To Alaska and Back...

[docdoru]

Well... Canadian tech. is different from the U.S. tech.
Nuff said...

[dltang]

Can't wait to see what you've got Joy. This has been and continues to be so fun. I love taking this adventure with you, so to speak.

[jedd]

Problems in Canada??

Keep it up this is a great Ryde

Jim

[DynamoBT]

Hope you have a great day today!!! Can't wait to see pictures!!! Thanks again for taking us a long for the ryde!!

[Yazz]

RE: Frost Heaves: Last year the whole section from Lake Kluane to Tok had frost heaves. You will be entering that section coming from Haines to the South. We found it took us about 3 1/2 hours to cover that 100 miles. You can make 30 MPH not KPH, in the good areas--but will have to slow down and gently go over the heaves. The low front end of the Spyder and the the trailer will give you some fun. We also found a couple of bath tub sized potholes that had flourescent green or orange paint around the edges. Hope they are gone by this year. The frost heaves will problably remain forever. This is the section that I also mentioned had very little traffic--as in a car about every 20 minutes. Just enjoy the drive, take your time, and be safe.

We found out the hard way between Deception Bay and the boarder there were'nt frost heaves but frost moguls!

Hubby on two wheels was riding them the same way you ski moguls. Going in between the heaves. He got quite good at it after the first ten miles. I kinda did the same but ended up catching air now and then...

Thought about getting some pictures but not a safe idea...

"Yup! you got it. Wait till you see Mt. St. Elias and that range of mountains."

Oh, Man! Mt. St. Elias is breath taking! Glad we had electric underwear though.

[Yazz]

You'll have what I call a lot of Wow Days in Alaska. Like "wow that's beautiful" The ferry you took reminds me of the SS Badger which crosses Lake Michigan the accommodations and food service are about the same but you are only on the Badger for 4 hours.

Thanks for sharing the journey.

The accomodations on the ship were plain but clean. Not much to do for three days but chat with other passengers. What a great way to pass the time. Talked with a motorcyclist who had run the Hoka Hei (sp) from Florida to Alaska. Chatted with a darling little old lady who was sleeping in a tent on the deck of the ferry. So many people with interesting stories...

Beautiful pictures Joy. I have said it before but I will say it again, I envy you and your husband. I can't wait til Brian and I can take off and just go.

Please thank Brian for the advice about gravel roads. The trailer started fish-tailing once and remembered his warning. Learned to slow down and put the rear tire in the track the car tires go in.

jeff & joy I'm enjoying your trip with you. fond memories. like your pics. enjoy the heaves. Have a safe trip.

Thanks for all the advice you gave us. It has come in very handy!

Oh man! Until you have ridden the heaves... its hard to describe...

Your trip is utterly fantastic!!!!! I haz the jealous!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for taking the time to post all these pictures and writing comments!!! I know you must be tired at the end of a day. I envy your tech skills just to be posting all this, let alone your fabulous trip!!!!

Have fun!! Stay safe!! Keep three to the ground!!!

My tech skills are pretty poor. LOL Actually, as we ride along, the scenery and pictures tell the story I write. We like to bed down around 5:00 which give me time to share the ride with y'all. This thread has helped us open our eyes to the wonders around us. Not just head on down the road.

Thanks for being on the ride with us.

looking good....keep the updates coming.....this trip is so exciting.......

Glad you're enjoy it!

On May 25th 1960 John Hart and I chopped a 4 foot deep hole into Birch Lake (south of Fairbanks). It filled with ice and water slush. We put adult beverages in a dip net so that we could retrieve them after they cooled. It work well but made your hands numb holding a can.
You may have to hold off on going swimming.
Thank You for bring back memories of the good ole days in Alaska

Talk about having a cold one!

Happy you're taking a trip down memory lane...

Good Morning Yazz: You mentioned you have a Mile Post with you. Look up Wrangell St. Elias National Park--Mt. St. Elias is in there. I believe that range is the second highest in AK. If the skies are clear you will get spectacular views of that whole mountain range while riding from Tok to Glen Allen. That will be your Welcome to Alaska special view.

And a sidebar: Nice to see you on the site again BMW.

Going through St. Elias National Park was overcast. With all the snow, think we would need double sun glasses. It was so beautiful with all the whites, blues and greys. To be riding through the ice field is out of this world!

It looks like you are having a great time... Thanks for posting the pictures they make me want to take the same trip...
Do you have a blog about your trip?
Stay Safe...

This is my blog. Not a woman of many words...
Glad you like the pictures.

Wow! What a great adventure. Thanks for sharing it with us.

One of the things I inherited from my dad (besides high blood pressure and cholesterol, etc.) was his passion for travel and adventure.
You've rekindled my fuse!

So, we just made a deal on a 622 Trailer for the RT and will be picking it up Thursday.
Now I'm looking at this big stack of maps.
and, I'm blaming it all on you

Just think. . . . if I'm lucky, only 6 more years until we can retire.

Until then, I'm looking forward to the next update

Contrats on the new trailer! Happy to rekindle the tickle in you feet.

Thank goodness! I thought you'd blame the RT-622 on me.

I'll take blame for the trailer. You can take credit for the RT!

Love your trip...We have been talking about something like this for years my wife and I! I am just wondering: did you do anything to protect the underneath of the Spyder on dirt roads? Custom made? Any pics?
I am looking at July for a trip like yours but it seems that the "cruise" part of the trip is not available at less than $1700 (2 passengers/bike/cabin), am I looking at the right place or is this a Carnival cruise rate?
Thank you.
Philippe

There is a factory plastic skid plate under the nose of Spydee. Its worked well. Can always replace it, if it gets too chewed up. Also, have put on SpyderPop's belt guard. Don't want any rock bits getting where they don't belong.

Good question about the ferry. Google Alaska State Highway Marine System. The ferries book up fast so make reservations well in advance.

Glad you are enjoying the trip!

I have so enjoyed your posts, Joy. It's been a few years since I went to Alaska (the old-fashioned way - by plane) and I yearn to go back. Thanks for taking time to share the photos along the way.

I highly recommend getting in some salmon fishing if it's season yet. Quite a rush!

Keep the posts coming!

Happy your enjoying the posts!

Salmon season is in the fall. Wish we could be up here for that. There's a National Eagle Sanctuary outside of Haines, Alaska. In the fall the salmon run, the bears have a feast, and the bald eagles come in for easy pickings. Would love to experience that!

Bump for today's adventures.

Thanks for the bump!

**awaits as patiently as humanly possible for a Yazz update**

Sorry about the delay... The Yukon doesn't have many WiFi cafes.

I've done the Western Bits of this trip - this is giving me some assurance that the Spyder will make it as well… and worth considering - leaving out the bits East of the Divide….

Have found the Spyder to be a very robust ride. Going through the frost heaves showed how quick they can swerve, and the pounding they can take and keep on going!

You can do anything you want to do. If you want it bad enough.

[Yazz]

Just one more view from the ferry.



A view from our Hotel in Haines.



As one Alaskan said, "You have to pay to live in Paradise!"



Between leaving Haines and heading up to the Canadian boarder, a bald eagle flew over my head, a moose jumped up on the road and started flip-flopping down the road in front of us, and spooked both a black and brown bear. Think we're really in Alaska now.

Went through customs and up into Mt. St. Elias National Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Saint_Elias



Between Deception Bay and Beaver Creek are frost heaves. The road looks like a car's version of bumpy skiing mogul course. Add in tar snakes as wide as your tire running this way and that, and pot-holes the size of a kitchen sink filled with gravel. Frost Heaves. There were sections at least twenty miles long that you couldn't go over 20 - 30 mph.

Hubby on two wheels rode it like skiing the moguls swerving around the humps, dodging the cracks. I swerved and dodged and did pretty good but still caught some air a couple times.

Thought about getting pictures but didn't think it was too safe...

We settled down for the night in Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory. Nice people, good food, couldn't figure how to get WiFi.

[Yazz]

Looking forward to seeing the new pics!!

Glad you arrived safe and sound.

Hope you like the pictures! We're settle in enjoying family now.

Have a Mac and nobody could get the Wifi hooked up to it.

Can't wait to see what you've got Joy. This has been and continues to be so fun. I love taking this adventure with you, so to speak.

Glad you're along for the ride!

Problems in Canada??

Keep it up this is a great Ryde

Jim

Nothing too illeagel.

Hope you have a great day today!!! Can't wait to see pictures!!! Thanks again for taking us a long for the ryde!!

Having a great day! Thanks!! Hope you like the pictures!

[Yazz]

Headed out of Beaver Creek, some more frost heaves and entered back into Alaska.





Destruction Bay.



Wrangell Mountains.



We're in Palmer now. Spydee's in the shop for new tires all round, re-alignment, oil change and full spa treatment. She's going to come back ready for more adventure!

[ARtraveler]

You have done well in capturing Alaksa with your pictures and blog. It has been exciting watching your progress on the trip.

[Dragonrider]

HOW DID WE LET THIS THREAD FALL TO PAGE 3!!!! Lamont - should we add it to the Blog section? The "to be continued" bits keep us on edge!

[Spyder Cat]

BUMP

[johnnyg]

Keeping it on the top thread----Waiting for Yazz to report in !jc

[SpyderWolf]

Simply amazing journal and photos to share of your tremendous journey. It took me a while to read everything and get caught up, but it was definitely worth it.

