One of the riders churns up a cloud of dust as he races along a flat stretch of the Denali Highway between Cantwell and Paxson. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
Bikes queue up for the single gasoline pump at the Tangle River Inn, the only fuel for many miles in either direction, on the desolate Denali Highway. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
Thundering Bridal Veil Falls is a show-stopper along the Richardson Highway, north of Valdez, Alaska. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
The waters of aptly named Mirror Lake reflect a mountain view between Anchorage and Wasilla. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
Fishing boats, reflected in the water, glow in the soft evening light at Valdez Harbor. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
At the end of the road in the tiny town of Hope, the Seaview Cafe serves a great bowl of chowder and killer views of Cook Inlet. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
The rugged Denali Highway, east of Cantwell. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
Thompson Pass, on the Richardson Highway. It was about 40 degrees at around 4,000 feet under the mid-June snow line. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
A wood plank bridge over the Susitna River is one of the few breaks in the unpaved 110 miles of the Denali Highway. (Charles Fleming / Los Angeles Times)
