Fairbanks to Homer, Alaska
Fairbanks, contrary to popular opinion, has beautiful weather all summer.
There is now a more direct road from Fairbanks to Anchorage by way of Denali National Park (formerly known as Mt McKinley) and Wasilla (formerly in the news because it is the hometown of former VP Candidate, and former Alaska Governor, and former city Mayor, Sarah Palin).
Wasilla has a great, simple church: Wasilla Bible, centered on five core values.
South of Wasilla is Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, and the least “alaska-like” place in Alaska. But south of Alaska is the spectacular drive to Soldotna and to the end-of-the-road at beautiful Homer. Below is the road just south of Anchorage on a day with a two hour delay because of an auto accident.
Lodging options often are cabins or cabin-like rooms.
This place had a relentlessly playful, sweet dog.
Soldotna is a really nice town midway between Anchorage and Homer with two, as in 2, cool coffee shops.
The other coffee shop is more famous for its outstanding donuts and pastries. 2019 UPDATE, some sad news: the Bakery has shut down. Despite massive local interest, and business, no buyer was found and it is (for now) no more. Here’s a link to the sad story of a local institution: https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/news/moose-is-loose-serves-up-its-final-pastries/
As throughout all of Alaska, sea planes on inland lakes are a common sight, in many cases parked next to their owner’s cabins like one might park one’s car in the lower 48.
Camping opportunities are everywhere in Alaska. Here’s where I spent one night (below before the rain fly):
And now with the rainfly. (Bear spray, the serious kind you can only buy in Alaska, is a must; also bear hygiene as in no food in the tent or at the campsite unless it’s secured in something bear proof, which is not possible on a motorbike). It’s beautiful to camp but the overnight low was in the upper 30s, which is tough to take as there’s no automobile with a heater-refuge, or bath house, or anything. 
Homer is at the end of the road. The town is surrounded by water which in turn is circumscribed by snowcapped mountains arising some 6,000 feet out of the ocean.
It was a cold (42 F) ride from Soldotna to Homer, but beautiful.
At the end of Homer is a narrow strip of land known as “Homer’s Spit.” 50 years ago it was mostly barren but for a port for ships and various detritus of the sea and seagoing. Today it is packed with tourist places and tourists in RVs.
Homer is the base of major commercial fishing enterprises and, sadly, the custodian of memories of fatalities in the ocean.
Inside and around the rotunda are memorials to specific souls lost at sea:
Homer to Valdez, Alaska
One of the inconveniences of travel in Alaska is the absence of chain motels. But more than compensating such is the cool, unique places one can stay for about the same money. Here was a cabin to myself with a full kitchen.
There aren’t formal rest stops on the roads in Alaska. However, there are what look like simple turnoff areas that you can pull onto for a break. The one near Valdez had an unexpected fellow traveler.
The road to Valdez maybe the most scenic in Alaska because it follows a narrow river-carved path between high-peaked, glacier-laden mountains. This was the scene in late July 2017, really the peak of summer.
The city of Valdez is a major seaport, including the shipment of oil that has transited by pipeline from the North Slope.
One of the joys of motorbike travel is meeting other travelers, especially ‘fellow old guys’ as here on three Suzuki V-Strom 650s, a reliable, fun, inexpensive adventure bike, also visiting the one public laundromat in Valdez. One notable difference in our intentions, however: they wanted to scrub clean their bikes; I view the dirt on Nicodemus as a badge of travel-honor. (To each his own)
Homer and Valdez were my Corner #5, as they both are southernmost ends of the road in Alaska. From Valdez, I began the long ride back home, which became longer than planned because of the extensive forest fires in southwestern British Columbia.
On to Blaine Washington here:
Return to 8 Corners Start Page here: