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9-16 June 1999 After 22 hours I arrived in Fairbanks including bicycle and luggage. First some days of relaxing with fine temperatures (90 F/ 30 C degrees) and prepared myself and my bike for the trip to Prudhoe Bay, the most Northern point of my trip. 800 km gravel-road back to Fairbanks. Prudhoe was not too bad. I've been at the Arctic Ocean and saw all the oilfields and the start of the 800 miles Alaska Pipeline. Then the trip started off at 11.00 hours, June 15th. 2 flat tires in the first 10 miles !! This road, the Dalton Hwy is the worst road I ever cycled on..... the first 30 miles weren't too bad, but then there were road constructions ahead, I had to walk 5 miles in a complete desert. They put water on the road and it became one big mud pool. My chain was soaked with mud..... I saw 2 bears, about 2 miles from the road, that scarred me off.... At 20.00 hours I thought: this is no fun. I felt so lonesome in the arctic dessert, I was like: I did not come here to torture myself, but to have FUN. I decided to take the first hitch to Fairbanks.... And so it happened.... After spending 2 days in Fairbanks I headed on to Denali (Mt McKinley). 200 km that day. Got up at 7 and it took me 11 hours to get there. Though by far not as bad as the Dalton Highway. Went into the park and saw bears again (but now I was sitting in a bus !). After Denali headed south to Talkeetna. Very nice town !! From there I took a scenic flight to Mt McKinley. We landed at basecamp (2200 m). Was good fun and worth the money !!! From Talkeetne in 2 days to Palmer, pretty boring. Now I'm in Anchorage: finally a good shower after days !! Friday 2 July I have to cycle 120 km to Witthier, Saturday the ferry to Valdez and the 4th of July I celebrate in Valdez. After Valdez 10 lonely days to Haines. |
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17 June - 10 July 1999 After spending 5 days in Anchorage, which is boring, but at least it's a city with normal beds, supplies, etc, I went on to Portage, 80 km south of anchorage. This was a great trip: the sky was clear and mountains all around you. During my last day in Anchorage I met a guy from Japan, Toshi (His real name is a bit too complicated). So, we decided to travel together. In Portage we visited the glacier. Though you couldn't see the whole glacier, it was great, the scenery is just awesome. Next day (July 3rd), we took the ferry from Whittier to Valdez. A 6 hours trip crossing the Prince William Sound. I promise you: that's the best boat trip a human being can do in his live (though I haven't seen the Inside Passage yet... Once in Valdez I finally saw the end of the 800 miles oil-pipeline starting in Prudhoe Bay. Valdez is also the town were the Exon-Valdez spoiled trillion liters of oil, 10 years ago. Now Valdez is very touristy, but nice to spend there one day, especially the 4th of July (independence day). From Valdez Toshi and I went up north in the direction of Tok, via the Richardson Highway and the Tok Cutoff. Very good roads for biking. In 4 days we did the 400 km ride. Now we are in Tok. Not much more than a gas station, a hotel and a grocery store. Next 6 days we'll go to Haines, from there I'll write the news again.
10
July - 15 July
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| During the rest-day we had some real Dutch pancakes and speculaas, very good. The next day rest we took of in the direction of Japser. The weather was still very good.... There are not many places to stay so we ended up camping at a rest area at slim river, 125 km from Prince George. Wild camping is actually much more fun than all those RV campgrounds, though you miss the shower a bit. In Price George we met Randell Platt from Mc Bride. He invited us to have diner with his family as soon as we got to McBride. Just after Slim River we met two Aussies, Jody and Randy, so we continued to McBride with five (Herb, Toshi). Once in McBride we looked for the Platt family and they took us up to a mountain to have dinner... That was a very pleasant night. After diner we could stay at the farm they owned. We had a shower with the noise of some cows in the background.... The next day we went to Mt Robson. With clear sky we took the most awesome pictures of the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies (they are very proud about that !). The next day we hiked up to Berg Lake, a MUST for everyone going to Mt. Robson. We biked up the first 7 km and then hiked the 24 km return to the lake with glaciers and falls everywhere... They after we all felt tired, but decided to go to Jasper, another 86 km from Mt. Robson. Now we are in Jasper, maybe the most touristy place of Canada (Not been in Bannf yet). But the scenery is very good and this morning I woke up because an elk was grazing around my tent !!
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| We had a restday in touristy Jasper. Herb made us a very good Mexican
meal so we had enough energy for next 5 days (good cooking Herb, though I dislike giving
compliments). At the 7th we took off to see the Icefields Parkway. I would like to say one
thing to all the people reading this: as the Lonely planet says: this is the best stretch
of asphalt of all Canada. Just incredible..... The road is about 230 km long and has a few
serious climbs in it, but every meter is worth it. As all campsites in the National parks
are very expensive we camped wild. With the unbelievable mountains in the background we
enjoyed every minute.... If other cyclists decide to take an other route, just do it, but
stop reading now then. Once in Lake Louse it looked like the end of a holiday. This was
the moment where we had to split up in different groups, after traveling a long time
together. Toshi, we traveled 5 weeks together: take care on your trip, wear a helmet,
behave and find yourself a nice Japanese girl, and EAT like an ironman !! Toshi's trip can
been followed via: www.manji.com/toshi , you'll
see me there as well on the pictures so check it out. Then Jody and Randy, the ausies,
good sense of humor, easy going and very good company during 8-9 days (looks like not one
day more, but that's not what I mean). Their trip will be reported on www.users.bigpond.com/randymiller/. I
loved every single day guys. Then mister bigman himself, Hereby, we met 3 weeks ago, split
up, met again and he just made my days here, brilliant man. Hope to see you in Meggico
again, daar waar de wijn zo lekker wegdrinkt !! All by my self again, on my way to
Calgary, to visit some family and get Inge from the airport. She will bike with me all the
way to Vancouver (hope she hasn't read about the hills...) In two daytrips with a heavy
headwind I went to the biggest city so far. I went strait to Joanne Heerema, a cousin of
my dad. Now I stay with Henk Heerema, also a cousin of my dad. They left Holland in the
fifties. A few days in Calgary: haircut, pictures developed (I switch to slides by the
way), Bike repaired, spokes and rim were damaged, and last but not least: visit the
hospital. Uncle Henk took me there and it turned out that I've been cycling with a broken
hand for 3 weeks, mmmmm. So the doctor placed it in plaster, but it's not too bad, though
I couldn't get the X-ray as a souvenir. The laundry is on tomorrows program and these days
I'm spoiled because of the good cares of the Heerema's !!
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