|
|
Ten Top List For Alaska
By Colleen First
Editors Note: A number of our readers enjoyed the four part series written
by Colleen First about her adventure to Alaska last summer. For Colleen it
was her first long distance trip and I felt her wisdom from that trip would
provide benefit to the first-time long distance adventurer heading to Alaska.
In response, Colleen has created this article that many readers may find useful
whether traveling to Alaska or elsewhere beyond the Northwest.
Anticipating a trip to Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Ocean
was daunting to me. Neither my riding partner nor I had never been on a major
ride like this to a desolate and far away place. I researched all that I could
on the Internet and asked the few people that I knew who had experience with the
route. I gathered knowledge like a squirrel gathers nuts before the winter snow
and ice. In the end it was all worth the effort. I breezed through the trip like
I was riding to Neah Bay, not the Arctic Ocean. Did all of this preparation
help? Well, some of it did. Some things were just luck and some problems never
even surfaced. Below are some observations that I have about riding a motorcycle
to Alaska, and the Arctic Ocean. Naturally, certain things will vary according
to each individual, the fickle weather and road construction schedules.
1) It’s a long way to Alaska.
British Columbia itself is huge, and it took three days just to get from the BC
border to the Yukon, although I suppose we could have pushed it and made it a
much quicker journey. But that defeats the purpose of a ride like this, doesn’t
it? There were a few things that surprised me about the trip, although most of
them were good surprises. For one, Alaska is vast. I knew that it is a big
state, but until you ride for hours on the same road, seeing the same mountains
in the distance, you can’t comprehend just how large it is. The road from the
border of the Yukon Tok to Fairbanks was straight for a considerable distance,
or at least not as curvy as I expected it to be. However there were always
mountains in the distance to fill my camera lens with, so scenery was never a
problem. Each turn in the road brought something new to see, be it wildflowers,
a distant mountain range, vast expanses of trees or even vast expanses of burnt
out forests. There was always something different to catch my eye and my
imagination.
2) For the most part the roads are in good condition.
I had heard horror stories about miles and miles of mud, gravel, dirt and
potholes… and found very surprisingly little of that. I suppose that there were
more gravel roads that it appeared in retrospect, it's simply that I was
anticipating the worst that a road could offer and it didn’t live up to that
expectation. We took the Stewart-Cassiar highway to the Yukon and the Alaska
Highway back, and found very periodic segments of construction. I recall one
stretch of very loose gravel about 10 miles long, but that was the worst
that I came across, well at least until I hit the Haul Road. In the frequent construction sections along the Alaska Highway there was dust when it
was dry and mud when it was wet, but it was all passable. Passing/following
traffic caused more problems than anything else, with dust and hurtling rocks
wreaking havoc on our bikes and visibility. The KLR made the ride easy and I
would have been less enthusiastic if I had been on my VFR, but mostly because of
the damage inflicted to the body panels of the bike by flinging rocks and not so
much a lessened level of confidence. The preceding sentences do not apply to the
Haul Road to/from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, however. While for the most part the
Haul Road was in excellent shape while we were on it, I can see that one flicker
of the weather would turn it into a nightmare of slick mud (and it did in one
section close to Coldfoot). Not to say other bikes can’t make the trip, but the
dual sport made it a lot more enjoyable.
3) Spare parts, tool and mechanical knowledge are worth
their weight in gold. Because the two of us were
riding the same model of bike we felt confident in only taking one spare of each
part that we felt should be included. We split the tools and parts between the
two bikes to make packing easier. I brought along service manuals in case we ran
into something more complicated than a broken fan switch or a flat tire. Neither
of us had much mechanical experience with our bikes, but we felt confident
enough in the bikes themselves and our own ingenuity to be able to solve
whatever problems came up. And we did just that. Be prepared to buy consumables
along the way such as tires or chains. Most places did not stock such items
(Fairbanks being the exception) so if you anticipate needing something you
should arrange to have it shipped ahead or bring it along with you. Be sure that
you know the basic maintenance of your bike and its components. We found out the
hard way that O-Ring chains do not hold up well to gear oil and it caused some
real problems on the return trip.
