Planning Alaska...

[lacofdfireman]

Sorry, did not do the research if this is the right place (truly) or not..But I'm all in for a 'Ride Alaska' plan.. Can't do it 2009, but 2010 is definite.

AdvRider.com is a great source.

So is Highlander...

I'm with ya. I would love to do an Alaska Trip but 2010 would be better for me. If you get a group of people who are serious count me in. I have been wanting to try and organize a ride through the firepolicemx website but I would like to have done it first. I would hate to organize a ride like this for a whole group and wing it. It would be nice to go the first time with someone who had some been there done that type of experience.

 

[fjrb0]

Good info on this thread!!!

VTXED and I are planning on going in 2010, too much going on in 09...gotta knock out that Going to the Sun Road out first! And Ed is hiking the Grand Canyon. If he lives thru that, then we are cleared for Alaska.

We have the same problem, the amount of time to ride up and back. Our plan is to ride to Seattle in early May, park the bikes for a couple of weeks and fly home, work until early to mid June, then fly back up and ride to Alaska then haul ass home. Still thinking the FJR is the ride for me, although dual sport might be an option if I sell my other bike....

 

[beemerdons]

Well OkieRider1255, I hope you are damn proud of yourself; because you just cost this old Arizona cowboy a ton of money!!

This Alaska thread got my juices flowing for another Yukon motorcycle adventure after twenty years time, so I bit the bullet!

Last night I booked myself, 12 year old son Seth and our 2009 BMW F650GS Twin on the Friday, June 12 Northbound sailing.

Onboard M/V Columbia out of Bellingham, Washington at 6PM and arrive in Skagway, Alaska on Monday, June 12 at 2:15PM

The only other reservation I have made is at https://www.skagwayinn.com for that first night; after that no other set plans.

We are just going to let our front wheel be our guide; may do the Haul Road to Prudhoe Bay or may go to Inuvik in N.W.T.!!

https://www.dot.state.ak.us/oars/ For those of you looking at your AK budgets for this trip here is what I have paid so far:

Two adults 12 years or older, $363 each: $726; Vehicle up to 10': $478; 2 berth full facilities, outside: $393; Total: $1,597.

The Historic Skagway Inn's a real trip, as it is the first and the last whorehouse in Alaska when "working girls" were AK legal.

Seth and I have booked "Dottie" room for $189; Twin-Twin with 3/4 bath; its right downtown in old Skagway "red light" area.

 

[OkieRider1255]

Good for you. Don't think my 12yoa would be down for a trip like that!

 

[dcarver]

Oh shit why do I keep returning to this thread? Damnit BeemerDon your're killing me.. :glare:

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php...ighlight=Alaska Here you go DonC, I'll make up for it by giving you the link to the 2008 Alaska trip that my friends Voni and Paul Glaves from BMW Motorcycle Owners Association went on!

 

[Rls]

looking at going up to Alaska in late june around 19th I think. Anyone else heading up?

 

[iCruze]

looking at going up to Alaska in late june around 19th I think. Anyone else heading up?

When u get here I rally up with you

 

[iCruze]

Me and a buddy are planning a summer trip to Alaska (Denali Park) from Oklahoma City.Done a little research on the ride and roads to take there but am looking for some input.

Anyone ever been?

Anything specefic I need to be looking out for? Bison, Moose, carou, bears, mt goats, big ass trucks. Besides that you will see some of the nicest scenery ever.

Any advice on what tires can get 8k miles on them (according to mapquest). Don't feel like doing a tire change in middle of trip.

1. I have lived here the past 4 years put 4300 on stock tires last summer and had to swap them out most of the 3 major highways are paved but the asphalt here eats your tires up. There is always road construction during the summer as 7 month outta the year the roads are covered in 4-6 inches of ice.

2. Bison, Moose, carou, bears, mt goats, big ass trucks. Besides that you will see some of the nicest scenery ever.

3. No matter what tires you get if they make it here you will be buying a fresh set up here it is best to call ahead and make sure that you let the dealer know your coming up and make sure they are in stock. That way if there not they can order them for you and have them ready when you get in town Just be ready for sticker shock as the mark-up err I mean shipping cost adds about 60-100 dollars to the average price for a set of new tires.

 

[Rls]

Sounds good. I guess I will order up some tires for a change in Washilla.

 

[JerseyEd]

Some campsites fill up if you come in late in the day. I think you can take your bike out to the far campsite, but like most good sites you have to reserve six months in advance. If you do get the far campsite at Denali,bring new underwear for the ride out even without the buses.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Is it true that if you stand in one spot too long, that the mosquitos pick you up and fly you back to the nest for devourment by the queen?

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

FBKSFJR, Where's the helmet on that kid?

Or is that just one of those baby shaped backpacks?

 

[iCruze]

FBKSFJR, Where's the helmet on that kid?
Or is that just one of those baby shaped backpacks?

Its a doll gets me into the carpool lane in Alaska, no my daughter wanted to sit on the bike so at a rest stop I let her jump outta the chase car and sit on it no children were harmed in the process of taking this picture as we didnt actually move much to her dismay :angry2:

 

[beemerdons]

Is it true that if you stand in one spot too long, that the mosquitos pick you up and fly you back to the nest for devourment by the queen?

Wheatie: When I worked in Alaska as a pipefitter the thing that we all dreaded is if we had to take a dump during the work shift out in the bush. You would do your very best to do your Number Two business back at the man camp in the morning before boarding the work buses taking you out to the pipeline or to the support structures. Then if you had to go you would just squeeze your cheeks and try to hold it until you could get back to the man camp. But Oh God, if you really had to go out into the bush with your roll of TP: Those flying bastards had you nailed! We would wear gloves on our hands, mosquito netting over our hard hats and Carhart coveralls from head to toe. But when you had to squat and pinch a loaf you'd be bit hundreds of times before you could finish up with the paperwork. I swear that those Texas oilfield fitters shit their pants!!!

 

[CHRIS_D]

Is it true that if you stand in one spot too long, that the mosquitos pick you up and fly you back to the nest for devourment by the queen?

Wheatie: When I worked in Alaska as a pipefitter the thing that we all dreaded is if we had to take a dump during the work shift out in the bush. You would do your very best to do your Number Two business back at the man camp in the morning before boarding the work buses taking you out to the pipeline or to the support structures. Then if you had to go you would just squeeze your cheeks and try to hold it until you could get back to the man camp. But Oh God, if you really had to go out into the bush with your roll of TP: Those flying bastards had you nailed! We would wear gloves on our hands, mosquito netting over our hard hats and Carhart coveralls from head to toe. But when you had to squat and pinch a loaf you'd be bit hundreds of times before you could finish up with the paperwork. I swear that those Texas oilfield fitters shit their pants!!!

Man Don that sounds like a real job!!!!

So lets see the next farkle on the FJR will be an electric skeeter killer light. :dribble: :dribble: It will zap them critters at first contact!!!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Is it true that if you stand in one spot too long, that the mosquitos pick you up and fly you back to the nest for devourment by the queen?

Wheatie: When I worked in Alaska as a pipefitter the thing that we all dreaded is if we had to take a dump during the work shift out in the bush. You would do your very best to do your Number Two business back at the man camp in the morning before boarding the work buses taking you out to the pipeline or to the support structures. Then if you had to go you would just squeeze your cheeks and try to hold it until you could get back to the man camp. But Oh God, if you really had to go out into the bush with your roll of TP: Those flying bastards had you nailed! We would wear gloves on our hands, mosquito netting over our hard hats and Carhart coveralls from head to toe. But when you had to squat and pinch a loaf you'd be bit hundreds of times before you could finish up with the paperwork. I swear that those Texas oilfield fitters shit their pants!!!

