Ahhhh YESSS, My second adventure trip! I'll be leaving Tuesday en route to AK. Anybody headed up this time? I like making new friends! DL1000, no mods except wind screen. Won't be farkleing this time around. Traveling light Givi top case, Dry bags strapped to seat for tent, sleeping bag,pad, food and Nelson-Rigg saddle bags. I got an old Garmin GPS that I quickly slapped on I I cut off the the ac addaptor and tucked the bare wires under the battery terminal. It works, not sure of age or reliability in Canada or Alaska. The plan: Get the heck out of dodge! Fishing, sight seeing, camping and making new friends. A boyhood dream comes true!! Only took me 52 years to get here My girl friend / fiancee gave me my ring back when I ASKED her if I could go I'm going! My first was to Panama. Pictures and trip reports to come. Need to figure out how to upload pics to here still. Posting to FB also. https://www.facebook.com/robert.opie.5
Ready to go tomorrow. Lacking a little storage space. I'll need to add another bag strapped to top case or for food and supplies. Here's my ugly mug and my purdy DL1000.
We were there last week, the weather will have a say in you, route and schedule. A set of TKCs will make your trip a bit eazier if you are going beyond the circle Take your time and take care. Saferiding
Ridden a V-Strom 1000 to AK twice now. Bike performed flawlessly each time. Subscribed and looking forward to reading about your new adventure.
I survived the mad dash to the N/W, GOOD now that's done I won't try it again! I left Poway, CA at 4:40a and arrived about 30 miles north of Eugine @ 8:20p. I rode very fast. With 12 miles to reach my goal in Oregon a state trooper pulled out in front of me while I was doing about 85. Thank the Motorcycle Gods that the car in front of me was also speeding in a 65 zone and he pulled out to get him. I accomplished my goal Iron Buttedness and now I can slow way down and smell the roses. Job 3 had 96.5 miles before I started. This is a old Garmin and I cant reset trip / job meter any longer Vstrom odometer about 15 miles over GPS My rear didn't suffer too much but my neck got real sore. I took about 7 short stops and a lunch break. The ride today was cool all the way up. Overcast through the valley and through the entire trip. I had light rain in Klamath Falls and then very heavy rain around Grants Pass. I had 800 miles under my belt when the rain hit, I wasn't quitting!! Fortunately the last 150 miles were dry so my boots and suit could air dry for tomorrow. My FroggTogg order never arrived before I left so that will be job one now that I'm up here. LA Shasta Wet Oregon Wetter I'm Here Overall a great first day, thank my lucky stars! Today's Tab; Fuel $105. Food, Bev, Tips $34 Room $73. $212. I'm going to keep a daily total running so we can see how much a trip like this cost's.
Sounds like you were going for a Saddle Sore 1000 with the IBA, so you would need all your paper work and witness form, which some people have the local police sign. So far so good! Looking forward to more pictures. I thought that side yard of yours looked Poway... Former Garden Road resident here.
