Alaska 2023

[greiffster]

38 minutes ago, wbw6cos said:

 

 

 I doubt I would try looking over the wall as my head muscle is somehow connected to the handlebar muscle.     

 

 

I kept reminding myself and Nicol that the bike likes to go where you are looking.  A lot of the road has incredibly vertical faces that the video only kind of shows.  The Spyder was going slow.  LOL.

[greiffster]

3 hours ago, taylor1 said:

Mike Thanks for documenting and all the great photo's. Really enjoyed reading and watching your journey. It certainly has me getting excited about a few trips I have in the near future.
You headed far north, and I am heading far south. I just hope I can do as well of a job that you did, with story lines and pics.

 

I find that ride reports get me excited to actually finally get off my butt and make something happen.  That and a little nudge from Alan @Foot and Chris @Chris K and their trip.

 

Looking forward to a RR heading south.

 

[RandyShields]

Really enjoyed your ride report.  Glad Alan and Chris encouraged you to do the ride, but let's not let anyone think they encouraged you to document it, as their report was woefully inadequate.  Some would say non-existent.

 

 

[greiffster]

1 hour ago, RandyShields said:

Really enjoyed your ride report.  Glad Alan and Chris encouraged you to do the ride, but let's not let anyone think they encouraged you to document it, as their report was woefully inadequate.  Some would say non-existent.

 

 

Maybe.   But we appreciated the on-road moral support. 

[szurszewski]

14 hours ago, greiffster said:

The fact you got a Laser up there at all is the real story.  

 

That might be the least interesting part of that story; of the three available cars, the Laser made - by far - the most sense. 

 

13 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

I was thinking the same thing, and it *apparently* made it back, despite ingesting road rock.

 

Your GS is slacking and needs to pick it up!!

 

Made it up (Tacoma, WA -> Haines -> ferry to Sitka -> Haines -> Tacoma) for sure and I'm told it made it back as well, though I never saw it again so I can't say for sure. 

 

Looked just like this 

 

 

Well, it looked just like that *before* the trip....

 

@greiffster

 

Thanks for taking us all along on your trip - I really enjoyed the photos (even if half of them seem to just be you and Nicol drinking...) and I'm very glad plans came together allowing you to do the ride this way. 

[greiffster]

8 minutes ago, szurszewski said:

 

Well, it looked just like that *before* the trip....

 

@greiffster

 

Thanks for taking us all along on your trip - I really enjoyed the photos (even if half of them seem to just be you and Nicol drinking...) and I'm very glad plans came together allowing you to do the ride this way. 

 

A Laser is about the only vehicle we didn't see on the Alcan.  I've never seen so many pick-up truck campers.  I didn't even know they still made those things.

 

I count 8 pics of alcohol.  That seems reasonable.   And just like a TV ad, we're not actually drinking in the pictures.

[Foot]

12 hours ago, RandyShields said:

Really enjoyed your ride report.  Glad Alan and Chris encouraged you to do the ride, but let's not let anyone think they encouraged you to document it, as their report was woefully inadequate.  Some would say non-existent.

 

 

I would describe our trip as the three "E"

Unbridled Excitement

EPIC Scenery

And in the end Exhaustion.

after 10,396.5 miles I was whipped

 

[TEWKS]

57 minutes ago, Foot said:

I would describe our trip as the three "E"

Unbridled Excitement

EPIC Scenery

And in the end Exhaustion.

after 10,396.5 miles I was whipped

 

^
Without pictures… 

 

Think I said it earlier, but thanks again for the ride along, you guys made it look easy! 

[greiffster]

1 hour ago, Foot said:

I would describe our trip as the three "E"

Unbridled Excitement

EPIC Scenery

And in the end Exhaustion.

after 10,396.5 miles I was whipped

 

You guys looked a bit rough by the time you made it to our house. But you played it cool and I wasn’t going to say anything. 

[Dennis Andress]

Well done! Thanks for a great ride report. I have one question, are y’all keeping the Spyder?

[wbw6cos]

4 hours ago, TEWKS said:

^
Without pictures… 

 

Think I said it earlier, but thanks again for the ride along, you guys made it look easy! 

Oh, he has video.   Perhaps he can share a few.  

[greiffster]

4 hours ago, Dennis Andress said:

Well done! Thanks for a great ride report. I have one question, are y’all keeping the Spyder?

