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SPRING 2020 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 05
The " guard dog " at the original Trail ' s End BMW dealership in Fairbanks , Alaska .
trucks failed to provide , we provided for ourselves . It was amazing how much dust a few motorcycles could stir up , forcing us to maintain quarter-mile distances between one another . Surfaces of varying firmness and grip , the ubiquitous road repair sections and large volumes of gravel and loose , jagged rocks were common , as was the dust .
After hard luggage flew off and some destructed on the road , and handlebars and mirrors suffered severe downforces , we finally crossed the Yukon River and refueled . Fairbanks was 180 miles behind us , the Arctic Circle 60 miles ahead and Coldfoot , the next known gas stop , was 120 miles north . Five miles north of the river " The Hotspot ," a mix and match of temporary and semi-permanent buildings , is a cafe , gas stop and home to its owners . The hamburgers were Alaska-sized and the outside-only seating was tented with the pleasant backdrop of the outdoor privy placarded with " Beware of the Bears " signs .