2016 Road trip, SanDiego to Prudhou Bay, Alaska, seven weeks, 11k miles...
Week 1, May 29-June 4 & Preramble
Week 7, July 10 - July 14 & post trip
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Week 2, June 5 - 11
June 5 - 256 miles, Cheney to Slocan Lake
A fun ride, as I've crossed into Canada "Ehhh", border guard was less impressed then I was, as I was pretty excited to have crossed the border. He didn't confiscate anything. Of course I would never implicate myself, as they could never take my candy from my cold hands, ok, melted candy from my hot sore hands, wow do I have a sweet tooth, and love those Sweet Li Hing Mui candy seeds. Morning start was delayed with a trip to Spokane to get some xeroxing done for Jessie. I was honoured that she would ask and more than happy to help my amazing little girl, who is really all grown up. Xeroxing done, back to cheney, I give my sleepy little daughter another big hug and off I go. Beautiful ride, but very hot to Slocan lake. I've crossed the Colorado river, but no, I'm not lost, it is big and people are rafting down in those walmart yard pools having fun, a great warm day to be on the river. Arriving at Rick and Barbara Tegeler's after some amazing directions, almost a book in details, leaving nothing to chance, I find their house. The driveway is a bit steep, and I stall my bike and drop the bike down hill as well. Bike weighs about 600# plus gear, it is down for the count, laying downhill to boot. Rick shows and and helps me lift it back up, amazing I've not sworn once, shit happens, and nobody got hurt, other then my ego. Continuing on up the driveway, I park and asses the damage a few loose screws (in the bike, not me readers) but no other damage. Tough bike it is. I unpack and presto a local dark beer, very nice, then another one, I stop at two, and switch to water. Dinner is amazing, Ricks famous sauce, noodles and meat, tender and very tasty, I stop before I explode as it tastes so good. They offer dessert, but I can't do it. I tell you I can't eat like I used to. They have an amazing place, trees, and more trees, just off the lake there is a waterfall across the valley. Sleep comes early, at 9pm, as I'm very tired, and don't blog or write.
Up early as Jeffs calls me an old man, I'm up at 5am, read bush tusks and get the cool cat "foster", as in foster car to hang with me for a bit. The cat is cuddly and silky smooth fur. Up and packing it is breakfast, I feel like I'm at home as breakfast is hot cereal, blueberries, cranberries and the addition of flax sea and pine nuts, yum, along with coffee. For some strange reason, I've had little coffee on this trip, not sure why, but I'm ok with that. And other then the German beer and two at Tegeler's I'm good with tea, must be getting old I think.
June 6 - 238 miles, Slocan Lake (Rick and Barbara's) to Jasper, Mosquito creek campsite
Ahoy, it has been a few days since I have last blogged, I hope I don't get flogged! a fun ride, amazing, but hot, I keep heading north to beat the heat, but even in Jasper, yup, made it to Jasper Canada National park it is warm. I've rinsed in the snow melt, as I'm sticky and dehydrated, no matter how much water, it is never enough. But it is cold, and feels great, tempted to swim, but they might shoot me or lock me up. Ferry ride was cool, half hour ride across the river and meet some other Canadian Bikers, a bunch of crazy riders ranging from 800 klr off road bikes to pocket rocket bikes with a death wish for speed. Discussion ranged from bears to jokes about motorcycles being confiscated for 30 kmph over the speed limit, right on the spot, and you don't get the bike back. Other then a few gps glitches, two gps's each pointing in a different direction. I continues along hwy. Well I did circle back once, but hey a few extra miles wont hurt? Construction they take seriously, from signs warning you to slow down to a crawl, and they are digging a ditch yards off the road, to miles, and I mean miles of construction where people get out of the cars, I shut the bike down, listen to music and drink water while trying to cool off. It is not 6:19pm, I've setup camp right on the river, really like 3 meters (like that metric stuff huh?) I think I'll sleep well, a fine dinner of beef saimen and for dessert some great cookies from Barbara and Rick. Well mosquito creek is named aptly, as there are tons of mosquitos. The creek is cold but feels wonderfully refreshing. As I arrive I meet two girls back from running a relay race some miles away. A camper van pulls up next to me, with a family from Germany, daughter has been on exchange in Vancouver and now they are touring canada before heading home. I ask about the flooding in germany and they show me pictures of flooding near their home, cars submerged, brother and friend waist deep walking along a sidewalk. Yikes, no rain here yet, and global change doesn't exist, hmmm I finally decide to start a fire, and they lend me an ax, not being very axe-worthy, a guy comes over to talk about bikes, loves them and is addicted as he puts it. He cuts down my wood and helps me start a fire. In the meantime the germans give me a beer and the father of the young lad (everyone looks young these days) come to chat, great people from Vancouver, I'm guessing Greek, as dads accent is very strong. So between a bunch of nice people I'm sitting here typing on my chromebook, swatting at mosquitoes, sitting next to a warm fire next to a running river great people all around drinking a very cold beer, life is good, and it is good to be alive.
