Semi-Long term travel- Canada to Alaska Pt. 1
In July of 2018 I left on an extended motorcycle trip from Idaho to Alaska. This was my first real taste of what it was like to live on the bike for more that a week. This sort of experience really changes your outlook on life and how you want to see the world. I always viewed travel as a luxurious venture where spending money was the goal and having a fun destination was something you could brag to your friends about. Going to Alaska was truly about the journey there and getting to experience more remote areas of the planet. It was not fancy, luxurious, and the destination was not a resort or a beach front air b and b. The destination changed daily and there were plenty of struggles on where to go, what to see, and which places were more important.
We (my buddy Scott and his son) left in the middle of July, right as the temperature was starting to get hot in Idaho and began our journey north. Luckily, we are only a few hours from the border with Canada, so our first night was just on the other side at a wonderful provincial park. Being a rookie at traveling in foreign countries I had zero Canadian dollars on me and was not at all prepared for the lack of cell service the next 10 days had in store for us. We made a pit stop at 2 scoop Steve’s ice cream shop just on the other side of the border for a tasty treat. Luckily they accepted credit cards, otherwise I would have gone with out! We set up camp, had a nice dinner and hit the sack, not entirely sure what a month on the road was going to be like.
Our goals for Canada were to go through Banff and Jasper National Parks and do the “Top of the World Highway.” All of which were achieved and epic in their own right. The experience of riding a motorcycle through these national parks was truly incredible. It is a hands-on, raw endeavor that gives you a panoramic perspective. The mountains were massive and the lakes were an aqua color that can’t be described, it has to be experienced.
The town of Banff is nestled in the Canadian Rockies among trees, with mountains jettisoning up on every side. Like most resort towns, it is bustling with people, bicycles, and shops ranging from restaurants to name brand. One of the main attractions is Lake Louise. This wonderful alpine reservoir is shockingly deceiving. All of the pictures I have seen were of a pristine lake and a glacier in the back ground. Down side is, you don’t get to see the massive hotel and lines of tour buses behind all of those beautiful pictures. It ruins the vibe a bit. None the less, it is still a beautiful place to go!
What amazes me the most about Canada is that most of the areas I went through in BC and the Yukon could be a national park. Our next excursion was towards the the Top of the World Highway that runs from Dawson City to Chicken, AK. To get started on the road is a short ferry crossing from Dawson City. Before departing we spent a couple hours in the town (city is a bit of a stretch) wandering about, having lunch, and getting a feel for the town. There was a music festival being held the weekend we were there which attracts thousands of people. It was a unique time to be in a town that had mostly gravel roads and an “old time” feel with wooden sidewalks. The road itself is a combination of gravel and pavement but more dirt than tarmac and it snakes its way up and over ridges, giving excellent views of the mountains and the desolate wilderness that surrounds the road. We stopped several times for pictures and snack breaks, trying to soak up just how amazing this little road was. There was very little traffic so our experience was one of solitude and isolation, feelings that you won’t be shy of the further north you go. We dropped in to Chicken, Alaska after crossing the border through a one-man check station, clearly showing the road doesn’t get much use. Chicken was a fun town with a gift shop and service station where we picked up some ice cream and fuel. The attendant at the fuel pumps was sunning herself on top of the fuel container when we arrived, giving yet another indication of a slower pace of life in more desolate areas.
It was great to be back on US soil and typical me, expected to have cell service in the middle of nowhere. Clearly I was not prepared for where I was and the lack of service in general because that was something I wouldn’t find much of until the more populated areas like Fairbanks.
Stay tuned for part two as we explore more of Alaska! Thanks for reading!
-Rhino