The ride of a lifetime.

This blog was originally supposed to include entries about my motorcycling experiences, but since my expertise lies more in bicycling, I never felt many of my thoughts on motorcycling warranted blog entries.  There were a few I did make in my other blog: Nevada-ride-june  and Soda-Springs-ride.  but generally I have been quiet about my riding.  This summer's ride though, was an exceptional event. My ride to Alaska!

Ever since the day I bought my V-Strom, in January of 2009 I had thought of riding to the Arctic Circle. The idea seemed outrageous to me at the time, but over the years I gained confidence in the bike and my riding ability. A couple of years ago I started to get serious in researching the ride and it became clear that it was definitely possible.

This past winter I began prepping the bike, replacing the chain and drive sprockets, brake pads and all the fluids. I added one modification, a throttle lock which turned out to be a real benefit on the ride.

I collected maps from AAA and a Canadian tourist Agency guide to the ALCAN Highway. I decided on a route which take me northward on highway 395 all the way to the Canadian Border, the up through Kamloops to Prince George and eventually to Dawson Creek, the start of the ALCAN. Then, following the ALCAN to Fairbanks. At Fairbanks, if conditions and time permitted, I wanted to run up the Dalton highway to where it meets the Arctic Circle, a few miles past the Yukon River crossing.

My return trip was wide open. Google maps estimated the mileage to Fairbanks as 3100 mile, so I guessed it would take me about 10 days to get there, I'd spend 4 days in Fairbanks, the 10 more days to return, 24 days, add a few days for surprises and that gave me about 4 weeks to get the trip done.

So on July 10 I took off, heading east on I-80. At Truckee I turned onto Highway 89 for Sierraville and eventually connected to Highway 395 north of Reno.

Day 1, this shows how the bike was loaded for the trip. Taken on Hwy 395 in California.

The bike was moderately loaded it handled the weight pretty well, I couldn't feel any real problems. I soon settled down into a riding rhythm, occasionally stopping for gas of a snapshot.

My first wildlife sighting! Antelope in Northern California.

I had planned to camp somewhere near Alturas but I got there fairly early so I decided to press on to Oregon. Along the way I encountered one huge lake, Lake Abert, I had never heard of before. It was vast and in the middle of what was a very arid region!

Highway 395 passes through some pretty remote and lonely areas in Eastern Oregon, as darkness was coming on I started to look for campsites. There were no campgrounds at all in this region! I started to notice that the Oregon Dept. of Transportation did have a lot of parcels set on the roadsides for gravel piles! Eventually it was getting so dark that I decided to just park behind a gravel heap and sleep there!

Makeshift campsite on an Eastern Oregon roadside.

Well, it wasn't ideal. I got some rest but it was hardly a comfortable night. I did enjoy the most spectacular night sky! The Milky Way was brilliant! Next morning I got up and took a chilly ride into Burns for breakfast.

After Burns the road rose into the Malhuer National Forest, a area with abundant tress and wonderful roads for riding. Eventually I made it to Pendleton, a large city where I got fuel and lunch. Since it was still so early, I continued on into central Washington. The low point of this day's ride was on the interstate near Pasco, windy, busy, hot and crowded. I was grateful to get off the slab. I eventually came to a small reservoir which ad a nice campground. I set up the tent and enjoyed a short swim in the lake. I slept very well that night.

On the second night I enjoyed a proper campsite at Scooteney Reservior, WA.

The next day I continued northward. I had decided to veer west off of 395 to avoid Spokane. By noon I was at Oroville, WA and I crossed into British Columbia shortly after that! Canadian customs was pretty straightforward; I had to remove my helmet and give them my ID and registration. Really no problem at all and I was through pretty quickly.

I was now on Canadian Highway 97 and soon arrived at Penticton, BC, found an ATM and got some Canadian cash. Then I rode along the vast shoreline of Okanagan Lake. I turned off 97 for 97C which connected to Hwy 5 and took me to Kamloops.

Entered B.C. on day three!

Okanagan Lake.

The weather had been warm all day and it was downright hot when I arrived at Kamloops. I had booked a room in town, (thanks to Booking.com!), and checked in. Across the river from my hotel, a wildfire was burning up a hillside. An impressive number of aircraft were involved in combating the blaze. I had dinner in a local pub and hit the sack early, it had been a long 411 mile day. My first day's mileage was 452, the second 359. I was beginning to realize my schedule was a bit pessimistic!

