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#62 ·

"Huge" is exactly the right description. "You'll be back" is another accurate description. My ride wasn't an Iron Butt Ride, it was me and my wife taking a once-in-our-lifetime 45 day, 15,000 mile trip. We started near Milwaukee, rode the Great Plains stopping to look and whatever we wanted to see. Crossed into Canada north of Sand Point, Idaho. In Alaska we stayed in Tok, Fairbanks, Coldfoot, Prudhoe, Denali, Anchorage, Seward and Homer. And there are places we missed. On the way back home we toured much of the western half of Canada.
June and July are the best riding months, but regardless, you will get cold and wet. Take the right gear. We went 13 days in a row riding in the rain. You will get dirty. Some roads are gravel, others are under construction. You will get frustrated by the long delays for construction. You will be awe struck by everything you see. If you are staying in motels, plan your trip ahead, and make reservations. Motels are few and far between in some parts of the trip. If you camp, be in a secure area because you are in the food chain. TIP: The U of Alaska in Fairbanks and Anchorage are tourist friendly. You can stay in a clean, comfy dorm room for less than a lousy motel. Reservations required.
There is good MC service in Fairbanks and Anchorage. Other parts of the trip have scarce services, depending the brand you ride, and the general lack of population in Canada and Alaska. We took along a SPOT so we could summon help in the middle of nowhere, should an accident occur. We also paid for a membership in MedJet so if we needed to be medevaced there would be a service available for that.
Alaska is a great trip. But it's not just a gas-and-go ride. Take time to plan the tripdetails, identify the risks and make contingency plans for those risks.
 
#63 ·

Rollin said:
I had stopped to take a picture (both feet down
Image
) and also was deciding the best way to do this down hill ride on loose gravel.
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Click to expand...
When you're reaching down between your legs to do a nut check, you are allowed to have 2 feet down.
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Discussion starter · #64 ·

Calcium chloride -
There is a lot of it on the Dalton Highway. It's used the control dust and it helps to bond the road surface.
Most of the time it's mixed in the dirt and gravel, sometimes they just spray it on.
Image
 
#68 ·

The strangest part of my ride up the Dalton Highway was sitting in the bar at Coldfoot Camp late one night. There was a group at the bar, travellers from Japan, Austria, a British couple, A guy from Australia, three riders from Germany, my wife and me. We were sitting in the bar, pretending to understand each other, drinking Alaskan beer and singing along at the top of our lungs to Merle Haggard on the juke box.
Priceless.
Oh, and the kid from Japan was riding a 50cc Honda Ruckus packed like a mule. He planned to ride it to Prudehoe, then turn around and ride to the bottom of South America.
 
#69 ·

Rollin said:
Joe - It was everything I was hoping for. Great scenery, I had a chance to meet a lot of people and came home with a lot of stories.
There's more detail on the rest of the trip and the bike setup at this link -
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=827740
.
Click to expand...
Awesome Rollin congrats...going to have to meet you one day buy you beer....
 
Discussion starter · #70 ·

Michael_Haz said:
The strangest part of my ride up the Dalton Highway was sitting in the bar at Coldfoot Camp late one night. There was a group at the bar, travellers from Japan, Austria, a British couple, A guy from Australia, three riders from Germany, my wife and me. We were sitting in the bar, pretending to understand each other, drinking Alaskan beer and singing along at the top of our lungs to Merle Haggard on the juke box.
Priceless.
Oh, and the kid from Japan was riding a 50cc Honda Ruckus packed like a mule. He planned to ride it to Prudehoe, then turn around and ride to the bottom of South America.
Click to expand...
Yes! You will meet riders from all around the world on the Dalton.
I met this group from Germany at the Arctic Circle sign on my way back. One spoke english, none of them had ever seen a Vision!
Image
 
Discussion starter · #73 ·

8_Ball_Joe said:
How did the skid plate work out?
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It worked well! I would recommend using one on this ride.
I hit large rocks and it even helped me get over a berm in the road. A grader was working on the road and hadmade a 12" berm down the center.
The grader was parked in my lane and I needed to get past it. I backed up and then rode over the berm, first the front wheel was in the air and then I could feel the bike sliding on the skid plate and then the back wheel was in the air. I was sure that I was going to crash but I think the skid plate kept the bike stable.
The guy in the grader was holding his hands over his face. I think he thought I was going to crash also. :)
 
#74 ·

Rollin said:
It worked well! I would recommend using one on this ride.
I hit large rocks and it even helped me get over a berm in the road. A grader was working on the road and hadmade a 12" berm down the center.
The grader was parked in my lane and I needed to get past it. I backed up and then rode over the berm, first the front wheel was in the air and then I could feel the bike sliding on the skid plate and then the back wheel was in the air. I was sure that I was going to crash but I think the skid plate kept the bike stable.
The guy in the grader was holding his hands over his face. I think he thought I was going to crash also. :)
Click to expand...
Did you make it or buy it fromthe witchdoctor? I am thinking about one for my pin...I was road down here it was n&^*&^*(&^(*& and wishI had one.
 
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