Tomorrow starts another day, but a new part of the journey. Last year we drove through Jasper, but I've never been farther north. I'm looking at Dawson Creek, an eight hour drive at 453 miles. With me driving in circles I could add a few more hours and miles to the journey. Then to Fort Nelson, and then Watson lake and a couple stops before Dawson City. I had hoped to listen more to my audio book, but a bit hard to as the noise of the wind is very strong. I'll try earplug headphones tomorrow and see how that goes. As I go to sleep, I'll think of the camp host and the grizzlies, "there are a few downstream, but the ranger chased them away", I ask should I lock my food up in a bear storage he seems to think not needed. I point to my bike, the the sides look like the tin of spam can, pretty easy to open if hungry. I'll chancum and see how tomorrow goes. I suspect I'll need to be a bit more aware of bears in the coming days of camping.
June 7, 485 miles - Banff, Mosquito creek to Fort Saint John, Yukon
Well when we left off last night, I was settling in with the wonderful German family, had meet the Greek father and son and the two runners. A guy rode up on a 2011 R1200gsa and as there were no campsites left I offered mine. Nice, fellow we get to talking (I feel like I'm typing with a Yukon/Canadian drawn), and we are both headed in the same direction. We decide to team up and do Prudhoe bay trip together, this seems agreeable, and off we go the next morning. This seems to have worked well, as we covered almost 500 miles today, and tomorrow is Watson lake at 399 miles or Whitehorse at 607 miles. A camper next to us offers some firewood and we get to talking only to discover rain in large amounts of millimeters is forecasted, so Mr. Han (Gordon Weidong Han of China but going to the University of Ohio studying Marketing) and I agree to try to leave a bit earlier tomorrow. Westerly skies look nice, but Easterly looks ominous to say the least. I think I'll bag anything I want to stay dry just to be safe. Doing so usually promised the opposite, like diving without a camera and I see all sorts of stuff I would love to photograph. I did a couple things today, distance tested the bike for fuel, and got over 200 miles without running out of fuel. I also purchased a 2.5 gallon fuel container that fits nicely into my storage box. I was worried about tying one onto the top of the bike, and driving around like a living molotov cocktail at an ISIS party, but this works, and after a long day of riding, I can say I don't smell any fuel in my storage compartment and my aloha shirt smell wonderful still. At about 50 miles to the gallon, this give me a reserve of about 125 miles extra, just enough. Weidong's bike has a giant tank, with a range of about 400 miles, nice! Riding is great, not enough pictures, this morning I saw the most amazing reflection of a mountain in a lake at Banff, amazing, you'll have to take my word for that. We ran into Kirk, a retired forest fire guy driving a really cool Triumph 800 to Dawson City for the annual solstice enduro party, mostly bikes like Weidong's and my GS, sounds like fun, but we are on a mission. Thus far, bears at our current camp in Fort Saint John should be nonexistent, as they haven't seen one in like 7 years. Animals on the road the rest of the way might be a larger concern. Most will run, but apparently deer are really dumb and have the brain of a small bird. The result of this, is you don't know what direction they will go, or if its buddies will jump in front of you as well, as they are hiding in the bushes off to the side. Sorta like that insurance commercial with the squirrels make people drive off the road I suspect.
Tomorrow will be a longer day, but riding as a pair makes the distance go easier. We cross a metal bridge tomorrow morning as we head out, that could be tricky, I don't like those as they tend to throw you off course and make you want to dump the bike, yikes! Day after tomorrow we should be back on American soil. Regards from the Yukon! Todays makes for one week I've been on the road, I think I like it! I'm averaging about 336 miles/day. 10:48pm, off to dream about hungry bears, up early to try to escape the inclimate weather.