Zep Good luck and safe travels on your trip.......... 1. NEVER ASK GIRLFRIEND PERMISSION...... 2. HAWK THE RING AND GET A VIDEO CAMERA...... women come and go......but an epic adventure......once in a life......her stupid loss your gain.......surprise her....find a woman in alaska and ride her back with you......dumping you for a motorcycle trip....wtf?????? sounds like my EXWIFE I'll get off my soap box..... Anxious to hear how the Strom does
Lot's of great scenery. I love green and big trees. Being from the dry S.W. you don't often see the combination. Got a great nights sleep and felt good to hit the road to make Canada today, little did I know the day would leave me grumpy.:huh About 80 miles out of my start I got a flat on the 5. Got the rear wobble and slowed it down turned on my flashers and made it out of the #1 lane and over to the shoulder. A car pulled behind and asked if I needed help. Thankfully I was 300 yards away from the off ramp. Even better the guy who stopped to help said there was a tire store right off the ramp. I took off on the bike 2 feet down and got up the ramp to make a left to the tire shop in view. As I rounded the corner I broke the beads and made a thump thump sound. Even slower than before I pulled into the tire shop. I carried a spare rear cause the one I was running was almost worn out. I punctured the tire on ?? A nice small round hole but no nail / screw. The guy at the tire shop say's he cant change the tire. I say N.P can I use some air I have tools. Nope can't use air our insurance won't allow it. Great, I kept my cool. A customer offered help and got the number from a near bye M/C shop. Return, to manager and asked if I could remove the rear wheel in their spacious parking lot. He reply's: NO there really isn't any room for you to do that here. I walked away and whispered ASS HOLE !! I hoped back on the bike and rode it across the sreet to pull the rear. All I needed was compressed air to set the beads !!! Bike shop sent out a driver to retrieve me the wheel and I stripped and loaded the luggage in his van. 3.5 hours later I had the wheel back on and was on the road at 4p. Made a bee line to Canada. Decided to skip the busy Vancouver port and head east to Peace Arch crossing. There was a huge line and me being a trained M/C lane splitter I split to about 10 cars back from the front. This was at about 8pm. Well Ms. Inspector got wind of my lane splitting / line cutting and I was directed to secondary. Parked bike and instructed to enter building for window A. Inspector asked the usual; where ya going, any knifes, guns, criminal history, why do you have all the stamps in your passport for mexico central america and finaly WHY did you cut in line?? MY reply was that this is how I do all my border crossings. He said is this fair blah, blah, blah. Then I chirped in BECAUSE I CAN, I ASSUME THE RISK OF RIDING MOTORCYCLES AND THEY CAN GO WHERE CARS CAN'T! He was cool but they took all the stuff out of the cases and bags and it tied me up for an hour. I crossed at 9pm. I got trapped to find a hotel and food at the first place I could in Delta. Way too much money spent today!!! No pics Washington looks the same as Oregon and I'm too tired to play around w/ Smug Thug, I mean Mug. Gas Today : $48. Food / tip: $43. thanks to the darn hotel I got stuck at. Lodging $111. Grumpy I tell you Tire Change labor $87. with pick up 5 minute ride there and back to bike Rear tube purchase $32. Just in case, High priced but they said it was a GOOD one. Froggtog purchase $82. Todays Total: $403. Majorly GRUMPY!! I think I like Mexico and C.A. w/ $20. hotel rooms
My Cheap $9. Cramp Buster throttle paddle is great. I read mixed reviews but for me it cradles my palm, supporting my wrist and doesn't get in the way at all. Great help for numb hand. My Expensive $700. Shoei Neotec is pretty good. Complaints on PRICE, pinches my lower jaw a tad and double pain visor fogs up bad in rain. New Nelson-Rigg saddle bags seem to keep the rain out and work well for $150. My bike is awesome! Dl1000 rock! Hard to keep speeds down it loves to be at 4500 rpm @ 80 mph. For the money $4700. used w/ 7k/mi you cant beat it. My suspension is cranked to the max on the rear. I know dirt is tedious but it's a great ride. It's my third DL. Cagers got me on the other 2 but I made out very well on both accidents physically and financially.
The plan for today was to get to 100 Mile House. Instead I'm at Mile O or Lillooet. I took a wrong turn and instead of hooking up with the 97 (1) I headed west to Gold Bridge. Took some 30 miles before I asked one of the few cars I saw and got turned back around to spend the night at the Canadas Best Value Inn Mile 0. So another short day! I've traveled some 760 mi. since my Iron Butt. Hit the groceries store to stock up on essentials which include fry oil and breading for all the fish I'm gonna catch. I'll be off line camping in the bush for the next couple days. The ride today 10 out of 10 stars. Any one who's ridden on the 99 can attest to the scenery and the bitch'in twisty road. Canadians do drive slow, I'll have to give them that. Total expense today $232. Gas $39. Food 32. Hotel 82. Groceries 65. Qt. Rotella 8. Map 6. 6 Pk Beer 15.