I'm 73. So what? Lead or GIT!

Enjoying the RR. Looks like a great trip. Way to go tackling it on your own. Checking in from a fellow Oregonian and pilot.

Hi. Yes, I have been riding since 1949 on motorized machines. The Ride Report Dilemma. . . I have spent more than a few evenings around a fire ring listening too, and telling the travel tales. It doesn't get much better than that.
I also realize the world is changing faster than me. Who would have thought we would have Capt. Kirk's flip open communicator, G.P.S., Internet, etc. Anyway, I realized that the motorcycling community is also changing. As riders, we don't spend as much face to face time with each other - we rely on the new technology. Instead of the Annual Family Reunion where we all tell the tall tales covering the past year - we send emails, facebook pictures and videos, back and forth.
The Big News to me was: There are a heck of a lot of Riders who are craving information on every aspect of motorcycling. We want to know what we need to have to ride in Africa, Asia, Alaska, and all through the alphabet to Zanzebar. Our Rand McNalley maps and AAA can't answer some of those questions. I scour these Ride Reports before I wander away from home. They give me an inkling of what to expect. . . much better than most "Travel Guides".
I hope that my slant on travel fills a small portion of the void. I probably spend more time telling about the people and the encounters within my travels. Specifics = the Route 97 North from Klamath Falls, Oregon is a two lane asphalt etc. etc.. The maps pretty much tell the road's story. The Trans-Siberian Highway map is a bit more vague - R/R's to the rescue.
I have mentioned "Crashmaster" somewhere along the line. His report has me seriously planning on expanding my riding area south - way south. Time will tell.
We are members of a great community of Riders - our Fire Ring is still here - it has just expanded to seat a whole bunch more in the circle..

I haven't found anyone that can "Keep Up". Not really. Riding solo has its advantages. Only one decision maker. As in flying - only one person is Pilot in Command. The disadvantage - no one to blame when you run out of altitude, airspeed and ideas simultaneously.

John your ride reports on top of being extremely interesting are great info for anyone making the trips . Prior to the net I read everything I could get before a sailing trip. The bummer would be to read the trip report of someone 200 miles ahead of me, that would take the fun out of it . Look forward to your posts. Creeping up on 82 , I do feel the world around me is a bit in information overload.

Teslin to Iskut on the Cassier​

There are some days that I hate to see end. This was a "Gold Star" day. Last night ended at midnight. Awoke at 9:00 A.M. Must have been a bit tuckered out. I noticed my hands this morning - gloves fit like O.J's. Real Tight. Yes, the hands are swollen some. They have had a real workout the past few days while riding the gravel beds and torn up construction zones. They don't hurt any more than any Ol' Geezer's usual swollen knuckle routine.
The Teslin gas station, General Store and Motel is right across the street from the Teslin Cafe. As I was climbing off the bike, I saw two BIG guys on older BMW's pull into the parking lot and stop. They looked a bit confused. I called out that this is the only cafe in a hundred miles. The lead rider pointed at his mouth and chewed. I nodded and went inside.
Eventually they entered. I was nearly finished eating. They stood and looked at the "Today's Special" board. I couldn't hear but a few scattered words. They weren't German, Austrian, French, Polish . . . they sounded like Putin. They finally tapped the board for soup and French Fries. As they ate, I finished up and checked out. In the parking lot, I circled their bikes. The license plates were about 15 inches square. Black numbers and letters on a white background. The letters were: R U S. Then I noticed the decals and stickers on the saddlebags . . . lots of them. One of the men came outside.
I smiled and pointed at the license plate. "Russia?"
"Ya."
I pointed at the stickers and said, "Wow!"
He smiled and then lit a cigarette - thumped his chest - said, "Kamchatka, home." Let's see - Fourth and Fifth grade geography classes may prove to be important here. Kamchatka - isn't that where an airliner was shot down a couple of years ago? I started pointing at individual decals. He grinned a big wide grin as he threw his leg over an imaginary motorcycle and started making vrooom - vrooommm sounds. "Home -Kamchatka - Mooska (Good Grief - That's about 7,000 miles) - Burrlin - Franfert - another German city that I missed - Pareee - Lisbo - Madrid - AERO to Buenos Airs - Poonta Reenas - Vapaarrso,Puru - Machew Peechu -Equadoor - AERO Pancanal - Cheeopis - U.S. - here - go Nort - then Kamchatka - Home - Four Months." Then he grinned , vrooomed once more and turned off the key. He carefully put the kickstand down and climbed off. I was in stitches. His riding partner arrived about then and started giving the first guy a hard time.
They had to inspect my Vstrom. First guy pointed at my mountain of essentials on the pillion seat and asked, "Sink?" I assured him that I did indeed have the kitchen sink hidden in there. They pointed out their BMW's were eleven years old, but do O.K. I think that covering about 40,000 miles in four months is better than O.K. That is over 300 and some odd miles every day. First guy said, "We ride hard." I believed him.
They wanted to take my picture with each of them. When my turn came, the batteries in my camera died. I showed them the camera - shot it with a thumb/finger gun and rolled it over - dead. We had a big shoulder slapping contest then with hoots of laughter. Damn. I wanted to ride Nort with them and - Kamchatka, Home. What a way to start a day. Life . . . . whew.

You have been warned!


The dreaded metal grating bridge floor. Wiggle time.


O.K.


Cars to right of sign - Airplanes left!

Great RR! I'm in. I'm really enjoyin' the tone of this trip.

I'm getting ready to retire next month and looking forward to riding the Tiger 800 I bought last year to quite a few places, Alaska included, next year I think. Thanks for the great write up. The cost info you include is helpful.

