To Alaska and Back...

[jedd]

Joy & Jeff I can't thank or congratulate you two enough for the great journal of your ryde and the accomplishment of a lifetime. My jealousy has be replaced now with a deep admiration of your outstanding dedication.
:firstplace:
:2thumbs:
:congrats:

Welcome home and Thanks for the Ryde

Jim:thumbup:

 

[Yazz]

Thanks for sharing your great ride with all of us - it made for a group ride, where you didn't have to put up with dealing with other riders!! Best of all worlds for everyone!

I've always found that having one or two other bikes on a long ride is, by far, the best way to tour - having any more, adds too many issues and diminishes the pleasure of the trip. (JMHO)

Glad you're home safe.

Over the years, we've seen packs of ten or more riders on road trips. Usually one or more are eating the fuzzy end of the lolly-pop. Not fun!

Hubby and I are riding buddies. He's the navigator and I'm the pace setter. Together we're a great team and like it that way.

This has been a fun group ride! Always knew Y'all were along with us.

Jeff & Joy I know your glad to be HOME. Rest well & look forward to meeting you again some day. :congrats::2thumbs::clap:

Thanks so much for all the good info! We used the Spot every night to tell Son where we were and that we were safe. It was peace of mind for all of us.

Looking forward to seeing you again. :thumbup:

Joy & Jeff I can't thank or congratulate you two enough for the great journal of your ryde and the accomplishment of a lifetime. My jealousy has be replaced now with a deep admiration of your outstanding dedication.
:firstplace:
:2thumbs:
:congrats:

Welcome home and Thanks for the Ryde

Jim:thumbup:

We've always loved our road trips! Just decided to stretch our wings a little this time.

Thanks for the Welcome Home. It was nice to have you on the Ryde! :2thumbs:

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Well now that you guys are home safe and sound I'll have to go back to reading my girlfriends blog about living on their sailboat. I'll miss reading your story and looking at all the great pictures. Thanks for sharing your trip with all of us.

 

[waytootall67]

Maybe your plate is nailed to a post at the sign post forest in Watson Lake!

 

[Yazz]

Well now that you guys are home safe and sound I'll have to go back to reading my girlfriends blog about living on their sailboat. I'll miss reading your story and looking at all the great pictures. Thanks for sharing your trip with all of us.

You can always re-read the road trip?:joke:

Thanks for being a part of our ride!

Maybe your plate is nailed to a post at the sign post forest in Watson Lake!

:agree::roflblack::roflblack:

When we got to the sign post forest, we though long and hard about leaving something nailed up there. The fact of the matter is, I needed at least a trailer license plate to make me look semi-official.

 

[cjackg]

We made a 15k mi road trip from FL to Alaska & back with a Truck & 5thWh Camper in 1999 and your Road stories bring back a lot of memories.
I sure would like to do it on a Spyder now...

 

[Yazz]

We made a 15k mi road trip from FL to Alaska & back with a Truck & 5thWh Camper in 1999 and your Road stories bring back a lot of memories.
I sure would like to do it on a Spyder now...

From Florida and back! Wow!! Bet we traveled alot of the same roads up north.


Its a whole different view on a Spyder. Think you'll like it! :2thumbs:

 

[AnthonyG]

To Joy and Jeff
Who knew we had such "famous" neighbors right next door (Wagon Wheel) at Spyderfest! Thanks for all the pics and stories...it was great following along all these weeks...Welcome Home:2thumbs:
Rick and Amy

 

[Florida girl]

So happy to hear you arrived home safe and sound but so sad that the trip has ended! I enjoyed reading about your trip every night! opcorn: You had some fabulous stories to tell! :2thumbs: I also loved seeing your pictures and lived the trip through both of you. What a fantastic experience! :thumbup: Thank you so much for taking us on your journey through your posts here. So many of us have loved reading every word!!! :doorag:

 

[Phil]

Welcome home--- to heat central!!

I like what someone said ( one thing Tapatalk doesn't allow is seeing other posts while you are posting so I forget who said it).....
Via your posts we all were permitted to RYDE along with you. We hope we were all polite company. I know we were like the readers of Will Rogers column from years gone by, waiting each day for news about your newest adventures!!
Go to bed for a couple of days.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

 

[Yol Bolsun]

Yazz,

Having driven the Al-Can(in a Jeep Sport) (2x dn, 1x up) I enjoyed your travels. Spent four days in Watson Lake waiting for a part (only to have the wrong one ordered/delivered/installed). Got to Fort St. John and had correct part installed. Second time, had to have tire and tie-rod replaced in Edmonton.

Would still go back a dryve/ryde it again. The beauty of scenery, the wildlife observed and the colours should be experienced by all.

Thank you and yours for helping us (SWMBO and I) re-experience the venture.

 

[Trickie Dick]

Thanks for taking us along on your great journey. The pictures were great as was the narrative. Welcome home.

 

[Bootie]

Alaska

Yazz,

Having driven the Al-Can(in a Jeep Sport) (2x dn, 1x up) I enjoyed your travels. Spent four days in Watson Lake waiting for a part (only to have the wrong one ordered/delivered/installed). Got to Fort St. John and had correct part installed. Second time, had to have tire and tie-rod replaced in Edmonton.

Would still go back a dryve/ryde it again. The beauty of scenery, the wildlife observed and the colours should be experienced by all.

Thank you and yours for helping us (SWMBO and I) re-experience the venture.

