Lovely town, Santiago. Check out the Geo Pub.... lots of international types there. My buddy, Hernan, might still be lurking about there.
Hi People! Is it me or wasn't the BMWMOA Int. Rally supposed to be in AK in 07? I try to read all my mags but I must have missed something somewhere as I now read that it's gonna be in Wisconsin... huh? I'm still seriously thinking of doing the scoot up to AK from Detroit. Anyone have any idea how long I should set aside for travel? Anyone who's going my way is welcome to join up, the more the merrier. Plus splitting the price of beer is always a bonus. Cheers
======================================================= Wee did the trip to Prudhoe Bay last year. It was the best trip I've ever done on a motorcycle. Blogged along the way, here's our report. http://vstrom2alaska.blogspot.com/ July 10-14 were the dates we did the Dalton. Hope you all have a great trip. Let me know if I can help. repete5 05 V-Strom 650
Alaska has the "smallest" international BMW rally every other year. This year it's in July and all bikes are welcome. I'll find the flyer and post it for you. It's not the MOA rally. If you come up in June, the Dawson run is a good place to meet dualsporters. Barb
I may have to wait til 08 to make my Alaska trip, but I haven't completely ruled out Summer 2007. My wife is in the process of having her 3rd miscarriage in a year and we're already talking adoption options. Theres no way for me to know how all this will pan out between now and summer 07. I may go ahead and order my copy of the Milepost in January and begin preparations unless it becomes obvious that 2007 ain't gonna happen for me. There are 100s of Alaska threads and I say the more the merrier just keep it going. I love that this thread has links to other threads which is always the best idea and if that keeps happening this could end up being a great resource thread. Alaska Leather will definitely be part of my game plan. I've wondered if they keep tkc80s in stock for weestroms, klrs, and GSs or do I order them/bring my own. I'm sure over time the roads will improve in Alaska to the point that whatever scooter your butt can handle for the trip up will make the trip, but I hope the volume of people who make the trip reflects the popularity and growth of this segment of the "biker" community. I mean, this site is HUGE!:eek1
This becoming a single portal for Alaska threads is what I have in mind. It is quite difficult to follow the myriad of other threads out there.
This one and this one also http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175238 We could ride up togeather.
I as well as some friends of mine from LA are planning an 07 trip to the Artic Ocean too. We were planning on meeting at the ferry in Bellingham, Wa, ferrying up the inner coastal waterway to Skagway, and then riding to Fairbanks. We were planning on Fairbanks being the hub. From there up the Dalton to the Ocean, and back. Once back in Fairbanks tour around, 3-4 day trips, see what you want and then ride all the way back down to the 48. That is our trip in a nutshell. I think we are planning on at least 4 weeks, that will probably turn into 6 weeks. There are 6-8 people from LA saying they want to go, but I figure the total amount of people going will be around 3 from LA and me from Houston. Whether or not any of them go, there will be at least two of us meeting in Bellingham, and riding for 6 weeks. I will be on my 05 GSA, and he is on a '03 (?) Tiger. I am excited about this trip, and am in the same boat with you on the planning, and prepping. Judson
Treadless and I are going to skip the Ferry ride. I figure that I'll take the boat when I am too old or crippled to ride a my bike . We are slotting 6 weeks for the trip. It looks like we will be hooking up with various ADV riders for various lengths of time. We also want to end up on the Artic Ocean.
We have just heard so much about how cool the inner coastal ferry ride up is, that we thought we would take it. We just didn't want to ride the same road back down. Again, we are still in the planning stages, and trying to do this planning thing with me in Houston, and my buddies in LA, is not so easy.
We plan on heading farther east and going thru the NP's in Canada on the way back. Hitting any Ralleys of intrest.
I'm looking to head North until Missouri, then West until I hit mountains, then north, northwest, until I am carried off by Alaskan mosquitoes. I figure at least four weeks up and back and that's some hard riding from South Florida.
At least one ADVer left his group and went home because the mosquitoes got to him on his way up last summer! His friends later told him they weren't so bad later in the trip! It was a VERY wet year tho! I felt pretty badly for those travelling up here for their big once in a lifetime trip. Camping or stopping in a breezey area really helps to keep the mosquitoes away! Remember your headnet! Hey Restorganize, the ferry trip can be a lot of fun but I stronly recommend you get on in Prince Rupert instead of B-ham unless you just feel like doin a lot of sleepin for a couple more days. I also gotta add this: Avoid the ferry MV Kennicott if possible. It's the least passenger friendly. It was built after the big Valdez oil spill as a spill response command center. On all the other ferries I also recommend against getting a state room unless maybe you're on a honeymoon or somethin. Just go up to the top level, called the Solarium, and sake out a reclining lounger. Most of the solarium is covered shelter with radiant heat units. And camping out up there also gives you a 270 degree panoramic view! Don't stake or tape out a tent either. You can if you think you MUST have some privacy but you better be able to sleep in a loud wind battered tent and it may also be quite wet. I think the showers on most the ferries may still be free too. And the food in the kitchens is pretty good. A little spendy but how often you gonna be travelin this way? You also don't HAVE to have a reservation for a mc or yourself. I think they can always squeeze another mc onboard. The roads in and out of Prince Rupert, Skagway, and Haines are awesome! Worth ridin the ferry for! And Vstromississippi, EVERY kind of bike has made it up here now! 'Busus, MV Agustas, rigid choppers, Sjak on his R1, etc.... If the road is dry it can be like pavement. Other times I've wondered if the cage I was in was gonna get stuck goin thru a muddy construction zone! If anyone has any questions feel free to post 'em up in 'Great White North' or PM me. We're a pretty friendly lot up here! Oh and BTW, there's now over 60 ADVRiders up here that are signed up for the Dawson ride on Solstice for those interested. Ya hoo! See ya, Mark H.
(And Vstromississippi, EVERY kind of bike has made it up here now! 'Busus, MV Agustas, rigid choppers, Sjak on his R1, etc.... If the road is dry it can be like pavement. Other times I've wondered if the cage I was in was gonna get stuck goin thru a muddy construction zone! If anyone has any questions feel free to post 'em up in 'Great White North' or PM me. We're a pretty friendly lot up here! )quote So it doesn't matter if I take my KLR or the Weestrom?
I'm looking for some time estimates and opinions for a late June/early July '07 trip. How many days for the Dalton hwy (Fairbanks to Deadhorse and back)? How many days for the Dempster (Dawson City to Inuvik and back)? How are the ferrys? Do they run 24/7? How often do they depart? Cost? If you could only do one, which would it be?
Nope. Whichever you're more comfy on for such a long trip. Maybe put on some new tires before hittin the dirt in Canada and north or Barb at Alaska Leather can set your baby up with new "shoes" too! Mark H.
