[jprism]

Does anyone have plans or wish to go to Alaska in 2010? I live in Nashville TN and although a member of MC HOG (375 members) & GWRRA no one in either club has the time/money/wishes to ride up and visit Alaska. I am a 62 married male with a wife that does not ride. I ride a 2005 Gold Wing and pull a Time Out Camper trailer. My plans are to leave Nashville in Mid to Late June 2010 and spend 30 days going to and from.

I have the time and money to do such a trip but really do not want to go it alone. If you would be interested in planning such a trip contact me.

 

[Snoopy]

think about changing your departure time to last of May or 1st of June you will miss the rainy season that way.

Royal on board was talking about going next year pm him. Check our Galute post ALASKA OR BUST

 

[CBXMan]

Snoopy's right, leave the first of June and you'll have a lot less rain, but you'll also have a lot less traffic too. We left Western KY on June 4th. and got to Prudhoe Bay on the 13th. We had little to no traffic on the way up, but coming back South after the 16th. of June, it was bumper to bumper going North. No matter what you read on the net, the roads will be a lot better than they say. Enter Canada through Idaho and ride through the Ice Fields Parkway. Stay West of Calgary & Edmonton. The best place to find info on riding to AK is at www.advrider.com

 

[jprism]

Alaska rain

think about changing your departure time to last of May or 1st of June you will miss the rainy season that way.

Royal on board was talking about going next year pm him. Check our Galute post ALASKA OR BUST

I think your right on about the rain in July but I like to camp and would instead enjoy the 60+ temps in July & August. My time is flexible and can leave in May, June or July.

Thanks, Jim

 

[jprism]

Good advice

Snoopy's right, leave the first of June and you'll have a lot less rain, but you'll also have a lot less traffic too. We left Western KY on June 4th. and got to Prudhoe Bay on the 13th. We had little to no traffic on the way up, but coming back South after the 16th. of June, it was bumper to bumper going North. No matter what you read on the net, the roads will be a lot better than they say. Enter Canada through Idaho and ride through the Ice Fields Parkway. Stay West of Calgary & Edmonton. The best place to find info on riding to AK is at www.advrider.com

It's always nice to get advice from someone that's done the trip. Sine June 2010 is a long way off I will try to gather all the info I can get before making my trip.

Jim

 

[CBXMan]

I'm only about 100 miles North of you. Give me a yell sometime and I can give you some copies of the maps and info I collected before my trip. I spent about a year collecting data on Canada and AK. If you can make it to Dawson City by mid June you can meet up with the gang doing the Dust to Dawson ride and make about 100 new friends. These guys all hang out in the Great White North section of the ADVRider forum. Study Canada a lot too, after you cross the border you'll do more riding in Canada than you will in AK.


D2D group:

 

[CBXMan]

Here's a little of what you're in for.

 

[jprism]

Maps & knowledge - great

I'm only about 100 miles North of you. Give me a yell sometime and I can give you some copies of the maps and info I collected before my trip. I spent about a year collecting data on Canada and AK. If you can make it to Dawson City by mid June you can meet up with the gang doing the Dust to Dawson ride and make about 100 new friends. These guys all hang out in the Great White North section of the ADVRider forum. Study Canada a lot too, after you cross the border you'll do more riding in Canada than you will in AK.


D2D group:

That would be great...I just received the new MilePost book and have been glued to it all day. I ride up into Kentucky all the time (the best 2 lanes) so once the weather moderates maybe we could meet up and discuss the do's and dont's for an Alaska trip.

My email address is [email protected] and the 800 number to my office is 800-683-9132.

The pics look great...can't wait to go.

Again Thanks,

Jim

 

[Gizmo]

Hey CBXman, thanks for posting the great pictures. Now I can see what we missed in all of the rain and fog during our 2007 Alaska trip.

Those pics make me want to go back to AK!

 

[rkprater]

Alaska Trip

Jim, I have just now read your thread and I admit it peaked my interest. I too live in Nashville (Bellevue area) and made a trip to Alaska by plane, train and boat in Sept 2007. Riding the bike up there does interest me but I am not sure I can make a comittment yet. I am also 62 and am retired. I have the time and have some interest in camping although I have not done much of that on the bike. Used to camp a lot but not so much in recent years. Give me ideas as to where you plan on going in Alaska.

My email is [email protected] and my phone is 615-662-1176. Let's get together and discuss this sometime. We can also ride some in the area to get used to each other's riding style.

 

[CBXMan]

Hey CBXman, thanks for posting the great pictures. Now I can see what we missed in all of the rain and fog during our 2007 Alaska trip.

Those pics make me want to go back to AK!

Yep, I konw what ya mean about fog and rain. The first thing I did when I got back from AK was to buy an OLympus 720 waterproof camera. My ridding buddie and I took over 2000 pictures on the trip, but we missed a lot of good pictures because of rain. We both kept a camera around our neck on a lanyard so taking photos on the move was easy.

 

[RLBY02]

I'll agree with the late May early June start. You'll also miss a lot of the traffic heading north.
Here is a location for road conditions Yukon road conditions.
http://www.511yukon.ca/

 

[Veloz]

Keep me in mind

As you get closer.