What a great perspective John, and yes, your report is most definitely informative - on many levels...

Thanks for taking us all along.....


.

Thanks for making the extra places at the fire ring. Enjoying your look at life and the road a lot.

Jay

Mootorcycle touring is great. Start small. Test all the gear before you are 2,000 miles from home. If you are new to riding - find a Motorcycle Safety Foundation riding course. I took their course after riding for 40 years - I learned a lot. Stuff that saved my bacon on this trip. I will tell the tale in the R/R. John M.

Jay, You know that as you sit in, the storys travel around the circle. We can be patient, but urge you to speak up. When you start a thread - let us know here - so we don't miss it. John .

lol... yes so true, pilot in command has many upsides, but some really bad downsides on occasion...

Oh ya... you've got to find out what those secret alien plants are that change color when growing near gold deposits... you may start the next gold rush.

Why is there air? I heard somewhere it is there so the clouds have something to lie on. Or was it to hang onto? Senior moment(s).
Senior pilot(s) got coffee first - set cockpit temperature to their liking - expected praise on most landings - or "Wow! Captain, you sure saved that one - who would expect a wind shear at 5 feet altitude? . . . etc." and Yes, I too EVENTUALLY became a senior pilot.

If I knew the plant's I.D. - - - do you really think that I would share the knowledge - - - even to a fellow aviator?

Great story. Really enjoying it!

John, I've read your RR up to date. Good stuff. Your writing is interesting, and fully shows the point of view that we older guys come up with.

I'll suggest this, and you can tell me to kiss your ass.....but it would be easier to read if there were paragraphs. After all, when I write, I don't want to give anyone an excuse to pass on my RRs.

and furthermore even without the paragraphs, I'd like to read a bio of all the things you've done. I'm sure your life story would be a gooder.

Thanks for this write up.

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Awesome observations. There are a few good Alaska reports on this site, and yours is one of them.

Really enjoyed your write up. Im not 148 like everyone else praising but its defiantly inspirational. I liked your story of the trooper running your information. Im a current leo. Nothing more nerve racking then when another cop runs your information. (Not that I've ever been pulled over since I've been a cop.)

Teslin and Beyond​

Here we go again. I wish everything came in order, but life is not a neat, "Keep in Line Procession." Seeing the Teslin Bridge reminded me of meeting a rider from Connecticutt just outside Whitehorse. In our short gabfest, he inhaled two cigarettes. He was telling me how he hated metal gridded bridges. I agreed that they are a thrill to ride across. The bike kind of finds its own merry way across. It can be downright scary when you meet one of Alaska's 50 wheel truck and trailers combination as you skitter around. The Teslin Bridge is the biggie on the whole trip. It is very long and with a crosswind would be hairy. The rider went on to say that his Victory was super scary - it veered from side to side and just missed the guard rails. He stopped after he got off the bridge for a cigarette. That's when he noticed his rear tire was flat.
Teslin (Note: double spacing to see if paragraphs will separate) to the Highway 37 was a great ride. The temperature was back up into the 70's so needed no electrics. No wind - along a nice up and over, curvy road. As I turned onto Hwy 37 - also known as the Cassier Highway - I recalled the fellow back in Homer who cornered me in the parking lot of the Motel - in the rain - He went on to talk about his extensive riding on his Goldwings. He has had three in the past 25 years and has racked up almost 30,000 miles - total.
I said my route included the Cassier. He went on and on about, ". . . You shouldn't even try . . .it's TERRIBLE. . . all gravel . . .pot holes you could loose a cow in. . . etc, etc."
"Uh excuse me. When did you ride the Cassier?"
"Ahem. Well, I didn't ride it. I drove it. Couldn't have made it on a motorcycle. It was terrible . . . oh, when? . . . ummmmnnn that was 1985." 27 YEARS AGO! ! !
I discovered that at some point in the past 27 years, the gravel has been covered with asphalt. Potholes? Well a few. But I don't think they would hold much more than a goat - much less a cow. The first 30 miles were kind of bleak. Everything has been burned to a crisp. Black, ash covered ground. Blackened trees. Black bleak.
Topped a ridge at 30 miles and green trees ahead crowned with a plume of black smoke indicated a fire well over 500 acres was still burning. Turned out that over 5,000 acres have been lost in this new fire. It will burn until it snows. Nope. No fire crews working on it.
The Cassier is a two lane asphalt ribbon without fog lines, center divider lines or signs recommending speed in up coming curves. (There are portions fully marked.) There are few guard rails and next to nothing traffic. It actually allows a rider to practice skills - like - reading the road's surface , approaching terrain, evaluating curves . . . just like in FUN RIDING! It twists. It turns. It skirts the shores of lake after lake and bores through tree created tunnels. Look sidewise and see those pesky glaciers dripping ice water down mountain sides. Bridges leap over streams almost beyond number.
I located a gas station and General Store. Topped off the gas tank and bought a can of Puritan Ragout de boeuf. It is similar to Dinty Moore Stew. A 700 gm. can was $5.25 A tasty repast.
I saw a sign pointing to a Resort and RV Park. I pulled in and asked if they had tent sites or a sleeping cabin with a price I couldn't pass up. Imagine that . . . they had an empty cabin. I did not have to fight the mosquitos and other humming , flying creatures. I just moved stuff into a lighted room with a real bed and table . . . only one bar of WiFi. At 11:20 P.M. I conked out. I hope I remember to tell about the Japanese guys I met today.

Typical Cassier scene


Lots of Lakes


More Road


They have a Pass?


Day's end

dang, brings back memories of riding that GREAT road! Hope to be able to do it again some day!