Hyder Alaska, Sept 5th
Hyder Alaska and I made that return trip to Alaska a lot earlier than what I planned on…remember how I said in Prince Rupert that Alaska is definitely going to be a return trip? – well, decided on sooner than later, and the other thing is a return trip when it’s not raining that guess what, no precipitation. The thought of making a trip to Hyder started my first night in Anchorage when some guy told me I should really make a trip to see the bears, that when I had a number of other people mention the same thing, as well as getting Hyderized, decided I should check it out. It was great finally getting on the road and doing some riding instead of having to worry about a ferry and riding from one end of town to the other, remember Juneau and Ketchikan? Ok, I can imagine that a lot of people who take the inland ferry during the summer season see a lot more along the way since it’s lighter longer, but for me it was always dark shortly before 10:00, ok, later than back home, but still miss a lot when the ferry leaves at 10:30pm. Said goodbye to Prince Rupert and the Pioneer hostel and on the road on a sunny day…that should mean great riding and scenery to see along the way, right?
According to the British Columbia Lonely Planet the 146 klik, ok that’s slang for Kilometer, trip from Prince Rupert to Terrace is one of the most scenic in BC, and at the bar last night, they were saying that National geographic says the same. Once again, pictures don’t do the ride justice and what a great ride…how’s that song go? ‘What a beautiful ride’ which it was just that. At one point along the way stopped taking pictures to enjoy the moment and since pictures don’t’ do it justice, you’ll just have to do it yourself some day and by bike would be the best, because Chris…remember him and Donna from last night? the smells are amazing. Don’t know what it was, but I was really into the moment for a change just trying to suck in as much of the beauty around me that I possible could, and maybe that’s because I see there is so much more to see and experience in life that I’ve not only seen a lot and experience a lot, but I have a hellova lot more living to do. It had me thinking about what my top 10 things to do before I die would be and because of this trip and all that I’ve already experienced, I’m gonna have to re-evaluate that.
Ok, back to reality, or at least the ride and when I stopped for gas on my way into Terrace asked about the ride past the volcano which the attendant said the Nisaga’a highway and it’s paved all the way to 37, ok, hwy 37 is what I need north to Hyder that that’ll be great. Well, decided to still make a stop at the visitors center and when I got there, the lady was telling some guy who was looking at taking his RV the route I was planning that the last 60 kliks are on a decommissioned logging trail that she’d suggest to him and after I asked, me that it wouldn’t’ be a road that you’d want to ride, especially on a bike. Ok, but like I told her, you haven’t seen some of the roads this bike has been on…more on that later. Ok, the majority of the ride from Terrace to the lava fields are something else and definitely a trip people should make because it was pretty cool being in the middle of a lava flow from hundreds, well, maybe thousands of years ago and seeing just what it’s all about. Didn’t see this much lava in Hawaii years ago or even Mt St Helen, but probably didn’t visit the right places. Check out the visitor’s center at the lava campground and if I would have gotten a picture of me in front of the building, they only allow short people in that wouldn’t that be some kind of prejudice toward tall people? Well, it wasn’t open that I didn’t have to worry about it, but since I took a turn and wasn’t sure which way I needed to go, checked out the local map to get back on track.
A short trip and attendant wrong, visitor center right, I have gravel ahead of me for the next 51 kliks and so far, this road is worse than any I’ve rode so far just because of the potholes. Tried to avoid as may as I could, but you can’t get too close to the edge either unless you want to tip over in the ditch that this bike is gonna take a hell of a beating and I’m gonna be rattled to the bone. Well, it’s not like me to quite and since it might take me an hour to go 51 klik’s, so be it cuz it’d probably take a couple of hours to back track and like the lady at the visitor center said, sometimes you have to take the bad roads to see things that you otherwise wouldn’t see that you can see from a picture of one of the rivers, I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t taken this road. At one point came upon a truck that let me go by, ok, maybe going a little faster on bad gravel than I should, but do have a warranty on the bike. Well, don’t know how far back the pickup I passed fell or whether he turned off and that was because I came to a fork in the road with no sign on which way to go left of right to get to 37, that right is always right that I might as well go that way. I worried whether I made the right turn a number of times because had stopped for pictures or such and the pickup still hadn’t shown up as well as other vehicles coming from the other way, that I may have just taken the wrong logging trail. Well, I had faith that right was right because of the phone lines along the way, that let’s see. Finally about 15 kliks from the end, you know the mile, or in this case kilometer markings along the way saw an RV coming the other way that stopped them and asked if I was on the right road to hwy 37, and yep, right was right once again.