June 8th, 564 miles - Dawson Creek, Ca - Watson Lake, Yukon
Happy Birthday Nicholas, you are 23 and what an amazing multi-lingual adult you have become. I sent a video birthday song I hope he likes, and I did get a response from him, so bonus there for sure. Driving, long day, trying to make tracks. Up early, but a little late of start. I really don't like those metal grating bridges, not good for sure. They tend to make you feel like your going to eat it, I wonder if anyone ever does, as it would really be a bummer, first road rash over a metal gratings, then run over by the giant semi behind you. Beautiful countryside, and meet a bunch of other bikers, all great people. I think Canada and Yukon like to go big, so road work is like loose gravel sprinkled over the road at about an inch deep, really freaky for sure. Even better following semis, that spew dust, then if you are lucky a semi will go past, now you are on loose gravel and can't see ten feet in front of you, exciting, truly I don't need to add any more gray to my hair. Then the road was gone and we were lead through the muddy, rocky (not your normal pebbles) construction site of about two miles with the largest, I mean I've never seen a dump truck 3 stories tall whizzing past us as we followed the "Follow me" truck. (Like really where are we going to go, in front of the giant dump truck, he wouldn't even feel a car under it.). As motorcycles, you are allowed to the front of the follow me line as we waited chating with the other bikers we had met earlier. This is to give ample cars behind you to run you over should you eat it. Did I mention this is a construction zone... One guy we meet earlier almost eats it, but somehow we all survive. We again stretch the limits of our fuel tank, and I get the the gas station with like 206.7 miles on one fuel tank. As I pull in, I make a nice right and the remaining fuel sloshes to the gauge side and suddenly the low fuel goes out, I'm good for another 15 miles... Entropy, I think not. Watson lake is also home to the wall of signs. This started with a worker on the highway, what 60's maybe (any can correct that for me), missed home to tacked a sign to a tree or post, this continued, now there are thousands of signs (see pictures), and I should have brought one from Hawaii, next time. Food isn't cheap and, but it is fresh and good, fueled signed and feed, we head to Watson lake to camp. Finding a spot works well, except I drop my bike as when I park, the left side is on a hill, poor choice. Waidong bench lifts for a living so helps to pick up the 600# bike plus my gear, ego is a bit shot, but hey nobody got hurt. Area is nice, right on a lake, choke plenty mosquitos, and I fear they might suck the life out of me. Weidong is a bit worried about bears, but we have little choice and I'm really tired form a 12 hour bike day through the construction and rough road riding we did today. Rear tires are looking pretty worn, so we will try to hunt up replacements in Fairbanks. I'm trying to remember this guy that does BMW work only near fairbanks, maybe we can have some tires shipped into him and he install them. I suspect we will end up at the BMW dealer and pay dearly and then a few pounds of flesh.
Tomorrow we are looking at Dawson city and splitting a motel room, no bugs, ac and 75 split will work for me. If they have wifi, we will look for tires and I'll try to post this blog. Ride should take about 439 miles Looks like a long day for sure.
June 9th, 365 miles - Watson Lake, Yukon
We survived camping in the open campground of the Yukon and other then the nasty mosquitoes, we did not get eaten by a bear (knock on wood). Drive from Watson Lake to Tok was interesting, with some of the worst roads I've ever seen, deep gravel with washboards, makes the road to Maunakea look like the super highway. So while only 365 miles, it was a long day. Other then a few more iron death bridges and road construction meet a ton of great people. I can see how they say, on a bike you will meet more people then in a car. People walk up to ask about the Hawaii plate, or just biking. I don't think I've meet any unhappy people yet, everyone seems to pull for each other and share knowledge of the road conditions and travel experience, making this for a very human trip, nice people all the way around. Pulled into Tok at 11pm, but with the time change more like midnight. Great camping site, only for motorcycles, and the only bikes I saw where BMW's. We missed the sauna as we arrived pretty late. Nice campground, clean, well maintained, chairs, tables and a little plant on each table. Camp hostess was great, Vicky I think was her name, both she and her husband have been riding for sometime and had great stories about riding and living in Alaska.
Drive was nice, as now we could start to see the majesty of Mount Denali and the surrounding mountains. As we crested the hill, no clouds blocked the view, absolutely fantastic sites of snow covered mountains, breathtaking, and I did stop several times for photos. As I'm sitting at a Harley/BMW shop getting oil, and rear tire changed, great people, but internet is still slow. This is a great drive but with only a few stops. Lunch at a campground is bringing me back to my regular diet of a protein bar and water, no more Tim Horton meals for a while I hope, or I'll need a larger bike, but oh soo ono. Gas was interesting and limited. One place was out and at another when we showed up at 1 pm, they couldn't find the keys for the locks on the fuel pump. I used my spare fuel and all was good (for me at least). A few people were stuck as the next fuel station was farther then they could make it. Denali highway was a fleeting thought, I think I'll save the bone crushing bouncing for the road north to Prudhoe or Deadhorse. Bike is doing well, with a scheduled oil and tire change at the local BMW cycle shop. Not a lot of options in Fairbanks. Speaking of Fairbanks, staying at an airbnb, not what I thought, as it is someone's house..?. I thought my travel partner had us in a cheap motel, but at 40/night I should have known better. Nice house on a street with some dogs. Place is clean and nice, but one bed much to the surprise of the owner and myself, this was a piece of information that was left out, and I'm not super pleased but roll with it. Owners of the place let him take the couch, I will need to double check things next time, as I thought it was a double bed place. I think I would have preferred the camping then the uncomfortable situation. On the plus side, I took a much needed shower and and washing my clothes. I have decided to make a helmet cleaner when I get home, there may be a spot for mass marketing. For the golfers out there, same thing, toss the helmet in, and flush it up and down a few times to clean inside and outside. At one of the gas stops, my travel partner since Banff laughed as my beard had bugs in it, I rolled with laughter, as there are bugs everywhere. Morning has us at the dealership, others on harleys, and Ben our mechanic seems like a great guy, and a skilled bmw mechanic.