Across the river from Kamloops a wildfire blazed. In the gathering darkness you can make out lots of hot spots!

One of countless lakes in B.C.

The next day's ride took me over some higher terrain and was somewhat cool. Had a mocha at 100 Mile House, a nice little village that had a farmers market that day and seemed to have a lot going on.

I encountered the first rain of my trip while riding through Quesnal. My rain gear performed well but my boots leaked. I continued to Prince George and stopped hoping to find some plastic bags for my boots but couldn't find anything that would work. I then proceeded out of town, looking for Salmon River Campground. I road up to higher terrain without any luck. Then I hit a shower and decided it was time to turn around. I found the campground on the way back and got a place. Very nice hostess here helped me a lot, it was a pretty nice place.

That night, however, was pretty cold! I had to put my long johns on and use my bivy sac in the tent! Looking back, I'd have to say it was the coldest night I spent camping on the trip!

Camping just outside of
Prince George.

Next morning's ride was a cool one! I wore 5 layers of clothes on top and used my grip heaters! I felt a little chilled while riding but was quite warm when stopped. The scenery was spectacular enough to take my mind off of being cold.

In the Canadian Rockies.

At midday I reached Dawson Creek and "Mile Zero" of the ALCAN Highway! Dawson Creek has a large Safeway, I was able to pick up some plastic bags and other supplies before hitting the road.

Mile "Zero" of the ALCAN Highway! Dawson Creek.

The road conditions for this initial stretch were wonderful!

A typical stretch of the AlCan Hwy.

At the end of the day I decided to splurge on a cabin at Sikanni Chief Bridge, still remembering how cold I had been the night before. The next day promised to be a long one, with 3 mountain passes to cross before I reached Watson Lake.

A cabin for the night!

Wildlife! I think these are Caribou, in the Canadian Rockies.

Continuing through mountainous terrain I encountered some large animals, I think they were caribou, females with their calves. Soon, I encountered this herd of bison meandering down the road and bringing traffic to a standstill! I later learned these were woodland bison, a slightly smaller variety of animal compared to the larger American buffalo of the Great Plains. I also spotted a small, confused looking fox at one mountain summit turnout and a few small black bears foraging in the grass on the roadside!

Then buffalo! Well, bison to be correct.

I eventually crossed into Yukon and with threatening skies and 459 miles under my belt, decided to get a room at Watson Lake. As it happened, Watson Lake was pretty busy, being the only town for quite a ways around. The campgrounds were not too attractive for tent camping, and the cabins I found were all booked. I finally happened into a hotel that had a cancellation and snapped it up. I think it was probably the last room in Watson Lake that night! Using the hotel WiFi I was able to book rooms in Fairbanks, now that I had an idea of my schedule up there. I booked 3 nights at a Super 8.

Entering Yukon! The sign seemed pretty beat-up!

Seen at Watson Lake, YT

The next day started out dry, but I soon began to encounter rain as I climbed up to the Continental Divide. It was really becoming quite miserable for a while. Gradually, after the Divide, the rain began to diminish and temperatures warmed to a more tolerable level. At long last I entered Whitehorse and got a coffee at the McDonalds.

Approaching Whitehorse, YT.

I then headed for Haines Junction and my planned camping spot. Just before Haines Junction I encountered the first really significant road construction, about 5 miles of dirt and gravel which ended at the town's entrance. I stopped for gas then pressed on looking for campgrounds. The first one I expected never materialized, it looked like it had closed down some time ago. Eventually I did come to a very nice Provincial Campground at Congdon Creek. It had one spot that was like a big sandbox which proved very comfortable. The tent area was completely enclosed by electrified fence to ward off bears which apparently can be a problem, although I never spotted one there. Another long day, 435 miles.

While at Congdon Creek, I met a couple of riders who were returning from Fairbanks. They told me they had made it in one day, 450 miles. So, I revised my schedule and planned to be in Fairbanks one day earlier, reaching it in 8 days!

Early morning at the campground at Congdon Creek, near Destruction Bay, YT.

