TRUE NORTH Alaska
WHEN FRIENDS ASKED why we were going to ride Alaska, it was appropriate to re-work the classic George Mallory 1923 quote about climbing Everest – “because we think it’s almost certainly there”. We had never really considered the endless wilderness of the most northerly US state as a motorcycling destination, particularly due to my memories of reading about early explorers in the Yukon literally going mad with the relentless swarms of mosquitoes in summer. The likelihood of congress with huge and hungry grizzly bears didn’t add much additional comfort during the unfounded perceptions development stage, but when the opportunity to be cold and miserable and itching all over presents itself, we rarely take a backward step. Well, unless we know that’s what it will be like in advance.
Several points worked very favourably for the Compass Expeditions True North Alaska tour: firstly, our daughter is working in Canada so it enabled a visit, secondly, the tour was being led by Bayne the calm and fun Compass support vehicle driver from our Cairo to Cape Town African Expedition, and thirdly, it was a “first time” tour so we would be like Hillary and Norgay. Sure, lots of people will ride Alaska with Compass, but to us we will always be the first.
Arriving into Anchorage just before lunchtime, we met our first companion for the trip – Patrick of Perth – while loitering around the baggage carousel. A wander about the fairly compact city centre, a coffee at the Hard Rock Café as a substitute for beer which would have caused immediate unconsciousness, and we were back at the hotel to unpack, take a walk, and try to battle through until a reasonably civilised time to have dinner, drinks, and get to bed.
Day 2 was all