I wish you continued safe travels.

[dave711]

bump... Keep it up Joy... spyder world is really diggin your trip...

[Yazz]

You have done well in capturing Alaksa with your pictures and blog. It has been exciting watching your progress on the trip.

It was great meeting you! The Eklutna Lake was beautiful and the cemetary neat! Thanks for showing us around.

HOW DID WE LET THIS THREAD FALL TO PAGE 3!!!! Lamont - should we add it to the Blog section? The "to be continued" bits keep us on edge!

BUMP

Keeping it on the top thread----Waiting for Yazz to report in !jc

Hi y'all! Thanks for you patience and the bumps!

[Yazz]

Friday, Hubby and I went out for lunch and a tour of the local scenery with akspyderman.

Linda Bartholomew, Dwayne Lee (akspyderman) and me.



We went up a winding road to Eklutna Lake. The unique blue in the lake is caused by glacial silt.



After that we went to Eklutna Historical Park.
http://www.travelalaska.com/Destinat...s/Eklutna.aspx

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. Its still an active church.



Spirit house cemetary.



After coming home from a very inspiring ride, we met more of our family up here. Great people!

[SpyderWolf]

The Spirit House Cemetary looks very interesting. What is the story behind that?

[Yazz]

Early Saturday I went for a fly with my cousin. He's a bush pilot and flies a Cessna 170. Note the front balloon tires.



Flying over muskeg, bog with ajoining lakes.



At the Soldnota Airport. A real Pitts weather vane.



Coming in for a landing on Kalgin Island.



A summer fishing camp on Kalgin Island. They installed a flushing toilet this year.



It was a wonderful day to touch base with my flying side and see a different side of Alaska.

[Yazz]

The Spirit House Cemetary looks very interesting. What is the story behind that?

Glad you asked the question! The Russians were the first outside people to come to Alaska. The Russsian Orthodox Church was trying to meld the Orthodox and Local burial practices.

"The graveyard near the church is an Orthodox Cristian Cemetery. Most of those buried there are Athabascan Indians, along with some Russian people and Yupik Eskimos, and is still in use today. The spirit houses are placed over the grave 40 days after the burial to house the spirit of the deceased and their possessions. The colors of the houses are specific to the families, the red and white is the Alex family, the the blue and silver is the Chilligan family. Blankets are placed on the grave instead of flowers."

[SpyderAnn01]

Very cool.

[BMW]

Glad you got to ride with akspyderman, He's a great guy. I enjoyed the time i spent with him and his wife. neat pics, can't wait for more.

[SpyderWolf]

Glad you asked the question! The Russians were the first outside people to come to Alaska. The Russsian Orthodox Church was trying to meld the Orthodox and Local burial practices.

"The graveyard near the church is an Orthodox Cristian Cemetery. Most of those buried there are Athabascan Indians, along with some Russian people and Yupik Eskimos, and is still in use today. The spirit houses are placed over the grave 40 days after the burial to house the spirit of the deceased and their possessions. The colors of the houses are specific to the families, the red and white is the Alex family, the the blue and silver is the Chilligan family. Blankets are placed on the grave instead of flowers."

That is a really good story, I am glad you got the background on it and were able to explain it for us.

Great pictures of flying around Alaska as well.

[RydeOnThree]

Great trip my wife and I are curious how many mile have you put on so far. Also I am wondering what type of camera hubby is using to take the great pics.

[Yazz]

Very cool.

It is a bit chilly up here for me. Just have to add another layer of clothing. Whats interesting is I have never seen the sun go down. Have been up till midnight, and woken up at 4:00 a.m., there is a twilight, but no real darkness that I've seen. Its easier to get used to than you'd think.

Glad you got to ride with akspyderman, He's a great guy. I enjoyed the time i spent with him and his wife. neat pics, can't wait for more.

If was neat getting to meet akspyderman. He's a wealth of information! The places he took me and Hubby were wonderful!! Also got good tips for rides in the area. He's the go to guy if anyone rides up to Alaska.

That is a really good story, I am glad you got the background on it and were able to explain it for us.

Great pictures of flying around Alaska as well.

Its facinating to see different cultural traditions. There was a very patient priest answering all my questions.

Haven't flown is a long time. A view from the air give a new view of life.

Great trip my wife and I are curious how many mile have you put on so far. Also I am wondering what type of camera hubby is using to take the great pics.

Trip A is used for gas tank mileage, Trip B is total mileage of our trip including Spyderfest runs. We'll pick Spydee up from the dealer this afternoon and will post Trip B mileage then.

Neither of us are hard core into photography. Nor would we take expensive camera equipment with us on the road. A Sony Cyber-shot with 12.1 mega pixels is taking all the pictures.