This is an excellent question.  The Spyder was bought for this ride with the idea of "lets see how it goes".  I have asked her and haven't got a definitive response.   Which isn't unusual. 

 

I did mention my next bigger ride might be New England and Nova Scotia, maybe next year.  I have a lot of states up in that corner yet to ride.  She seems intrigued.  I don't believe the Spyder is going anywhere yet.  

 

 

[szurszewski]

8 minutes ago, greiffster said:

This is an excellent question.  The Spyder was bought for this ride with the idea of "lets see how it goes".  I have asked her and haven't got a definitive response.   Which isn't unusual. 

 

I did mention my next bigger ride might be New England and Nova Scotia, maybe next year.  I have a lot of states up in that corner yet to ride.  She seems intrigued.  I don't believe the Spyder is going anywhere yet.  

 

 

 

Oh man - you might then have to do ANOTHER ride report...yikes!

[greiffster]

4 minutes ago, szurszewski said:

 

Oh man - you might then have to do ANOTHER ride report...yikes!

 

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  I think I remember your last report and it's been awhile.  

[BrianT]

Thanks for all the ride reports.  Alaska has been one of my bucket list rides, so the pics and stories are like soup for the soul.  The Spyder surviving those roads was very surprising. 

[szurszewski]

54 minutes ago, greiffster said:

 

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  I think I remember your last report and it's been awhile.  

Maybe so, but I'm WAY ahead of you in number of total reports so far. I do admit I'm more likely to post little mini reports over on that other site - mostly here I don't get much feedback and, basically, everything I do is a plea for validation. 

 

 

19 minutes ago, BrianT said:

Thanks for all the ride reports.  Alaska has been one of my bucket list rides, so the pics and stories are like soup for the soul.  The Spyder surviving those roads was very surprising. 

 

What you will notice, when you check off this bucket list item, is ANYTHING can make the trip and, for the most part, the folks that actually live up there and drive the roads as part of their everyday life drive pretty much the same assortment of vehicles you can see anywhere else. Sure a GSA or adventure ready 4Runner might be a more durable choice, but you're just as likely to see some dude on a Sportster or a lady driving a Forte with two kids in the back. 

[greiffster]

2 hours ago, szurszewski said:

Maybe so, but I'm WAY ahead of you in number of total reports so far. I do admit I'm more likely to post little mini reports over on that other site - mostly here I don't get much feedback and, basically, everything I do is a plea for validation. 

 

 

 

Yes WAY, WAY ahead.  

 

[greiffster]

3 hours ago, BrianT said:

Thanks for all the ride reports.  Alaska has been one of my bucket list rides, so the pics and stories are like soup for the soul.  The Spyder surviving those roads was very surprising. 

 

The Spyder is not as delicate a flower as it looks.  Not even close.  I'm not surprised it "survived", but a bit surprised that it thrived.  After breaking the damn thing down for service prior to the trip and getting a lot of advice from Spyderlovers.com, I was confident it would make it.  I added about 4-6 ounces of oil in the middle of the trip and aired up the tires a couple days after we got into Alberta.  About 2 weeks in, I sprayed some WD-40 into the trunk lock as it was sticking from all the Alcan construction.  That's it.  

 

To add to Josh's point... I was amazed at what we saw going up the Alcan, Cassiar, TOTW, Elliot, etc.  Every size of RV and Camper, Class A-C, Diesel pushers, triple-axle fifth wheels, and tons of sprinters and pick-up campers.  (I may have to do another trip up there in some kind of sprinter).  Then how about all the cars, jeeps, and trucks?  And finally, the number of bicyclists blew my mind, and I'm a rider.  We were on the Elliot headed up to the Dalton and we pass this guy on his mountain bike, loaded down with gear.  I say to Nicol, "Where the f**k does this guy think he's going...probably Prudhoe....has he lost his mind?"

 

We talked to a couple on an Alaska bus tour group in Dawson City, that just spent 12 hours going from Fairbanks down the Alcan, up the TOTW, through Chicken, and into Dawson City, that day.  Crazy.

 

Alaska, BC, YK, Alberta...it's all amazing and worth seeing.  Riding up on a moto might be best way to really get "in" to the trip?  But we ride and we're all biased.  The point is go, if you can, however you can.  

[Lone_RT_rider]

That's one of the best ride reports I've seen in a very long time. Great job and thanks for taking the time to share this trip with us! 

 

Oh wait, you're never talking to me again....  

