Colorado to Alaska to D2D to Colorado

I've enjoyed it all and look forward to more of the journey. I lived in Anchorage for a little over a year after college and all your pictures bring back great memories.

Question: What do you carry in the 3in PVC piping on your panniers?

Ride safe

It sounds like everyone in Lincoln, NE knows Troy! I grew up in Lincoln so it was great to run into someone from there. He is a great guy and was really enjoying his ride when I saw him in Dawson.

Buffalo Bill, Gold Nugget City must survive on motorcyclists getting out of the cold and rain. It was in the low 40's and I was soaked through all my riding gear with nowhere else to stop. The heater was the best item in the room!

The PVC tubes hold a bottle of spare fuel on one side and my camp stove fuel on the other side. There is one at the front that holds a large bottle of water. With all the vibration and bouncing I didn't want liquids in the Panniers. Besides, they really add to the ugly look of the KLR and make great conversations pieces! (Only a few non-motorcycle types have believed my story about them being rocket boosters so i won't try that story here!)

The black and white pictures are taken with a Canon 10D that I converted to Infrared. (Someone who wasn't so cheap would have sent the camera in and paid for the conversion to be done. But then, someone who wasn't so cheap probably wouldn't be riding a KLR!) I only ruined one good camera before getting this one converted correctly! For anyone who wants more information, here is a link about the conversion. http://www.lifepixel.com/ir-tutorials/canon-10d-digital-infrared-conversion-instructions.htm

Spicy, it was great meeting. Great pictures on your report!

SgtMarty, Glad to hear that the Dempster went well. Keep your reports coming, they are great! I'll be back at work shortly and you will still be wandering around the world! Those Avons are working great on the roads going this direction.

Great ride report brother. I hope to see you next year at D2D 09. Keep the pictures comming from the rest of your trip back to Colorado

Day 33 – Watson Lake, YT to Gitanyow, BC

Finally a morning arrived when it wasn’t raining. It was cold and overcast but that seems to be normal for here. One of the other riders who has been staying here at the Gold Nugget Resort is Kevin from San Diego. We are both heading down the Cassiar Highway so we will ride together. For the first part of the ride it was foggy and cold and then all of a sudden we broke out into sunshine and views like this.



The Cassiar Highway is a magnificent curvy ride through the mountains with great views.



Along the way we came to Jade City and stopped for a break. The lady there told us that they are the worlds largest source of Jade. They are also a really friendly place to stop and take a break. Of course I had to buy something for Amy to go with her green eyes. Shhh, don’t tell her.



This saw for cutting the jade was really impressive.



In the afternoon the clouds and rain came back and we rode close to where snow was still on the ground but it was still a beautiful ride.



At one point the highway runs along beside the river. There certainly isn’t any shortage of water here!



We even found out for sure what is at the end of the rainbow! My KLR of course!



No, that isn’t a Photoshop trick. I had just told Kevin that rainbows don’t show up well in photographs unless they are really vivid and then around the next corner this is what we saw.

Near the end of the Cassier Highway we stopped on the Gitanyow Indian Reservation for fuel and to check out the Totem poles.



At the end of a wonderful day of riding we stopped and camped at the nicest campsite that I have been to on this trip. It even had free showers, something that is really rare here.



Day 34 – Gitanyow, BC to Prince George, BC

We had breakfast in camp with the Robins. Same location, different menus!



Then on down the road with occasional stops to walk around and stretch.



No rain all day! This is the second day this trip that hasn’t rained all day. Two out of Thirty-Three! But at least I haven’t had much dust!

Kevin headed on toward Seattle and I stopped in Prince George to shop for a replacement Point & Shoot camera since mine quit working.

After finding a camera I started looking for a place to stay because it was about to rain and that would make it one out of thirty-three. I passed a group of motorcycle riders in front of a motel and figured that it must be the cheapest place to stay. Actually, one of the riders had checked prices and the others had the same though as me and stopped. A group of us who hadn’t met each other before went out to eat and swap stories.