I took the plunge and went from Ohio to Alaska and back on my Harley Sportster back in 2007. I loved seeing/hearing lots of familiar sites and sounds. Watson Lake, Ft. St. John, Whitehorse are all familiar to me. Keith, I would love to go back and am thinking about doing it on my Spyder this time. Maybe we should discuss it.
I missed you at Maggie Valley. I saw your scoot but I never saw you.

 

[Yazz]

To Joy and Jeff
Who knew we had such "famous" neighbors right next door (Wagon Wheel) at Spyderfest! Thanks for all the pics and stories...it was great following along all these weeks...Welcome Home:2thumbs:
Rick and Amy

There were many Spyder celebrities at Spyderfest. It was nice getting to meet with Y'all!

Thanks for going on the ride with us.

So happy to hear you arrived home safe and sound but so sad that the trip has ended! I enjoyed reading about your trip every night! opcorn: You had some fabulous stories to tell! :2thumbs: I also loved seeing your pictures and lived the trip through both of you. What a fantastic experience! :thumbup: Thank you so much for taking us on your journey through your posts here. So many of us have loved reading every word!!! :doorag:

I'm kinda sad the ride is over too. But Hubby has to get back to work. :gaah:

We always knew we weren't alone on this ride. Y'all were with us too!

Welcome home--- to heat central!!

I like what someone said ( one thing Tapatalk doesn't allow is seeing other posts while you are posting so I forget who said it).....
Via your posts we all were permitted to RYDE along with you. We hope we were all polite company. I know we were like the readers of Will Rogers column from years gone by, waiting each day for news about your newest adventures!!
Go to bed for a couple of days.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

Oh geeze, that was one Hot day!

Just want to put in here that in our neck of the woods it didn't rain the whole time we were on the road. The day after we got home, there was a long soaking rain. We like to think we brought the rain home with us!

Y'all are great riding buddies! Best group road trip ever!! :2thumbs:

Yazz,

Having driven the Al-Can(in a Jeep Sport) (2x dn, 1x up) I enjoyed your travels. Spent four days in Watson Lake waiting for a part (only to have the wrong one ordered/delivered/installed). Got to Fort St. John and had correct part installed. Second time, had to have tire and tie-rod replaced in Edmonton.

Would still go back a dryve/ryde it again. The beauty of scenery, the wildlife observed and the colours should be experienced by all.

Thank you and yours for helping us (SWMBO and I) re-experience the venture.

Watson Lake would be a great place for some down days! Could have spent a day at least wandering around in the Forest of Signs.

The Al-Can is a road we would love to do again. The views are totally different on a Spyder.

Glad we could stir up great memories! :thumbup:

Thanks for taking us along on your great journey. The pictures were great as was the narrative. Welcome home.

Happy you were on the ride with us! Hubby has turned into quite the photographer. :shemademe_smilie:

Thanks for the welcome home!

 

[1stfan]

Great following your journey and to meet and chat w/you in Bellingham. Some adventure you had.:doorag:

 

[Yazz]

Great following your journey and to meet and chat w/you in Bellingham. Some adventure you had.:doorag:

It was so wild crossing paths on the street like that! It was a real pleasure getting to meeting you!:2thumbs:

You were part of our adventure too.:doorag:

 

[gypsy_100]

Just finished reading all 16 pages of your AK trip. Well done and well documented. I can't say any more than the superlatives already heaped upon you.

One nagging question -- did you ever find out the cause of the belt problem? Bearings? All the dust and dirt you went through?

Great adventure -- keep up the good work!

 

[Yazz]

Just finished reading all 16 pages of your AK trip. Well done and well documented. I can't say any more than the superlatives already heaped upon you.

One nagging question -- did you ever find out the cause of the belt problem? Bearings? All the dust and dirt you went through?

Great adventure -- keep up the good work!

Good question! When we got to the Dealership in Calgary, first thing they said was bad bearings or a rock. After looking at the damaged belt, they decided it wasn't a rock. No cuts on the band of the belt. Also SpyderPops Missing Belt Guard had been installed before the trip. :bowdown:

Got back to Texas and took Spydee in for her 24k. Told them about the stripped belt and take a careful look at the bearings. The bearing were good.

Only thing left is to consider pilot error. I'm an aggressive ryder. Loved cutting the curves going up and down the mountains pulling the trailer. Caught good air going through the frost heaves outside of Deception Bay. Going up the Dalton, ground up gravel covered hills that felt almost vertical, also went over wash-board sections that made my gut ache. Put Spydee through her paces and then some.

The fact that the only real issue on the trip was the belt is a plus in my book. BRP was very gracious in warranting the belt.

Still finding rocks in the darnedest places...

 

[gypsy_100]

The fact that the only real issue on the trip was the belt is a plus in my book. BRP was very gracious in warranting the belt.

Still finding rocks in the darnedest places...

Couldn't agree more. Thanks for the response. I know all about the rocks. I rode thru a "grasshopper" storm in Nevada on my 'Wing. Two years later I was still pulling grasshoppers out of nooks and crannies. Some well fried ones, too.

 

[ARtraveler]

I just finished re-reading this travel blog from Yazz and their trip from Texas to Alaska and beyond. This is one of the best blogs I have seen on Spyder Lovers. The pictures are totally worth seeing, even though the blog is now 10 years old.

We met up with Yazz again this year when we went to the Hot Springs Spyder Rally in Arkansas. We did another half day ride one more time. It was great to see our friend from the past.