To Alaska and Back...

[Dragonrider]

Yazz, every time I've been on a ferry, they put me first on, first off. Did they make you wait with the cars, or motorcycles???

 

[Yazz]

I hope you enjoy smooth sailing. I'm looking forward to your pictures of the voyage.

We had great sailing! The further north we came the better the weather.

Watch out for those trucks and flying gravel. It can be real painful when the trucks fly by.

We have The Mile Post. When a semi comes by, they recommend stopping you bike and hunkering behind it. Think Spydee will have great proctection that way...

+1 And be wary of riding on the gravel in general. Two friends of mine, brothers, did an Alaska ride two years ago on their Spyders after attending the LA owners event. One lost control on the loose gravel (and poor road conditions) and went off the road. He was really banged up and the Spyder was wrecked. He had to be airlifted to a hospital after he was picked up by a passing motorist and driven to the closest town.

Hope your friends is mended up now. Learned how slippery and treacherous gravel can be going through the construction zone. Never fly faster than your Guardian Angles. :doorag:

Yazz,

Love the pics and information. If you are going to be coming thru Cuba on your return trip let me know and I will try to ride down and spend a few hours with you. Be safe, have fun and enjoy.

Think we will be high-tailing it back home. Looking forward to meeting you again next year! :thumbup:

The Alcan Highway can be dangerous if the rider is not careful. It is mostly paved now and you only run into gravel sections where the road is being repaired. There is not much traffic on the road where you will be--we saw a car about every 20 minutes in that section last July. You should be all right on your trip.

On the ferry, more than one person said 'the Haines Highway through Canada has lots of frost heaves. Watch your speed.' Going to take their advice as practice for the Alcan.

All that Cuba stuff can drop to the back pages - this needs to stay at the top of the stack!!!! :chat:

Thanks for the bump!

:agree: here it comes.

Y'all are too good! :2thumbs:

we were all talking about this thread the other day here in Los Angeles. Faran had been checking it out too, and we were talking about your riding through the snow. I'm gonna remember the tip about looking for the drops of rain in the puddles.

Think the invisible rain is a Northwestern thing? Maybe not? Glad y'all are enjoying the trip!

Been checking on your Thread everyday. Thanks for sharing with us.

Be watching and reading. Have fun :2thumbs:

We're having a hoot! Glad you're on the trip with us! :clap:

We really enjoyed our meet'n'greet'n'eat with all of you! Our pic didn't turn out very well, hope yours is better! And make sure Jeff keeps an eye on his rear tire!! And no gambling on the ferry!:joke:
Brad and Pat

It was great meeting y'all too! Maybe you can use our picture of all of us somehow? Going to keep a stink-eye on Jeff's rear tire. Spooky scary!! Only lost one dollar on the ferry. It was for a good cause. :roflblack:

Yazz you just made my day seeing you in your spyderfest cap!!!! stop by on your way home and we will....I will take care of your service on your spyder if its ready:thumbup: ryde safe love all the pic's

Some fashion diva's helped me pick out that hat! It has many good memories and gathering more along the way. :2thumbs:

 

[JimAlpha]

Thanks for taking the time to post on your great journey. I enjoy the updates. Have a safe trip. :clap:

 

[Raptor]

BUMP! To top of the stack this thread goes! I'm in awe just reading this, so I'm not gonna say much of anything! I want to live vicariously through their eyes!

Ride on, Y'all! :bowdown:

 

[Florida girl]

Glad to hear your Ferry ride was a good one. Happy to hear your weather is

better! :clap: I really look forward to checking in here every night to see how

your trip is going! opcorn: It's fun living this trip through you!!! Today I

was stopped at a store and someone stopped me to talk about my :spyder2:.

They are considering purchasing one and wanted to know all about the bike

and how it was to travel long distances on it. As an new owner of only about

8 weeks, I told them I didn't have too much experience with that but gave

them the Spyder Lovers site and told them to check it out and that we had

one member doing an Alaska trip as well as other members traveling all

over the country! Who knows, :dontknow: maybe we will see that couple at

a Spyderfest some day! :yes: :yes: :yes:

 

[Yazz]

Bellingham, WA to Haines AK via ferry...

We're in Haines this afternoon. Glad to be back on three wheels!

We went into the Maw of Malaspina where we tied down the bikes. Spydee needed only to be set in first gear and the parking break. The trailer needed tie-downs.

We went down the many hallways to our room. Did I tell you I get lost easy?

Our room. Delux accomodations!

Don't forget the other facilities... All Ensuite... Nothing but the best!

Epicurean delight. Actually, the short order cook was awesome!

The backpackers bedroom. The Solarium. There were heaters in the ceiling.

 

[ARtraveler]

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.

 

[Yazz]

Views from the ferry...

People say that the view from the ferry is only a taste of what is yet to come.

From the forward bow...

Going through a 'gut.'

Another one we could'nt pass up.

There were so many awesome views, we ran out our camera battery twice in one day...

 

[ARtraveler]

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

 

[Yazz]

From Kitchikan to Haines, AK

Met many neat people on the ferry. Got great advice.

We changed ferries in Kitchikan. We were told thats where the Totem Pole Forest was.

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totembgh.htm

It was very humbling. A traditional Log House.

A 'Child's Story Totem Pole.'

Got back on the Columbia Ferry and witnessed a magical evening.

Chugged another night on the ferry and arrived in Haines. The people who say the ferry was just an appetizer were right!

 

[Yazz]

Thanks for taking the time to post on your great journey. I enjoy the updates. Have a safe trip. :clap:

Glad you're along on the trip!

BUMP! To top of the stack this thread goes! I'm in awe just reading this, so I'm not gonna say much of anything! I want to live vicariously through their eyes!

Ride on, Y'all! :bowdown:

Thanks for the bump. One of these days, you're going to be in a magical place too! Its never too late. :thumbup:

Glad to hear your Ferry ride was a good one. Happy to hear your weather is

better! :clap: I really look forward to checking in here every night to see how

your trip is going! opcorn: It's fun living this trip through you!!! Today I

was stopped at a store and someone stopped me to talk about my :spyder2:.

They are considering purchasing one and wanted to know all about the bike

and how it was to travel long distances on it. As an new owner of only about

8 weeks, I told them I didn't have too much experience with that but gave

them the Spyder Lovers site and told them to check it out and that we had

one member doing an Alaska trip as well as other members traveling all

over the country! Who knows, :dontknow: maybe we will see that couple at

a Spyderfest some day! :yes: :yes: :yes:

Strange thing on the ferries. The workers, who had access to the car holding area, were asking us all sorts of questions about the Spyder. Think the word spread throughout the workers. I answer the questions as patiently and thoroughly as possible.

Get used to being a Rock Star!hyea:

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.

Plan on taking our time going through to Tok. It makes it easier that it's 10:36 pm and still light out. Don't have to worry about getting stuck in the dark on the road as much.:thumbup:

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

Don't know where that is, but Elias is my Grandpa's name. Think if I treat them kindly, they'll treat me kindly.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

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.

 

[dltang]

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.

 

[BMW]

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

 

[DynamoBT]

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!!!

 

[flamingobabe]

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

 

[RTGENE]

Information you can get along without.

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

 

[ARtraveler]

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.

 

[krs2fer]

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...

 

[Spyder Cat]

Wow! :bowdown: 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. :yes::yes::yes:
:shemademe_smilie: and, I'm blaming it all on you :roflblack: :roflblack:

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

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