4) What did I wish I had? I
had done a lot of research beforehand and wondered if I would leave anything
out. As it was, there was very little that I was found wanting along the way.
Some better dry bags would have been nice, but even those I was able to pick up
along the way in Whitehorse. Warmer clothes for the snow that we encountered in
the Brooks Range would have been welcome, but who was to expect snow in August?
The only thing that I really wish I had was more time. Seventeen days from
Seattle to Prudhoe Bay and back is enough time, but when you’re on a trip as
grand as this one there is never enough time. A month would have been perfect!
5) What didn’t I need?
Fortunately I found that the only thing I really didn’t need were as many
clothes. Of course there were spare parts that I didn’t use, but I wouldn’t have
chanced it and left them behind. But laundry facilities are available at some
motels and I could have easily done without half the clothes I did bring. (But
don’t skimp on warm socks and a nice warm fleece to layer up with.)
6) Bring cash. While the
larger towns and establishments will take plastic and offer ATMs, there are some
places that don’t, and when they don’t take it you’re not left with a lot of
options. I was able to put almost the entire trip on my credit card but still
had a tidy sum of US and Canadian dollars to tide me over for the little sundry
purchases made along the way. Once north of Fairbanks, not only should you be
prepared with sums of cash to get you through, but be sure to carry a couple of
days worth of packable food items as well, as there are no grocery stores along
the haul road, and one can’t rely on the generosity of truckers handing out food
along the way … although one trucker did just that for us.
7) The Milepost Magazine is also worth its weight in gold.
While I initially scoffed at my partner’s purchase of this massive annual
publication I soon realized my error and relished the in-depth knowledge that
it held between its covers. It's well worth the price and weight of packing it
along. Detailed and accurate mile-by-mile descriptions, mileage between gas
stops, recommendations on local places; it’s all in there.
8) The camera. Sure, it
sounds obvious. But don’t just bring your camera along; use it! So many
people take trips and then say, "I was having too much fun riding to stop and
take pictures." These are the same people who "ooo" and "ahhh" over other
people’s pictures, lamenting that they wish that they had stopped more often.
You’re on a Grand Adventure, seeing things that most people will never see in
their lifetime and, more importantly, doing it from the back of a motorcycle!
Stop and smell the flowers (or the moose, as the case may be) and engrave those
memories into long-lasting pictures to cherish for a lifetime. It’s also fun to
show them off to envious friends and when you are writing your memoirs you’ll be
glad you had the pictures to bring all those wonderful memories back to life.
9) Fuel. Another concern
about riding in Alaska is the lack of fuel. I didn’t find this to be a problem,
but then again the KLR gets 52 mpg and can go about 250 miles before needing
refueling. The Milepost lists all available fuel stops, although I did notice its
omission of a fuel stop just north of the Yukon River, but seeing as the station
was not guaranteed to be open it was wise of them not to include it and present
false hope. We each carried a 2-gallon container on our bikes but luckily never
needed it. It was a nice peace of mind though, knowing that it was back there
"just in case."
10) Your sense of adventure: bring it along!
If something unexpected like a flat tire or some other mechanical failure
occurs, don’t panic. Quietly and calmly try to figure out the best course of
action. When you are riding down the road and you wonder where that side road
goes, follow it. Or if you see an intriguing little shop at the edge of a
tiny hamlet, take the time to stop and go inside. Talk to the locals, listen to
the rivers, smell the smoke from forest fires. Each sense will heighten your
appreciation of the journey that you’re on. Don’t be afraid to stop at the side
of the road in the middle of nowhere and just sit and listen to the absolute
silence or the wind sighing in the branches of the trees. Or to get off your
bike and check out up close the devastation that a forest fire leaves behind in
its wake, discovering the delicate return of life under the fallen trees.
There is so much more to a trip like this than just eating
up the miles and saying "I did it." You’re making memories, so make the most of
it while you can.
|
|
