It is a miserable evening. Raining heavily, cold, very cold actually at less than 40 Degrees Fahrenheit or about 5 Degrees Celsius. The middle of summer, to boot, in the Alaskan bush.

I am at Tangled Lake. This is midway between Delta Junction, the one end of the Alaska Highway, and Valdez. Valdez is the end of the famous Alaska Pipeline. This carries the crude oil from Barrow and Purdue Bay in the far north of Alaska to Prince William Sound. Here it is loaded into tankers and shipped to the US and elsewhere. It is also here where the most notorious oil spill of all time took place. The Exxon Valdez. The Captain was drunk at the time and the ship ran aground. The resultant oils spill killed hundreds of thousands of marine animals and triggered a massive public outcry.

Tangled Lake Welcome

Hotel at Tangled Lake

So we left Fairbanks this morning and next thing I knew we were at North Pole. I could not believe it. I thought our leader, the self same “lost his way” Dom had done it again. It was much simpler. North Pole is a small town near Fairbanks and is famous as a biker stop at the famous Santa Claus House. Here I met the real and genuine Santa and saw his reindeer. My Grand Children are now better off for this visit.

North Pole Welcome

I meet the man

Back to Tangled Lake. This is a magnificent spot. Our hotel is simple to say the least. The rooms are constructed out of the same compressed board that we used to build the first classroom at Bridge House School when we started it in the early 1990’s. I see they still in use at the new school site and whenever I drive past these old buildings, which are now on the main road fence, I am filled with memories of starting the school.

The first day’s assembly under the tree. The early classes at Pierre Simond. Trying to raise money. The  Early Council meetings. Parent meetings and fund raising dinners, especially the one in winter at Delaire with the Three Oakes. I will never forget them for some obscure reason. It must be the name, which is so South African. The weather tonight is almost the same as it was on that evening. I remember that there was a raffle for a Toyota, which at the time, was regarded as a huge prize. It was not the only prize.

But once again back to Tangled Lake. This is a really special place. Anything but smart. It is all about the position. In the middle of nowhere. Isolated but on a perfect lake. What a place to have a summer cabin.

What makes it so special is the simplicity and the people who run it. Sandy here is super special. We are a party of about 16 people. Introduced to her once and she remembers everyone’s names. Her mother started the hotel and did so much good work in the area that a small mountain has been named after her. There are letters and signed photos from numerous Presidents to her.

The dining room is cosy and a great bar. The bedrooms are simple, clean and functional. Next door, is a tent city for a mining company’s staff undertaking exploration work and the mandatory helicopter and pad.

My room at Tangled Inn

We arrived here after a very difficult ride. Relatively easy going for the first 100 miles out of Fairbanks until we stopped for lunch in Delta Junction, which as I mentioned, marks the one end of the Alaska Highway. I will be on this road again in the next few days. Then as we left the weather turned, suddenly and ferociously. Heavy winds and then driving rain. I have excellent waterproof gear and am now used to riding in the rain. But this was tough, really tough and very tiring. It was so wet and the rain so hard, that I even got water dripping inside the visor of my helmet. This is a first for me.

After we arrived there was meant to be a further dirt road ride. I went straight to the pub, where a few of us enjoyed more than a few beers and great laughs. I have found political soul mates for Eveanne. These are Fox News people. They know that the President was not born in the US and even Romney may not be far enough right.

So then it was dinner and afterwards the piece d’ la resistance. Dianne, the Biker Pilot and her husband Reggie, another Biker Pilot and a really laid back good guy, invited me for a scotch in their room. So they had brought the Famous Grouse in an old Listerine Plastic bottle. Easier to pack. The thing was, that try as they may, they could not get the taste of Listerine out of the Scotch. After the first few tastes it was actually quite pleasant. So tonight I do not need to brush my teeth. They are clean and antiseptic. This is a great new business idea.

Tomorrow we ride to Valdez. This rain looks like it has set in. This is not good. This is beer and blonde in bed weather. Bonnie is a bit big for my bed and she needs a great big wash. She has been down and got really dirty. I need one of my other girl friends here. Clean and fresh. But the Biker Pilots mantra holds true at all time. “No muffs too tuff, we dive at five”. So it will be chocks out at 08h55 and wheels spinning at 09h00 whatever the weather.

My time in Alaska is sadly drawing to a close. I have loved being here, this place particularly. The isolation and the physical beauty are remarkable. I love the African bush and smells, but this is far grander and more imposing. The people are wonderful. Friendly, resourceful and not a drag on society. There are no free loaders here. Here you cannot squat outside your hut and watch the mielies grow whilst picking your nose in between making babies. Here the lazy and idle die! They starve and freeze to death.

Mommy Bear and her babies. Valdez. Gorging on Salmon. Getting ready for the winter hibernation

Eat little boy. You need to get big. Its a hard world out there and in your life their are no social support services

Thousands of Salmon trying desperately to swim upstream and breed. They have chosen the wrong stream. Not enough water and the bears are waiting.

Whittaker Glacier on the way into Valdez. A young Glacier

The Glacier up close. It is moving downwards at a rate of 8 ft per month.
It has been retreating in size since 1850.

The big call will have to be made on Sunday morning. This sort of weather will rule out the Road to the Top of the World and Dawson City, at least on my own. I have learnt here that the weather changes quickly and frequently so there is no need to rush the decision.
I have had to wait until getting to Valdez to upload this edition as there was no real connectivity at Tangle Lake. It is not much better here and although I have some awesome pictures, the upload is taking forever. So I have delayed the pictures and this will be nude, so to speak, bare of visuals.

They photos are on my Dropbox folder and there are some must see pictures including a magnificent sighting of a huge Brown Bear Sow with four cubs feeding on fresh Salmon near Valdez and the glacier outside of Valdez.

Tomorrow I start my ride back to Michigan and sleep in Tok, for the second time this trip.

Good Night and Good Luck

Copyright 2012