Leaving Fairbanks for Dawson City, YT on 5/22/2002 our group split up.  Harry & Bill had to stay at the Harley Shop for new tires and misc.  (Harry also needed new front/rear bearings).  Meg & Richard hoped to pan for a little gold in the Fairbanks area.   Kenny & John wanted a picture-taking ride across the beautiful Top of the World Highway.   Things didn't go as planned!  Meg & Richard took a 140 mile detour by mistake (almost saw Denali again!)   Harry & Bill got away from the Harley Shop so late (3:00pm) that we couldn't make the 8:00pm border closing to get to Dawson City, so we had to find lodging in Chicken, Alaska (a really fun experience actually!).   As many of you have heard, Kenny had an unfortunate accident on the Top of the World Highway, 23 miles past the Canadian Border headed towards Dawson.  It turned out that this was perhaps the most treacherous road any of us had ever ridden with deep soft gravel, loose gravel, gravel that LOOKED like pavement but was soft, etc.  The Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle was a interstate highway compared to this road!  Kenny was helicoptered to Dawson, then to Anchorage for medical care.  (Nobody really did anything and Kenny had to read the X-ray for them!  He has a broken collarbone and has the arm in a sling, taped to his chest!)  Kenny then flew home from Anchorage.  The Goldwing was eventually shipped from Dawson City, YT to Whitehorse, YT.  It is being repaired there and then Kenny has to figure out how to get it back home from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.  All our travelers are now back safely in Va.   The ADVENTURE of a lifetime for sure!  No current plans to repeat this trip anytime soon........but wow, I do want to see lots of what we saw in Alaska again!  NEWSFLASH , 7/25/2002.  Kenny flew back to WHITEHORSE on Friday the 12th.  He arrived Safely in Waynesboro, Virginia on July 18, 2002.  We all wish we could have ridden thru Canada with him!
First a look at my SHOW BIKE in case any of you are wondering if you want to do this with your HARLEY
Laugh at my LED lights if you want, but they show up even through all this mud!
Can you tell that the exhaust is ready to fall off? Somewhere between 400 miles of bouncing to the Arctic circle and back (or getting stuck in that muddy lane past Doug's) I lost 2 mounting bolts.
I don't care what anybody says, I still love my Harley and hope it is gonna get me back to Virginia!
The last time I saw Kenny, outside of our B&B in Fairbanks. the ONLY place we've spent 2 nights except for the FERRY!
Jessie & Leaia(sp) at the Harley shop. Ann they WANTED to hug me, but I didnt let them!
The brand new Harley Shop (the OUTPOST, the furthest north Harley shop) in Fairbanks. HOW NEW? The parking lot was still being graded when we first got to Fairbanks, then paved by the 2nd day!
Fairbanks Weather was 82 degrees on May 22nd! These bikes were heading out the door fast!
Clark at the service desk lived up to the Harley policy of taking care of travelers on the road as a priority. He worked us right into the schedule!
Bill & I arrive in Chicken. Can you tell it is a RELAXED kind of place? Here are our new friends Omar, Max, and Kim.
We were told on the radio there was no lodging in Chicken and the border was closed promptly at 8:00pm. We almost headed back to Tok. Then someone on the radio mentioned the Chicken Saloon. We figured if there were people and a bar, we would find SOME place to sleep!
Hey, we even got delicious food in Chicken. Drop by for their freshbaked pies and rolls!
Bill & Harry do the Tourist thing!
Starting to look familiar already? Folks you've now seen ALL of downtown Chicken!
Susan, owner/manager of Chicken's Cafe/store/bar says, don't worry, we've got you covered. Here she leads us to our lodging.
And here are your facilities.
Your lodging sir! 2 rooms/2 beds/no smoking/no lights/no Tv/ no water/ no phone/ no cell service. Now you're REALLY in Alaska guys!
In honor of important guests like Bill and me, they load the cannon with black powder and toilet paper and fire it off! They also use this with panties when someone donates them to be fired off!
More excitement in Chicken!
Wolfgang proves you can skateboard on dirt!
We weren't the only customers the ENTIRE time. Here are our 2 trucker friends Nick and Rob letting Kim check out the truck. Rob drives the Haul road (the Dalton Highway) several times a week. He was amazed to hear I'd passed 3 trucks the day before. He said they love to see an occasional bike, but he had NEVER been passed by one!
How welcome did they make us feel? They even invited me to bring my Harley into the bar. So naturally, hillclimb Harry tried it! Here I am stuck on the front porch! Lost no mirror this time, but did have to find the kick stand spring in the dirt a little later and reinstall that. Luckily it was still light outside at 1:00a.m. so I could do the repair!
Here are our hosts in Chicken: Max, Susan, Greg, & Wolfgang.
Some "Chicken Facts"
Tucker, the 3 legged wonder dog of chicken
Sir Drake, the cat they hope will live to maturity.
Amy, our enthusiastic bartender joins us for yet another cold one! (Actually the generator was down so they were getting a little warmer!)
More Fun behind the bar
Incredible views from The TOP OF THE WORLD HIGHWAY
Bill taking pictures of the views (we hadn't gotten to the border yet and found out about Kenny's accident!)
Parked at the abandoned Gold Dredge between Chicken, Alaska and the Canadian Border
Downtown Dawson City, Yukon Territory
Neat city, but maybe a bit "touristy"?
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This page was last updated on: June 12, 2003