120 degrees F. I had to wait until the water was 108 degrees before I could get into the pool. The coolest part was to be in the hot springs pool until midnight with the sun still shining on the horizon. While at the pool, I could see a moose drink water from a pond about 100 feet away!
Back in Fairbanks
Today Thursday I left Chena Hot Springs and I'm back in Fairbanks. I checked in this little hostel called Billy's Hostel. Incredibly, it is only $25 per night, it is safe and very clean, it has internet, and a bunch of other amenities. Even some of the food is included in the cost. Compare this price to the $199/night I had to pay in a waterfront hotel for my first night in Fairbanks. The "fancy" waterfront hotel did not have a laundry room/service, rooms were very small, noisy, and one internet terminal for the whole hotel. The hostel was a better deal!!
Because I'm not going to Prudhoe Bay, I guess I'll stay here for a couple more days enjoying a Salmon Bake or something like that :-) I'll try posting pictures of this part of the trip tonight.
Prudhoe Bay
It looks like I won't be traveling to Prudhoe Bay because it is going to rain for the next two days. Well, I guess I'll have to do that part of the trip some other time. This is a 417-mile dirt road (800 miles round trip). I'm not that experienced driving in the rain, so I'll leave that ride for some other time.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
I flew in a float plane like this one to go see the bears...The Anchorage Tidal Flats of the Cook Inlet
Flying over the Anchorage tidal flats of the Cook Inlet 80 miles from anchorage. It was cool to spot moose on the ground and Beluga whales on the high tide... 
Oops, a little to close! This is papa bear. It got about 15 feet away from me. I'll tell you the rest of the story later...
Mama bear and cubs...I was photographing this from about 30 feet! Big River Lake, one hour away from Anchorage, AK, on a floatplane.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Update
Sorry boys and girls for not keeping you updated. It's a little difficult to find a computer that lets you download the pictures from your camera. Next time I'll take my own laptop and use the wireless internet, which does exist almost everywhere.
Today is Monday afternoon. I'm getting ready to do some bear watching from a float plane. Tomorrow I will be in Denali and stay there for a couple of days. Then I will be on my way to Fairbaks for another two days or so. I'll keep you updated as soon as I can.
Nuevas
Disculpen guambras por no mantenerme en contacto. La verdad es que es dificil conseguir una computadora para poder bajarme las fotos desde la camara. La proxima vez creo que traere conmigo una laptop. Hoy es Lunes Junio 26 por la Tarde. Me estoy alistando para volar en una avioneta afivia para ir a ver a los osos comiendo salmon en el rio. Maniana salgo a Denali y estare ally por un par de dias. De ahi ire a Fairbanks por un par de dias mas. Les mantendre informados en cuanto pueda.
Sorry boys and girls for not keeping you updated. It's a little difficult to find a computer that lets you download the pictures from your camera. Next time I'll take my own laptop and use the wireless internet, which does exist almost everywhere.
Today is Monday afternoon. I'm getting ready to do some bear watching from a float plane. Tomorrow I will be in Denali and stay there for a couple of days. Then I will be on my way to Fairbaks for another two days or so. I'll keep you updated as soon as I can.
Nuevas
Disculpen guambras por no mantenerme en contacto. La verdad es que es dificil conseguir una computadora para poder bajarme las fotos desde la camara. La proxima vez creo que traere conmigo una laptop. Hoy es Lunes Junio 26 por la Tarde. Me estoy alistando para volar en una avioneta afivia para ir a ver a los osos comiendo salmon en el rio. Maniana salgo a Denali y estare ally por un par de dias. De ahi ire a Fairbanks por un par de dias mas. Les mantendre informados en cuanto pueda.
With Luna trying to cross a little crevase. My cousin took the picture thinking I would fall, but I didn't, :-))
Horseback riding near Seattle on a high forest. Notice I had to ride on snow. That is my horse Luna (Moon).
Seattle. My cousin made me pose for this one :-) 
White water rafting...I'm the one with a black helmet, next to the guide..f cold!!!
Camping in Wyoming at a KOA campgroung.Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Day Two - Windy, windy, windy
I could not believe it! Sustained winds of about 60 MPH or more on I-80, three semi's belly up, and me driving at a 45 degree angle. Now I'm glad I got the bigger bike :-)
Apparently, a cold front hit the area and the temperatures dropped from 90 to 60 F in just a few hours, and with the temperature change came the strong winds. I wanted to stop because it was dangerous. I decided to continue driving instead. If I stopped, the wind would have pushed the bike to the ground in a second, just as it did with the two big semi's and another one that was transporting a mobile home. The winds also carried tons of dust and the usual one or two dead squirrels! :-) I'm not kidding. One dead squirrel came flying from the south and hit my front tire. I split the little thing in two: body to the left, tail to the right :-( The strong winds continued for the next 50 loooooong miles.
The ride was a lot nicer when the wind subsided later in the afternoon. The views became espectacular as I approached Tremonton. Everything is bright green and the roads are some of the best I've ever seen. I'll post pictures of this leg of the trip as soon as I get hold of a private computer...
I could not believe it! Sustained winds of about 60 MPH or more on I-80, three semi's belly up, and me driving at a 45 degree angle. Now I'm glad I got the bigger bike :-)
Apparently, a cold front hit the area and the temperatures dropped from 90 to 60 F in just a few hours, and with the temperature change came the strong winds. I wanted to stop because it was dangerous. I decided to continue driving instead. If I stopped, the wind would have pushed the bike to the ground in a second, just as it did with the two big semi's and another one that was transporting a mobile home. The winds also carried tons of dust and the usual one or two dead squirrels! :-) I'm not kidding. One dead squirrel came flying from the south and hit my front tire. I split the little thing in two: body to the left, tail to the right :-( The strong winds continued for the next 50 loooooong miles.
The ride was a lot nicer when the wind subsided later in the afternoon. The views became espectacular as I approached Tremonton. Everything is bright green and the roads are some of the best I've ever seen. I'll post pictures of this leg of the trip as soon as I get hold of a private computer...
Day One
After some last-minute packing I finally left Denver at around 4 P.M. I took I-25 to Cheyenne, then I-80 to Rawlins, WY. Once in Rawlins I discovered that all the hotels were booked!#$##$%(my french goes here). I was even willing to sleep in a smoking room, but "no can do," they said!
After a few minutes of searching, I found a KOA campground. It was very clean and cheap too :-) I installed the tent right away and ordered pizza, chicken wings, and a two-liter Pepsi. I ate everything in less than 10 minutes. Needless to say, I couldn't sleep all night because of the spicy wings, the caffeine from the pop, and to top it all off, the sound of the semi trucks from I-80. All in all, it was a quiet and nice ride and the beemer behaved superbly! Tomorrow is going to be a long day.
After some last-minute packing I finally left Denver at around 4 P.M. I took I-25 to Cheyenne, then I-80 to Rawlins, WY. Once in Rawlins I discovered that all the hotels were booked!#$##$%(my french goes here). I was even willing to sleep in a smoking room, but "no can do," they said!
After a few minutes of searching, I found a KOA campground. It was very clean and cheap too :-) I installed the tent right away and ordered pizza, chicken wings, and a two-liter Pepsi. I ate everything in less than 10 minutes. Needless to say, I couldn't sleep all night because of the spicy wings, the caffeine from the pop, and to top it all off, the sound of the semi trucks from I-80. All in all, it was a quiet and nice ride and the beemer behaved superbly! Tomorrow is going to be a long day.
Friday, June 09, 2006
A slightly bigger bike
Well, after some thought I decided to get a bigger bike because I'll be riding on highways most of the time.
As might have happened to you at some point, I just went to get parts for my cute Yellow Bike, and this is what I endedp up with:
...a spanking new BMW 1150GS Adventure 2006 Limited Edition. What a mouthfull! I wanted to paint it yellow, just like my 650 GS, but my friends guaranteed me a beating if I do that :-)
Fortunately, the bike came with everything, including the pannier boxes, a large windshield, hand protectors, and a lighter exhaust system. But now all my other accessories are yellow. What the heck!
These are some pictures of the actual bike:
And here are some of the things I'll be taking toAlaska:
Well, after some thought I decided to get a bigger bike because I'll be riding on highways most of the time.
As might have happened to you at some point, I just went to get parts for my cute Yellow Bike, and this is what I endedp up with:
...a spanking new BMW 1150GS Adventure 2006 Limited Edition. What a mouthfull! I wanted to paint it yellow, just like my 650 GS, but my friends guaranteed me a beating if I do that :-)
Fortunately, the bike came with everything, including the pannier boxes, a large windshield, hand protectors, and a lighter exhaust system. But now all my other accessories are yellow. What the heck!
These are some pictures of the actual bike:
And here are some of the things I'll be taking toAlaska:
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