Day 30:Palmer to Glenallen to Valdez AK: Hwys 1 & 4, 400kms

Map link:
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Palmer is just north of Anchorage Alaska.  We are headed to the most southerly part of Alaska & the other end of the pipeline, Valdez.

The highway from Palmer to Glenallen was unbelievably good.  It is probably the best road I have ever ridden. It climbs through the mountains, twisting & turning upward. On your right is a large wide river like the Yukon River.  Behind it were more snow capped mountains.  The pavement was excellent.  Peter & I had a lot of fun initially.  As we climbed, looking over the edge of the roadway was scary, but you had to look, because it was so beautiful.  You had this internal fight going on; I want to look because it is so beautiful, but I can't look because the fall is so scary.  Your mind is in constant turmoil.  Yes I can; no I can't; but l have to look, I can't help it. Eventually, the weather solved the problem.  It started getting colder the farther up we went.  When we reached the summit we stopped at a small cafe to put on more clothes & to have a coffee to warm up.  We didn't really drink a lot of the coffee.  We just held it in our hands to get warm.

When we left the cafe we passed what looked like a glacier.  I wasn't sure until I saw a sign that said something like Glacier View School. Huh!  Then the road suddenly changed into a 4 lane super highway for no reason at all.  It was kind of weird.  We had the road all to ourselves all the way to Glenallen where we had lunch.

On the way to Valdez we saw a couple of interesting waterfalls, but we were too cold to photograph them.  Don't worry we stopped on the way back so the pictures will be in tomorrow's episode.