WAY UP NORTH - To The Arctic Ocean & Back to Arizona

[AdventurePoser]

Dave, it was a pleasure meeting you and Helen in Cameron AZ. You were on your way home, and we were heading to CO astride our R12 GSA.

Just wanted to let you know we enjoyed your pix. Please keep in touch...perhaps we'll meet up down in AZ this winter or spring.

Here we are...in Ouray, CO





cheers,
Steve and Cindy

[dave6253]

Hi Steve and Cindy. It was nice to meet you on our last day on the road.

[AdventurePoser]

Yep, I am heading down to Mexico this spring. Perhaps an opportunity to meet up over a cold whatever!
Great photography, Dave.

Steve

[Boj]

Dave,

I don't read too many ride reports anymore, let alone look at every page.... I just read this one cover to cover, excellent work! Now I am 2 hours behind at work :)

Maybe I will see you on the road again, Kim and I are closing up shop at home and loading the trailer for another long term adventure.

Chris

[dave6253]

Hi Chris. I find it hard to believe it has been over 3 years since we bumped into each other on the White Rim Trail. Good luck on your new journey. I enjoyed reading about the last one.

[Mannen]

Very nice "pitchers", good to see, was in Valdez 1982 hitchhiking Alaska and Canada with a backpack and a fishing-rod, no colorful kayaks then,
also saw Columbia and then went by train through the mountain with a crew from Lufthansa that had a big wagon. Now I like driving my Super Tenere, very nice to read your RR and you're Good Man you and DR.Rock, you Rock!

Originally Posted by dave6253

We took another walk around the harbor.

Then returned to our "honeymoon suite" on top of the hill.

End of Day 15

[himv]

Dave, because of you I'm going to do it. I will come all the way from Israel thanks to your photos and your interesting story. My banker is not going to love me if I'll do it, but it's fine though - I don't like him either... Good marketing!
Just curious- I can see you've got the Jesse side luggage. Can you please tell what model is it? And what's the size of it ? Do you think that I can handle without the topbox (I'm alone)??
From your experience Was it durable ?
Thank you, drive safely.
Ophir

[dave6253]

Thanks Mannen and himv!

himv, I'm not sure which model the Jesse bags are. I think they were the largest ones for the KTM. They don't have much info for the KTM bags on their website anymore. I love mine and yes, they are durable. I would never use the top box when solo and usually have no problem stuffing everything I need into the side bags on my previous solo trips. I'm happy to hear I helped you decide to come over for a ride. I hope you have as much fun as we did.

[Skitch]

This ride report got me hooked on PicMonkey.... Thanks!

[1200gsceej]

Dave,
I sent you a PM before I found/started this thread. Answers may be somewhere within! But as I have been reading I have come up with this serious question. How do you balance riding (for daily distance) and stopping (for photos, as well as rest or sight seeing)?
As my miles/day has increased, my photos have decreased. And I don't like that. But there are stretches of road on which I could stop every 3-5 miles for a photo. Sometimes there is no place to stop, so do I skip it, do a double U-turn to get the shot and back on the ride, stop and walk back, or ...?
Do you make quick stops for a snap from the bike, then ride on? Do you find a spot and spend 10-20 minutes in photo mode? I know that there is no pat answer to these questions, but could you 'talk about it' a little?
thanks,
-ceej

[1200gsceej]

Originally Posted by dave6253

So here we are in live action!

Everyone (That includes YOU) MUST watch the video before I continue...

I'm just kidding. (Sort of)

Been on a number of those roads - movie took me back there.
I saw you take some pix while you were riding - a point-and-shoot I presume. Where did you keep it for easy access and how was it attached? I have tried a lanyard around my neck, and have kept camera in outside pocket or sometimes just dangling. What do you do? Any special setting for those 'on the go' shots?
I'm enjoying this - thanks.
-ceej

[1200gsceej]

Originally Posted by dave6253

The GPS Tracks, So Far

http://dave6253.smugmug.com/photos/i...SJcD6sR-X3.jpg

Nice trip/map display; how did you do it?
-ceej

[1200gsceej]

Originally Posted by dave6253

We leave Fairbanks around 6 PM. We have about 500 miles between us and the Arctic Ocean.