Only 15 kliks to go and I don’t understand why the last 5 would be the worst of the road, but for having been rattled to the bone for 46 kliks already, not about to turn back now. Finally made hwy 37 and what a great ride north toward Stewart….the Canadian version of Hyder that made it just as running out of gas to the pass to either head to Hyder or the Alaskan hwy East. Ok, you know which way I went and according to the lady pumping gas…yep, my kind of attendant, the ride to Stewart is suppose to be one of the top site seeing rides that we’ll just have to see because of some of the other riding I’ve done, and once again, pictures won’t do it justice. I’m sneaking into the Misty Fjord National Park the back way instead of a boat or plane trip from Ketchikan, but it’s much better to see on a bike that I’m doing it the right way…remember, ‘Have Bike, Will Travel’. Gotta see more glaciers along the way and you’d think at some point you’d get sick of seeing glacier after glacier, but since each one is so different, it’s still exciting to me…not that I could handle seeing all of them that I have in a day or two, but as long as it’s spread out a little, it’s a new exciting experience when you see something new.
It didn’t take long to get to Hyder and you can see I almost missed it with only one picture on the way into town before going to see the bear, one of the reasons that so many visitors make the trip to Hyder – the bear. Well, the reason for the lack of pictures riding is the road thru Hyder is even worse than the decommissioned logging trail I took, larger potholes and no smooth path to try to follow that thought for sure the bike is either going to fall apart or at least going down hitting a bigger bump than the last that my body is starting to hurt…remember, rattled to the bone? Ok, so I saw the bear there were to see and if I come back early in the morning might see the Grizzly with cubs, but not an early riser unless I really have to. Back into town to figure out where to stay, eat and get Hyderized that I could tent it which no one is recommending because of the bear or just stay at the SeAlaska or one of the other B&B’s in town…cheap this time of year since everything starts shutting down after Labor day and their glad to see the tourist gone. Well, for something to eat, the only place opened in town is the bus…will get to that later or heading back to Stewart Canada, 5 minutes away where I can get a variety of food that will make that trip back across the border to eat. Forgot to mention, this is one of the few, if there are others, of border crossings into the U.S. where there’s no U.S. border patrol to check whether you can enter the states or not…well, no where else to go from Hyder cuz the road ends there that they wouldn’t get too far without having to hike over the mountains. Still going into Canada though that when I asked the border patrol lady where she’d suggest I eat and stay, she said no need to go to Stewart…hey, my first time being turned down getting into Canada. She said the Bus in Hyder has the best and freshest seafood around and is definitely a placed to try instead of Stewart and rooms are much cheaper in Hyder than Stewart, that no need for me to cross the border now, ok, that works for me. Made my way to the bus and no one else there, but the lady running the place standing watching where a bear went that had just gone thru. Apparently another couple was there eating and when the bear showed up, they skedaddled out of there and the ladies husband brought the shotgun over just in case…ok, not sure I want to eat here, but as long as she has a gun handy, that’ll work for me.
Her Mermaid Chowder was awesome and had half an order of the fish and chips, fresh Halibut today that was also great. Told her I was looking for a place to stay and thought about just pitching a tent, but like I’ve heard before, not necessarily the thing to do this time or year because of the bear, that Chuck has a new B&B that costs only $39, and newer than the SeAlaska, that should stay there. Did ask if it was safe for me to walk downtown the 3 or 4 blocks because of the bear, but like she said, just walk in the middle of the road and don’t run if you see one…remember Denali’s rules, even if they charge just stand there waving your arms and yelling…well, hope not to have to try that out, not tonight. Chuck checked me in and like he said, just opened this year that the beds are new and everything remodeled that it’s definitely the best place to stay and hey, a bed and shower work, for me, and this time of year, I get the entire place to myself…that’s even better. Ok, time to head to the Glacier bar and remember the BC Lonely Planet? have to go to the Glacier Inn to get Hyderized which is just what I did. Ok, it’s a shot of 150 Ever Clear…use to be stronger before they had to follow the law, but you don’t get to smell it, taste it or anything, just the shot and a glass of water chaser and hey, if it comes back up, you buy the bar a round. Well, had my fill of food and can handle the challenge that was Hyderized at the Glacier Inn and got my card to prove it. Did leave my mark, a bill on the wall with my blog address, that look for it when you visit.
Headed to SeAlaska Inn since there was more going on there and spent some time working on my blog before some people from a previous hostel showed up and remembered me. Not someone I talked to, but they remembered me and the bike that got to talk to them for the night. Jo and Steve originally from Australia now living in Vancouver and their Aussie brother over visiting for a trip through a little of Alaska and eventually the Jasper/Banff parks…remember one of my favorite places visited so far. They were trying to decide whether to get Hyderized or not since according to the Lonely Planet you should do it at the Glacier Inn, but hey, you really need to do it and me…well, incase I run into a situation where one bar claims theirs better than the other – remember how I had to visit two bars claiming to be the oldest in New York? Should get Hyderized again to cover my tracks, which you can see I did, and nope not coming up, I can hold my liquor, especially when it comes to buying the bar around. Tomorrow, heading south toward Calgary, but found out I missed something in Hyder worth seeing, a glacier 10 miles out from the bear watch that great, will have to take the road worse than the logging trail, because according to the Lonely Planet, the 5th largest glacier in the world and only one that large that you can drive too…ok, that might be why I don’t have the Lonely Planet, don’t have to do everything that it says...let’s see what tomorrow brings, Ay? Awesome Prince Rupert to Hyder Pictures.
