Sister of all Alaska Dirt Bike Rides - July in 2015!

[UberKul]

Looks like a good ride Don. I'll be following and let me know of you need anything. Start early on your Kennicott/McCarthy day if you're not staying over out there. It's a good stretch and it's worth a few hours of sight seeing.

Uberkul, I'm going to take you up on your offer! Brad, do you have a recommendation for lodging in the Kennicott/McCarthy area? We're NOT camping, hotels/motels only!

That's a tough one Don since we camped a lot in that section. Once we left Valdez off the ferry and headed north there wasn't a whole lot until Toc. The Milepost does have some lodging/services listed if you have one. According to The Milepost, Glennallen has The Caribou Hotel and Restaurant 907-822-3302 about 35 miles north of the intersection of 4 and 10. You might use that to base a Kennicott run rather than Chitina.

Run out to Portage Glacier if you get a chance on the way to Homer. I'd dump Homer from the list if could only have one or the other. The tunnel out to Whittier is overrated like Homer.

 

[SeattleTy]

Spectacular video Don, it display a good sense of the scenery

 

[beemerdons]

Looks like a good ride Don. I'll be following and let me know of you need anything. Start early on your Kennicott/McCarthy day if you're not staying over out there. It's a good stretch and it's worth a few hours of sight seeing.

Uberkul, I'm going to take you up on your offer! Brad, do you have a recommendation for lodging in the Kennicott/McCarthy area? We're NOT camping, hotels/motels only!

That's a tough one Don since we camped a lot in that section. Once we left Valdez off the ferry and headed north there wasn't a whole lot until Toc. The Milepost does have some lodging/services listed if you have one. According to The Milepost, Glennallen has The Caribou Hotel and Restaurant 907-822-3302 about 35 miles north of the intersection of 4 and 10. You might use that to base a Kennicott run rather than Chitina.

Run out to Portage Glacier if you get a chance on the way to Homer. I'd dump Homer from the list if could only have one or the other. The tunnel out to Whittier is overrated like Homer.

https://www.caribouhotel.com Uberkul - Brad, Many Thanks! JSNS!

 

[beemerdons]

After two years of planning, it finally happened this summer.. 32 days from San Francisco to Alaska. Tons of pictures and GoPro video and now over a month later, my trip report is done!

https://https://www.flyv65.com/AK2014_toc.htm

Enjoy...

Fantastic Ride Report from BMW MOA Member TomDac, two guys on BMW R1200GSA's on a month long Alaska Adventure!

 

[SeattleTy]

32 days of fun - I guess someone has to do it - looking forward to a trip like this someday - thanks Don

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.eielsonforcesupport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=59&Itemid=133 Attention: Retired US Military Personnel riding their motorcycles to Alaska, you can obtain discount lodgings. Friend Kevin Huddy - Pterodactyl steered Jorstin and Don to this website, Jorstin is a 20+ years Retiree and we got a trailer on the Sound in Valdez: For less than half of what a room in town would have cost us!

 

[escapefjrtist]

After two years of planning, it finally happened this summer.. 32 days from San Francisco to Alaska. Tons of pictures and GoPro video and now over a month later, my trip report is done!

https://www.flyv65.com/AK2014_toc.htm

Enjoy...Fantastic Ride Report from BMW MOA Member TomDac, two guys on BMW R1200GSA's on a month long Alaska Adventure!

Thanks for the linky Don. Just started reading the RR, but it looks like a good one!

--G

 

[Pterodactyl]

https://www.eielsonforcesupport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=59&Itemid=133 Attention: Retired US Military Personnel riding their motorcycles to Alaska, you can obtain discount lodgings. Friend Kevin Huddy - Pterodactyl steered Jorstin and Don to this website, Jorstin is a 20+ years Retiree and we got a trailer on the Sound in Valdez: For less than half of what a room in town would have cost us!

There is also a fantastic Army Rec Center in Seward. They offer camping, rental Yurts and a modern lodge. They are very busy in the summer so book well in advance, Also, I used to oversee the housing at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. From late May to Mid-August they let riders stay in the dorms. The rooms are spartan, but clean, safe and a great place to meet other riders. We would have 350-400 riders stay every summer. Most were headed to Deadhorse, but riders of all sorts stayed on campus. Their rates are about half what a room in a flea bag hotel will cost you in the summer in Fairbanks. Google UAF Conference Services to get contact info. I've been retired from there for over three years. I believe things are still the same, but plans do change.

If you make it to campus, then go to the Museum of the North. They have one of the first two bikes to be ridden from AK to the lower 48 in 1939. Slim Williams, John Logan and a dog named Blizzard on two BSAs, before there was a road. They strapped the two bikes together with tree limbs at times. It was done as as a publicity stunt to promote the idea of a highway. Kinda makes our modern idea of Adventure Riding seem pathetic.

