Alaska: to around motorcycle history

For: Text: Miquel Silvestre Photos: M. Silvestre / A. Sornosa
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Valdez is the end of the Ruta Forgotten Explorers. Finally around the world still have to get to New York, on the east coast, and then send the bike to Spain, but reaching Valdez, city ​​that I have a few thousand miles, supposed to complete a personal project that has taken me on Bold, BMW R mi 1200 GS, the North Cape to remember Al Ghazal, Abderrahman II ambassador to the Vikings in the ninth century; a Budapest, by the memory of Angel Sanz Briz, Spanish diplomat who saved 5.200 Jews from the Holocaust; to Ethiopia to find the tomb of Pedro Paez, Jesuit who discovered the Blue Nile Sources; a India, Goa to visit the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, missionary in Asia; to Nepal to Homenaje a rendir Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, mountaineer who died attempting the Annpaurna; and i also has become the first Spanish to arrive by motorbike to the Philippines to remind Magallanes, died there in 1521, A Urdaneta, which documented the way back to New Spain, and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, blowing Manila.

From Manila jumped toured Canada and Vancouver Island and Galiano, Named in honor of Dionisio Alcalá-Galiano, first European who crossed the Strait of Georgia. And now, finally, dirijo me a Valdez, fishing port located on the Cooper River delta rich, door of the Prince William Sound Glacier, and end of the famous Alaska pipeline. Founded in the eighteenth century by Salvador Fidalgo, the place name in the world's northernmost Castilian represents the limit of Spanish exploration in North America.

The name in the world's northernmost Castilian represents the limit of Spanish exploration in North America

But I will not go solo. I'm joined three other travelers who wanted to honor our past browser. Sunday Ortego, Alicia and Fernando Quemada Sornosa, who will be the first Spanish to travel intact across five continents in one trip. We're getting ahead of each other to shoot and occasionally stop the march for a scene collective. I sit on a cloud and the excitement is intense, but occasionally return to the cold objectivity of the image hunter. It is a curious swaying. It is difficult to explain. It's like sometimes it was not I who live this.

What is real is the euphoria. I travel without feeling over many hours. I think my enthusiasm drags others. And also these landscapes proud that arise before us after leaving behind Glenallen crossing and take the Richardson Highway, oldest road linking Alaska Fairbanks Valdez. These gigantic mountains that appear to act as background magnetic forces. We are attracted to them. The road is straight. Endless. We are four missiles launched towards the horizon.

We stopped for refueling at unos 100 miles from Valdez. Is a gas, but a wooden restaurant supplier, gift shop, cabins and a huge rock surrounded by a chain and a sign that says that the stone is world's largest pet. The owner is a thin, balding man with much sarcasm. We like him. He reported that he was told that the city was founded by Spanish but nothing remains of that period, perhaps due to the earthquake and tsunami 1964.

A huge rock surrounded by a chain and a sign that says that the stone is world's largest pet

We said goodbye and try to reach the destination flip. Impossible. The landscape becomes more and more grandiose. We have to forcibly stop when we climb to the mountains and appear the blue glaciers on a background of grass. Is how amazing of these tops. In am roca undressed, but that are covered with meadow and snow is Marbling green in a combination never before seen by none of us.

De soon stumbled on a sort of plateau from which are contemplated the mountains and the valley telluric and deep. Veo a track that takes until the very edge of risco. No me I think twice and straining. The sending no es apenas transitable, is sown of stones, mud and grass, but nothing not care. I want arrive to where not be more. 'm Drunk of my own adrenaline.

When I arrive until same precipice'm drunk, berserk, excited. The landscape is so vast, primal pure before him as its conqueror I feel like an ant unimportant. The valley is covered with fog and within seconds it becomes to clear. An eagle flies over looking a dam and the wind is so cold and clean that seems to cut. This is what I've been looking for so many kilometers.

We are here. In one of the most sensational planet

I turn and see that Fernando has been animated and comes tumbling. When it reaches a moment we were alone and silent. We northern light illuminates. That light that never goes out but spend twenty hours. It's awesome. Are high. Is real. We are here. In one of the most sensational planet. I'm Alaska, the edge of the Valdez Glacier. Appears Sunday. Comes also excited, exuberant. He's doing things I never dreamed I could do. I realize that to get to this same cut has some rite. Assumes a baptism. It means entering the creed of the adventurer, emotions Tracker.

We look to the beginning of the track. Alicia has also been decided. Although your bike is too low. The last part can not do it alone. The floor is dotted with jagged rocks that will destroy your engine low if circulated about them. Between Sunday and Fernando take Discovered to put it together with the rest of frames. When we are all together, the sense of community is formidable. You land in a moment that will last, but a great moment.

Here and now are the true explorers who have come to seek

Within poco volveremos to be individualistic, loners, Selfish vain the incorrigible. But here and now we're just four friends who have overcome the elements and the difficulties to tread a peak. It is a moment that can be worth a life, that justifies all the efforts and sufferings. I realize that this is the best ending I could have my trip, I'd rather have them come to conclude the REO as a hermit. Here and now are the true explorers who have come to seek.

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