I've done 400+ miles on a motorcycle before and it's a long day in the saddle, but I was still super excited for what today would bring. I heard great things about the Denali Highway and had hopes that it would end up on the top of my list of dual sport roads. It's a 135 mile stretch of dirt road that runs from Cantwell to Paxson through the Talkeetna mountains and along the Matanuska river. Just like Hatcher Pass, these dirt roads stretched as far as the eye could see. These trips are tough at the start because I want to take pictures around every turn, but that ends up disrupting the freedom and rhythm of the ride. The frequency of pictures slowed as the miles added up.
It took a few hours to finish the highway and I was soon back to pavement in Paxson. I was starting to get hungry but places to eat were few and far between. I took a chance on and old gas station/restaurant. It almost looked like something out of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, when I walked inside. The shelves had old food and toys covered in dust and the dining area looked to be from 1960. I sat at the bar and joined a young Italian couple picking up a quick meal on their honeymoon. Don't always judge a book by it's cover, because I ordered a burger, fries, and coke and it totally hit the spot. I continued on my way and reached the "Hub of Alaska" and fueled up before my final stretch home. The miles were starting to take it's toll and I was getting tired. I had to pull off a few time to move around and keep the blood flowing. As I worked my way back to Palmer and Wasilla, I got some great views of the Chugach mountains and stopped for a few pictures at Glacier View. I made it safely back to the house and enjoyed a nice shower. Over dinner, I reflected on my last three weeks in Alaska and genuinely felt like I made the most of every minute.
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