This was our neighbor at the campsite. He is a sweet 170lb Alaskan Malamute. He just got back from the hair salon.

This morning we woke up in a campsite in a town named Beaver Creek. We are still in Canada, in the Yukon Territory. The ride from Haines was an amazing experience for me. Once off the boat we rolled through some flat roads twisting between high mountains with plenty of snow still covering the tops. As we neared the Canadian border after 30 miles in Alaska, we climbed high into those mountains and the temperature began to drop. The landscape was a true example of southern Alaska.  The forest are thick with evergreens and some snow banks still remain after a hard winter here.

After crossing back into Canada the terrain changed to vast rolling hills with limited vegetation. Not much living up here in the cold. We pulled into Haines Junction, YT for lunch at a nice place with a sun porch and tables. The sun was out and the air temp was around 65. So we sat around two tables joined by some friends we met on the ferry boat, Mac and Adair from Aspen. We had a great meal and got back on the road. The roads up here are always under construction, so we had to ride with extreme caution. The road had really big dips and cracks in it which can launch you if you aren't ready to absorb the bump with your legs. We passed through about four two mile long stretches where the road was just loose gravel with no painted lines or markings. The dust from oncoming cars and the other motorcycles in front of me made it difficult to see anything.  We had to stand on our foot pegs the whole time to let the bike slide around underneath you freely. Ever since my knee injuries I have lost alot of nerve while riding off road. I felt very unsure on the gravel but had to push on since I had no other option. The idea of riding  400 miles of dirt road to the Arctic ocean make me a little more than nervous. I might choose to stay in Fairbanks or another town while the rest of my group makes the journey northward. It saddens me that I might have to do this since I have put so much pressure on myself to make it to Prudhoe Bay. But I am starting to realize that this trip alone is a great thing and I shouldn't let one town bring my sprits down. I need to enjoy myself wherever I am. There were too many spots on the gravel that made me think I wasn't going to make it. I don't want this trip to end with me flying home in a plane with my bike in pieces.  I will ride back to Atlanta in one piece. 

Today we will head up to Fairbanks and stay at another camp site. I'm not sure if we have anything else planned, but it will be nice to be in a city again and not in a tiny town with a 300 population. Fairbanks is in a flat part of Alaska so the scenery won't be quite as nice as it's been.  

Another thing we have to get used to here is the path of the sun. At night the sun sets around 1:30 am and rises again at 3:30 am. My yellow tent lights up when the light hits it. Last night I didn't wear my eye cover so I woke up around 4:00 am.  As we head north it will eventually stay lighter longer leading to the longest day of sun on the the 21st, the summer solstice. I like it but it will take some getting used to. In the winter here the sun only shines for about four to five hours a day.

Time to pack up the tent and get moving again. Life on the road is tough.

If any of you have question regarding anything about this trip or my bike. Or if you request a photo of something please e-mail me at: curtisbbaker@gmail.com 

Thanks again for following along.