Williams, also mushed a dog team from Fairbanks to Chicago in the 1932. The sled was on wheels most of the way.

 

[beemerdons]

For anyone interested in joining Steve and Don on this Alaska Ride, we cleaned AD-MO out of their Kawasaki KLR 650's. But they still have BMW GS's available to rent for that 8 day stretch. https://www.admo-tours.com (760) 249-1105

RENTAL STATION LOCATION: MotoQuest Alaska: Motorcycle Rentals, 4346 Spenard Road Anchorage, Alaska 99517 Phone: (907) 272-2777

 

[beemerdons]

For anyone interested in joining Steve and Don on this Alaska Ride, we cleaned AD-MO out of their Kawasaki KLR 650's. But they still have BMW GS's available to rent for that 8 day stretch. https://www.admo-tours.com (760) 249-1105
RENTAL STATION LOCATION: MotoQuest Alaska: Motorcycle Rentals, 4346 Spenard Road Anchorage, Alaska 99517 Phone: (907) 272-2777

PLEASE NOTE: https://www.motoquest.com/motorcycle-rental/anchorage-alaska-motorcycle-rentals-1 If you are considering joining Jorstin and BeemerDonS on the July of 2015 Alaska Off Road Adventure Trek, deal directly with MotoQuest in Anchorage! When we booked with AD-MO we did not know that they simply broker their bikes from MotoQuest in AK, it is just a PITA to deal with a third party so please go to MotoQuest directly for your dirt bikes! JSNS!

 

[Pterodactyl]

Only girly men rent bikes in Alaska.

 

[beemerdons]

Steven "Jorstin" Kerns and Don "BeemerDonS" Stanley have finalized our AK Ride Itinerary and have selected our Alaska Lodgings: There are still MotoQuest bikes (KLR and GS) available for you to join us on our Alaskan Dirt Trek!

Day One WED - 7/29: Anchorage to Talkeetna, 115 miles/2 hours. Lodging: Talkeetna Alaska Lodge. https://www.talkeetnalodge.com

Day Two THU - 7/30: Talkeetna to Gracious House 150 miles/2.5 hours https://www.alaskaone.com/gracious/

Day Three FRI - 7/31: Gracious House to Glenallen staying at the Caribou Hotel, 175 miles/3.5 hours. https://www.caribouhotel.com

Day Four SAT - 8/1 : Glenallen to McCarthy and back out: 120 miles/4 hours. Then on to Valdez for the night , staying at the US Air Force Resort : 260 miles/5 hours. https://www.eielsonforcesupport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=59&Itemid=133

Day Five SUN - 8/2 : Glenallen to Majestic Valley Lodge, 175 miles/3.5 hours https://majesticvalleylodge.com/cms/ We plan on a PM white water rafting trip.

Day Six MON - 8/3 : Majestic Valley Lodge to Seward, 275 miles/5 hours. The US Army Recreation Center in Seward: https://www.sewardresort.com

Day Seven TUE - 8/4 : Overnight in Seward, a day ride to Homer.

Day Eight WED - 8/5 : Ride back to Anchorage and turn in the Kawi KLR's to MotoQuest by 1700 hours, 225 miles/4 hours.

 

[dcarver]

oh sure, like you'd be willing to flip a coin to see who gets the bed and who gets the floor..

 

[beemerdons]

Yo you Seattle Schmucks, Jorstin and BeemerDonS have our flights booked to and from Anchorage. Is there a cocktail lounge just outside of the Security Zone from the Alaska Airlines gates? If so, Papa Chuy Viejo will buy you Specific Northwet Mooks a round of drinks: Whiskey for Panman, beer for fontanaman and escapefjrtist, and a Metamucil chocolate shake for Niehart.

On Monday 7/27 we have 2+ free hours before we board Alaska Flight #95 to ANC: 2:09pm to 5:30pm. On Thursday 8/6 returning on Alaska Flight #92 we've 2+ free hours, before Steve and Don board our respective flights to San Diego and Phoenix: 6:40pm to 8:50pm. I know that cheapskate Dane Dr. Rich won't pass up a free drink! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

 

[Fontanaman]

As a proud Seattle Schmuck willing to help the Pilot House is an appropriate drinking establishment in pre-security area. This means you will have to haul yer asses back through security half lit, but outsiders can go no farther so this is it.

The Pilot House has so so ratings but beggers can't be choosy. I have been there and it isn't bad.

I will show up for the post ride event on 8/6. My contribution will be a few tubes of hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. Nice guy eh?

Suggest placing this in the Pac Northwest section as it's own post to attract more eyeballs. Hell this could be a major Pac NW FJR event. Also Alaska Air boards early so don't be late back to the gate. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[beemerdons]

MotoQuest Anchorage still has a few off road rental bikes available, if you wish to join Steven "Jorstin" Kerns and BeemerDonS on this Alaska off road trek!