Arriving at Fairbanks one day early did pose one problem, lodging! I pulled into the McDonalds at "North Pole Village", actually a suburb of Fairbanks which has the distinction of being the location all the letter's to Santa mailed by american children end up, thanks to the USPS. McDonalds had become my go-to spot for free WiFi. I was able to book an inexpensive B&B for the night.

Fairbanks, AK!!

Fairbanks is a relatively small town, although it is an important center for the interior of Alaska. Being July, the daylight hours are long, here's what it looked like at 11:00 pm:

Fairbanks at 11 o'clock at night!

The B&B, "Ah, Rosemarie", was a little rundown, but the owner was quite nice and his helper gave me a lot of information about the nearby downtown area and also where to go for motorcycle servicing! That evening I walked into the old town area near the river and had a so-so dinner at a Greek Restaurant. I did find a nice tap-house with a good selection of beer.

The next day I took my bike to the fellow recommended to me by the guy at the B&B. I had happened to read about this guy before while researching this trip so I was happy to go there. It turned out that he works from his garage in a very rural area. On the way there, a road construction project had turned the road into a slimy mess! This was probably the worst road conditions of the entire trip! By the time I was through that stretch, I realized I would be too early for my appointment so I rode around the area and found an alternate route back to town.

The fellow, Dan Armstrong of Adventure Cycleworks ,worked quickly and efficiently, he really did a nice thorough job, changing oil and filter, cleaning up the chain and checking the tires. He was also fun to chat with. Anyone planning this ride should keep him in mind.

Finished with the service, I now returned to Fairbanks for some shopping. I went to every motorcycle shop I could find, there were 3, but couldn't find a nice boot for under $200. Finally, I remembered I saw some good looking boots at an outdoor store in the old town that were on clearance. I was able to pick up a decent pair of Waterproff Justin Workboots which would suffice, and they were only $110.

I also checked into my home for the next few days, the Fairbanks Super8! It's about the most expensive Super8 you'll ever find, but at least it was as good as any Super8 I've stayed in. Plus, next door was the "Northern most Denny's in the World"!!

See! Just like I said!

Now it was time for one more of the highlights of my trip, riding the Dalton Highway up to the Arctic Circle! After an early breakfast at Denny's, I headed north. As I approached the village of Fox I spotted a large light-sign stating that the Dalton was closed! Taking a double check of that, I learned that the highway was indeed closed, just north of Coldfoot! I could still make the Circle! That was a relief. Not only that, but it also meant that there would probably be a lot less traffic. A motorcyclist I had met at the B&B earlier had told me that my biggest problem would be the dust kicked up by the trucks roaring down the road, but now I figured that traffic should be eliminated!

After a rest day, I headed up the Dalton!

Soon I was on the Dalton itself and cruising! Eventually I came to the dirt section but found it to be very stable. In fact, I was hitting 60 MPH on the dirt. The dirt surfaces were in better condition than the blacktop because of the latter's potholes and heaves, etc.

On the road, 60 miles to go!

I stopped for gas at Yukon Crossing, carefully negotiating a really rough dirt parking lot. They have an interesting procedure for buying gas; You let them know that you're going to pump gas, then you go to the pump, fill up, then snap a picture of the pump's dials. You go back into the shop with your phone and show them the picture, they then ring you up! You probably had to write all that down before everybody had a phone!

Gas at Yukon Crossing is a little pricey!

Pressing on from Yukon Crossing, the winds started to pick up. Soon, I was feeling really strong buffets as the wind blew across the road. The clouds got thicker and soon it was starting to sprinkle. All the while it was also getting colder. I eventually put on my rain gear, both to fend off the rain and to protect from the strong gusts.

Reaching "Beaver Slide" a long down hill run I started to see and feel the road getting slick with the mud. Fortunately the Circle was just a short way from that point and at last I was there! I was completely alone, not another sole in sight. I lingered for a few minutes then as I prepared to leave, an SUV pulled up and a couple of guys got out. I offered to snap their pictures, then I took off. A couple of large trucks were now on the road, going faster than I was, so I let them pass.

It was chilly! This was a self portrait, that's why it looks weird.