Weather may be changing. Meet a couple fellows from Portugal that had shipped his jeep wrangler to Seattle, but EPA had a hold on the jeep for 30 days, so he had flown to Alaska and rented a jeep to visit Prudhoe bay, said it was a nice trip, but that pass had snowed, could be cold from here on. Again rain forcasted, so I'm thinking of getting to cold foot to beat the rain, as cold and rain do not sound like fun. Now for the final push, after getting the bike serviced, today or tomorrow is the question.
June 10th, 351 miles - Tok, Alaska to Fairbanks
Drive was nice, as now we could start to see the majesty of Mount Denali and the surrounding mountains. As we crested the hill, no clouds blocked the view, absolutely fantastic sites of snow covered mountains, breathtaking, and I did stop several times for photos. As I'm sitting at a Harley/BMW shop getting oil, and rear tire changed, great people, but internet is still slow. This is a great drive but with only a few stops. Lunch at a campground is bringing me back to my regular diet of a protien bar and water, no more Tim Horton meals for a while I hope, or I'll need a larger bike, but oh soo ono. Gas was interesting and limited. One place was out and at another when we showed up at 1 pm, they couldn't find the keys for the locks on the fuel pump. I used my spare fuel and all was good (for me at least). A few people where stuck as the next fuel station was farther then they could make it. Denali highway was a fleeting thought, I think I'll save the bone crushing bouncing for the road north to Prudhoe or Deadhorse. Bike is doing well, with a scheduled oil and tire change at the local BMW cycle shop. Not a lot of options in Fairbanks. Speaking of Fairbanks, staying at an air-bnb, not what I thought, as it is someones house..?. I thought my travel partner had us in a cheap motel, but at 40/night I should have known better. Nice house on a street with some dogs. Place is clean and nice, but one bed much to the surprise of the owner and myself, this was a piece of information that was left out, and I'm not super pleased but roll with it. Owners of the place let him take the couch, I will need to double check things next time, as I thought it was a double bed place. I think I would have preferred the camping then the uncomfortable situation. On the plus side, I took a much needed shower and and washing my clothes. I have decided to make a helmet cleaner when I get home, there may be a spot for mass marketing. For the golfers out there, same thing, toss the helmet in, and flush it up and down a few times to clean inside and outside. At one of the gas stops, my travel partner since Banff laughed as my beard had bugs in it, I rolled with laughter, as there are bugs everywhere. Morning has us at the dealership, others on harleys, and Ben our mechanic seems like a great guy, and a skilled bmw mechanic.
Weather may be changing. Meet a couple fellows from Portugul that had shipped his jeep wrangler to Seattle, but EPA had a hold on the jeep for 30 days, so he had flown to Alaska and rented a jeep to visit Prudhoe bay, said it was a nice trip, but that pass had snowed, could be cold from here on. Again rain forcasted, so I'm thinking of getting to cold foot to beat the rain, as cold and rain do not sound like fun. Now for the final push, after getting the bike serviced, today or tomorrow is the question. Stay tuned....
June 11, Fairbanks -only a few miles today, BMW dealer, food and sleep
Started the day early, at the dealer by 6:30am, and even then we where quickly joined by several others, and more kept showing up. Ben our mechanic was a nice guy and did a super job on the bike. While they had coffee and internet, the coffee was faster then the internet, as I finally gave up on it. Window shopped for a new bike, but I think at 25K plus accessories, I would be in the dog house for a long time. I thought of trying to ride off on one, but figured they might notice. Finally left after they power washed and cleaned it up, fantastic for sure. 1pm headed back to the house after a sushi lunch that was pretty good with a chicken salad. Dinner had me back at the chowder house just down the street of the air-bnb, as weather was turning to rain. I had heard that hail had fallen at North Pole, as well as significant flooding. Pretty much napped, caught up on work, and relaxed as having been on the road nonstop for a few weeks. The owners Dallas and Elizabeth are wonderful people expecting their first child, a boy as she is seven months pregnant. She is a refugee from Vietnam, her father was a Vietnamese POW, and several years back was moved to the US as an presidential agreement to past POW's that had helped the Americans during the Vietnam war.