We need to be there at 9 AM!
-------------------------------------

We made it to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay at 7:40 AM. Just in time to get fuel and a cup of coffee.

In case anyone else needs to know, it's 725 miles from Tok to Deadhorse.

So you left Fairbanks around 6pm and arrived in Prudhoe at 7:40 am - 13.5 hours straight up the Dalton? After riding 225 miles from TOK to Fairbanks? Is 12 hours pretty typical?

I could compute, but what kinds of general speed did you ride on the Dalton? On the Atigun Pass? How was the road on the far right when you had to move over for trucks? What was the worst road conditions you encountered?

I know you did not ride in the 'daytime', but would you still recommend riding up in the 'evening' (assuming reasonable rest)? Where there any particular downsides?

Re your tires - I take it you liked them. And you never had to air down anywhere?

thanks again,
-ceej

[dnorton]

Originally Posted by 1200gsceej

I know you did not ride in the 'daytime', but would you still recommend riding up in the 'evening' (assuming reasonable rest)? Where there any particular downsides?


-ceej

In June/July it's daylight 24 hours a day north of the Arctic circle. Basically the sun spins around in a circle at the angle your used to seeing at 1PM in the lower 48 - all day long. The author stated as much in the ride report.

I worked in Prudhoe/Deadhorse, summer and winter, seen both extremes.

In Anchorage the sun briefly dips below the horizon in late June/July. The darkest it gets is twilight.

If your going to do this ride, I highly recommend planning it such that you hit Fairbanks at roughly the end of June. You may hit a lot of fog in June. The clearest weather is early August, tends to be dryer. By Sept 1, the snow will be flying in Deadhorse.

[dave6253]

Originally Posted by 1200gsceej

How do you balance riding (for daily distance) and stopping (for photos, as well as rest or sight seeing)?
Do you make quick stops for a snap from the bike, then ride on?
Do you find a spot and spend 10-20 minutes in photo mode?
-ceej

Hi ceej. I'm happy to see you are liking the report. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.
To me, a motorcycle journey like this is also a photographic expedition. Just like motorcyling, I love to shoot pictures and don't ever have enough time to do it. I also usually know I am writing a report, so I am always thinking of getting enough photos to document things that happen along the way and the ever changing scenery. Shooting photos while moving allows you to fill in the gaps between photo stops without taking time. My cameras are easily accessible and often I'll stop to compose and shoot a scene while still astride the bike. There were plenty of times I skipped photo opportunities on this trip in the interest of time. One thing that helps is the fact I no longer have to stop so often for fuel. I can instead, plan my breaks at a scenic spot. When I'm off the bike, I'm usually taking photos.

Originally Posted by 1200gsceej

Been on a number of those roads - movie took me back there.
I saw you take some pix while you were riding - a point-and-shoot I presume. Where did you keep it for easy access and how was it attached? I have tried a lanyard around my neck, and have kept camera in outside pocket or sometimes just dangling. What do you do? Any special setting for those 'on the go' shots?
I'm enjoying this - thanks.
-ceej

That video does show me taking a lot of pics while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and is kind of scary looking with all of the traffic around. I am not looking at the camera much though.

Many of your questions (including details about how I shoot on the move and other photography stuff) are answered in this thread; The Art of the Ride Report... Based on the variety of your questions, I think you would like this thread. It has lots of advice from some of my favorite RR authors.

Originally Posted by 1200gsceej

Nice trip/map display; how did you do it?
-ceej

The map was created from the GPS tracks. When in the Garmin Mapsource software you click on "show tracks in Google Earth". (Of course, you need Google Earth installed.) I used the Windows 7 Snipping tool to save a portion of my screen as a JPEG. I explained how to capture a screen shot using Paint in the link above as well.