I'm doing a 30 day trip THIS late May/Early June to the 4-corners area, from NC.

I don't have a "big trip" planned for 10 yet, but the ride you describe sounds very exciting.

I'm 45, have no wife/kids...

Michael

 

[MatadorMkV]

Ya gotta be in Skagway on June 21 for the Summer Solstice party!! Your bio clock gets all messed up and you begin to fall asleep around 3 or 4 and wake up at noon. Makes the trip home interesting...LOL. Have fun!

Russ

Oh, and from there, I believe you can take a ferry to Haines. It's kind of a cool experience on a bike.

 

[jprism]

Thanks for the dates

I'll agree with the late May early June start. You'll also miss a lot of the traffic heading north.
Here is a location for road conditions Yukon road conditions.
http://www.511yukon.ca/

I also have a Yellow Wing 2005. Appreciate the comments concerning dates. My plans now are to leave Nashville TN on June 4th and arrive in Whitehorse on June 10th. I will then spend 14 days riding the 1500 mile loop and back to Tok arriving around June 25. From Tok I will deadhead back to Nashville. I will camp all but 1 or 2 nights and hope to do some fly fishing in streams/lakes along the roadside. I really don't mind the cold weather but hate to ride and camp in the rain. Any advice you might have would be just great.

Thanks,

Jim Ryan

 

[MatadorMkV]

We camped almost every day...I think all but like 5 out of 26. We left from PA and did the all Canada thing. I'll never forget coming home down through Jasper Park on the 4th of July in a snow storm! Depending on where you camp, buy the large can of bear spray...not really kidding here.

 

[CBXMan]

I also have a Yellow Wing 2005. Appreciate the comments concerning dates. My plans now are to leave Nashville TN on June 4th and arrive in Whitehorse on June 10th. I will then spend 14 days riding the 1500 mile loop and back to Tok arriving around June 25. From Tok I will deadhead back to Nashville. I will camp all but 1 or 2 nights and hope to do some fly fishing in streams/lakes along the roadside. I really don't mind the cold weather but hate to ride and camp in the rain. Any advice you might have would be just great.

Thanks,

Jim Ryan

That's exactly the dates we used. Left Western KY on the 4th. and got into Whitehorse on the 10th. and Fairbanks on the 11th.

One thing I might add is that if you plan this trip using a mapping program it will more than likely send you straight North into Winnipeg and then West to Calgary. Before I went I was told by several people that this route would be very boring, unless you like mile after mile of farm land. The best tip I got was from a guy on the ADV board that had made this trip several times and he told me to enter Canada through Idaho and ride through the Canadian Rockies. This route was great and we got to see a lot of the Western US too. When we came back we rode back down through Edmonton and Calgary into Montana and it was a lot of flat farm land. Through Idaho is the way to go and it will add less than a day to your trip.

If you go this route when you get to Jasper you have two ways to get to Dawson Creek. We rode the Big Horn Hwy and it was one of the best roads we road on. No traffic and lots of scenery.

To me the Ice Fields Parkway is Canada's Grand Canyon except it goes up instead of down.

Ive got a lot of info in a folder on the computer I can email anyone that's going to AK.

Here's some links to check out.


http://www.jaspercanadianrockies.com/

http://www.icefieldsparkway.ca/

http://www.canadianrockies.net/

 

[jprism]

Thanks cbxman for the road advice

You were right, I was planning on crossing into Canada at the North Dakota/Minnesota lines and proceeding across Canada through Winnipeg and Edmonton.

I will study the route url's you sent me and consider crossing the border in Montana or Idaho.

In July of this year, I will be riding across Northern Washington, Idaho and Montana...starting at Yosemite Nat'l Park and ending up in Glacier Nat'l Park before returning home.

Thanks for the advice, it is gratefully appreciated...

Jim

 

[OneRider]

July trip

What are your plans for this trip. Sounds interesting. Will it be another camping trip and how long do you think it will take?

I may be interested in going if you don't mind a tag along.

 

[jprism]

Altamont - what a great town

Thanks for your message. I live in Pegram TN just west of Nashville and ride down your way quit a bit...great country roads & great people.

My plan right now are to leave Nashville on June 5, 2010 and return on July 2, 2010...28 days. They way I figure it takes a good 7 days from Nashville to Whitehorse YT and 7 days to get back. Th loop I intend on riding is from Whitehorse, Tok, North Pole, Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage, Valdez and back to Whitehorse which is 1,999 miles. I figure that 14 days gives me time to see most everything and to spend several days in Denali.

I would like to do the trip with 1 other person, (2's company, 3's a crowd) and will attempt to camp at least 12 of the 14 days to cut cost and enjoy the great outdoors. I own a Time Out Camper trailer which will comfortably sleep 2 people above the ground and in the dry...I hear that it rains up there.

Since the trip is 16 months away I am simply in the planing stages. I am flexible with the dates, but have been told by many that late May and June are the best months to go.

Stay in touch and maybe we can meet up someday this Spring and talk it over.

Jim Ryan