Eventually I got back to Yukon Crossing and had lunch there. After lunch I crossed the road and checked out the visitor's center. The weather here was mercifully drier and warmer than at the Circle. with well over half a tank of gas, I decided I could forego filling up. MISTAKE! By the time I finally got to a gas station, just outside of Fox, my little "E" indicator had been flashing for a while. Although I didn't run out, I was worried enough to miss out on some of the enjoyment of the ride back.

Heading back to Fairbanks, recrossing the Yukon River.

The next day was a relaxation day. I washed the bike off and relubed the chain and picked up some supplies to the trip home. Otherwise it was a pretty quiet day, ending in old town for a last beer and meal.

Heading home, a little Alaska scenery.

So I was now off and heading home. My first day back on the road was the reverse of the day getting into Fairbanks, and I ended up back at Congdon Creek, with its electrified fence and sandbox tent sight.

Camped at Congdon Creek again. Note the electrified fence protecting the tent site!

I decided not to follow the ALCAN back, but rather to take Highway 37 south at Watson Lake. After having a really excellent hamburger at the cafe at the road junction, I turned onto 37 and proceeded south to a large Provincial Park at Boya Lake. Provincial Parks are nice, but somewhat Spartan when compared to our State parks. There is often little or no water, no showers, and only pit toilets.

Off HWY 37, camped at Boya Provincial Park. Nice lake with a floatplane!!

I continued south, enduring some long stretches of road work on the highway. Finally, the road work ended and the riding became easy again.

My main reason to take 37 was to take a side trip to Hyder, Alaska. This tiny town can only be entered by boat or through Stewart, BC.

On a sidetrip to Stewart BC/Hyder Alaska, one of several glaciers

The ride to Stewart is quite a lovely one, winding down a narrow canyon which is festooned with several Glaciers. really beautiful.

Near Hyder.

I enjoyed a halibut and chips dinner at "The Bus" in Hyder, then spent the night at a nice inn at Stewart. In the morning I was on my way out of the really wild country of the Yukon and Northern B.C., and heading for Prince George again. I spent the night at a private Campground outside of Prince George.

On the way back to Penticton, I saw this strange looking lake. I think its connected to a nearby copper mine.

Upon reaching Okanagan, I was starting to feel hot for the first time in a week and a half! There was a wildfire across the lake in the hills. Campgrounds were all full so I ended up in a cheap hotel in Penticton. Sad to have to spend the last day in B.C. that way, but oh well.

I was soon through the border and racing through Washington. Here too, temperatures were warm and smoke was in the air. I reached the Columbia and spent the night a a large campground there. I enjoyed a short swim in the river and blackberries were abundant around my campsite so I used some to supplant my dinner and the next day's breakfast.

I was on my way through Oregon the next morning. At midday I stopped at a McDonalds for a drink and some WiFi. Coming back to the bike, my heart stopped when I saw a small puddle of fluid under the front end of my bike. At first I thought it was brake fluid, but I still seemed to have brake pressure, and there was no change in my fluid level. I eventually decided it was leaking out of my left fork.

I decided to make a direct right straight home, heading down hwy 97 to I-5 at Weed and heading home. As I rode however, I realized that the bike was not handling bad at all. Plus there were some serious wildfires near Redding and I-5 at the time. Just after crossing the OR/CA border, I decided to head due east on a small road that straddles the border (rd 161) and connect to hwy 139, which would take me to Susanville and hwy 395.

So my last night would be at a small USFS campground in Modoc county. It was kind of spooky, with smoke in the air, and a couple of campers who were acting a little weird. I kept hoping for additional campers to show up!

Last night of camping in smoky California!

I woke up the next morning to find a few other campers there, so that was nice! I got the bike loaded and shoved off, stopping in Susanville for breakfast, then retracing my route through Sierra County and ending on I-80. Actually, I wasn't enjoying I-80 that much so at Colfax I turned off and rode home via Placer Hills Road.

The trip had lasted 19 days, covering 7,100 mile. while actually travelling I had managed to evenly split the number of days camping versus hotel stay. Other than my leaky front shock piston, (which I fixed for about $7), there was no mechanical issues with the bike. A real testament to the sound design and construction of my humble DL650.

Here's a link to some photos of the trip.

It was a great little adventure, I'm wondering what's next!