Topic: Anyone here ridden to Alaska?

[flyin_]

I'm bored at work and dreaming of my trip next year.  I'm planning on riding from Minneapolis to Alaska, up to the Arctic Circle, around for a few days and then back home.  I've got between 2 and 3 weeks. 

This trip will be done on my "other" honda and not the CB...sorry guys

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Save it for year after next and I'm in. That is if you don't mind going with my other "Honda" (2003 Fat Boy) - Doing the Pacific coast next August.

[flyin_]

The pacific coast is great.  I've ridden part of it and have wanted to go back since. 
The big A has to be next year because the wife will most likely be pregnant by then. 
I have a great life...I say no kids till I get my 3 weeks in Alaska on the bike and she says ok

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I didn't have my daughter until I was 46. She's a great kid. They tend to limit what you can do and are expensive however. Besides I wasn't old enough to have kids. My wife wanted more. One is enough. "I'm too old now" at least thats what I tell her. Damn hard to get 3 of us on the bike so I mostly ride by myself. My buddy and I go on a ride every August for 2 weeks. I've put almost 15000 miles on my bike on the last 4 trips. Perhaps you can round up more guys. Post the ride in Upcoming Events.  

[nickjtc]

Only as far as here, Fort St.John, which is Mile 50 on the Alaska Highway. If you plan your route to here carefully you will get to ride through some pretty nice country. I hear that from here on it's a bit boring until you get to the far north.

Pick your travel time carefully. The bugs up north can be pretty ferocious in the summer.

[flyin_]

Thanks for the advice.  I am only in the first phase of planning.  I have the the Milepost which is a great resorce and a few other books. 

Any advice for the "best" time of year would be great.   

[crash]

Any advice for the "best" time of year would be great.   

I also would be interested, as 6 of us from Ontario were thinking about a Yukon trip next year.  I did hear the mosquitoes were the size of small birds 

[nickjtc]

Any advice for the "best" time of year would be great.   

I also would be interested, as 6 of us from Ontario were thinking about a Yukon trip next year.  I did hear the mosquitoes were the size of small birds 

I've asked around the office, among the locals. They say that the bugs start getting bad in June and are at their worst in July or August. Of course those are the best months for heading north! A friend went to Whitehorse one May and found that when it was dry the roads were no problem, but when it rained the unpaved roads ended up like gumbo and the bike looked like it had been repainted in mud brown.

If you pack appropriate bug protection (good repellant, a bug screen for the tent, a wide brimmed hat with a bug cape around the brim etc etc) you will reduce the misery. Or just don't go north at all and stay in my neck of the woods (southern BC) where the bugs are not an issue (except for the splats on the bike) and the roads are the best in North A(hem, hem) for riding. Less of an adventure though, perhaps...?