Non VFR ride - Prairies to Permafrost - Calgary to Inuvik

Photos - Prairies to Permafrost

I know this isn't a VFR ride report, but…. I really enjoyed reading BonusVFRs ride report to Alaska. This will be my first long distance ride without my VFR.

If you're interested I'll post details of the trip as they unfold. If not it's available on ADVrider or my blog superfunkomatic.com

The trip is only a few more weeks away - leaving July 10, 2011.

Here are the details:

GPS and tracking info/daily blog updates on superfunkomatic.com and I'll be posting here (hopefully daily) along the way.

Why?
It’s interesting each year for the last five years I’ve taken some kind of motorcycle vacation. As I’ve become more adept at riding, and more interested in exploring, the journeys have grown in length of time and distance. I keep saying, “the farther I go, the farther I want to go….” I have some innate curiousity about traveling to new places and sights.

I'm lucky as a school teacher to get an extended summer vacation. I work like a demon during the school year and try and regain my 'zen' and energy through the summer months.

Where?
The trip for 2011 goes in the exact opposite direction from my last trip (Mexico) – as far North as possible in Canada – Inuvik, NT. I’ve lived in the Northwest Territories in the 1990s and know of its beauty and the challenges associated with being in such a remote land. The north really is ‘no man’s land’ and making a trip like this will involve some planning, a substantial amount of time and, hopefully, some luck to make it successfully.

This trip will be dramatically different from every other trip I’ve done by motorcycle. No resorts, no beaches, and in some cases, not a lot of modern conveniences. This will really be an escape from civilization for a large portion of the journey.

Itinerary (Rough Plan) - 20-22 days

Calgary to Prince George, BC (800 Kilometres)
Prince George, BC to Hyder, AK, USA (704 Kilometres)
Hyder, AK, USA, to Watson Lake, YT (654 Kilometres)
Watson Lake, YT to Whitehorse, YT (438 Kilometres)
Whitehorse, YT to Tok, AK, USA (623 Kilometres)
Tok, AK, USA to Anchorage, AK, USA (318 miles)
Anchorage, AK, USA to Homer, AK, USA (222 miles – rest day(s)?)
Anchorage, AK, USA to Fairbanks, AK, USA (359 miles)
Fairbanks, AK, USA to Dawson, YT (625 Kilometres)
Dawson, YT to Eagle Plains, YT (407 Kilometres)
Eagle Plains, YT to Inuvik, NT (358 Kilometres)
Inuvik, NT to Prince George, BC (2,838 kilometres) - not entirely sure which way I'll come back
Prince George to Vancouver, BC (763 kilometres)
Vancouver, BC to Nelson, BC (660 kilometres)
Nelson, BC to Calgary, AB (Home) (645 kilometres)

I am in...............VFR or KLR what's the difference?

Ride Safe and watch the potholes.

SF,

Enjoy the ride and looking forward to your ride reports. You sure have the KLR loaded to the 9's.

I'll be keeping an eye on this One. Safe trip, careful to wildlife and take pics.
C

Alrighty then. I'll post up as I go. Should be an interesting trip.

[image: View Post]superfunkomatic, on 13 June 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

Alrighty then. I'll post up as I go. Should be an interesting trip.


Make sure you have plenty of psi in those tires.....especially with all the crap we carry up there.

Well, I�m all packed and ready to leave tomorrow morning. I won�t be leaving too early, probably around 7am.

I always get a bit jittery before heading off on these long journeys. Once I get breakfast and get rolling then things become a little more enjoyable. I always feeling like I�ve forgotten to pack something. The funny thing is most trips I have extra stuff that doesn�t get used.

I must say that once the bags are loaded on the bike I realize just how inadequate the rear suspension is on the KLR � it�s a big ol� saggy bum! The rear wallows a bit with the weight. It�ll take a few kilometres to get used to riding with more weight on this bike.

I�ve also noticed that Charley Boorman�s �Extreme Frontiers� ride across Canada has him now in the Exshaw/Banff area so we may indeed cross paths as he also heads towards Inuvik and the Dempster Highway.

Bon voyage! First stop tomorrow is Prince George with the scenic route through the Columbia Icefields Parkway.
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SF,

I just got home from my trip. I crossed the GP on Friday and had -1 and light snow. Roads are ok, but get your heated gear ready. Have a great ride !!

Have fun MIke. And please rub some dirt on that KLR, it's way to shiny right now... Posted Image
C

Yep - heated vest and grips are at the ready!

Stay tuned for updates tomorrow evening.

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 09 July 2011 - 06:05 PM, said:

SF,

I just got home from my trip. I crossed the GP on Friday and had -1 and light snow. Roads are ok, but get your heated gear ready. Have a great ride !!

Day 1 - Calgary to Prince George, BC

Distance: 780 kilometers
Time on Bike: 7:00am - 5:00pm (BC Time)
High/Low Temp: 16 celcius (Mcbride, BC) / 0 Celcius (Icefields Parkway)

Really good ride today. I was a bit nervous to start out the big ride today more so than going South in previous years. Once I had the "Breakfast of Champions" (McDonalds Egg McMuffin Meal) I was ready to get moving.

Pretty nice weather overall. Cloudy for the entire day and not particularly warm. I have a feeling that I may have seen the warmest day already and things will get progressively chillier as I keep making progress North.

I absolutely love the ride between Lake Louise and Jasper. Endless mountain ranges and stunning vistas of glaciers almost the entire way. Our spring has been quite late this year so there's still plenty of snow in the mountains.

Stopped at a few choice spots for photos. I've done this route dozens of times but still I am awed by the majesty of the Columbia Glacier and surrounding area. 300 + square kilometers of huge and thick glaciers.

Stopped for lunch in Jasper. The end of a nice summer weekend and Jasper was a bit of a gong show. It's normally Banff's quieter sister town but today it was like being in downtown Calgary.

The ride from Jasper to Prince George is also quite beautiful and already you get a sense of getting much farther from civilization. It's a pretty big gap between towns (about 250 kilometers) and there's literally nothing in between. Very little traffic or signs of life today.

I've been quite fortunate to already start the animal count. The first animal was when my odometer on my bike clicked '3000' and I had a friend jump out into the road to celebrate the milestone - a huge black bear. He jumped out in front of me so that I had plenty of time to stop, but then decided he was going to come join me for the party. He walked straight towards me which is a bit unnerving on a motorcycle. He then darted into the brush and was gone. A truly magnificent beast.

In total I saw five black bears and one grizzly today (yes, I'm sure it was a grizzly - size, colour, hump). A few deer but no moose today in spite of kilometers and kilometers of warning signs. Unfortunately, my bear friends, the Bearendsons, were too quick and didn't hang around long enough for a portrait. Perhaps the next time.

Equipment updates: bike is working well, not as comfortable as myt VFR but not too bad. New tires work well and stick well to the road (wet and dry). One-piece riding gear is actually waterproof - tested in for the last hour today in a downpour. GPS and SPOT are working well and the SPOT is posting updates.

Tomorrow I'm off to Hyder, Alaska. Another long day before the pace becomes much less demanding.
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The bike all loaded up.
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Crowfoot Glacier
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Posing in front of the Athabasca Glacier
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The Red Beast - Athabasca Glacier
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Athabasca Glacier
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Bow Glacier - Our drinking water supply for much of the West and Western US
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Mount Robson - One of Canada's Highest Peaks

Good to hear you're headed out. Don't worry about the cleanliness of the KLR. Once you leave Hyder, the Cassiar will make it look legit in no time.
Definitely a good chance that we will cross paths at whitehorse. Ill be there in three days or so, and if your on track with your timeline, you'll be there in three days. I'm going to camp at the site called something "service". Its the first one you see when come into town.

Day 2 - Prince George to Hyder, Alaska

Distance Traveled: 704 kilometers
Time on bike: 7:00am - 5:30 pm
High/Low temp: 10 celcius (Prince George) / 24 celcius (Hyder)
Animal Count: 10 bears, 1 bald eagle, 1 moose, 1 beaver

What a terrific day of riding. Another long day on the road but the scenery was amazing.

The ride from Prince George to Houston was easy open roads and some scenery. It was like a ride through Saskatchewan or the desert of Utah or Nevada. I mean that in a good way. It's pretty unique t go through hundreds and hundreds of kilometers of boreal forest. You really get a sense of how untouched most of the north really is. Very little traffic, no towns and little civilization.

Internet access is available but is quite limited. Even phone access for cellphones here in Hyder doesn't work. To be honest - that's not such a bad thing in our "wired 24/7 world". It's kinda nce, actually.

The mountains of northern BC are colossal. Immense and snow covered. Truly awe-inspiring. Vast glaciers and huge peaks. I've honestly been talking to myself. "awesome", "holy crap". There are also stunning lakes in the aptly named "lake district".

I've seen many animals. More bears, a moose, deer, a beaver and bald eagles. They must have some special contract as I haven't been able to capture any of them with the camera.

The last 60 kilometers from Meziadin Junction to Hyder were nothing short of amazing. unreal glaciers and mountains. Pictures will have to be in my photo bucket account until I have better Internet access.

I met two nice fellows today when riding. Jason, from Seattle, at Kitiwanga for a photo and Chris, from California, here at the Sealaska Motel in Hyder. Had dinner and a beer tonight together. I'm going to ride with Chris tomorrow to Telegraph Creek. It's great to meet like minds along the way. I'm always amazed how easy it is to make connections with people on trips like this yet at home we'd likely never say "boo" to one another. More on our chat when I have more time.

Also, like when I lived in Yellowknife, the long days are already boosting my energy level. It's 10:30 and still light and it feels like 6:00pm to me. I'm going to have to get some sleep now and add more to these posts as I have time.

I will be "off the grid" for the next day or two. I'm hoping to snag a cabin in Telegraph Creek for a day or two depending on road conditions and weather.

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Rest Stop along the way
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Miles and miles of miles and miles
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World's Biggest Fly Fishing Rod - Houston, BC
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Junction to the North - Kitwanga, BC - Cassiar Highway

Nice to read that all is well and that you're enjoying the trip. Any mosquitos? :). Can't wait to see pics of that great scenery.
Enjoy!!
C

Day 3 - Hyder, AK to Watson Lake, YT

Distance: 734 kilometers
Time Riding: 7:00am - 8:30 pm (ouch, long day!)
Temps: Low (8 degrees in Hyder/ 28 in Dease Lake)

Really good day of riding but a bit long after three marathons in a row.

Hyder is a nice and quaint little town. Quiet and old fashioned - late openings and early closings. No traffic and no noise. Lovely starlit nights. The Sealaska hotel was just fine - cheap, clean and had exactly what I needed a good fish and chips dinner, beer and a bed and bath - for $65/night.

The day started off fantastically well. Up before the sun and off to the Salmon Glacier about 35 kilometers from Hyder. Oh, My, God! Absolutely amazing sight. It's a bit of a bumpy and rocky ride but man was it worth it. The road goes from basically sea level up to about 3500 feet. The end of the ride is a view perched over the glacier and it wraps around the entire mountain.

What was especially cool was that I had the entire top of the mountain to myself. Talk about a great place to just sit and gawk. The shear beauty and immensity of the glacier boggles my mind. It hangs there and defies reason. It's a must see if you happen to be up this way.

Back to the hotel to get the American guy I met yesterday to continue to ride out to what we thought was going to be Telegraph Creek. The weather started to turn and the road has a bit of a reputation as being nasty at the best of times. So we elected to go right through to Watson Lake which ended up being a long day. I would have stopped at Dease Lake - but honestly there was no where to stay - gas station and a few buildings and not a particularly good feeling either. I'll see on the way back down if I have time to go there as it sounds like a really neat little place.

The roads from Hyder got progressively worse the farther north we got. They started out better than most any road back at home and deteriorated into nasty gravel and construction zones. I guess there is a lot of maintenance to keep these highways drivable and usable. Some spots were bordering on scary for motorcycles with huge sharp rocks and fist sized 'gravel'. But, we made it without incident.

The chip-sealed pavement is very hard on tires. My tires took a significant beating today and are showing marked wear after the roads today. I may have to stop in Alaska somewhere and have them replaced on the way up or for sure on the way back home. I do have enormous luggage (at least that's what I tell all the girls) and it's heavy so the wear is expected but maybe a bit quicker than I'd hoped.

Not a lot of animals today. A momma bear and cub at Dease River crossing. Cute little bugger - really pissed off momma. Apparently honking for them to get of the road triggers a nasty protective streak - bear gives cars and motorcycles the worst 'stink-eye' ever! ;) No sign of Benito Moose-o-lini today although I'm sure we'll cross paths eventually.

The long daylight is already making me want to stay up all the time. It gets dark, dark around midnight here. In a few days and farther north it'll be light all the time.

Not exactly sure if I'll follow my plan tomorrow or not. I have to check the maps and see where I'll make it tomorrow.

Internet up here is so slow its only useful for my text posts and I haven't been able to upload my images. Maybe once I get to larger towns it'll improve.

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Bear Glacier on the Highway to Hyder, AK/Stewart, BC
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Bear Glacier
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Bear Glacier - Check out how blue the ice is
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Salmon Glacier - 50k North of Hyder, AK on a dirt road
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Day 4 - Watson Lake, YT to Whitehorse, YT

Distance: 438 kilometers
Riding Time: 9:30 am – 3:30pm
Temps: Low 10 (morning in WL) / High 22 ( Late in afternoon WH)

Today was a much shorter day in comparison with the first three days. Perfect timing, too. I needed to slow down the pace and not burn out early in the trip - there are still plenty of kilometers left to ride.

Slept in until 7am this morning. Had a relaxing start with a good breakfast to start the day off right. Watson Lake hasn't got a lot of amenities. It's basically a village with one street and only a handful of businesses. "Kathy's" had a decent deal for an omelette and was open early enough to have a meal before we set off.

The accommodations last night were excellent. $69/night for a double. It was clean, the management, a guy named Michael was superb. He was helpful, friendly and a good ambassador for the north. A german immigrant that moved to Canada in the nineties. He's passionate about Canada in general and was happy to talk about our travels. I highly recommend staying at the Air Force Barracks that has been remodeled - excellent value.

Once again, Chris, the Californian, rode with me today. We ended up following several other bikes on and off throughout the day on the way to Whitehorse. A group of two on KLRs and a couple on a Goldwing would stop and chat at rest stops or gas stations. You meet some really friendly folks while traveling on motorcycle - a pretty closely knit group.

The road today was easy going and quite scenic. It's an endless parade of broad vistas and mountain ranges. I can really get a sense of just how vast the land is up here. I also continue to be amazed by the very first explorers of this land and just how treacherous and dangerous their journeys must have been. The forests are jam-packed with trees of every sort and so dense you can see no more than a few feet in.

The beauty is so continuous and endless that it defies a photographer to capture it. I could spend hours and hours taking pictures of every few kilometers along the way. Unfortunately, the vastness  prevents stops for too long or I'd never make any ground at all.

Upon arriving at Whitehorse we both set up camp. The weather was very threatening and looked like a storm of epic proportions. Yet, by the time we set up it blew over and it's been quite nice. The first camping experience for me in many years. It's a little campground just outside of the town of Whitehorse - The Robert Service Campground. Kinda a little hippy commune - very quirky, nice and clean and dirt cheap - $18.00 a night.

With all the weight that I'm carrying the rear tire is not going to make the entire trip. I'll have to schedule rest days in Anchorage or Fairbanks to get some new rubber mounted on the bike. I guess this is a lesson in packing much lighter, although I've taken only what I need to be safe. It's a pretty careful balance I guess. A new set of tires in Alaska should just get me back to Calgary. Crazy, eh?

As I sit now I wind down, relax and had a short walk along the river front. A great vacation riding day. Tomorrow is a shorter day again with a journey off to Tok and making my way towards the western parts of Alaska. I'm really looking forward to this part of the trip.

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Sign Post Forest - Watson, Lake - A lonely WWII pilot started this.
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Day 5 - Whitehorse, YT to Tok, AK

Distance: 628 kilometers
Time on bike: 9:30am-8:30pm
Temp. Highs and Lows: 0 degrees for most of the day/15 celcius in Tok, AK

Well, I must admit. Last night was the first time I have camped in almost ten years. It was really fun. It's so nice to sleep with all the fresh air. The Robert Service Campground was perfect. It had showers, a cool little food and coffee shop and an all around 'hippy' vibe. It was close to the pathway system and I really should have gone for a run (been completely wasted by the end of these long riding days).

I had been watching the VFRdiscussion forum lately and a guy from the San Francisco Bay area was riding his VFR up to Alaska. Said we'd watch out for each other. Well, I know the lovely sound of a V4 engine and heard one pull into the campground. Low and behold, it was him. As luck would have it our paths crossed - me going farther West and he was returning back down and heading out for another round. Good guy. He even brought over brew so we could sit and chat - although it was Bud. I guess beggars can't be choosers.

Met a guy in the campground from Edmonton (another Mike and another teacher) who was returning from the Dempster highway. He seemed to think that using some common sense and trying to plan for nasty weather was all that was needed to make it up the highway successfully. No horror stories from him which is reassuring.

Preparing for the ALCAN today was interesting. I was up and ready to go in about 1/2 an hour. My partner who has been along for the ride was a bit too focussed on getting his packing 'just so'. After about one and a half hours - I had my shower, breakfast, stopped to talk to a few people - he was still monkeying around with his stuff. Call this the beginning of the end....

As we set out from Whitehorse the weather immediately took a turn for the worse. It cooled off to just above freezing and started raining profusely. Oh well, I knew it would be coming at some point - well, here it is!

It continued to pour all the way to Haines Junction. About every 10 minutes my riding 'partner' decided he needed to stop to change layers, add layers, monkey with his GPS, etc, etc. Over the course of the day this would add three, yes three, hours to the day. This combined with relentless bitching and whining about being cold. Dude! It's the Arctic, what did you expect? Needless to say I was fine but our pace slowed and slowed.

A bit disappointing that the weather had socked in at Kluane National Park. It looks absolutely stunning but was hard to see through the thick veil of fog, sleet and rain. I'll see if I have better luck on the way back down to try this area again in better weather.

We stopped for an almost two hour lunch in Destruction Bay. Two hours? Ouch! Someone, who shall remain nameless was cold. I had some great discussions with a feller from Nova Scotia (another teacher - retired, notice a theme with the travelers?). This is his third trip across Canada on his old 80s Goldwing. He had been separated from his riding partners and they really disappeared. No one, including the RCMP could find them - he'd been calling for two days. Apparently they passed each other and they were now almost a day's ride ahead. They were soon to be reunited.

Also talked with a group from South America who were riding bottom to top of the two continents. Talk about a long journey. There was also a nice feller from Ontario who was coming back down from Inuvik and the Dempster, also on a KLR, so he said I'd be just fine! ;)

The ALCAN is another story altogether. I'd hardly call this a 'highway' anymore. It looks like it was built in WWII. It's a complete disaster. They are patching it to keep it useable. Unfortunately, rain, sleet, mud and a newly excavated highway are not a good combination. It was slippery and in spots quite treacherous. As we approach one of the many tens of kilometers of road work we were greeted with an ambulance rushing someone out and followed shortly thereafter by their bike on a tow truck. Not exactly the sign I was hoping for. Apparently, according to the road crew, they were 'seriously hurt' and were almost medi-vac'd off the highway. Yikes.

While it was slow going and there were a few hair-raising moments here and there the journey through was a success. There were certainly some 'check your shorts' moments. Almost 100 kilometers of broken road, mud and frost heaves but we made it successfully.

When we got to Beaver Creek we took a rest, again. Got some fuel and my 'partner' discussed just stopping there for the day. Um, no. Tok is the destination and the difficult riding was done. Again, another step towards the beginning of the end. This combined with a flippant remark from me that 'better be prepared for our Canadian summer' - didn't go over well.

Crossing the border was a cinch and from that point on my 'partner' took off, never to be seen again. I couldn't believe it. I'd waited for half the day for him while he was cold but when we got on  to the nice paved roads again he left me in the dust. In retrospect this was a good thing since he never stopped for a picture, to check out historical sites or anything. I'll be better off going forward. Not sure why so many riders are bent on speeding through their vacation, oh well.

Even with the extra hour I gained by crossing the border into Alaska I got into a room at 8:30. 9:30am to 8:30 pm for a half-day ride. Ouch! I stayed at Fast Eddy's Motel and Restaurant. It was seventies chic but very clean and well looked after. A great place to crash for the day. I was completely exhausted from the tough roads, weather and 'company'. Tomorrow will be a completely different ride. Off to Valdez.

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The Red Beast - Gettin' Dirty
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The Alaska Highway aka ALCAN Highway - Mucky, Muddy Mess of Construction
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Day's End - Camping in Whitehorse, YT

Day 6 - Tok, AK to Valdez, AK

Distance: 253.8 miles (409 kilometers)
Time on the bike: 9:00am-3:30pm
Temp Highs and Lows: 8 celcius (Tok)/ 65 degrees (Valdez)

I was a bit torn as to where to go today. I keep looking at my rear tire and know there are only a couple thousand kilometers of life left in it. Then I look at my agenda and plans.

Hmmm, do I go to Fairbanks and get the tire changed right away then go West? That would mean I'd use up my rest days, ride all the way West, then have to loop back to come to the Dempster highway and Inuvik - lots of extra riding. Maybe the smart thing to do.

Or... do I head to Valdez and the scenery, catch the ferry from Valdez to Whittier then work my way to Anchorage or Fairbanks for a few rest days and tire changes? Looked at the tire again - I think it'll make it. Hopefully not 'famous last words' by the intrepid traveler and narrator.

Slept in a bit today since it was only going to be a short half-day ride (unlike yesterday). Got loaded up, fueled up, and decided - 'what the hell', I'm going to Valdez.

The connecting highway from Tok is really beautiful. Lots of marshes, Elias-Wrangell mountain ranges, and a scenic ride. It's hard to believe that for all of these first six days I have been flanked by mountains to one side or another the entire time. Well, I'm not mountained out yet. This beauty combined with only seeing about 20 cars all morning was the perfect remedy for a challenging riding day yesterday.

The weather cooperated all day and even the nasty black cloud heeded my pleas for 'no rain today'.

Along the way I ran into Jason, the Seattle dude, that I met in Kitwanga. Stopped and had a chat. Turns out we're going to the same place and will be taking the ferry at the same time tomorrow.

The scenery was awesome all day. Especially the Worthington Glacier and Thompson Pass. The Worthington Glacier is amazing and you can drive, then walk, right to the terminus of the glacier. Completely awestruck again. The Thompson Pass, not high by the standards of some of the passes I've ridden before, but still amazing. The highway is only at about 1000 feet with 8000 foot peaks on either side. A gagillion glaciers (okay, a lot) and lots of eye candy for the journey. The pass goes up to 2100 feet or so then defends right down into Valdez and sea-level.

Got to Valdez. Grabbed some grub, booked the ferry ride for tomorrow, and relaxed at the Totem Inn Hotel. Pretty nice digs, a bit expensive ($140/night - two queens), but nice. The town of Valdez is amazing. It's at the foot of two mountain ranges and flanked by the ocean. There is a huge glacial moraine just outside of the town and another enormous glacier (Valdez glacier). It's one of the most scenic small towns I've seen.

Off to Whittier and points beyond tomorrow. I'll decide on the ferry just how far I'll continue to go. It's a 4.5 hour ferry ride. I'll likely be incredibly sea sick (I get sick looking out the windows of city transit busses). So I'll likely skip down to Homer. If I feel better I may head back towards Anchorage and Denali. Likely the former and not the latter.

What a great ride and relaxing day. I think I'll stick to riding alone for a while unless I meet a really compatible riding partner.

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Tok Highway
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Worthington Glacier
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Top of the Thompson Pass - Just before Valdez, AK
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Bridal Veil Falls

Finding a balance with riding buddies or strangers can be a challenge sometimes especially on a long one like Alaska. Keep the reports coming. Makes me want to go back.....on my KLR with less crap than last time though. Tires are a big issue up there....certainly no best way to manage the problem.

Yeah, I think we're all 'lone wolves' at heart and like to run alone when we ride.

I'm stopping in Fairbanks in the next couple of days to get the tires done. My current ones will easily make it but I'm not sure they are up to the task of the Dempster Highway.

[image: View Post]BonusVFR, on 16 July 2011 - 04:50 PM, said:

Finding a balance with riding buddies or strangers can be a challenge sometimes especially on a long one like Alaska. Keep the reports coming. Makes me want to go back.....on my KLR with less crap than last time though. Tires are a big issue up there....certainly no best way to manage the problem.

Day 7 - Valdez, AK to Homer, AK

Distance: 186 miles ( kilometers)
Time on Bike: 1:45pm to 6:00pm
Temps: High (20 Soldotna / 10 celcius - Valdez,AK)

The hotel I picked turned out to be quite nice. Kind of a mid-level hotel which was nicely furnished. One draw back - paper thin walls. The couple next door began watching TV at about 11pm and kept going until 4am! Ugh!

This was a bit of a problem since I had to be at the ferry terminal at 6am. Finally, at 4am I had enough and pounded on the wall and shared a few choice words (expletives) with them. The noise miraculously stopped.

I was up and set for the ferry right on time. When I arrived a woman with a Palinesque voice said that they didn't have tie downs with bikes. "Not sure if we have anything at all, you'll have to get your own." Um, yeah, at 6am on a Saturday morning? Well in Valdez the Safeway opens at 4:30am - yes, you read that right. Got a bit of rope and I was all set.

Quick check-in at the terminal and was loaded on the ferry. I ran into Jason (Seattle dude) again and spent the day with him and a guy from Alaska on the ferry.

What a stunning ride. Normally I get violently ill when I go on boats, especially on the ocean. When I saw the size of the ferry - very small for the trip - I was a bit anxious. Well, as it turns out it was a piece of cake. The inside straight that we took was perfectly calm for all but a few minutes of the five hour journey.

One of the 'sights' was the location of the Exxon Valdez spill. The fellow I sat with, Ken, works in oil and knew a lot about the accident. The captain of the ship pointed out the location and Ken talked about how things went wrong and the damage that is still there all around the Valdez area - permanently. I can't imagine what it must have looked like to have 11 million barrels of oil (42 gallons in each) spilled all over that area. Apparently things are much safer now and ships are guided out by coastguard and don't navigate on there own any more. He said that 2 million barrels  of oil are still shipped from that port every day. Unreal.

Lots of marine life on the journey - bald eagles, sea otters, stellar seals and humpback whales. The coolest thing was watching a pod of humpback whales feed and breech the surface. One of the whales came about ten feet out of the water and slapped his fin on the surface. You could hear the sound from hundreds of feet away. That alone was worth the price of the ferry trip.

When we arrived at Whittier we parted ways and headed off for the tunnel out of the town. It's very strange to ride through the almost five kilometre tunnel to get out of the mountain range. What's even more odd is that you have to ride your motorcycle between the rails for five kilometers in a darkish cave.

As soon as you reach the end of the tunnel there are unbelievable mountains and glaciers right around the corner. I was lucky enough to zip over to the Portage Glacier and snap a few pics. Soon after I got back on the highway and within five minutes the weather went from sunny to socked in damp, drizzle then hellacious rain. It rained buckets for more than an hour.

The ride to Homer was a piece of cake and not quite as scenic until the end of the ride. This was the busiest of any highway so far with weekend traffic - kinda like long weekend traffic at home. Saw a few moose on the roadside again. It was bloody windy on the coastal side of the highway. The wind was a gale for the last 130 kilometers of the day. The views across Cook Inlet are astounding and across the sound in the other direction are several active volcanoes.

I've now ridden motorcycles to the most westerly point in North America (Anchor Point, AK), the southern most in California, and ridden the entire highway 1 from top to bottom of North America - a lot of kilometers over the last 6 years.

I checked out the 'spit' area of Homer for hotels or camping. It's an interesting outdoor market with restaurants, bars and specialty/gift shops and was the most touristy thing I've seen thus far. Also, it was way too windy for camping in my opinion and probably quite cool on the waterfront. Found a room at the Best Western (should be Most Expensive Western) but I figured I'd treat myself to a nice room tonight to rest up for the push East again and towards the North.

I'll be riding to the Trapper Creek area and close to Denali. If it's nice I'll camp out, if not, I'll find indoor accommodations. I may not have internet access for the next few days so my next update will be from Dawson City, YT if the weather is nice or Tok, AK again if the weather is not.

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The Real Deal - Excellent Guy - Jason from Seattle
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Looking Back at Valdez, AK from the ferry
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Chunk of Glacial Ice floating in the ocean - perty!
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Portage Glacier just outside of the ferry at Whittier, AK
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Looking across Cook Inlet from Homer, AK
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Cook Inlet

Day 8 - Homer, AK to Talkeetna, AK

Distance: 368 miles / 592 kilometers
Time on bike: 9:30am - 6:00 pm
Temp: Nasty cold, rainy - 8-10 celcius all day

Well, right from the get-go this morning it was a challenging day. It was drizzling rain when I put all the gear back on the bike. Then about 10 minutes into the ride it stopped. With the coastal winds and the low temperature the morning ride was quite cool (only 8 celcius with massive winds).

Before I left I had a pretty good chat with a family from Kodiak island who had to spend an extra night because of a mechanical issue with one of the ferries. Alaskans are very, very friendly and accommodating. I've had nothing but positive contacts with them thus far.

One guy, a 'dude', came by after and was looking at the bike and the plates - "dude, that's an f'n sweet bike. Dude, you rode that all the way here. Sweet! Dude, you're so awesome. Then shook my hand and off he went."

Hazy, cloudy and foggy meant there wasn't much to see on the way out and back on the Sterling Highway. No animal life to speak of except wild drivers. It's a fairly narrow road and very well traveled so again today there was nearly bumper to bumper all the way to Soldotna.

Stopped to warm up and have some lunch. Finally things started to warm up outside and I even saw the sun. It's beginning to feel like riding in the Pacific Northwest (North 'wet).

The weather held until I passed the Portage Glacier again and turn towards Anchorage. In the distance (looking towards Anchorage) I could see the looming storm. Ugh! More rain riding. And did it rain! Epic rain all the way to my end of day destination. It rained cats, dogs, sheep, goats, and elephants.

By the end of the day I was looking forward to lodging and a meal. I though Trappers Creek would be a good place to stop because of its proximity to Denali National Park. Unfortunately, there's nothing really there - a 24 hour gas station with lodging - and they were full.

I back tracked to Talkeetna to have a look. This added about 50-75 kilometers to the journey but was it worth it! What a cool little village. It's all artists, artisans and has a unique hippy culture.

I stayed at the Talkeetna Motel and Restaurant. Very simple accommodation that was like staying in a relative's basement. Outdated furniture and decoration but it was very clean, comfortable and was a little self-contained suite. The owners are especially friendly and helpful. She gave me the low-down on where to eat, what to do and a bit of history of the area. It's a bit pricey for what you get but I'm guessing the tourist season in this neck of the woods is short. Plus I don't mind helping out small businesses and these types of mom and pop operations.

Had some pizza by the slice at a cool little shop - Mountain High Pizza. Really good pie and reasonably priced.

I bunked in and listened to the rain which continued to pour right through until the morning and beyond….

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My Modest Lodgings for the night
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Yummy Pizza
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Talkeetna, AK
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Hey Mike,

Good to see that you're still on track and that nothing bad is happening. So, the gear (and no human ...) is holding up? The wildlife is staying away? You didn't really mention road conditions, so I'm guessing it was ok. Boy oh boy you seem to be having a good time up there. Too bad about the weather, but as long as you have good gear and it is holding up ok, you should be fine. Have you seen Sarah P. yet? :biggrin: Tell her I say hi!! :blink:

Still reading your thread everyday and living through your adventures... Still expecting to see pics of the scenery and of the wildlife, especially this one pic where you're 10 feet away from a cuddly grizz with your back turned to face the camera. :491:

Keep it coming!! :fing02:

C

Day 9 - Talkeetna, AK to Denali National Park to Fairbanks

Distance: 270 miles / 435 kilometers
Time on bike: 9:00am - 4:30pm
Temps: Low of 5 celcius (Denali National Park)/ High of 15 (Fairbanks)

When I got up this morning I figured for sure it had stopped raining. Nope. Still going. After I packed up the 'packing gods' smiled down on me and gave me about 10 minutes without rain to get everything situated on the bike. Then, it started raining again.

I zipped back down the highway on the Talkeetna Spur, a little jut of land that it sits on, to the first gas station on the Parks Highway that leads to Denali.

The original plan today was to visit Denali park, do some walking/hiking, explore, see the visitor's centre then jet off to Fairbanks on the Old Denali Highway. Well, with the weather being as nasty as it has been for the past day and today riding a gravel road that has no services and is not well traveled didn't seem like a very good idea. I elected to stick to the Parks Highway for the whole day.

Not ten minutes into the ride I notice a bike coming up behind me that looked familiar. Yep, it's Jason (Seattle dude), and he's heading in the same direction. We rode together for a while then would leap frog each other with stops along the way.

After several hours of intensely bitter wind, heavy rain and cold temps for riding (only about 5-8 degrees celcius) we decided to find a place to warm up and eat. Jason asked an attendant at a gas station just inside the Denali Park for suggestions on where to eat. We ended up taking his recommendation and going to the Creekside Cafe. Delicious food, excellent service in a small cozy little log style a-frame building. Yummy homemade two bean veggie burger with an excellent tomato spiced soup. Perfect to get the core temp. back up.

Our next stop was the Denali Visitor Centre and Park. No sign of the mountain anywhere it was veiled in a thick soupy mist and rainy clouds. A bit disappointing to have this happen after riding all this way but I knew that many a day in the park there is no visibility of the mountain. Hard to believe that it's about 90 miles long and none of it was visible.

Upon entering the park I noticed a friendly park ranger at the park sign. He, rather she, was waiting right at the sign for me. An enormous momma moose with her calf in tow. They were dining on the local greenery around the sign. Just when I got ready to take a picture some jackass walked right up to them, only meters away, and scared them off. No picture from this perfect opportunity. Ugh! I was feeling vexed and still had no pictures of wildlife.

I met Jason at the Visitor Centre and wandered around for about 45 minutes inside. It's a relatively new facility with excellent educational information and presentations. There's even a large theatre showing videos about the park - they were excellent.

Jason was going to hang around a bit longer and being cold and wet I figured it was time to venture on towards the day's destination.

I felt a little dejected about the moose incident. On the way out of the park, kinda bummed out, I approached the park gate again. Only one vehicle there but someone is trying to take pictures. Jackpot. The moose are still there! I sprung into action and got some excellent pics (to be posted later).

I can't believe how stupid some tourists are. A few potential Darwin awards winners were nearly touching the moose. It was over 6 feet tall and must have weighed about a ton. Oh yeah, and it had a baby hiding behind it. Can you say recipe for disaster?

A few kilometers outside of Denali National Park the rain finally subsided. Finally, a break from the rain. It was overcast and cool but at least I could finally dry out a bit.

I pushed on ever closer to Fairbanks. Then, I made one of those stupid mistakes. Looked at a gas station, check my fuel range, kept riding. In hindsight this always looks like a bad decision. Well, it was. With only 10 kilometers left in the journey I ran out of gas. Damn! I couldn't believe it - so close.

It's a heavy bike so I pushed started it and got it going for another 2 kilometers. Then it died again. Double dog damn! Uh oh. Now what?

I remembered reading online about how the KLR has part of the tank drooped over the right side of the frame where it won't be able to move into the petcock and be used to fuel the engine. If you lean the bike right over on it's side (left) you can get that last morsel of gasoline out into the useable side of the tank. I took off all the bags and gear (it's darn heavy), tilted the bike and crossed my fingers. Triple flip damn! Still won't start. Luckily the final few kilometers are all down hill into Fairbanks. I let it roll until I got up to about 20 kilometers an hour - still not starting. One more try and it sputtered but still won't start. I began my usual tirade of expletives at myself for being so stupid. One more try I thought. Got it up to speed again and she fired right up. I made it to the first gas station where I filled it up. I had only about 500 ml of fuel left in the tank. Crazy, but I made it.

I looked around for hotels. Tried a few but $150 a night to stay in Super 8 like accomodation - crazy! I went to a motel I researched online - The Golden North Motel. $85 a night is more than what I'd like to spend but it's basically half the price of the others. It's old but clean, has wireless service, TV and fridge/microwave. It'll be perfect for a two day rest.

My rear tire is getting to the point where it's likely unwise to continue to ride and the front has plenty of life. I'll head over to a dealer that's right around the corner tomorrow and see if they can set me up with tires for the trip up to Inuvik.

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Denali Visitor Centre
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The yummiest veggie burger - Evah!
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From whence I came - Denali Park in the background - and the nasty weather left behind.
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Benito Moose-o-lini
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Yep the bike and rider are doing fine. I'm so glad to have the hard bags when traveling in the rain - everything is nice and dry.

I'm living with the weather. It's okay and I wasn't expecting California like weather - although I'd certainly take it. ;)

The roads in Alaska are excellent - well-maintained and smooth - fine for a sport-tourer actually. It's getting here on the Cassiar Highway and the ALCAN that are really hard on the bikes.

I've had so little internet access that was reliable or fast enough to post photos. I have a photo bucket account that doesn't work well with my iPad. I'll see if I can find a solution today on my off the bike day.

Glad you're enjoying the report. It's a great ride and beautiful surroundings.

[image: View Post]PolarBear, on 19 July 2011 - 04:34 PM, said:

Hey Mike,

Good to see that you're still on track and that nothing bad is happening. So, the gear (and no human ...) is holding up? The wildlife is staying away? You didn't really mention road conditions, so I'm guessing it was ok. Boy oh boy you seem to be having a good time up there. Too bad about the weather, but as long as you have good gear and it is holding up ok, you should be fine. Have you seen Sarah P. yet? :biggrin: Tell her I say hi!! :blink:

Still reading your thread everyday and living through your adventures... Still expecting to see pics of the scenery and of the wildlife, especially this one pic where you're 10 feet away from a cuddly grizz with your back turned to face the camera. :491:

Keep it coming!! :fing02:

C

Day 10 - Fairbanks, AK - Off the Bike Day

When I picked my accomodation I wanted to be as close as possible to the motorcycle dealer so I can zip over and find out about a tire change. As luck would have it the motel and dealer are on the same block - how fortuitous! Harley Davidson Farthest North Outpost has Harleys, Hondas, BMW and KTM. Perfect - they'll likely have dual sport tires that will work for my bike.

I got to sleep in a bit today and ventured over on the bike for their 9:00 am opening. A couple other people hanging out waiting, too. I was third in line so I figured it would be a cinch to get in and get the tires done. I have all day so it's not a rush as long as they are ready for me to ship out tomorrow.

Talked to the service manager. Sorry, we don't do work on Kawasaki's - "we don't have time." Tire changes? Is it different to change tires on a Harley, Honda or Kawasaki? I bit my tongue. "Why are you even here?" He asked. "You should go to the Kawasaki dealer." Wow, that's customer service. I bit my tongue again.

"We only service what we sell. We don't have time for anything else." Huh? There are only 3 customers and you're already working on two of their bikes. That busy? I bit my tongue again.

"I have tools, I'll take the wheels off for you, should only take about 15-20 minutes to change the tires," I said. Still met with reservation.

Then he showed me where I could work on my bike. He didn't want me on the pavement because it would "interfere with the real customers." Yep, that's what he said. He pointed to a gravel area that would be, "out of his way." Haha. You just got laugh at times like these. "Yes, sir, no problem. I'll have the wheels off in a second for you." Haha.

Then he asked me to take the wheels from the bike to the back. So I did, only to get yelled at by the shop techie for being "behind the line." "Did I see THE SIGN?" - read "Idiot. I hate my job and yelling at you makes me feel better". Nope, I said. My apologies. The service manager said I was getting in their way by dropping them off and if I wasn't careful they wouldn't do them at all. Another ultimatum.

Finally I got things sorted out with the parts staff - they have tires that will fit. Then he reluctantly agreed to do them but didn't even come to talk to me again until the tires were mounted. He put the tires at the counter and handed me the bill -"Go pay at the cashier." When people are jerks like this I like to add fuel to the fire - "Wow! Thanks so much. Really appreciate the hard work. You're doing me a big solid here. Thanks again." All as polite as punch. When really I'm thinking how many way I could tell him to shove the tires into various orifices. But, I didn't. I got the tire done and off I went. Normally I'm the first one to sing the praises of businesses that go the extra mile - this guy did, unfortunately he was stuck in reverse. Not a pleasant experience and I'd recommend that if you need anything done - seek service elsewhere from one of the other couple dealers or shops in town here in Fairbanks. While he did ultimately get the work done for me he charge me $100 for mounting two tires that he didn't even take off the bike. Karma is a bitch my friend - prepare to have done to you as you have to others.

The new tires are a bit more 'streety' than the ones on the bike previously - that's really all they had that would fit. The tires are Pirelli Scorpion Trail - about 80 road / 20 gravel and off-road. I think they'll do the trick. They'll certainly last a lot longer on the chip-sealed pavement and highways on the way home than my 50/50 tires did. In retrospect I should have brought another set of the Heidenau K60 Scout tires with me, or at least, another rear just so that I didn't have the hassle of finding someone to replace it. Live and learn I guess.

I met a really nice couple from Ohio and spent the hour or two chatting it up with them. They were riding tandem all over the north on a big GSA BMW. Really nice bike. He even helped with me putting the wheels back on the bike.

Also got a hand from a nice feller from Wisconsin. Riding a Harley getting a service done while he's up here on vacation. He offered to help steady the bike while I popped it up on the stand and a side case to take the wheels off.

We all had some good chats about our trips, our lives back at home and of course, bikes.

I'm hanging around the motel for some lunch, some updates and to rest and relax. Tomorrow I head off to Dawson City, YK. It's a bit of a long day followed by the last two days to get up to Inuvik.

Day 11 - Fairbanks, Ak to Dawson, YT

Distance: 388 miles / 625 kilometers
Time on Bike: 9:30am - 5:30 pm
Temps: High 14 (Dawson) / Low 8 (Richardson Hwy)

Wow, what a great day for riding today. I couldn't have asked for better weather. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky for most of the day. Hardly anyone on the roads and the farther I got from the city the less I saw.

After a quick checkout this morning I was off on the Richardson Highway. It's freeway-like in Fairbanks and turns into a perfectly smooth, and vacant, two-lane highway all the way to Tok. The scenery is quite beautiful with snowy mountains lining the highway on the West side all the way down.

Stopped in Tok at Fast Eddies restaurant for lunch. I hadn't realized how cool it was this morning until I got off the bike. I was actually quite cold and took a bit of extra time to warm up and eat a good lunch. Great burger topped off with a huge slice of apple pie. Yummy!

The last part of the journey, and the longest, was the Taylor Highway aka The Top of the World Highway. Wow! It climbs up out of the valley to 1200m (3500 ft or so) at spots. The entire highway  runs along the ridge line of the mountain range. It's paved for the first third on the American side of the highway, then turns to gravel, then muck and construction right past the town of Chicken. The middle 1/3 of the road varies from deep sandy mix and wet clay to thick gravel. While they are rebuilding and rehabilitating parts of the road it gets a bit dicey for bikes. The combination of wet, slippery and deep mud are a challenge on two wheels. Luckily today there was no rain or moisture except for a few very short sections. I can't imagine taking a bike through here if it had rained or was raining - it would be a complete disaster and virtually impassable. I think it would even be a challenge for cars and trucks in those conditions.

The new tires (Pirelli Scorpion Trail) work surprisingly well in the dirt and gravel in dry conditions. They feel just like sport -touring tires when on the pavement. These tires would not be very good in any kind of wet conditions with gravel or mud.

I was fortunate enough to see another moose today. She was feasting in a roadside marsh area. I also saw the biggest porcupine in my life. He looked like a big rotund beast. I must have caught him sunning on the road because he didn't move until I was right up beside him. Unfortunately he did not hang around long enough for me to capture his portrait for posterity.

After hundreds of kilometers of gravel roads it was nice to arrive in Dawson. There is a hostel just before the Yukon river crossing at the ferry. I had a look since it was cheap. It looked fine. Then I zipped across the street to the provincial campground. For $12 a night it seemed like the best deal and the nice part is that due to being midweek it is virtually empty. After setting up the tent and such I wandered down to pay for the site in the dropbox and noted a sign warning of recent bear activity in the area. Yikes! Oh well. I guess anywhere up here is really a place of potential bear activity.

I wandered over to the ferry and took a jaunt around the town of Dawson. It is so cool. It's literally like walking back in time. The buildings are all period buildings from the turn of the 20th century and before. The frost heaved roads and well-worn streets and buildings are quite charming. I picked up a few supplies from a market and walked back to the ferry and the campground. The ferry runs back and forth across the river literally every few minutes which is very convenient.

Tomorrow is the real deal and the purpose of the trip - the ride up the Dempster highway. By all accounts it looks like it's going to be nice weather for the ride tomorrow. No rain forecast for days - fingers crossed that holds true. I'll be riding to Eagle Plains the first day and likely stopping there for the night to do the second half of the highway. Being that it is 400 kilometers for each part of the trip up I'll probably be tired after riding gravel and will want to stop. I'm really looking forward to venturing out onto the tundra tomorrow.

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Top of the World Highway - I'll say!
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Day 12 - Dawson, YT to Eagle Plains, YT

Distance: 407 kilometers
Time on bike: 8:00 am - 3:45 pm
Temps: Low 8 (Dawson) / High 22 (Eagle Plains)

The camping experience in Dawson was quite interesting. It was nice to have the entire campground, or at least one section, almost completely to myself. I say, almost.... There were some twenty-somethings that rolled in across the way from me while I was down in town and went to pay for my site.

It was very quiet and peaceful until the aforementioned turned up their car stereo to eleven. Then because their music was so loud they had to basically scream to talk to each other. I must say I did the same thing when I was their age but I really do appreciate the quiet sometimes, too. When their revelry was finished before eleven you could hear dogs/wolves howling in the distance to each other. I'm guessing it was sled dogs as I've heard them howl like that in the winter night when I lived in Yellowknife. It was cool to hear their voices echo back and forth in the river valley.

I slept like a rock last night. Sleeping outside in the fresh air after such a physically demanding day was the recipe for a great night's sleep. The temperature dipped down near zero last night and I ended up sleeping right inside the sleeping the bag - head included, to keep warm. The sleeping bag from the MEC did it's job and kept me warm right down to zero as advertised.

I've got the knack now for organizing all the gear so it can be quickly assembled and put on the bike. Packed up, crossed the ferry, fueled up and hit the highway.

I was a bit concerned about the distance and lack of fuel stations. It's 374 kilometers from the junction to Eagle Plains. Plus another 42 from Dawson to the junction. Luckily, there is another gas station at the junction. Without it, the journey would come perilously close to causing me to run out of fuel again.

The turn to the Dempster Highway is well-marked but when you look at its entrance it looks like a small side road. The first few kilometers are paved then the road turns into gravel and packed mud which is easy to ride on and continue to maintain highway speed. As the highway continues, however, the road devolves into a bit of a mess. Some sections, usually the ones marked with a construction company's sign, are very well-maintained. Many sections, roughly 1/2 of the road, on the way to Eagle Plains are not. A lot of potholes, missing sections of road and some really dangerous thick gravel, sand and mud sections. I've read all the hyperbolic statements about this highway. For the most part they are correct - it's a bit of a gong show. It's also that reputation that appeals to many travelers - to see if they can do it - me included.

The scenery again today is absolutely stunning. There are high passes, river valleys, tundra and alien arctic landscapes. There is no shortage of interesting things to look at on this route. There are also plenty of animals along the way - a family of moose, grouse, birds of all kinds, among others. It's amazing to see how completely untouched most of the region is. Even with the highway access there is very little visible human impact.

The highway is very quiet and I saw maybe 15-20 vehicles throughout the day's travels. One truck was unfortunate enough to have a flat but was quickly assisted by two passing trucks working on the highway. That's one thing I really appreciate about the north - people really need to help each other. This is such an unforgiving place that you can get by without needing some help at some point.

The going today was quite slow and distance covered was far less than by highway. For an entire day I covered only about 416 kilometers. After hitting several thousand potholes and divots in the road, and missing just about as many, I was physically exhausted by the end of the day.