Now that's the kind of detail that only can be provided by a guy who's been there!

 

[user 17459]

Hey Okie,

New member of the forum here and hopefully I will own an FJR this year. I rode my old FJ1200 to Alaska back in '96, but I hear a lot has changed and that the roads are continually improving. I recently purchased an '02 BMW F650GS Dakar for a planned 3-week ride up there this summer, but I've put the trip off until the summer of 2010. My route will take me to a few places I really don't want to venture with a big sport-touring bike (ST1300 when I was making the plans), such as South Canol Road, Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle, and possibly all the way to Inuvik.

ADVrider is a great resource for planning a ride up there, and I got a lot of help from locals in making my trip plans. My trip involves trailering the bikes to Seattle area, riding to Vancouver Isaland and catching a ferry to Prince Rupert to get us "up there" pretty quickly. From there the trip hits most of the major "must-see" places like Dawson City in the Yukon, the Arctic Circle, Denali, Valdez and more. I'm not sure if we're allowed to link to other sites, but you can find my thread in the Trip Planning --> Americas section under the title "Alaska / Yukon Question: Highway 1 or 2? ". I'd be happy to share the MS Streets & Trips (2007) file with you if you have that program. Just PM me.

On your questions, yes, do watch out for critters on the roads as others have suggested! I had a close encounter with a huge moose that wouldn't get out of my way on the way up to the Arctic Circle! Make plans to go to Dawson City in the Yukon even though you have to take a 90 mile dirt road called Top of The World Highway - very doable on the FJR.

Plan on getting a new set of tires up there. I'd have them shipped up and waiting for you. In my case, I sent some up to the Yamaha shop in Dawson (not Dawson City) where I brought the FJ in for some much needed R&R. You may want to investigate tire types too, as the best street tires you may run in the lower 48 won't necessarily be a good choice for the roads up there and on the gravel / dirt roads.

It's the trip of a lifetime. Enjoy it!

Rick

 

[thegunslinger]

I rode from Connecticut to Alaska 2 years ago. One of my concerns was having enough gasoline between stations. Not a problem at all. The 2 gallon gas can I was carrying was given away in Fairbanks. Whenever I was at 1/2 a tank or less I stopped at the next gas station.
The Alaska Highway was in pretty good shape when I rode it in the middle of July. Its still a tough road to do serious miles on. I found that 650 miles a day on it was all I wanted to do. After that it was too exhausting. I found I had to be 100% alert on it, ALL the time. Although they had marked all (most) of the repaired parts of the road with little flags it still is a major pucker coming 1/2 through a turn and seeing gravel spread before you. They use some sort of patch with a 'chip stone' covering for the repair of pot holes. It translates to loose gravel / sand.

As you probably already know there are a LOT of BIG animals in the neighborhood up there. I actualy rode through a herd of caribou that were just ambling along the road on two different occasions. My biggest thrill (that wasn't my thought at the time) was coming upon 2 grizzlies in the road in a deep fog in the Yukon Terr. btw that morning when I hit the road it was 38 degrees. . . nipplier thatn I thought it would be in July.

The amount of 'daylight' riding is pretty awesome. In the Fairbanks area it didn't get dark until 11 PM or so and was (muddy) light at 3 AM.

I liked Denali. I would NOT take the freakin 12 hour bus tour again. Something 1/2 as long would have been fine. You can only ride into the park a few miles then its either a bus tour or hiking. In the three days I was there I never saw the top of the mtn due to the clouds.

Bottom line - its the ride of lifetime. I am hoping to do it again, perhaps in '09. I did it in 18 days (~10.5K miles). If I do it again I want to spend 30 days or so - enough to satisfy my other hobby, photography.

Enjoy the Ride!

 

[thegunslinger]

Wadda puss!! Jesus, I can't believe he has the balls to even ride a bike,it's all relative guess,never mind, he's biker.