Day 35 – Prince George, BC to Kamloops, BC

I had a good nights sleep at the best motel for the price yet on this trip, P. G. Highway Motel, 1737 20th Ave, Prince George (250) 564-6869.



The day was beautiful! You know that you have been riding in Alaska and Canada for to long when it isn’t magnificent mountains that make you happy, it is sunshine!



Here is something that I haven’t seen much of on this trip.



It was a wonderful day of riding with views like this.



The ski resorts here don’t have chairlifts or gondolas, they use helicopters instead.



Late in the day near Kamloops, I passed a sawmill that mills cedar. What a wonderful smell! Why can’t we get something near us that smells like that instead of the smell of Greeley, CO and it’s cattle yards?




Day 36 – Kampools, BC to Kalispell, MT

One of the guys that I met in Prince George is from Soldotna, AK and rides in this area quite often. He showed me a route to take and it was the most beautiful riding on this trip. I am going to do a map of my entire trip at the end of this report but wanted to post this now in case anyone else is coming this way.



The views are wonderful! The road winds past rivers and lakes all day through magnificent countryside. I didn’t take as many pictures as I should have because the ride was so much fun that it was hard to stop.



You will see logs being transported by truck and by river.





You will pass boats.



And a cute little church.



There are two ferry crossings on this route, both are free. You can watch the ferries at the Shelter Bay-Galena Bay Ferry crossing as they pass.





And of course there has to be a picture of my bike on the ferry.



This route goes through Nakusp, BC, a beautiful town on a huge lake with hot springs and a wonderful restaurant called “ Middle Earth.” Of course I had to stop since the restaurant is inspired by the same books as the saying on my right pannier. This is a town and restaurant that I want to visit again!





Just past town there is a yard decorated with old motorcycles. Not really well done, but an interesting concept!



Just past New Denver, BC you will see a sign that all motorcycle riders love to see.



The views are like this and even better. Sorry I didn’t take more pictures of this area but you really should come and see it for yourselves.



The Balfour Ferry ride takes about 45 minutes.





Then the countryside becomes less beautiful and the border crossing appears.



I rode for fourteen hours and covered about 480 miles. Ten of the fourteen hours were such wonderful riding that I wanted to turn around and ride it again!


Day 37 – Kalispell, MT to Bozeman, MT

This day was more about getting from point A to point B than about any great scenery. This countryside is very similar to Colorado except it has more lakes.

I got stuck in a Montana traffic jam.



Watched the local fishermen.



And saw some of the local crops.



Greg had ridden up from Colorado and we met in the evening. We managed to get to town at almost exactly the same time and accidentally met in a parking lot because each one of us was checking out motels that happened to be across from each other.


Day 38 – Bozeman, MT to Bridge Bay Campground, Yellowstone NP, WY

It was a beautiful sunny morning and we headed from Bozeman down the highway to West Yellowstone, MT.



In West Yellowstone we stopped for fuel and to admire the shuttle bus parked in front of a hotel. These people really know how to get around in winter!



Then on into Yellowstone National Park.



This crow tried really hard to convince us that he was exempt from the “Don’t Feed The Wildlife” rule.



Of course we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ride a side dirt road. This was the Plateau Road and took us on a beautiful six-mile loop.



We stopped for a break and this little guy showed up looking for a snack.



There is a tour company that uses restored 1936 to 1938 White busses. They really added to the classic old look of the park.



We saw one brown bear but didn’t get any pictures because there were already about 87 tourists who had abandoned vehicles at all kinds of odd angles on the road and three rangers trying to explain to them that the long black thing with the yellow stripe is a road, not a parking lot. Sgt Marty, where are you when we need you? Oh Yeah, wandering around the world!

Then we had a much less annoying traffic jam.



Later in the day I stopped and took pictures of a crane family taking a walk.



