Translab to Deadhorse 2012

[HighRiver]

Keep keeping on matey! Don't fall asleep in Saskratchurbuttnrun! LOL! Flat and boring it is.

[Kent Glasscock]

Originally Posted by nick949eldo

Kent,
There are others reading and enjoying your travels vicariously - never fear!

Was one of the fellows you travelled with in Labrador (on the KLR) a South African via Ohio? If so I met him in Forestville on my way up the north shore of the St. Lawrence.

Its great to see you and the bike are holding up well - and especially interesting to see that you and a cruiser managed to traverse the Trans-Lab without nobbly tyres and 10 inches of suspension travel........ That Honda is great 'adventure' bike and you are having a great adventure.

Look after yourself.

Nick

Thanks Nick, you know after I posted that I was telling myself I sounded like a freakin brat. Not to mention that I follow other people's ride reports and don't post. So hypocritical of me. Feel free to post or read. I'm cool with either. The guy on the KLR was John and he was the one from Tulsa, OK. Brian was the one from Ohio on the Ninja. Both new their stuff well. Today's ride was uneventul through more of the Canadian Midwest but i'm fine with that because it's a place I haven't been before. I'm in Fox Creek tonight. Found a cheap campsite you just pay and stay at for 18 bucks. I'm already tired of camping but I spent enough on the motels on the first part of my trip. Of all the crap I brought with me, I didn't bring a pad and it's starting to get uncomfortable. But won't camp again unless the weather get's really bad and there is always the chance it will as I approach Alaska. Hope to make it to Tok by Tuesday. Here's the only photo I took entering Alberta today.

Thank you for everyone's support. Plan on heading to Fort Nelson tomorrow.

[Kent Glasscock]

After I posted last night it was close to 7 central time and I thought I had a place to camp at a "pay as you stay" place but i really don't like those. They just seem a little weird and not clean. Man, I'm getting old. So. I decided to head up the road and found another place that was even worse. That just had an outhouse that I saw and that was it. So I continued on and found the Poplar Ridge campground about a quarter mile off the road. It was great. Very clean. The owner does all the work. I show up in my leathers and he just smiles and lets me in no prob (I've been turned down from other places based on my riding attire and look). Good tent space for 18 bucks. There is no wifi but I would recommend this guy for anybody heading this way. Guys name is Richard.

Got to see this last night.


In BC today arriving at Fort Nelson. Rained for about 100 miles. Nothing major but annoying and cold. And I hate going down that mountain as you get to Sakanni Chief (I got my gas there)



On the Alaskan Highway now



Another "what the hell is that?" installment


Finally at my campsite at the 3G or is it R? It's nice though. Guy has a V Strom right beside my place but haven't met him yet. Got it all stickered up with places he's visited as well as the ADV stuff. I'll have to talk to him tonight. Just as soon as I finish this Molson.

[Kent Glasscock]

Ride was a little longer today because I kept pulling over and taking photos, there was construction. And I ran out of gas about 15 miles short of teslin. There's 150 mile stretch there from Watson Lake and I really had the bike throttled so it ran out after 125. It's done it before. Something erie about pulling over on the Alcan with nothing around you. Staying at the campsite here. Is it me or is tenting like third class on a plane. They always put me the furthest away from the facilities. Thought I was gonna need to hop on the bike to go take a dump.

Nice ride with the river beside you


Into the Yukon we go


Always like this pic by the Teslin bridge. Took one in 2008. The steel bridge is crazy long and not fun to cross. Plus you can hear the metal when driving over it. I can hear it from the campsite. I know people are taking bets as to when this thing will crash.



Tomorrow the plan is to head into Tok. I know 100 miles before AK and after AK the roads aren't the best so I'm expecting delays and constuction. Just need to be careful and enjoy the ride.

[nick949eldo]

Keep it up Kent. You and the bike are doing well.

Nick

[zandesiro]

Great ride report..!

[WhicheverAnyWayCan]

Originally Posted by Kent Glasscock

The Terry Fox memorial as you enter Thunder Bay

WOW! Thanks for sharing this!! I didn't know it existed! I was a little young boy about 9 years old when Terry Fox Story movie was shown on HBO. Being that young and deaf, this movie inspired me to believe that regardless of my handicap, I believe I could do anything! By 12, I figured out how to hack the cable box racking $200 of PPV bills on my single mother's cable bill (And this was PRE-Computer/Internet/ATARI ERA!!) I went on to do so many things that most deaf people haven't even had the opportunity of doing so!

I was contemplating whether I should include TLH and riding through Canada toward Deadhorse in my big trip I am planning in few years, and this Terry Fox memorial is enough for me to decide that passing through the Thunder Bay is now a MUST for me to include on my way to Deadhorse from Key West FL!

Originally Posted by Kent Glasscock

And replying to my own thread as I've done the previous couple of times. Guess it's not as interesting as the others but I hope it can be used as a reference for anyone else in the future.

I understand the feeling.. I did a TAT riding report and not much reply on my RR but I finished it anyway then in the end, there were some replies that made it worth for me to share. MY TAT RR

We are both from NC but I am on east side.. One thing that I would like to know is what are you using as sleeping pad in your tent? I got Coleman sleeping pad from wally but really it sucked. I am thinking of going with LuxuryLite cot the next trip since it is supposed to be half the size of Coleman pad when packed down making it easier to fit into the case, and many ADV riders swear by it. I just didn't get it because TAT was a last minute trip for me I didn't have the budget to get many last minute stuff as I would have liked to. Oh yeah and what sleeping bag are you using or at least to keep you warm.. I didn't bring any!! But lucky me some pretty girl gave me her old blanket to me before I finished TAT.

So keep these info coming!! Here I am

[Kent Glasscock]

Originally Posted by WhicheverAnyWayCan

WOW! Thanks for sharing this!! I didn't know it existed! I was a little young boy about 9 years old when Terry Fox Story movie was shown on HBO. Being that young and deaf, this movie inspired me to believe that regardless of my handicap, I believe I could do anything! By 12, I figured out how to hack the cable box racking $200 of PPV bills on my single mother's cable bill (And this was PRE-Computer/Internet/ATARI ERA!!) I went on to do so many things that most deaf people haven't even had the opportunity of doing so!

I was contemplating whether I should include TLH and riding through Canada toward Deadhorse in my big trip I am planning in few years, and this Terry Fox memorial is enough for me to decide that passing through the Thunder Bay is now a MUST for me to include on my way to Deadhorse from Key West FL!


We are both from NC but I am on east side.. One thing that I would like to know is what are you using as sleeping pad in your tent? I got Coleman sleeping pad from wally but really it sucked. I am thinking of going with LuxuryLite cot the next trip since it is supposed to be half the size of Coleman pad when packed down making it easier to fit into the case, and many ADV riders swear by it. I just didn't get it because TAT was a last minute trip for me I didn't have the budget to get many last minute stuff as I would have liked to. Oh yeah and what sleeping bag are you using or at least to keep you warm.. I didn't bring any!! But lucky me some pretty girl gave me her old blanket to me before I finished TAT.

So keep these info coming!! Here I am

Thanks for the info and the trip you have planned will be great. You are the inspiration to many. The memorial is nice. It's right there at the rest stop as you enter TB. I didn't even know it was there and till the hotty at the visitor center told me. Had to check it out. As far as the sleeping arrangement goes. I had a swiss army tent but that seemed too big with all of the other crap I'm taking. I prefer a tent so I can put all of my stuff in it and have a place to actally sit up. I found a cheap one on ebay and you get what you pay for. It doesn't leak but it collects moisture on the inside. I'm 5 8 and I can barely stretch out. I didn't bring a pad. I never have but may need to. The ground is starting to feel hard on my 40 year old body more than it did 10 years ago. Same goes with the sleeping bag. It's decent but the weather has gotten down to the mid 50s and I find myself in a huddled mass of a cocoon like state not wanting to stick my head out in the morning. So for the future. I'll need to invest in something a little more reliable.

The ride was exciting because i knew I would be crossing into Alaska so i couldn't wait to leave. The weather helped. It was in the mid 70s and sunny. I knew the 100 miles to the border would be rough as it was in 2008. This time there was less construction stops (just a few and two of those were with stop lights, only one had the follow me truck). However, there was more gravel places if that makes since. Not as many pot holes and upheaves this time. At least I avoided them more. Border crossing was smooth. Agent was great, told me that some motorcyclist last year came with 12000 in cash on him so now he asks every motorcyclists if they have 10000 or more in cash with them. Wish all agents were as laid back and not some uptight asshole like some of the ones I've dealt with. First 50 miles past the border is nice new pavement. Next 50 miles not so much. Looks like they have some hard packed gravel in spots. I'm in Tok but not real fond of this area. One tent sight was 30 bucks and you get one hour of wifi. Found the golden bear for 25 which had wifi with no electic but of course, the tent location is 3 miles away from the spot so I couldn't get a connection. I'm in the laundry room typing this. They should call the golden bear campround the golden shower because thats what it looks like here.

Plan is to get to colfoot tomorrow. Lets hope things work out for that to happen.
Love this part right here about 100 miles from Alaska


And here we are at the entrance. No one was around so i drove the bike down the walkway to get this photo. I took a dozen photos but thought this one was my most creative.

[motorat]

great report. i have been planning a tip like the one you are on for over 10 years...
some day.

thanks for the report.

