Road works towards Glennallan from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken makes a brief stop amongst road works on the Glenn Highway. Contemplating the return to the saddle, and the smell of coffee ahead….
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Road works towards Glennallen
September 25th, 2011Returning contemplations
September 25th, 2011Heavy rain overnight. Little respite in the morning. Brief spells of lighter showers. Low cloud on the surrounding slopes. Nearby peaks lost. The map suggested some over 10,000 feet. Yet surprisingly mild, despite being just a few hundred miles south of the Arctic Circle. Something insipid, draining about the precipitation. Sapping. Hoping always for a break in the evening to pitch the tent.
Second day back on the road after the dental dramas. I’d felt weary the previous evening, but not tired. Strangely alert, as if the body was glad of the exertion. Fourth continent yes, but easier, no. Rather, probably just more stoic.
Pushing the pedals would have been enough. But there were bears and moose to contend with. Or at least there might have been. Not yet. An understood but uncalibrated danger. Drawing comfort that steady traffic on the highway would deter them from venturing onto the road. But no certainty.
Lingering thoughts about my tooth extraction. Tentative self-reassurance the gap, the dull, at times almost imperceptible, ache was just part of the healing process. Monte the dentist had said it would take time.
Point of view
September 24th, 2011
Glacier View or Grand View? I checked the map. Night’s stop would be at the latter. Further six miles. Gone seven pm but plenty of daylight left, but beginning to feel tired. Pressing on beyond the Matanuska Glacier viewpoint. Small motel on the right then a straight, if undulating, road. Then a curve to the left. Downhill, but revealing a long, drawn out climb for the last two miles. Frequent stops to rest.
Matanuska Glacier
September 24th, 2011
Matanuska Glacier from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
A light hearted look at the Matanuska Glacier. Only because there are around 100,000 or so ice fields in Alaska. So quite a few about. And, across the planet, accounting for about 10% of the world’s land mass. So now you know. And still no sign of Yogi….
Filming into the wild
September 24th, 2011
Filming into the wild from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Continuing his journey east towards the Canadian border, Ken notices the scenery is very reminiscent of the Sean Penn film "Into the Wild"….
Pie A la Mode
September 24th, 2011Chickaloon. Another small roadhouse. Open expanse of windswept gravel outside. Inside a bar to the left. A sign said "If assholes could fly this place would be an airport". One customer. A rotund man, white beard, Stetson and braces. I went to the right. Small cafe.
I grabbed a self-service coffee. Couple of dollars. The cinnamon rolls looked tempting, as did the Pie A la Mode, but pricey. A middle-aged couple, early fifties, were sat by the window. Italian perhaps. Tourists definitely.
A lady appeared from out the back. She’d passed me earlier she said. Had I waved, I asked hopefully? Yes. Could she see my posterior? Slightly taken aback, I agreed. Some padding, I admitted with a smile.
Grateful of a rest from the saddle, I was intrigued by the eclectic nature of the cafe. Welsh dresser in the corner, strip of replica posters, National Parks mostly, pasted around the walls where a picture rail might have been. Stainless steel bar stools in on corner. Comfy padded benches.
Trees and mountains
September 24th, 2011
Trees and mountains from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
On the Glenn Highway east from Palmer, Alaska, heading towards the Canadian border a week or so away, Ken discovers a perchance for trees and mountains is quite handy….
Politics, religion and guns
September 24th, 2011
TV in the background. Seven or eight channels. Fox News. Political pundits debating events in Aimes, Iowa. Texan Governor Perry, it seemed, had thrown his hat – a Stetson presumably – into the ring for the Presidential race. Talk of Straw Polls, GOP, Tea Parties, Republicans and the Caucasus. I’d little concept of what they were debating.
The alternatives were less confusing. A few religious channels. Baptist services. A couple of solo preachers. Assertive rather than fire and brimstone. And then guns. Hunting skills. A programme dedicated to some serious weapons. Twin mounted water-cooled M16 carbines. Suppressed – silenced – belt fed grenade launcher. Either of which would work well on bears.
Sutton roadside stop
September 24th, 2011
Today’s special, she added, was biscuits and gravy for five bucks. What I asked, was biscuit? I’d half an idea it was some sort of cheap meat cut. But no. She showed me one. Looked like a bread roll. An idea. Could she do me a bacon and egg roll? Her turn to look quizzical. A bun I explained. Would a hamburger bun be ok? Yes. I smiled. Cheese? She quickly recited three, perhaps four choices. I could only remember the last one. Swiss. Thought she’d said something American. I plumped for that one, mostly out of curiosity.
I’d pulled off the highway at the Sutton General Store and Jonesville Cafe. First stop along the Glenn Highway east of Palmer. Maybe fifteen miles under my belt but already lunchtime. Leisurely start. Seventy five miles to cover but daylight until gone ten pm. Steady riding. Always. Tortoise and hare. Especially when you’ve been off the road, albeit even for a short while. It never gets easier. Both physically and emotionally. Parting with new found friends, no matter how much you know you must. That it’s the right thing to do.
Small cafe. I was the only customer, although the kitchen seemed busy. Couple of women toiling away in the back. Take outs I thought. The shelves of the adjacent store seemed almost as empty. I’d wondered if this was because summer was drawing to a close, but there was still a good few weeks to go. And the place struck me as being open all year. One of the few along this stretch of the Glenn Highway.
Sutton General Store
September 24th, 2011
Sutton General Store from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken stops for a break at the Sutton General Store and Jonesville Cafe. Last stop before Chickaloon and then the wilderness.
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