There are PA systems with speakers in the rooms and hallways to let you know about emergencies, special announcements, or docking procedures. On Sunday morning we heard our wake up call and looked out the window to see the lights of Ketchikan coming through the early morning mist. Tim was already showered and dressed, ready to ride. We had an 8 AM unloading time and he was eager to get on the bike to discover the island of Ketchikan. After 2 nights on the water we were ready for dry land, even thought it was pouring down rain and 49 degrees. We decided to eat breakfast then unload the bike. There is only one place to eat breakfast, appropriately named The Landing at the Best Western Hotel and you can’t miss it since it is directly across from the Ferry terminal in the center of town. The ferry to St. Rupert was loading at 8:30 PM so we had 12 hours to explore the island, which was plenty of time.

Since there is only one 25 mile main road that travels the coastline we thought that we would wait the rain out by first scouting the road, which turned out to be an excellent idea. The road disappeared in sections from ongoing repairs and took some navigation. There was plenty of gravel, potholes and construction intermittently. We earmarked Herring Bay to watch seals play, the Totem Park, the elevator at Cape Fox, the welcome sign in “Downtown” Ketchikan, and Settlers Cove. The rain and wind was still going strong and we decided we would take the opportunity to experience downtown while it was open. When a large cruise ship comes in all the merchants open their doors for business but as soon as the whistle blows and the passengers are loaded they close up shop. We took a few pictures, talked to the locals and when the rain let up we unloaded the Fat Boy. The residents are exceptionally friendly, enjoy conversation, and are eager to help if they can. Ketchikan has its own interesting way of life with fun people tempered by the unpredictable weather that is notorious for the region. They call their rain gauge the “liquid sunshine meter”. One local told us, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a little bit and it’s bound to change.” He commented that he had experienced rain that you couldn’t even see through change to hail, then sunshine, and then back to a down pour within few hours time. We believed him. We caught an opportunity to unload when the rain turned to sprinkles and then dried up by the time the Fat Boy rolled onto the street. Even though we had clear skies for the moment, we noticed the locals were not taking off their rain gear so the Ironman suited up with his. It was a good move since the rain set in again about an hour later.

We traveled West through the construction and then on to curving paved road leading North. We got a big kick out of the “End” sign that explained we had run out of road. The road turned into a gravel path hiking trail so we turned around and headed down to a State park called Settlers Cove. A small trek by foot into the forest lead us to a gorgeous waterfall that spilled into a pool then to an area full of spawning salmon. We were amazed as we watched the fish in their journey. It felt good to enjoy the wilderness and to take a moment to stretch our legs before discovering the other end of the island. Tariq decided to become an official road tripper and suited up to ride as a passenger on the Fat Boy. We headed off to Herring Bay through intermittent construction and rough road. Lily would occasionally shout out, “Go Dad, Go Tariq! You can do it!” For the first time on a road trip the Ironman had his own cheerleading section. The weather started to ease up in time for us to arrive at the bridge at Herring Bay to view seals in the bay. The remaining road eventually turned to gravel road and disappeared into the wilderness so we decided to venture back a few miles and take in the totem park and venture to the Cape Fox Inn. The Totem Park is an awesome display of culture and art work all located in one area. The weather was dry, and the roads around the park were construction free so JillMarie took the Fat Boy for a quick “figure 8” cruise around the park. The 5 minute journey is her brief claim that she road in Ketchikan.

We then ventured into the area around the Cape Fox Inn which has a bright red tram elevator that takes visitors to a high point of the island for a panoramic view.  Through rain streaked windows we watched the sun begin to sink late into the day. We decided to end our adventure with a quick meal before loading up our gear. The St. Rupert Ferry was leaving at 10:30 PM but boarding would begin at 8:30 PM. All four of us were ready to call it a day. The Ketchikan Alaskan Road Trip was a one day adventure that was brief but fulfilling. We once again discovered that road trips are all about the journey.