english : Anchorage-Denalli-Fairbanks

Hello everybody,

Total cycling distance so far : 4611km (2900 miles)

Tuesday, 22 july, i left Anchorage in the afternoon after having a very pleasant surprise. My bicycle was in the cycleshop for a routine checkup and i was just killing time when i saw a couple i met a few days earlier. They invited me to a Japanese sushi-restaurant. It was a very good lunch with a good conversation. Jane and Dean, thank for inviting me.

On wednesday things turned for the bad. It starts to rain and it didnit stop for 24 hours. I had no choice than to stay in my tent all day. It was also the first time i had water coming in to my tent. It just came through the floor allthough i have a extra tarp there.

On thursday i had to prepare myself because there was no shop for 150km and i want to do a 3 day hike in Denalli state park. It is the Kesugi ridge trail from where you the best views on the Alaska range. I did buy 6 breads in Wasilla. Outside a soldier ask what i was doing and he gave me an MRE (meal ready to eat). That was very nice of him.

On Friday the wheather is good and i can swim in a lake. After that i start the hike and i have an excellent view on mount Mckinnley and the whole alaska range. Unfornately during the night it changes again and i rains. The next day i decide to not do the whole hike (40km) but go down in the middle. Even the trails are muddy and slippery and i fall several times without any harm.
At the end i get a ride and i can camp underneeth a roof so i am dry for this night.

In the morning i get hot coffee from the visitorcenter. There i also meet a couple from Genk. A village only 30km away from mine and it is nice to talk my own dialect. I left my bicycle and luggage with the camphost but because of the bears you have to put your food in the bearlocker. Somebody searched my bag and stole my biscuits. They also let the locker and my bag open so that some squirrels can go in and eat some of my other food.

On monday, 28 july, i reach Denalli NP. A must see for every tourist in Alaska and there are a lot of people. I doubt a long time to go in because of the price and with bad wheather you dont see a thing and it is raining. I do decide to go in and cycle the 85 mile long unpaved parkroad to wonderlake. Here i dont see a thing. The clouds and rain are very bad. I get water in my tent and so do a lot of others. Some sleepings bags are also wet but not mine. On the parkroad there are only shuttlebuses aloud and some can take a bicycle with them. The first leaves at 6am and many people take it. Dispite all this there is a good atmosphere in the camp. Every one is helping the others and a lot of jokes are told. There are tables with a roof but no walls to protect you for the wind so it is cold. Than we hear there is a landslide and the road is blocked. After an hour everything is cleared. I cycle 30km to the next stop where there are many more buses. Because al my shoes are wet i cycle in my sandals protected by plastic sacks. Very ugly but also very efficient.
Here i do see my first grizzlys and also cariboe.
I also see Uli and Vera. Two female german cyclist i allready met on the kenaipeninsula.

Thinking the wurst is over i cycle to Healy, a village 15 km further. On thursday it doesnot only rain but also i becomes very cold. Only 7 degrees Celsius. It is to cold and i give up. I get a ride back to Denali Park where i can stay with a host from warmshowerslist.
After a hot shower and hot meal i feel much better.

On friday i stays more or less dry. All the rivers are now up and in some places there are floods.
Normally there is wild river rafting but they couldnot do it for the last 3 days and now the guides want to know if you can do it with the guests. They are looking for volunteers to try out and my host arranges i can go on it. It is very nice and we have a lot of fun. On an easy piece we even jump in the river. With dry suits on you dont get wet but i feel the cold coming through after a minute or so. Nate, thank you very much for that.

Saturday starts very nice and i decide to cycle to Fairbanks in 2 days. In the late afternoon i reach the flooted area. (Neenana). Here it rains again and it is cold. The campsite is also flooded and there is nowhere to camp. A guy offers me his cabin and i gladly accept. The cabin has a sauna and it is allready on when i arrive. I probably dont have to tell you i enjoy it very much.
Not only the campsite is flooded but also the hospital which is relocated to the library. Also the church and mean street are blocked. Even the trains cant get through and all the passengers are transported in buses. They do stop here and take pictures of the flood.
They say it is becoming the coldest and wettest summer ever in Alaska.

Well this was the news. I have been in Fairbanks for a few days now and tomorrow i get a ride to Tok. I hope to make up for some lost time and avoid the rain.

From Tok i cycle on the Taylor HW to Chicken, than on the Top of the World HW to Dawson City and Whitehorse.


greetings,

nico