Solo to Alaska Day 14

[jimfix93675]

After a "wonderful" rest in the fish cabin, I visited Kenai, Seward, Whittier, and spent the night in Palmer. Traveled about 400 miles total that day.

Kenai was not much to see or I just didn't find it. I ended riding over 60 miles to a dead end road and had to double back into Kenai and then back to Soldotna. From Soldotna I rode into Seward.

Seward has a Western flair to the town. Pretty place, and I found another sticker to add to my collection on my paniers.

From Seward I rode to Whittier. This was the coolest and most stressful part of the day. You have to ride through a two and half mile train tunnel. I had to ride within a 36" swath of grooved steel between the train tracks. The grooved surface made my front end jiggle and shimmy and I had to keep the speed to about 30 mph. As I was half way through the tunnel I stopped to take a pic. Motorcycles go through last so they don't get run over in case of a crash. The closer I rode to the end of the tunnel, the more I saw lights of a train! I new it was a train and I was prepared to bail if I heard a train whistle etc. I made it through the tunnel and it WAS a train...........waiting for me to get out of the way. I was stopped and was nicely asked to not stop on my way back out. There are security cameras and I was busted!!
I took a pic of the nice lady that yelled at me.

All the towns people in Whittier live in a twelve story building. There is another abandoned grey building they used to live in built by the military around WWII.

I missed the last ferry out to Valdez so I had to ride out and if you don't get out of Whittier by 11:00pm, you become a POW........prisioner of Whittier according to the Ranger at the visiters center.

After Whittier, I found a motel and stopped riding around 11:30pm Alaska time. I haven't eaten since breakfast the the caretaker gave me a plate of spagatti.

Tomorrow Valdez overland using highways 1 and 4. I have an old friend that is taking me salmon fishing.......

I know my writing skill is not of Peter Egan but I'm trying...........

Still vertical......Jim

[Sbyllek]

Jim, your pics are amazing (in each of your threads!)
I love reading/seeing each new installment in your journey!
Have fun fishing! Fresh caught salmon is the best!

[farmer1949]

Thanks for taking the time to keep us posted on your adventure. The pictures are wonderful....I'm still in awe of your tunnel adventure...keep'em coming.....I never realized that this trip would be such an ordeal...never having been out of the lower 48 it is hard to imagine without your pics and story...Good luck!