According to the British Columbia Lonely Planet the 146 klik, ok that’s slang for Kilometer, trip from Prince Rupert to Terrace is one of the most scenic in BC, and at the bar last night, they were saying that National geographic says the same. Once again, pictures don’t do the ride justice and what a great ride…how’s that song go? ‘What a beautiful ride’ which it was just that. At one point along the way stopped taking pictures to enjoy the moment and since pictures don’t’ do it justice, you’ll just have to do it yourself some day and by bike would be the best, because Chris…remember him and Donna from last night? the smells are amazing. Don’t know what it was, but I was really into the moment for a change just trying to suck in as much of the beauty around me that I possible could, and maybe that’s because I see there is so much more to see and experience in life that I’ve not only seen a lot and experience a lot, but I have a hellova lot more living to do. It had me thinking about what my top 10 things to do before I die would be and because of this trip and all that I’ve already experienced, I’m gonna have to re-evaluate that.
Ok, back to reality, or at least the ride and when I stopped for gas on my way into Terrace asked about the ride past the volcano which the attendant said the Nisaga’a highway and it’s paved all the way to 37, ok, hwy 37 is what I need north to Hyder that that’ll be great. Well, decided to still make a stop at the visitors center and when I got there, the lady was telling some guy who was looking at taking his RV the route I was planning that the last 60 kliks are on a decommissioned logging trail that she’d suggest to him and after I asked, me that it wouldn’t’ be a road that you’d want to ride, especially on a bike. Ok, but like I told her, you haven’t seen some of the roads this bike has been on…more on that later. Ok, the majority of the ride from Terrace to the lava fields are something else and definitely a trip people should make because it was pretty cool being in the middle of a lava flow from hundreds, well, maybe thousands of years ago and seeing just what it’s all about. Didn’t see this much lava in Hawaii years ago or even Mt St Helen, but probably didn’t visit the right places. Check out the visitor’s center at the lava campground and if I would have gotten a picture of me in front of the building, they only allow short people in that wouldn’t that be some kind of prejudice toward tall people? Well, it wasn’t open that I didn’t have to worry about it, but since I took a turn and wasn’t sure which way I needed to go, checked out the local map to get back on track.
A short trip and attendant wrong, visitor center right, I have gravel ahead of me for the next 51 kliks and so far, this road is worse than any I’ve rode so far just because of the potholes. Tried to avoid as may as I could, but you can’t get too close to the edge either unless you want to tip over in the ditch that this bike is gonna take a hell of a beating and I’m gonna be rattled to the bone. Well, it’s not like me to quite and since it might take me an hour to go 51 klik’s, so be it cuz it’d probably take a couple of hours to back track and like the lady at the visitor center said, sometimes you have to take the bad roads to see things that you otherwise wouldn’t see that you can see from a picture of one of the rivers, I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t taken this road. At one point came upon a truck that let me go by, ok, maybe going a little faster on bad gravel than I should, but do have a warranty on the bike. Well, don’t know how far back the pickup I passed fell or whether he turned off and that was because I came to a fork in the road with no sign on which way to go left of right to get to 37, that right is always right that I might as well go that way. I worried whether I made the right turn a number of times because had stopped for pictures or such and the pickup still hadn’t shown up as well as other vehicles coming from the other way, that I may have just taken the wrong logging trail. Well, I had faith that right was right because of the phone lines along the way, that let’s see. Finally about 15 kliks from the end, you know the mile, or in this case kilometer markings along the way saw an RV coming the other way that stopped them and asked if I was on the right road to hwy 37, and yep, right was right once again.
Only 15 kliks to go and I don’t understand why the last 5 would be the worst of the road, but for having been rattled to the bone for 46 kliks already, not about to turn back now. Finally made hwy 37 and what a great ride north toward Stewart….the Canadian version of Hyder that made it just as running out of gas to the pass to either head to Hyder or the Alaskan hwy East. Ok, you know which way I went and according to the lady pumping gas…yep, my kind of attendant, the ride to Stewart is suppose to be one of the top site seeing rides that we’ll just have to see because of some of the other riding I’ve done, and once again, pictures won’t do it justice. I’m sneaking into the Misty Fjord National Park the back way instead of a boat or plane trip from Ketchikan, but it’s much better to see on a bike that I’m doing it the right way…remember, ‘Have Bike, Will Travel’. Gotta see more glaciers along the way and you’d think at some point you’d get sick of seeing glacier after glacier, but since each one is so different, it’s still exciting to me…not that I could handle seeing all of them that I have in a day or two, but as long as it’s spread out a little, it’s a new exciting experience when you see something new.
