Ed and Devon Go to Alaska: Day 7 Destruction Bay to Tok, AK

This morning I was awoken by the sound of heavy rainfall. My spirits were very low and I wanted to stay in bed. I got up and took a quick shower, then said a quick prayer. This really did not help my spirits much, but I decided to head out. Before leaving I pulled a coin out of my pocket that a friend gave me the night before I left, I looked at and read the inscriptions on it which were biblical references to Ephesians 6:11-12. My friend's words echoed in my mind as I read the coin which were, "I'm giving this to you so you don't forget who you are." At that moment, my spirits were lifted and I was ready to leave.

Upon leaving the motel, the road to the south was closed. I asked the guy standing at the closed sign what was going on. He advised there was a huge mud slide between Destruction Bay and Haines Junction and that the road is completely closed until they build an alternate route around the slide. I guess it is a good thing that I made it through there before the slide.

Just north of Destruction Bay, the road becomes very bumpy due to frost heaves. I was warned by many riders about these prior to this ride. Most are marked with red flags. I was advised to slow down for these, but they really were not that bad. In fact I found it kind of fun. Both myself and the bike's suspension got a workout. It reminded me of skiing as a kid on a slope with moguls. I was having a blast navigating these. At one point, the red flags signified for me to speed up rather then slow down.

As I rounded a bend, the road all of the sudden changed, it was freshly paved. I then saw the entering Alaska sign. It felt good to be back in the USA.

The boarder crossing was a hoot. There was a border agent there who was a crack up, he gave me all kinds of grief about being from Oklahoma and welcomed me back to the United States. At that moment, the sun came out and the rain stopped. It was great.

Shortly after crossing the border, the road became full of twisties (sweeping turns). It was great, I enjoyed every minute of it. I felt one with the Wing. Then the song Crazy Train came on the Ipod which only added fuel to the fire. I was grinning from ear to ear as I scraped my pegs while throwing my 1,100 pound beast from side to side. It was awesome!!

I am currently in Tok, Alaska and decided to stop for breakfast at Fast Eddie's. This restaurant was recommended to me by several ADV riders. It has lived up to it's reputation. There was a lot of food served and it was good. I ordered the Alaskan Omelet. It is a reindeer sausage omelet.

I am almost done and will continue on to Fairbanks to meet up with the GWRRA members who are going to help me with my cruise control problem. I suspect muck got into one of the cancellation micro switches, we'll see.

I will be staying at the University of Alaska tonight, then hopefully off to the Arctic Circle tomorrow.

I am already starting to plan another ride up here with Devon for 2014, she does not know it yet, shhh don't tell her.

Prudhoe Bay is out. While eating at Fast Eddie's another ADV rider came in and sat next to me, we talked for quite awhile. He just came from Coldfoot and did not make it to Prudhoe Bay. He said it was snowing in Coldfoot and there have been several avalanches near Aticun Pass which were closing the road. I think I will pass on a Goldwing.

Here are some photos from today thus far: