Riding to Alaska?

[themess]

FWIW, the first half of the trip (to Seattle) is pretty easy on a GS.

[oldryder]

If you find someone that will actually hit the road with you consider yourself lucky. In my experience for every 100 guys that will talk about a big road trip (x000 miles) theres one or two that will actually do it.

these days all the posers tooling around on harley's and harley clones think riding 100 miles in a day is a big day or riding.

whats really sad is that they'll raise the safety issue about riding cross country when its substantially safer than tooling around town in traffic.

[bwringer]

If you find someone that will actually hit the road with you consider yourself lucky. In my experience for every 100 guys that will talk about a big road trip (x000 miles) theres one or two that will actually do it.

these days all the posers tooling around on harley's and harley clones think riding 100 miles in a day is a big day or riding.

whats really sad is that they'll raise the safety issue about riding cross country when its substantially safer than tooling around town in traffic.

Luckily, there's a small but dedicated group of GS riders in and around Indy. For us, a 400 mile day trip to the twisties in Brown County is a pleasant morning and early afternoon diversion, leaving plenty of time and energy for other activities in the afternoon and evening.

And actually, the Alaska trip was Al's idea (82 GS850GL). We're still talking about timing -- honestly, the biggest issue is the miserly ration of vacation days we're allotted here in the US. I'd happily go this very summer, but that's not going to happen simply because we both need to hoard vacation days for at least a year to be able to take two weeks off.

[themess]

I know what that is like. The job that brought me to Indiana gave me three weeks of discretionary vacation in my first three years.

[Jagir]

I've been to Alaska/Yukon a few times by boat, thumb and last summer, I did the northern BC circle tour (from the centre of BC to the top via Alaka highway and back via the 37 and 16) in a cage. 2500 km! Always wanted to do it on a bike and daydreamed about it a few times, but I don't think I'd do it all on 2 wheels just beacause of the long spaces of sameness.

Here's my 'BC centered' 2 bits:

If you are camping, bring lots of bug protection and choose windy spots. Similarly, get a finger squeegee and carry lots of faceshield cleaner and a spare gas can.
BE BEAR AWARE! taking care of your food and campsite properly is far better protection than a gun.

Late summer is better - less rain, but if you leave it too late, watch for frost

Watch for buffalo and goats on the road - seriously it's wild up there.

In my opinion, the middle (where I live) and top right (east) of BC is pretty boring and depressing. There is extensive devastation of the monocultured pine forest (it's shockingly red) and the northern part is very industrial where there is habitation, but there is alot of nothingness in between. The Alaska highway is pretty long and straight with a few jigs and jags, but is alot more of the same sort of pine forest that you'd already been riding through for days if you came up through BC (but not as red yet). It gets exciting around Stone Mountain Park, but by then you're close enough to Liard River to just wanna get there to soak the bones and relax.

Just west of Liard River Hot Spring, there is a gas station town called Coal River. Rumor has it that there is a fantastic hotspring that is a couple hours walk up into the mountains. Ask the local.

Skip the movies at the Watson Lake Space Centre unless it's raining and you want to warm up, but bring a sign to put up in the signpost forest.

Highway 37 is fantastic for scenery and there are lots of dirt sections. If you got time and/or cash (for a heli-drop), take a side trip into Mt Edziza Provincial Park. It looks stunning! Boya Lake is a pretty good campsite.

Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Houston (BC) is amazing! Twisties beside the Skeena River + mountains, it's really pretty. Check out the lava beds north of Terrace and hike up to the glacier or look for fossils in the town of Smithers.

My recommendation would be to take the ferry from Bellingham (WA) to Alaska, or from the north end of Vancouver Island, or drive up through BC and take the #20 west to Bella Coola and catch the ferry to drop you in Alaska or Prince Rupert. North of Williams Lake (BC) and east is pretty long and almost like trudgery.

PM me if you want any more specifics.
Keep the shiny side up!

[themess]

http://www.campgrounds-alaska.com/alaska-highway.php

Might be a good place to start planning from. Says that the road is now paved.

[paperclip]

How much time off are you taking to do a trip like this? I've always wanted to go on a bike. I ain't getting any younger so maybe sooner rather than later is how I should be looking at it...

[Talon]

I was daydreaming about this very subject the other day at work, i was looking at what the longest roadtrip that i could think of would be. It'd start off with me flying down to phoenix and buying a valkyrie (i'm selling my shadow up here in vancouver, which should be close to what a valk costs down in phoenix...) then riding over to california then up the coast highway up to Alaska then east to the yukon and then down into alberta where the parent's live and back to vancouver after that... it'd take a good month to do i figure... of course that trip is just a pipe dream but I do like the idea of taking the ferry up to alaska, and i'll probably end up buying another bike from the states this spring/summer... I'll be doing some reading up on what is out there in alaska for a while i think.

[paperclip]

Taking advantage of that exchage rate, eh? I don't blame you Talon, I was looking at a Bandit when they weren't available here for a couple years. Man, they soak you guys up there! Even with a better exchange rate then they were $10,000. :shock: