Lumpy-Alaska Highway-2004 Thumbnails

Palmer, AK: Aug 28

Subject: The Alaska State Fair

Comments: This morning I woke up and got my coffee in me and then started loading the bike. While loading the bike, another guest at the motel came over to chat and then gave me a free pass to the Fair. I had wanted to go to the fair but figured I didn't really have time, but I took this free ticket as an omen and decided I better go to the fair. As I left my motel room, though, my pivot bolt that holds my shifter lever onto the frame broke, and so I went to the hardware store in Palmer to see if I could rig up some kind of bolt to at least get me down the road some. A shopper at the hardware store told me I should go see "B.J." the mechanic, just down the street. I didn't figure he'd be open on Saturday but I went anyway and sure enough he was there. He said he didn't really have time to use an easy out on my broken bolt, but when he looked at what I had, he thought he might have a pivot bolt in a box of junk that would work. Sure enough, after a few minutes of filing down the one he found, it worked like an original equipment part. I am still using that pivot bolt 5000 miles later. Thanks B.J.

I went to the Fair after getting the bolt replaced on the bike, and only stayed two or three hours but had the time of my life. An Alaska State Fair is a little different from fairs in the lower 48. I'm not sure I can explain how. They just are. The highlight for me was devouring a smoked salmon quesadilla from one of the many food vendors. YUM.

The first picture on this page shows a woman and her friend (to the right) that I met this morning at the motel (and another local biker that stopped to join the conversation). The woman had bought a new Heritage Softtail in WA and had ridden it on the Cassiar Highway in Canada by herself to get it home. Her friend came to Palmer to see if maybe she was tired of riding and would like him to transport it in his pickup truck the rest of the way home. She opted to take him up on his offer. I enjoyed visiting with them very much before they headed out for Homer.

The rest of the pictures are all fair pictures.