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Bob in ND
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Joined: 21 February 2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 179
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| Posted: 20 July 2007 at 11:10pm | IP Logged
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We, my wife and I, returned from our trip from North Dakota to Alaska and back last week. Here's a brief report.
The plan was to meet my wife at the airport in Anchorage where she
would join me for our meandering 2-weeks trip home. I
planned to make the solo northward ride in 3 days to save
time. I figured I might as well make it a SS3000 ride just
for fun.
I abandoned the SS3000 idea after 2 days on the road because I was just
too fatigued to continue a suitable pace after the long stretches of
muddy and rough roads along the Cassiar Highway. With more cold
and wet weather in the forecast, it just didn't look to be much fun to
have to force the pace.
The third day northward wasn't much better as the weather remained
lousy and I saw the worst streches of the Alaska Highway...basically
from Kluane Lake to the Alaska border. As with the Cassiar, the
gravel portions of the road ranged from very wet to muddy. Most of
these areas were negotiated at 25-30 mph. The paved frost heaved
areas weren't much better as I had to keep my speeds greatly reduced to
keep the trailer in one piece.
All told, I estimate that I'd had about 500 miles of very poor roadway
up to that point. In retrospect, including the Cassiar in my
plans for a SS3000 was a mistake.
What a relief it was to finally cross in Alaska and find consistently
decent roads again! Another great relief was that the price of
gas dropped by about $2.00 per gallon.
I made the 3100 miles to Wasilla, AK in 77 hours, only 5 hours behind
schedule, but I did not regret calling off the SS3000.
It was raining when my wife got off the plane and it would continue to
rain intermittently for the next several days in Alaska. Yes, we
were damn sick and tired of it all. With temps rarely higher than
the low 50's, my wife was forced to use the electric vest on numerous
occasions. We'd usually put on our rain pants before we
left the motel and then we'd leve them on all day. We bought a
lot of postcards so we could see what we were missing along the way.
We did thoroughly enjoy the stops along the way, regardless of how
crappy the weather was. Wasilla, Seward, Homer and Palmer were
all very enjoyable for us. As for Anchorage...it's just another
city with an airport.
We trudged past Denali in the coldest and wettest weather yet but there
was a light up ahead as the skies cleared as we approached Fairbanks
and we found the sun and 80 degrees. Ahhhh!!!!
We had clear skies for a few hours that evening and until noon the next
day when we ran into more of the same old cold and wet. The crap
continued for 2 more days until we reached Whitehorse.
At Whitehorse that evening, my wife said she would walk back to ND if
she could. That was encouraging. The frost heaves
and muddy gravel roads were just too much stress for her. I
promised her that better roads and weather lay just ahead as I crossed
my fingers.
The next day was, thankfully, a wonderful day with a spectacular ride
from Whitehorse to Skagway in sunny and warmer conditions. The
senery along this route rates among the best I've ever seen. What
a wonderful day it was....almost enough make us forget about the
previous week's dreariness.
The break in the weather was shortlived, however, and we had to endure
more of the same old crap when we left Skagway as we were making our
push towards home.
We ended up in Watson Lake, a place I cannot recommend for anything
other than a quick visit to the Signpost Forest and perhaps a tank of
gas to get the hell out of there. Do not stay in a motel there
and for God's sake, don't eat a meal there.
We finally started to find consistently decent weather east of Watson
Lake. Along with the better weather came better attitudes and
some grand scenery as we crossed the Rockies and headed for the
Icefields Parkway.
The Icefields Parkway is simply awesome! We spent a night at the
Saskatchewan River Crossing and thoroughly enjoyed it.
We made the mistake of going into Banff, where commercialism and
over-crowding have run amok. We also had to endure the crowded 80
mph freeway out of Banff. After 7000 miles of light traffic and
traveling at our own pace, Canada #1 between Banff and Calgary was
quite a shock.
We skirted Waterton and Glacier National Parks as we made our way into Montana. More beautiful scenery!
The last leg of the ride was flat, hot and windy, just like eastern MT
usually is and just like it usually is at home in ND as well.
Home sweet home!
All told, we rode nearly 8000 miles in 16 days.
This trip is by far the longest motorcycle trip my wife has ever
taken. I figured she would probably never ride again after the
things we endured but it didn't take more than a day off the bike when
she was asking where we were going next. I think she's hooked!
I can't give this trip an "A" grade as there are some legitimate issues
here. The primary negatives being the poor weather (which,
according to the locals, was quite "normal"), some bad roads and the
cost of fuel, food and lodging in Canada, where most of the mileage and time is spent. In reality,
however, the bad roads are a small percentage of the overall mileage
and if they're taken at a sensible pace, they will usually be no
problem. Another reality is that it's a long, long
ways to get to Alaska and there are some long stretrches where there
just isn't much to see or do. One motorcycle traveler told
me, "we can't wait to get off of this highway".
Normally, all those negatives would cause me to grade a trip like that
a "C" or even a "D" but when you realize that the awesome sights along
this route don't occur very often on this planet, it tends to raise the
grade dramatically. The vast majority of the Alaska Highway is in
excellent condition and much better than I expected....sometimes, too
good as most of the road has been modernized with wider shoulders and
cut-back right-of-ways. Truthfully, I enjoyed riding the few
remaining older sections more. The
Icefields Parkway was, essentially, a trip saver for us.
I'll be charitable and give it a "B".
Edited by Bob in ND on 20 July 2007 at 11:34pm
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My mother thinks I'm crazy...
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Lowrider
IBA Premier Member
Joined: 31 January 2007
Location: United States
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Posts: 200
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| Posted: 21 July 2007 at 8:54am | IP Logged
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Bob, congratulations on completing a tough trip. Despite the bad weather and roads, you have to look at the trip on the bright side. You rode though some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and most of all you and your wife had an adventure. Reminiscent of the journey made by our pioneers, your trip was also a FIRST for you except others had journeyed that way before you. It is in effect your version of the modern day pioneer trip. <vbg>
This trip will provide you amble stories to relate to your friends and relatives for years to come. It's memories whether good or bad will be a source of conversation for all your future fireside chats.
Lowrider
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ibafran
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Joined: 01 March 2005
Location: United States
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Posts: 347
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| Posted: 22 July 2007 at 3:51am | IP Logged
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congrats on a successful trip. you must be married to one of those so called, "helluva woman!' persons. i hope that we might be honored with a post from her ellucidating her perspective of the adventure?
__________________
so far, so good.
chicagoland
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Mike F
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Joined: 14 June 2006
Location: United States
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Posts: 281
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| Posted: 22 July 2007 at 7:46am | IP Logged
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Congratulations, Bob, and thank you for the report! You completed a tough trip and fulfilled the first rule of motorcycling; you make it home to ride another day.
+1 to your wife! Mine draws the line at 500 miles a day and there'd better be a motel in sight at that point.
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Mike Fitzpatrick
IBA #26610
HD FLHTK
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TheRoss
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Joined: 22 May 2005
Location: United States
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Posts: 547
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| Posted: 23 July 2007 at 2:44pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the report! If you post your pictures somewhere, please let us know where.
Glad you're back home in one piece!
__________________
Christopher Ross
Lubbock, Texas
'00 R1100RT (100,000+ miles)
'01 F650GS Dakar
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealross/
I RODE TODAY. DID YOU?
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Iron Butt.org General Discussion : Iron Butt Association Q&A
Topic: Alaska trip/failed SS3000