It didn’t take long to get to Hyder and you can see I almost missed it with only one picture on the way into town before going to see the bear, one of the reasons that so many visitors make the trip to Hyder – the bear. Well, the reason for the lack of pictures riding is the road thru Hyder is even worse than the decommissioned logging trail I took, larger potholes and no smooth path to try to follow that thought for sure the bike is either going to fall apart or at least going down hitting a bigger bump than the last that my body is starting to hurt…remember, rattled to the bone? Ok, so I saw the bear there were to see and if I come back early in the morning might see the Grizzly with cubs, but not an early riser unless I really have to. Back into town to figure out where to stay, eat and get Hyderized that I could tent it which no one is recommending because of the bear or just stay at the SeAlaska or one of the other B&B’s in town…cheap this time of year since everything starts shutting down after Labor day and their glad to see the tourist gone. Well, for something to eat, the only place opened in town is the bus…will get to that later or heading back to Stewart Canada, 5 minutes away where I can get a variety of food that will make that trip back across the border to eat. Forgot to mention, this is one of the few, if there are others, of border crossings into the U.S. where there’s no U.S. border patrol to check whether you can enter the states or not…well, no where else to go from Hyder cuz the road ends there that they wouldn’t get too far without having to hike over the mountains. Still going into Canada though that when I asked the border patrol lady where she’d suggest I eat and stay, she said no need to go to Stewart…hey, my first time being turned down getting into Canada. She said the Bus in Hyder has the best and freshest seafood around and is definitely a placed to try instead of Stewart and rooms are much cheaper in Hyder than Stewart, that no need for me to cross the border now, ok, that works for me. Made my way to the bus and no one else there, but the lady running the place standing watching where a bear went that had just gone thru. Apparently another couple was there eating and when the bear showed up, they skedaddled out of there and the ladies husband brought the shotgun over just in case…ok, not sure I want to eat here, but as long as she has a gun handy, that’ll work for me.
Her Mermaid Chowder was awesome and had half an order of the fish and chips, fresh Halibut today that was also great. Told her I was looking for a place to stay and thought about just pitching a tent, but like I’ve heard before, not necessarily the thing to do this time or year because of the bear, that Chuck has a new B&B that costs only $39, and newer than the SeAlaska, that should stay there. Did ask if it was safe for me to walk downtown the 3 or 4 blocks because of the bear, but like she said, just walk in the middle of the road and don’t run if you see one…remember Denali’s rules, even if they charge just stand there waving your arms and yelling…well, hope not to have to try that out, not tonight. Chuck checked me in and like he said, just opened this year that the beds are new and everything remodeled that it’s definitely the best place to stay and hey, a bed and shower work, for me, and this time of year, I get the entire place to myself…that’s even better. Ok, time to head to the Glacier bar and remember the BC Lonely Planet? have to go to the Glacier Inn to get Hyderized which is just what I did. Ok, it’s a shot of 150 Ever Clear…use to be stronger before they had to follow the law, but you don’t get to smell it, taste it or anything, just the shot and a glass of water chaser and hey, if it comes back up, you buy the bar a round. Well, had my fill of food and can handle the challenge that was Hyderized at the Glacier Inn and got my card to prove it. Did leave my mark, a bill on the wall with my blog address, that look for it when you visit.
Headed to SeAlaska Inn since there was more going on there and spent some time working on my blog before some people from a previous hostel showed up and remembered me. Not someone I talked to, but they remembered me and the bike that got to talk to them for the night. Jo and Steve originally from Australia now living in Vancouver and their Aussie brother over visiting for a trip through a little of Alaska and eventually the Jasper/Banff parks…remember one of my favorite places visited so far. They were trying to decide whether to get Hyderized or not since according to the Lonely Planet you should do it at the Glacier Inn, but hey, you really need to do it and me…well, incase I run into a situation where one bar claims theirs better than the other – remember how I had to visit two bars claiming to be the oldest in New York? Should get Hyderized again to cover my tracks, which you can see I did, and nope not coming up, I can hold my liquor, especially when it comes to buying the bar around. Tomorrow, heading south toward Calgary, but found out I missed something in Hyder worth seeing, a glacier 10 miles out from the bear watch that great, will have to take the road worse than the logging trail, because according to the Lonely Planet, the 5th largest glacier in the world and only one that large that you can drive too…ok, that might be why I don’t have the Lonely Planet, don’t have to do everything that it says...let’s see what tomorrow brings, Ay? Awesome Prince Rupert to Hyder Pictures.
posted by Dalej Webb at 1:58 AM
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