I stopped for lunch at about 3:15 in Eagle Plains. After finishing off my chow I was informed by the waitress that if I was traveling north that the road is closed. The Peel River ferry at Fort McPherson is closed due to high water. Apparently they are having a tough time maintaining landing areas for the ferry. It's been out all day today. Everyone heading north has been stopped at the river crossing. This effectively stops the movement of everyone in and out of the Red River/Tsiigehtchic and Inuvik areas including supplies.

So, I'll wait it out here tonight in Eagle Plains. The ferry may not be open again tomorrow. If that is the case I'll venture up the road about 40 kilometers for the obligatory picture at the Arctic Circle sign then head right back down to Dawson or farther south and begin the run back towards home. It would be a bit disappointing to not reach the 'end of the road' but Mother Nature sets the rules up here. With about three weeks of steady rain I feel fortunate to have made it this far. I also know that if the weather changes I certainly do NOT want to be riding the Dempster Highway.

I'll wait and see how things turn out tomorrow. I'm guessing that I'll be making the run back towards the south. So far I've already ridden 6,000+ kilometers - the farthest ride I've taken to date. And I still have to ride all the way back home to Calgary….

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The Dempster Highway - Where It All Begins…
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Two Moose Lake - Indeed! One, Two….
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The Oglivie Range of Mountains - You can see about 180 kilometers from here
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The Booming Metropolis (Truck Stop) of Eagle Plains, YT/NWT

OK, now it's official: your posts are making me want to do it too!!!!! Posted Image

Good luck tomorrow Mike!!
C

Day 13 - Eagle Plains, YT to Carmacks, YT

Distance: 682 kilometers
Time on bike: 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Temps: Low 8 (Eagle Plains) / High Carmacks 24

Well, sometimes things don't work out as planned. I checked with the front desk at the hotel who has been relaying information about the Peel River ferry. Sounds like the ferry will be running "intermittently" through the day. Unfortunately, "intermittently" is not going to work. It's about 250 to the ferry and there are no services at the ferry. If the ferry is down again I'll be stuck without accommodation and will have to wait it out.

The other unfortunate part is the weather has changed dramatically - it's the Arctic after all. The weather to the North was forecast as heavy rain and the weather to the South was forecast as showers throughout the day.

These two factors made my decision clear - the final push of 400 kilometers was off. I'm disappointed to not make it all the way as planned but I'm also not risking being stuck somewhere along the way or having to wait for ferry service on the way back. I'm also not interested in the risks of riding on a very difficult road in heavy rain - too dangerous. I decided to head back down and get off the Dempster Highway as quickly as possible.

I was fortunate enough to sneak in between the fronts to the North and South and actually have a really good ride on the way out on the Dempster. After reading about the number of accidents, fatalities (recently - motorcyclist), and people's reports of 21 hour days riding out in the rain, I'm okay with the decision not to go forward. I know others may go on just to prove the point that they 'did it' but I'm quite happy with how things have gone on the trip thus far and I wan't to keep it that way.

I set my alarm for 6:00 which because of the time change was actually 7:00 am. Doh! Oh well, I would have plenty of time to ride out and wasn't exactly sure where I'd stop for the day.

The Dempster commands a lot of respect for the harsh environment, road conditions and potential for nasty weather. It also is one of the most beautiful places I've ever ridden. It travels through several high passes, alongside beautiful and often huge rivers, and has an abundance of wildlife. A truly entertaining and enjoyable ride.

Minutes after leaving I saw a big black bum hightailing it into the brush - a black bear. About 10 kilometers later another interesting beast - some type of fox (black with white tail tip). And more birds than you can shake a stick at.

I even had a 'mexican standoff' at the halfway point - Engineers Creek. As I was motoring along down the road, just past most of the worst parts of the highway conditions, I noticed two forms on the horizon. Big forms. Even with my glasses on I wasn't quite sure what they were until I was right on top of the them - two grizzlies. Momma Griz and Baby Griz (a yearling) were wandering down the highway nonchalantly. As I approached Momma showed no interest of leaving her path through the centre of the road. I honked, yelled, stood up on the pegs to 'look big' but Momma wasn't interested in what I had to say. As I kept moving away to get a photo she kept on her merry way towards me - a bit unnerving. Every time I was going to get off for a picture she'd approach to a distance I wasn't comfortable with. What do you do in this situation? She owns the road and I'm just a guest. Finally I had time to jump off and snap a few quick picks (adrenaline running at full by this point). I then hopped on and decided to try and quickly ride around the pair - Momma thought best and finally took Jr. off to the side of the road and stood up on her hind legs to protect her offspring. What a magnificent creature. I've never been so close and this was a truly amazing experience.

I stopped at many points along the way for photos. What was particularly funny was to pass by "Two Moose Lake" the point where, ironically enough, I saw the two moose yesterday. The Tombstone park and range of mountains are spectacular with spongy looking green hills and mountains, tundra and valleys that stretch for as far as the eye can see which at one point is about 180 kilometers.

I stopped at the Dempster Highway sign for a picture. I was lucky to see a couple from Drumheller who offered to take my photo for me. And after two full days of travel on the Dempster this part of the adventure is done. A quick stop at the junction for gas and now the return south and towards home.

The ride to Carmacks was largely uneventful and the Klondike Highway is less than spectacular. There are some enormous rivers along the way but the rest of the ride is relatively scenery free.

One final event to report. At the junction for Stewart Crossing I had a 'get off'. Yep, after all the difficult riding I actually had a wipe out on the highway. Lucky for me it was at very low speed. The junction at Stewart Crossing goes immediately over a bridge at a ninety degree angle to the highway. There is no runout or place to slow down until just before the quick right turn. Unfortunately for me as I was completing the corner I noticed that the road was covered in pea sized gravel from one side to the other. This posed a significant problem - haha. Tough to corner, break and navigate not hitting the embankment on the bridge. As I tried to break the front end washed out and I low-sided the bike (tires first slide) and slid across the pavement for about twenty feet. Ouch! Not to worry as I am okay except for a road rash on my elbow (inside and through my riding gear) and a bit of a sore shoulder joint. The bike made out okay, too - minor scratches on the protective bars, bash bars on the handle bars and a bit of scraping to the aluminum panniers. All in all not too bad. Might have been different if I'd hid the railing or concrete around the bridge. But alas, everything is AOK.

The last few hundred kilometers were uneventful. Made it safely to Carmacks for the night. Still undecided which way I'll go back. Part of me wants to return down the Cassiar Highway but the other wants to explore new routes through Fort Nelson. Guess I'll decide before I set out tomorrow.

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Nasty weather - not going up North any farther - retreat!
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In the distance - Tombstone Mountains
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Yes, that is snow and ice still on the lake below - in July!
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Grizzlies.
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ATGATT - All the gear all the time. Sure paid off here. Road rash under my riding suit
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Some scratches and scrapes but no major damage.
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It's certainly a fun ride and very challenging.
You'll have to try it. It is quite a change from living in the city.

[image: View Post]PolarBear, on 21 July 2011 - 11:59 PM, said:

OK, now it's official: your posts are making me want to do it too!!!!! http://www.vfrdiscus...ault/pissed.gif

Good luck tomorrow Mike!!
C

[image: View Post]superfunkomatic, on 22 July 2011 - 10:44 PM, said:

One final event to report. At the junction for Stewart Crossing I had a 'get off'.

Glad to hear that you are OK despite the get off. How did the bike fare?

I'd like to ride north on the route you are taking, or even explore Labrador, but that's all territory that a VFR isn't suited for. Really looking forward to seeing your photos!

Wow, what a great ride report! And the way you describe everything makes more than up for the lack (for now) of pictures.Keep it coming superfunkomatic, on 12 July 2011 - 12:51 AM, said: I've seen many animals. More bears, a moose, deer, a beaver and bald eagles. They must have some special contract as I haven't been able to capture any of them with the camera. you can attract bears with salmon, I heard they love salmon This commercial for salmon always makes me laugh: Quote What a magnificent creature. I've never been so close and this was a truly amazing experience How close is close? There are some bears in the Alps, maybe a hundred, so they are very rarely seen. The only wild animals I saw on my latest trip was af fox and this marmot, or murmeltier as they call them. I got of good pic of it though. Quote The last 60 kilometers from Meziadin Junction to Hyder were nothing short of amazing. unreal glaciers and mountains. Pictures will have to be in my photo bucket account until I have better Internet access. Can't wait to see those pics

It can be done on street bikes. Most of the roads are quite good. Check out our member jmpepper's report. He was up here the last couple weeks on his VFR.

[image: View Post]Olive, on 23 July 2011 - 12:36 AM, said:

[image: View Post]superfunkomatic, on 22 July 2011 - 10:44 PM, said:

One final event to report. At the junction for Stewart Crossing I had a 'get off'.

Glad to hear that you are OK despite the get off. How did the bike fare?

I'd like to ride north on the route you are taking, or even explore Labrador, but that's all territory that a VFR isn't suited for. Really looking forward to seeing your photos!

V4rosso - close is "way too close" - 15 m (40 feet). The bear wasn't showing any signs of aggression. I was just in her way and she kept walking down the road towards me. Baby was just following mom. Pretty cool and scary at the same time. :)

Day 14 - Carmacks, YT to Liard River and Hot Springs

Distance: 827 kilometers
Riding Time: 9:30am to 7:30pm (long day)
Temps: Pretty much low 20s since I left this morning - lovely!

A long day today to make up some miles. I had a feeling this part of the journey would be less than spectacular scenery-wise. I was right. Don't get me wrong it is scenic but there aren't any of the jaw dropping vistas from the previous days journeys. Fine by me as I'm working my way back south and towards the Rockies again.

The hotel last night, appropriately named the Carmacks Hotel, was quite good. It was surprisingly nice for such a small town. One drawback was the bar next door that they own. There was hooting and hollering well into the night. It was Friday so that's to be expected. I slept through most of it anyhow.

