Anchorage, AK
A few hours after I finally got to see Mt. McKinley, I rolled into Anchorage, AK. I rode the road into town to its terminus, which was in a nice neighborhood right by the water. Not all areas of Anchorage are pretty, but that 'hood sure was. I'm a sucker for houses by the water.
I then began my nightly quest for a place to stay, and Anchorage now tops my list of most overpriced places for lodging. I ended up getting ripped off by a bunch of lying sacks at a Days Inn for (ready for this?) $170. They swore all they had left was an "Executive Suite," which is how they tried to justify the high cost. However, they mysteriously had several smaller rooms available later when I complained about the street noise and utter lack of WiFi access in my room. Whatever you do, don't even contemplate staying there. I recommend finding a place out of the city if you ever choose to visit Anchorage. If you must stay in the city, do not go to their crappy Days Inn. You've been warned.
The people at Anchorage Suzuki were another matter, however. They were supercool, friendly, helpful, and checked out my clutch - for free, under warranty - in an expeditious manner. They even washed the DL for me! I'm really grateful for how they treated me and they really make me feel good about my decision to buy a Suzuki. I remember trying to get a Honda dealer to take a look at my last bike (also when under warranty), and he flatly refused, saying that I was outta luck because I didn't buy it from him. That's hardly the only time I've had problems with Honda, BTW. The Honda Rider's Club (sorta like a AAA for bikes) left me stranded in Mississippi on this trip (thank God for my insurance or I'd still be pushing it!) and has done that to me twice before as well. All in all, Suzuki has treated me far, far better than Honda ever has. I guess I know whose bikes I'll be buying in the future...
Once the DL was given the all-clear, I got on the road again and headed down to the Kenai Peninsula. Just as I headed out, however, I ran into the guys I first met up with (Jim and Rich, I believe) on the Alaskan Highway about a week earlier - what are the odds, huh? We pulled over and chatted a bit. They had just finished doing the Dalton Highway, which is the legendary (for how brutal it is) road leading up to Prudhoe Bay and were going to spend a couple of days in Anchorage.
We said our goodbyes and I headed south into what was heralded as the most beautiful chunk of Alaska. That, however, is an understatement - it is one of the most spectacular places in the whole country. Ride On!
I then began my nightly quest for a place to stay, and Anchorage now tops my list of most overpriced places for lodging. I ended up getting ripped off by a bunch of lying sacks at a Days Inn for (ready for this?) $170. They swore all they had left was an "Executive Suite," which is how they tried to justify the high cost. However, they mysteriously had several smaller rooms available later when I complained about the street noise and utter lack of WiFi access in my room. Whatever you do, don't even contemplate staying there. I recommend finding a place out of the city if you ever choose to visit Anchorage. If you must stay in the city, do not go to their crappy Days Inn. You've been warned.
The people at Anchorage Suzuki were another matter, however. They were supercool, friendly, helpful, and checked out my clutch - for free, under warranty - in an expeditious manner. They even washed the DL for me! I'm really grateful for how they treated me and they really make me feel good about my decision to buy a Suzuki. I remember trying to get a Honda dealer to take a look at my last bike (also when under warranty), and he flatly refused, saying that I was outta luck because I didn't buy it from him. That's hardly the only time I've had problems with Honda, BTW. The Honda Rider's Club (sorta like a AAA for bikes) left me stranded in Mississippi on this trip (thank God for my insurance or I'd still be pushing it!) and has done that to me twice before as well. All in all, Suzuki has treated me far, far better than Honda ever has. I guess I know whose bikes I'll be buying in the future...
Once the DL was given the all-clear, I got on the road again and headed down to the Kenai Peninsula. Just as I headed out, however, I ran into the guys I first met up with (Jim and Rich, I believe) on the Alaskan Highway about a week earlier - what are the odds, huh? We pulled over and chatted a bit. They had just finished doing the Dalton Highway, which is the legendary (for how brutal it is) road leading up to Prudhoe Bay and were going to spend a couple of days in Anchorage.
We said our goodbyes and I headed south into what was heralded as the most beautiful chunk of Alaska. That, however, is an understatement - it is one of the most spectacular places in the whole country. Ride On!
posted by Mathew Elsner at 12:58 PM
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