Tiny Bike to Alaska 2016

Have a great, safe trip, Tim! I'll be watching for your great experiences.
Larry in Travelers Rest, SC

Quick update....heading south to gunnison.....will ride through a snow storm over monarch pass....fun

Hi Tim, I've greatly enjoyed watching your videos and I look forward to reading about your trip to Alaska. Ride safe my friend.

5 May (day 4)

Along Hwy 126 south of Woodland, temps around 45


I made it up as far as mile 14 on the Pikes Peak Highway before it was closed by snow. I knew it was early so I didn’t make it to the top to get a photo of the whizzer at the sign. I may try for the top when I come back through on the way back home.

I took tiny back roads for the most part to the Pikes Peak area and then over to Mueller State Park just off Highway 24 west of Woodland Park Colorado. The park is beautiful and the Rangers are very accommodating. I paid my $7 daily use fee at the gate then went to the self pay station for camping. $26 got me a permit. The Ranger said I could pick any RV spot because the camping areas are not open yet. Pretty cool.

Got set up and the temps have started to drop. 78 when I arrived and now at 1900 is around 60. No chance of rain and should be about 40 when I
get up.



I woke up around 0200 and checked the temp.....38 degrees....

I use a Big Agnes Q Core SL air mattress that is supposed to be insulated. This $200 piece of crap is like sleeping on an iceberg. Even in my 850 fill down 15 degree Nemo bag could not keep up with the slow freezing of my ass and feet. I resorted to wrapping my feet in my fleece pullover and wearing two pairs of wool shorts. I've got a nice Thermarest Trail Pro pad at home but it doesn't roll small enough to fit on the whizzer....

Anyway, I got up around 0530 and shook the ice off my ass. It only took me about 45 minutes to pack and hit the road...

I picked up Hwy 24 heading towards Buena Vista. On the way I stopped for gas in Florissant. I asked the girl behind the counter if there was a good place to get some morning grub. The little cafe she told me about was awesome! The photos will speak for themselves.



All this ambience and a great Benedict for $6.50!

I tuned south on Hwy 285 and then west on Hwy 50. 50 would take me up and over Monarch Pass at 11,311 feet. The radar showed snow but it was clear all the way. Temps however dropped to the upper 30's. The climb up was uneventful with hardly any traffic at all. I had to use the gearbox a few times during the climb and settled on about 45 mph in 5th gear. Not a problem as the climb is three lanes wide and the few cars just slid on past.



I had my traditional coffee at the top and then....the 50 miles or so to Buena Vista were almost all downhill and...I had a about a 35 mph tailwind....at one point the GPS said I was going close to 171 mph

On the way I passed a sign that said Cottonwood Pass was still closed....I'll do it on the way back. I continued on to Gunnison and used the wifi at Maccas to book a room at the Long Holiday Motel where I stayed last year. Got my confirmation and went to check in. The nice guy at the counter said he got my reservation from Booking.com but they were already full. Someone got the last room just a few seconds before my res was approved. All things crossed in the mail so to speak. Oh well...on to Montrose.

Got a room at a small mom and pop motel that advertises wifi but that doesn't mean it works....so here I am at Maccas typing away.

Tomorrow I'm heading to the 3 Step Hideaway for maybe a two day stay...More after the break.

This looks like an ADVenture !!! Thanks for taking us along

Thanks...not much off road until Alaska and Canada. Mostly tiny road touring for now. Thanks for taking the time to follow along.

I mentioned I'd be doing reports on how the bike and my stuff is working. Starting at the front of the bike....the 320 mm front rotor from Warp9 is superb. Very easy to modulate on gravel and mucho stopping power on the tarmac. A few hundred bucks well spent. Time will tell if the Seal Savers work as advertised...

IN!

Good to see ya on the road. I'm near the farthest point out on my trip sitting in my tent in the rain at an "abandoned" forest service campground they left access open to near Kenton, MI in the U.P. With a known wolf pack in the area.

Camped in a city park last night. A cop even gave me door codes to get into the bathrooms after hours. :)
He made me set up under a street light though. And there were train tracks 50' away that were highly active. But other than that...... hehe

I'll see about starting a trip repout as well. Just have my phone though as a way to post so it would kind of be quick and dirty until I get home.

Maybe our paths will still cross somewhere around Idaho.

i am in, Tim thanks for the report, i really have enjoyed your videos.

are you going to add that groovy music to this video series? cant wait to see them.

Nice! I didn't have rain last night at the campground but I did freeze The closest I'll come to Idaho I think will be the Tetons and Yellowstone on my way to Glacier later this month. Hope to see you on the road. Keep in touch.

BTW...I'm pussin out with a motel tonight

Yep, I'm slowly buying some more tracks from Audionetwork.com....they are great and only cost $1.35 per track to use without any copyright problems!

One more thing...I'm sure everyone knows but Wet Wipes work great for cleaning chains. And...the motel I'm pussin out at tonight has a hot tub....I really wish the paperwork involved in adopting a pair of 18 year old french twins (female) didn't take so long

A thermal tarp, available at walmart or outdoor stores, will give you a little more comfort range. Place It under the mat with reflective side up toward you. Good multi-role item for lots of other uses on the road.

Looking forward to following your trip and narrative. Alaska has been on my list since a report I did in 5th grade as it became a state. Ride well, rest well, and be safe.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

My place for the night...$76 for a nice room. The Country Lodge in Montrose Colorado.

Awesome! I'm going to Walmart tomorrow, thanks.

Thank you sir