I set my alarm for the wrong timezone again and woke up late. After grabbing something to eat and loading up the bike I didn't get on the road until 9:30. I wasn't entirely sure how far I'd travel today. I figured I'd aim for Watson Lake and see how the weather was. Turns out there were some huge rainstorms but I was able to sneak right between them and only get a tad wet for a few minutes. I'd battened down the hatches preparing for the worst but luckily my preparation was for not.

Again a day of traveling through treed valleys with the occasional viewpoint of the large rivers. While they are not particularly picturesque they certainly are impressive. The shear amount of water moving through these rivers up here is astounding. The Yukon, Pelly, Dease and Liard Rivers are absolutely gigantic.

After reaching Watson Lake and looking at the time (around 4:30 or 5:00) I decided to push on. I'd already stayed here (not much in the town) so I figured I'd work my way further down the road to see what was there. Well, nothing at all until you get to Liard River which was one of my scheduled stops anyway. There is a world renowned hot springs here and camping.

Along the way I saw two more black bears and got a good picture of one. I'm a bit apprehensive about getting off the bike too close to these guys as they are pretty quick and if they wanted to could be on me before you can say "white on rice". I also saw a few Bison (Buffalo) and then a large herd of them with many small ones. Pretty cool to see the Bison out roaming around - much different than seeing them outside of the lodge at Yellowstone. :)

I thought I'd stay in the provincial park for camping but it was full. There was overflow camping in the picnic area which would be fine. Unfortunately, they only accept cash as payment. HUH?! Unreal. I've never been to any provincial or national park in North America in all of my travels that ONLY accepts cash. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I rarely carry any cash at all anymore. The odd thing is she would take a cheque! A cheque? Who takes cheques from out of province anymore.

I was ticked off. There's no bank machine for about 150 kilometers. Before getting to hasty and jetting off I looked and there is an RV park across the street. $20 a night, debit payment and plenty of room. It's not exactly what I'd call camping but it will do for one night. There a restaurant here too but it closes at 8:00pm. By the time I got my gear off the bike and was about to set up it was too late. So I had the 'dinner of champions' - Hawkins Cheezies, Lay's Ketchup Chips and some water and Gatorade. At least the snack shop was open. ;)

I'll get up tomorrow and pack up first then head over to the hot springs for a dip. Then head further south. I'll see if I can make it down to Dawson Creek. I think I'll leave Vancouver for my trip from Nelson in August.

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Itchy Bear
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Hungry Bear - Mmmm, flowers….
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Bear giving me the royal stink eye. "Hey! Beat it human - I'm eating!"
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Waking a sleeping Bison
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This is one big hombre. I could 'feel' him from about 50 feet away.
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Set up in the 'campground' - Could you please turn on any loud appliances or generators. Thanks!
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Dinner of champions! All food groups represented - grease, sugar, preservatives, colouring….

Cash or cheque? Cheques?!?! What are those again???!?!!!

Seriously, keep it coming Mike, I'm still living vicariously through you. But please be careful to grizz, elk and deer, they're no joke.
C

Day 15 - Liard River, YT to Dawson Creek, BC

Distance: 813 kilometers
Time on bike: 7:30 - 5:30
Temp: 8 celcius to start / 24 end of day in Dawson Creek, BC

A fantastic day of riding again. I was a bit concerned this morning when I woke up, more on that in a second, and saw dark clouds and spitting rain.

Let's start with the camping experience last night. I say 'camping' since it in no way resembled any form of camping I've previous known. 

I was able to sneak across the street after 8:00pm for the 'free' dip in the hot springs -which was awesome. When I came back I had a quick chat with a couple from Montréal who were just coming back from Alaska and their attempt at the Dempster highway. They had the same luck - they turned around the day before when it started to rain. They rode in for 6 hours turned around and straight back out the same day - 14 hours in total back to Dawson. Wow! That's full day.

Got everything set up and hung out as long as I could outside before the bugs started to drive me crazy. Not biting or anything just plenty annoying. This has been the exception to the rule up here - the bugs haven't been that bad, in my opinion. So I took a book and huddled up in the tent to read for a while before bed. That's when the 'camping' experience began....

First of all the place is run on a giant diesel generator. Fine by day, unfortunately, they don't turn it off at night. I figured about 10-11 pm they'd shut it off for the night - not a lot of call for power. But, they didn't. Luckily it's a consistent sound so I feel right asleep. That is until a band of idiots rolled in at midnight. Four tents with adults, kids and complete chaos. One would think that if you rolled in that late at night you'd try to be as quiet as church mice. Not! Finally at 2am I'd had enough. If you've ever heard my "oi!" at the top of my lungs you'd know that all bets are off and I'm pissed off. Apparently, that was the sign they were waiting for as they were completely silent for the remaining 4 hours before I had to get up. Thanks guys!

They came by to 'apologize' in the morning to which they were greeted with a waving hand as in 'talk to the hand, Hammerhead!' Not impressed.

The day went very well from that point on though. The ride from Liard River through to Muncho Lake and into the Rockies is really fun! It's a great curvy and twisty road for several hundred kilometers and is very scenic. There are lots of glacial moraines and plenty of changes in altitude right up to 1300 m (3500-4000 ft).

I stopped in Muncho Lake for gasoline. The lake is a lot like Lake Louise with the opalescent blue waters and the rock lined shores. It is also the home of Canada's most expensive gas - I really needed gas and they really wanted to sell it to me - for $1.89 per litre (for you Americans that's approaching $7.50/gallon). Ouch! I have to remember though that if I'm by there again that the lodge looks like a great place to stay - a wood log cabin.

I hadn't realized that this would be it for gas stops. Many of the other places on the map were just that, on the map. They were little mom and pops that have been deserted. Kinda sad really to see all those small businesses left for dead.

Quite a few sheep sightings along the way today. I know I've seen them a million times on rides around Calgary but I still like to stop and see them. There were some youngins that were strutting there stuff alongside the road. Pretty cool to watch.

After several hours the mountainous backdrop starts to change to more deciduous trees and eventually back to rolling hills. This is where the day turns into making distance and less about the scenery. It's a long way to Dawson Creek.

Not much to see for the last half of the day. Treelined highway with no views to the horizon. This is when the iPod is a lifesaver. You can pass time a lot better when you can sign along with your fave tunes in your helmet. Trust me, it works!

I stopped in what is the most interestingly named place thus far - Pink Mountain. I'll have to look and find out how it got that name because there is nothing pink around. Haha. I got to meet the local guard dog at the gas station a Coon Hound that apparently was on break and taking a nap on the porch.

I kept pushing along kilometer after kilometer and made it to Fort St. John and decided I might as well push on to Dawson to save about 75 K for the next few days riding. It's pretty odd after spending two weeks surrounded by mountains to suddenly be out in a yellow field of flax. It seems to happen so quickly but it's been coming for days. Things are starting to look a lot more like things around home.

One last butt pucker moment. In the town of Taylor which has a really long and high steel grated bridge deck. These are pretty challenging as they grab the tread of your tire and cause the entire bike to oscilate or wobble back and forth. There are a few of these along the way and I've ridden over them before but this one had another challenge - wind. Strong, wind. Gusting winds pushing the bike across towards oncoming traffic as the bike wobbles. That really tests one's intestinal fortitude! Whew!

Wheeled into Dawson Creek and found a room at the Lodge Motel - $85.00 seems to be the going rate for a decent room.

I've mapped out the final two days of the trip. 1000 kilometers is too far for me to go comfortably on the KLR (I could easily do it on my VFR). So two 500 K days should do it. Tomorrow through to Grand Cache and down to Hinton, AB. It's supposed to be a really scenic ride and it's one of the few in Alberta that I have not done yet. The last day will be back over through the Icefields or Nordegg and back to Calgary.

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Muncho Lake
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The Greeting Committee - Sheep
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The Pink Mountain Coon Hound

I made it to Prudhoe Bay on the VFR, you should have taken it :).

I thought about it. I think the Dempster, from what I've read, is more scenic and more challenging conditions. You never know maybe I'll try it on another trip up here. There's always the possibility of a return trip in the future :)

[image: View Post]klinquist, on 25 July 2011 - 02:18 PM, said:

I made it to Prudhoe Bay on the VFR, you should have taken it :).

Day 16 - Dawson Creek, BC to Hinton, AB

Distance: 459 kilometers
Time on bike: 8:30-4:00pm
Temps: Very nice mid-20s all day (sunny)

Today has probably been the least eventful day of the trip. Which I guess is a good thing since everything went according to plan.

No rush today as it's a short riding day at least in comparison with the past couple of days. Didn't leave the hotel until 8:30 this morning.

When I say not eventful - no animals, no weather events and really nothing to see on the way. Contrary to Alberta Tourism's recommendation of highway 40 between Grande Cache and Hinton, AB being a scenic byway - well, it isn't. It's better than taking the superfreakinghighway number 2 south through Edmonton. But really, there are no vistas, no scenery, not much of anything to catch your attention. It does gain significant altitude up to 1300 metros at some points but other than that it is a tree-lined highway to avoid bigger highways.

After several longish days my arse is getting sore. The KLR seat is very narrow and causes extreme discomfort when ridden for long days for several days in a row. So when I arrived in Hinton today I was glad to get off the bike to give my tuckus a break.

Hinton is kinda like the Teutels (American Chopper) meets extreme sports meets ultimate fighting challenge. Yikes! I didn't bring my requisite 4x4 with 40" wheels and a dirt bike in the back. Guess I'm really going to have to buy one of those TapOut shirts after all - just to fit in! Welcome back to Alberta, Mike! Haha.

Midweek hotels are easy to come by and cheap ($65) - the Tara Vista Motel. So I've relaxed and had some grub. Tomorrow is the last day of the trip. I'm looking forward to being home in my own 'crib' and bed. I'm always a bit sad to see the trip each year come to an end. Before it's over though I'm fortunate enough to zip back through Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff before getting back home to Calgary. Should be a few more pics from this ride.