[Kent Glasscock]

Greetings from Deadhorse, For some reason. I wanted to come here again and I forgot how much of a pain in the ass it is to ride this road. I left yesterday from Tok with the plan to make it to Coldfoot. Trip went well until about as I entered the Dalton the weather started to rain intermittently. There is also a good construction project of 8 miles that I had to follow as well. On the way to Coldfoot hit a tiny hailstorm (reason number 300 why I need a full helmet). Not bad but stingy. It stopped by the time I got to the arctic circle but then there was more rain the rest of the way before stopping into Coldfoot. Trip took over 10 hours. Got the buffett since you can't order from the menu until 9 and it was 8 and I was hungry. And it was pizzahich I had the night before in Tok. Went up the road to camp and have a fire is all I wanted to do but there was no firewood so I proceeded to Wiseman and after some directions from the locals there I camped on the side of the river. Which I will say was not fun. I was so paranoid a bear would attack me. Anytime I heard or thought I heard something I sat right up. And I could never get a good fire going. Well, at least it was free. I slept with my hatchet and a can of WD40 and a lighter (yeah, that will work). I woke up this morning to rain and just not wanting to get up from the fetal position I was in under my sleeping bag. But I did and in the intermittent rain I departed at 8 for Deadhorse. BTW, the first 20 miles from coldfoot is paved now. that was nice but it stopped and I was riding though packed mud in the rain. And there was another construction project that delayed 30 minutes and I almost lost it at one part where the road was more rutted than myself and the bike wanted to deal with. It would have been great. In the mud in front of the construction people. They were all watching. I recovered and just had to laugh at myself and continued on. By the time i was up at Atigan pass. It was 40 degrees, cold, foggy, and drizzly. It was going to be a long day. But on the other side the road was firm again and I rode good for 5 to 10 miles. Until, yep, another construction site. This one I actually had to sign a waiver about risiking injury or bike damage to continue. Lady said there have been quite a few bikers that have crashed there. I made it though and just kept the bike in first gear. From that point, no more construction and the road was rough for maybe 50 of the rest of the miles but there were many sections very packed and nice and I even got the bike 50 a couple of times. I arrived 8 and half hours later and I'm staying at the prudoe bay hotel. I paid the money I don't care. They saw a bear outside this morning. Start heading back tomorrow. The road I think is better than it was in 2008. The construction was the delay and Ill deal with it again tomorrow. Besides the rain, I got here it was 68 and sunny. Much nicer than last time. Just needs to stay like that the whole way. Great food at the diner. I inhaled some spagetti and fried fish. Everyone working hard. I just tried to stay out of their way.

coldfoot looking great as always

through the mountains we go

My waiver

My arrival

[nick949eldo]

Hey Kent,
Despite all the difficulties, you made it! Congratulations. It's not what you ride - its that you ride. Your Honda is a real adventure bike, and you are a real adventure rider.

Nick

[Kent Glasscock]

Well, I went as far as Yukon last night. I didn't leave deadhorse until 1030. Guess I was more tired than I thought. Ride down was better. Made it through the construction (they weren't there at one place) and after Atigan, I was feeling pretty good. This time it took me 7 hours to make it down there. Made it an hour early. From Coldfoot I decided to continue but got as far as the Yukon Crossing and stayed at the Hot Spot Cafe campsite. I got a great burger there but the mentality was a little off. I don't think they liked bikers. In fact, the lady that worked there told me about the stupid shit the bikers do there (passing on double yellows and curves, etc). She also said something about how she didn't hear my bike at all when I pulled up. I couldn't tell if she was sarcastic or serious. It's a Honda Shadow. They aren't very loud. People there laughed at her comment. I still don't get it. Meh, whatever. The couple of truckers there I talked to were real cool and friendly. I ended up camping at the site just above there and they also had free firewood so I stacked that fireplace like there was no tomorrow. I would have slept better but there were two families there with their kids totalling 8 from ages 3 to 10 and they didn't shut up until 11. And there is always the one kid that gets hurt all the time and cries and the one kid that doesn't want to go to bed and cries. It was free so there is no reason to complain like I'm doing right now. You guys can probably tell I have no kids. Anyway. I made it Palmer today in about 9 or so hours. The weather was good until the other side of Denali where I hit a steady rain. And really, the weather is 60 degrees here with rain and wind. It was actually better in Deadhorse. I'll be here for 4 days to change the oil in the bike and some other things. I'm amazed I've made it this far on it. Really. Got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow and I'm getting ready for a big hike. So, you may not hear from me for a couple of days. Thanks for your continued support.

The last 100 miles before coldfoot


Strike the pose

[nick949eldo]

Kent,
Have you got an 'ADV' sticker on your Honda under all that dirt? More deserved than most.
Nick

(edit) - just noticed it on your windscreen. Oh well - still applies!

[C-Stain]

I think Kent needs to hook up with rtwdoug for a trip. Now THAT would be epic! Awesome report! Keep keeping the rubber side down!

[fabriktr]

Hi Kent,
This is your TLH riding wing-man, AKA KLR John from Ok. {ref post 16 and 20} Great RR. Man, I am enjoying it! Congrates on bagging Pruhdoe Bay a second time on your GS---750 Honda. When you started the TLH potholes on that bike and Brian stated it on the ZX11 Ninja, I thought you guys brought a knife to a gun fight and we would be gathering up bike bits for the next 1200 miles. You two guys impressed the crap out of me with your skill and speed on that challenging road. I never put my ride on hold to help you out. That was all part of the adventure. Wouldn't have it any other way. Great riding with you.