The day ended with a campfire and two weary riders raising a cup of hot chocolate to Jeff who usually joins us on our summer rides. Jeff, we miss you!




Day 39 – Bridge Bay Campground, Yellowstone NP, WY to Rock Springs, WY

It was a peaceful night in the campground, except for the car alarms going off. Apparently the campers from the big cities were afraid that Yogi Bear was going to steal their stereos! I didn’t have to worry about that because my only stereo is my singing echoing off the inside of my helmet. By the way, I don’t sound to bad with a good echo and a lot of wind noise! Luckily for you I haven’t figured out how to record a sound clip and add it to this report.

We headed to the Lake Lodge for breakfast, to charge dead camera batteries, and to check out the rocking chairs on the porch.



Then load up the bikes and back to work. I mean back to play! Work would have something to do with a desk and a telephone ringing and there isn’t even cell-phone service here.



We rode on through Yellowstone and then past the Grand Teton National Park.



As we rode into Jackson, WY it began to rain. This is the first rain since Prince George, BC. That is the longest break from rain on this trip.

It rained a little on and off as we rode on to Rock Springs.

Deuce,

These clear-cut sections were right across the highway from a sign advertising heli-skiing. Obviously I jumped to an incorrect conclusion.

Thanks for the correction!

Day 40 – Rock Springs, WY to Steamboat Springs, CO

It was a beautiful warm morning and we headed south to ride around the west side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The first hour of the ride looked like this.



Finally the road got more interesting and we came to an overlook.



From here we rode through some nice tree lined road and then a lot of road that looked a lot like the first hour of riding.

As we came into Steamboat Springs it started to rain. It was about time to call it a day anyway so we stopped.

The ride ends tomorrow.

Day 41 – Steamboat Springs, CO to Johnstown, CO

This section of the ride is a beautiful and familiar ride. You can tell by the lack of pictures that I was ready to get home. Amy could tell that I was getting close to home because it started raining, something that it hadn’t done for awhile.

I realized while riding down Poudre Canyon that the trees and brush here come right up to the road. In Alaska and Canada the trees and brush are cut way back from the road so that you can see any wildlife long before they reach the road.




About five minutes after I took the picture of the road, a huge moose stepped right out of the woods and crossed the road in front of me. He wasn’t visible until he stepped onto the road but luckily he was far enough away for me to slow and watch him pass. If the sides of the road were clear-cut here like Alaska and Canada, I would have seen him far enough away to get a picture!

We had to stop by MotoHaus Coffee to say hi to MotoMax and thank him for talking me into adding the grip heaters to my bike, which I have used for at least 80% of the trip. Max had already left for the holiday weekend so I will have to stop by next week.



A few miles later and I was back to the door where it all began.



41 Days, 9,700 miles, new friends, new places, many wonderful memories. This is a trip that I will never forget!

LostAussie,

Great ride report. I had a great time hangin' with you in Dawson. If you ever want to come check out your old stompin' grounds, you got a place to stay and the first beverage is on me.

I appreciate the offer! Let me know when you are heading this way! How was the rest of your trip after D2D?

Great stuff!






-dk

I have really enjoyed this report from beginning to end! Thanks for taking us along, and for the great images!

You have a pic of a friend at D2D on his KLR !!! Sweet !!!

Wow, what a ride. Thanks for taking us all along.

I didn't see a response to your question from Day 27 regarding the pipes that come out of the culverts here in AK...if I missed it, sorry for the repeat.

Those pipes run from the road side, down to the culvert, then through the culvert to the other side of the road. The section of pipe that runs through the culvert has holes drilled along it's length so steam trucks can blow pressurized steam into them in spring to thaw the culvert.

Great write up, and nice pics...even though I live here, I just can't get enough :)

awesome!

Thank-you! I kept wondering what those were figured someone on here would know.

I enjoyed ever minute of it...