Day 17 - Hinton, AB to Calgary, AB - Final Ride Day

Distance: 493 kilometers
Time on bike: 8:30-3:30 pm
Temp: High teens / Near freezing at Athabasca Glacier in Icefields Parkway

The last day is one of the best because you get to go home but it's always bittersweet since it's the end of another good long ride.

I slept in again since it wasn't a very long day and I knew I could make it back home by the middle of the afternoon. The final pack took only a few minutes. I noticed something that I missed after my 'get off' the other day - the supporting racks for the right side luggage was bent a bit. A quick firm pull and it bent right into shape.

I love riding the Icefields Parkway highway. Even after all that I've seen on this trip, and others, it is still one of the most beautiful highways I've ridden. I was very fortunate to be able to duck and weave through the various storm fronts that were moving through the mountains and only had about ten minutes of rain the entire day.

The first thing I notice every time I come back to Alberta is how terrible the drivers are. I rarely crowd the middle of the highway or the left side of my lane for this very reason. People are tired or inattentive and on several occasions drivers crossed the centre line - yikes!

There was also some sort of Cannonball Run type race going on; the "Bull Run" I think. I'm all for enjoying a day in a nice car in the mountains but these yahoos were passing on double lines, in speeding through pedestrian areas, and driving about 50-60 km/h over the limit. Pretty dangerous considering it is a scenic drive and not a race track.

I took a few pics along the way. Stopped to look at the scenery and generally took my time winding me way back home on this final day. A successful and enjoyable trip. Wrap up report to come….

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Since my 'get-off' these damn mirrors won't stay put - three joints in opposite directions
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Back through the Icefields Parkway - Cold!
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Welcome back to the prairies and Alberta.

For those of you reading along - thanks a bunch. It's great when there is audience for your trip.

Pictures are now up to accompany the journal.

mike

Wow that looks like you had a great time. Glad everything went well too. I have a friend with a new FLR and he loves it. I need to do trip like that on my VFR. Again great write up.

If you're looking for a long ride that will literally take you away from civilization - This is it!
It's an astoundingly beautiful land.

[image: View Post]Longdraw, on 27 July 2011 - 06:50 PM, said:

Wow that looks like you had a great time. Glad everything went well too. I have a friend with a new FLR and he loves it. I need to do trip like that on my VFR. Again great write up.

Thanks for the report Mike, and for the pics. They sure made me daydream and you are to blame for my lack of productivity at work in July!! Thanks a lot!!!
Love the pic with the dog...
Cya in Nelson!
C

i enjoyed your narrative. one thing i realized, if i were to undertake an adventure like this, is to buy some really good rain gear and truly waterproof boots and gloves.

thanks for sharing, i appreciate your efforts.

Yes ditto here. Good rain gear, warm clothes, a grizzly and deer whistle (?!?!??????), and some ear plugs!!!! But it sure makes me wanna go.
C

Trip Summary - Prairies to Permafrost

Details of the trip:

Distance Traveled: 9347 Kilometres (5808 miles)
Approximate Cost of Fuel: $450-500 dollars (fuel is very expensive up North)
Lodging Costs (Camping and Hotels): approx. $1,100-1,300
Number of Days on the Road: 17 (15 on the bike)
Lowest Temperature: 0 Celcius (Destruction Bay, YT - sleet and snow-like conditions)
Warmest Temperature: 24 Celcius (Carmacks, YT and Liard River, YT)
Repairs/Maintenance: New Tires in Fairbanks, AK - $350 USD
Least Expensive Accommodation: Tie - Sealaska Inn (Hyder, AK) $65.00/night - What a deal! and Tara Vista Motel (Hinton, AB)
Most Expensive Accommodation: Best Western (Homer, AK) - really, not worth more than most of the 65-85 hotels
Worst Accommodation: Downtown Hotel (Prince George, BC) - honestly, Prince George's downtown is one of the scariest places I've been next to East LA

Best Road: The Dempster Highway - hands down the most challenging, beautiful and interesting ride of the trip
Worst Road: The ALCAN/Alaska Highway in Yukon Territory - the Alaska side is beautiful, the Canadian side looks like it has been in constant decay since it was made during WWII - parts of this highway are worse than the infamous Dempster Highway.
Honorable Mention for Best Road: Tok, AK to Valdez, AK on the Tok Connector Highway - high passes, mountain ranges, wildlife and beautifully paved

Impressions of the Trip:

The North is absolutely outstanding in every way. It's remote, isolated, stunningly beautiful and a challenge to travel through. These are all the attributes of a great adventure. The weather can be abysmally bad and quite the opposite really quite mild. There is no shortage of scenery and wildlife on this trip. I'd hazard a guess that anyone traveling this area will see more wildlife in a few weeks than they've seen in their entire lives (unless they work at a zoo).

I'm quite happy with how things unfolded during this trip. I've only had some off road experience for day trips into gravel and forestry roads. I think as I got more comfortable riding in this terrain I'd be more likely to venture off on to more gravel, dirt and abandon roads.

This is a type of trip you could be a lot more adventurous if you had a riding partner or two. Being out on the Dempster Highway 400 kilometres from help is a bit unnerving when you're riding solo. Having a serious accident could literally be life or death - having help would certainly make the trip less risky. Although, it's been very hard for me to find anyone that will take on these types of challenges or that has enough vacation time.

The North is definitely a place you could visit again and again and still only scratch the surface of what there is to see. I think I can safely say that at some point I'll return by motorcycle to the North. If you're looking for an adventure and place that not many will see - this is it! Go and see for yourself - it's amazing!

Equipment:

SW Motech Crash Bars - essential for a dual purpose bike - these prevented hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of damage in my get-off
Barkbusters Hand Guards - on the cold days they helped keep the wind and rain off, also prevented major damage to my bike during aforementioned get-off
Tires - The Pirelli Scorpions did very well on the highway (4500 kilometres and still going) and fine on the Dempster (in the dry - they'd be scary in the wet); Heidenau K60 Scouts - I'd definitely use these tires again - they were excellent highway tires and superb off-road
More Tires - In spite of what people say - bring a second set. Road tires for the trip up, knobbies or good 50/50 for the Dempster or trips off road
Oxford Heated Grips/Jett Hawaii Heated Vest - I would have been miserable and cold without these. The Jett Vest is unreal - on low it will keep you warm for the entire day, and, it's got no wires tethering you to your bike
Good rain gear - You may not need it, but if you do, you'll be glad you brought it
Trax Panniers and SW Motech Racks - Hard luggage is the best investment you can make in any bike - they kept everything dry, there's tons of storage, and they are excellent crash guards :)
Camping Gear - really helped on the days where it was nice to get in touch with nature, also the days where I arrived late and didn't feel like seeking out expensive accommodation (you can save a bundle of cash traveling with camping gear) - on average 15-18/night.

The Bike:

The KLR did the job it was asked to do. After traveling up and down the west coast so many times on my VFR this pales in comparison. It was passable as a highway bike, moderately capable as a dual-purpose bike, and required nothing to keep it going for the trip except gas and 1/2 litre of oil. It gets superb gas mileage (45-50 mpg on the highway /53+ on the low speed stuff like the Dempster Highway)

I must have tried to switch up into sixth gear about 45,000 times during the trip. Really, Kawasaki, would it be that hard to add another gear for cruising on the highway. It drove me nuts after thousands of kilometres vibrating along at 5,000 RPM. I'll consider a larger front sprocket to lower the revs if I was to do another long trip on the bike.

To me this seems like a bike that would lead me to purchase a larger adventure bike - BMW GS Adventure. It seems like a perfect bike for trips like this. The KLR has been a bargain bike to equip for the trip and I easily could have bought two completely kitted out for the price of one GSA.

Hotels:

I can't believe there are still 'smoking' rooms in hotels. Most municipalities in North America don't allow smoking in public places, why in hotels? Also, non-smoking seems to mean that there is no one currently smoking in the room with you. Many of the hotels stunk of smoke even in their 'non-smoking' rooms.

If you can hit the major towns or trap towns mid-week you'll save a bundle. Most will gouge you if they can on weekend rates.

Bravo on your trip. Welcome to the club.

I put in a new spring on my KLR when I got back plus the raising link which I had on for the trip. I want to go back but trying to figure out how????

Mirrors...............same thing on my KLR when I went "over the side". Easily fixed though with a couple of wrenches.

I did not want to know how much I spent :laughing6-hehe:

So, Mike, where will the next trip be?? And don't tell me you haven't thought of it, I just won't believe you!!! Posted Image
Aaaaaaaaaand, one last thing: are you getting a beamer now?!? Posted Image (or is it beemer, can't remember)
C

PS I've got nothing but admiration for those lone wolves who have taken the time to do these kind of trips. Good for you!! Posted Image

I've thought about it. Hehe. I might ake the summer off next year or a small trip. Of course, that's what I said last year.

I don't 'love' the KLR - it just doesn't inspire me. The big GSA beemer certainly does. I think I'll give the KLR one more summer before I switch.

[image: View Post]PolarBear, on 29 July 2011 - 09:54 PM, said:

So, Mike, where will the next trip be?? And don't tell me you haven't thought of it, I just won't believe you!!! http://www.vfrdiscus...t/pinocchio.gif
Aaaaaaaaaand, one last thing: are you getting a beamer now?!? http://www.vfrdiscus...ghing6-hehe.gif (or is it beemer, can't remember)
C

PS I've got nothing but admiration for those lone wolves who have taken the time to do these kind of trips. Good for you!! http://www.vfrdiscus...ault/fing02.gif

Yes, I always liked that big beemer too. I should take one out for a spin when they have demo days. I like the F800 GS too! Good mid-size GS and probably a bit easier to pick up after you lie it down in a turn or if you get stuck in sand or something.
Cheers Mike!!