The night in the Arctic Tent was fine. The big advantage was it closed out all the light and I was able to get to sleep easily.

It was raining lightly when I packed up and headed across the street to Fast Eddie’s for breakfast. I parked next to two BMW R1200 GSs. I found the guys they belonged to and told them about the two guys fro Oregon who couldn’t ride more than 300 miles in a day because the bikes were uncomfortable. I asked if they had similar issues with riding comfort, and they said they didn’t, but, they had changed the seats. They said the stock seats were terrible. They were able to ride 500-600 miles a day without feeling uncomfortable. So customizing BMWs for comfort is no different from customizing Harleys.

Over breakfast I chatted with a couple for SE Ohio. They had rented a car and driven up to see Alaska. They were staying in a cabin at Fast Eddie’s at $165 per night and were very happy with the accommodations. They had a private bath and a queen sized bed. They were thoroughly enjoying Alaska.

The road south of Tok was the same road the couple from Peoria had trouble with. Armed with the knowledge of their experience I rode cautiously. I found the road has lots of major dips. All of them were either marked or clearly visible. I slowed down and rode over the bad spots at 30-50 mph depending on the severity of the bumps. I stood up for a few, pretending I was riding a dirt bike, but it was easier just to slow down. I didn’t break anything on the bike or my back.

You have probably noticed the lack of pictures up to this point. It was cold, overcast,  and rainy until about noon. The camera was securely stowed in my tank bag.

I was able to see a very large mountain off to the East, but the camera wouldn’t have been able to capture it. I was able to get a few pictures at an overlook. The purple flowers are the some one I saw in British Columbia.

I have noticed over the past couple of days the tall, spindly pine trees. They look anemic. I guess they don’t have longer branches because they couldn’t support the weight of the extra snow. There must be millions of these trees I Alaska. They are in all the valleys.

It warmed up as I approached Anchorage and the vegetation changed. The trees were bigger and the bushes thicker. The pine trees had “normal-sized” branches. The road, the trees, and the rock outcroppings looked very similar to anywhere in northern New England.

After the sky cleared, the mountains in the distance were still hazy. When I got east of Anchorage I saw the reason for the haze. There was an active forest e. I stopped and watched two helicopters pick up water out of the bay and fly up to dump the water on the fire.

At the suggestion of a friend I turned on the road to Whittier to see the avalanche tunnel. I paid the toll and rode through it in both directions.

I took a picture of a glacier while I waited my turn. The tunnel was built for trains, so there is a track down the middle. I saw the excursion train, but missed taking a photo of it. Riding a motorcycle through the tunnel is a bit tricky. You have to cross over one rail then ride down the middle between the two rails. The speed limit is 25 mph, which is about right. It takes eight minutes to ride through.

I rode through Seward and south of town a few miles on a gravel road to Miller’s Campground. They have nice grassy sites for the tents and lots of RV sites. Wi-Fi is free, which is why I have been able to write so much this evening. A full moon rose over the mountains and is low in the sky to my right. The camera couldn’t capture it as the eye sees it. This picture of the porch of the rec. hall gives you an idea of the view I have as I write this.

You don’t need to see another shot of my tent, however, it’s near the bathhouse and is named, “John.” The site next door is “Tim,” but it was already taken when I got here.

Tomorrow I head back north.