Saturday, July 13, 2013

Day 17 - Top of the World

This post is a continuation of my Alaska trip but I must say this trip happened in 2012 for anyone reading my blog for the first time.
After spending a wonderful afternoon and evening in Dawson City it was time to cross the Yukon and continue north along the famous "Top of the World Highway".  Packed my tent, stopped at a gas station to refuel and while there had a cup of coffee and a wonderful coffee cake.  Next stop, the ferry to cross the Yukon.  It's a short ride as the Yukon is not very wide at this location.


After you disembark on the opposite side, you start a hill climb and soon I stopped just up the hill to say a final goodbye to Dawson City.



The "Top of the World Highway" is about 80 miles of gravel with a few areas already paved/sealed and is open only in the summer months.  The highway is so named because it follows along the crest of the hills giving beautiful views of the valleys down below.  It is also one of the most northerly highways in the world.





The road is easy to follow at a decent speed but you do have to watch for the gravel which can pile up around the turns and if you not paying attention, you can get you in trouble really fast.  If you encounter rain the road could get pretty slippery.





I stop multiple times for pictures having decided to ditch the other three guys and continue the rest of the trip alone.  I prefer to be alone, I can stop whenever I see something worth photographing and I can do it at my own pace.  The views from the top of the mountains is breathtaking, you have the feeling you are riding at the top of the world.  I encountered some pockets of snow but the temperature was reasonable, got cold in a few areas but was mostly a good day for riding.





The few paved areas allows you to ride at a faster pace but again you do have to be on the lookout for the occasional big pothole or broken road.





At my next stop I hear a rustling noise in the bushes and upon further investigation I see a little rabbit very close to me.  I manage to capture a photo before he takes off down the hill.




I stopped again in front of the famous sign but then I remembered I'm alone, who's going to take the picture. I prop the camera on the back of the bike and use the timer to get the shot.



A few miles down the road I finally enter Alaska.  I had been waiting for this for a long time, it had been 17 days since I had left home and now I'm in Alaska.  I had made a quick run to Skagway earlier on the trip but that was for a few hours only.  I'm now going to be in Alaska for a few weeks.




A little later I pass some cabins, they appear to have been built a long time ago, one of the cabins has grass growing on its roof.




I'm quickly approaching the town of Chicken where I plan on having breakfast, I'm dying for a good cup of coffee.  This is beautiful country, amazing scenery, I'm really enjoying my trip.




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