[Foot]

20 hours ago, greiffster said:

 

 finally, the number of bicyclists blew my mind, and I'm a rider.  We were on the Elliot headed up to the Dalton and we pass this guy on his mountain bike, loaded down with gear.  I say to Nicol, "Where the f**k does this guy think he's going...probably Prudhoe....has he lost his mind?

 

We were headed out of Destruction Bay and this big Ol Grizzly is walking out of the tree line on the left. The cheeks on this thing was the size of pie plates. Sure enough coming the other way was two long haul bicyclists. First thing out of my mouth was "Meals on Wheels"

 

[Chris K]

Looks like you and Nicol had a great trip!

Now you get to spend the next 6 months cleaning Alaska from the bikes!

[greiffster]

44 minutes ago, Chris K said:

Looks like you and Nicol had a great trip!

Now you get to spend the next 6 months cleaning Alaska from the bikes!

 frickin' water trucks.

[greiffster]

1 hour ago, Foot said:

We were headed out of Destruction Bay and this big Ol Grizzly is walking out of the tree line on the left. The cheeks on this thing was the size of pie plates. Sure enough coming the other way was two long haul bicyclists. First thing out of my mouth was "Meals on Wheels"

 

We didn't know how big mama was going to act as we rolled by, so we were both ready to grab a handful of throttle.....

 

[Hosstage]

You don't have to outrun the bear, just your riding partner!

[greiffster]

24 minutes ago, Hosstage said:

You don't have to outrun the bear, just your riding partner!

 

I like the safety of a 2016 Spyder RT-S between me and all grizzlies with 3 cubs.  

[Ron-M]

7 hours ago, Lone_RT_rider said:

That's one of the best ride reports I've seen in a very long time. Great job and thanks for taking the time to share this trip with us! 

 

 

I have to agree.  This was ride tale was enjoyable.  I have not seen a ride report like this for a long time.  Thanks Mike. 

[Lowndes]

On 7/11/2023 at 2:56 PM, Chris K said:

Looks like you and Nicol had a great trip!

Now you get to spend the next 6 months cleaning Alaska from the bikes!

Or just buy a new one.

[greiffster]

On 7/14/2023 at 7:37 PM, Lowndes said:

Or just buy a new newer one.

 

[Indy Dave]

1 hour ago, greiffster said:

 

 

 

Yup... just get a lil newer.... like this here. ....Once you go triple black....

 

[BamaJohn]

On 7/9/2023 at 10:13 AM, greiffster said:

Our idea was to try and get some permits for GTTSR a couple days before we were there as they release some every morning and they are valid for 3 days.  If it wasn't to be, then we'd simply go after 3pm when a permit is not needed. 

 

We did actually get a couple permits about 2 days prior.  But we had a decent ride to get there from Radium and weren't going to get to the west entrance until the afternoon anyway.  All this to say....Don't miss it.  However you need to get in there, do it.  It's worth it even with the usual NP crowds these days.

 

We actually went in the lesser known west entrance on Camas Rd.  I didn't know about the 11 miles of dusty gravel road on N. Fork Rd. to get there.  But hey, we're pros by now.  Gravel?  pfft.

 

 

 

  

 

Riding the Beartooth Pass a few days ago, in high winds on areas with no guard rail and endless drop off's, I hugged the center line whenever possible!  

[EdM]

On 7/9/2023 at 9:13 AM, greiffster said:

Our idea was to try and get some permits for GTTSR a couple days before we were there as they release some every morning and they are valid for 3 days.  If it wasn't to be, then we'd simply go after 3pm when a permit is not needed. 

 

We did actually get a couple permits about 2 days prior.  But we had a decent ride to get there from Radium and weren't going to get to the west entrance until the afternoon anyway.  All this to say....Don't miss it.  However you need to get in there, do it.  It's worth it even with the usual NP crowds these days.

 

We actually went in the lesser known west entrance on Camas Rd.  I didn't know about the 11 miles of dusty gravel road on N. Fork Rd. to get there.  But hey, we're pros by now.  Gravel?  pfft.

 

 

 

  

 

 

Being fortunate to live just a couple hours and a border crossing away, I've ridden Logan pass several times over the years. I agree it's a must do at least once in a riding career. I don't feel I need to bother going through the hassle of trying to get the permit to do it ever again. We did make a ride through just last fall after the permit period was over. It was still crazy busy compared to what it used to be like. I can recall some trips over early in the morning when hardly another vehicle was on the road.