Proof God Loves Dualsports

 

Making The Return Trip

Did you know that Norway is closer to the United States at Prudhoe Bay than Red Wing, Minnesota? True dat, it's a fact. Anyway, a few from the start of the return back this way.

What? More From The End of the Road?

Sure, why not? More current photos from the bitter end of the Dalton Highway. We'll keep 'em coming as long as there is wifi connections up that way. And our stickers? Yep, we left many behind.

Spanning the Globe

Our crew made it to the Artic Circle and beyond. It was a balmy 40-degrees up there. A few shots along the Dalton Highway and the upper edge of Alaska, where one can travel no further.

Meanwhile, In Alaska.....

 More pictures from up there....

Meanwhile, At the SPAM Museum

 Stooopid pictures from a ride to Austin.... And, yes, there is a motorcycle there.

Alaska Road Notes, Part 2

The only place place in Watson Lake that serves breakfast opens at 8am, the signpost forest office opens at 0830, and it was a short day to Whitehorse so we took our time getting going. I downloaded a couple podcasts and then inexplicably the hotel Internet stopped working. And i had no cell signal either. Odd.

At breakfast there was a sign that we had party with cash; but we used a credit card last night?

Luckily the signpost forest office ( https://www.watsonlake.ca/p/sign-post-forest ) had a couple nails so we were able hang our sign near the bottom of a pole on the north side and feed the local mosquito population as well. It was interesting ... they swarmed in the shade of the trees, and the black flies swarmed in the sunlight. Our hotel window screen had about 15 skeeters trying to get at our sweet sweet blood.

We found the only pay at the pump but they only accepted cash. We put $20 CAD into each bike (all we had) and hit the road. 

We didn't go far before our next wildlife sighting, a large fox sauntering down the road. The sky was brown from the wildfires north of us. In Teslin we gassed up - they took credit cards, but there was decent line at the pump. We passed Oliver (a Slovenian and his dog), pushing his three-wheeled carriage towards Anchorage. The fact that I know that about him illustrates how small our world is, despite the distances involved. There are very few roads up here so what few people there are talk about what they see. Oliver was sighted by the travelers we met in Dease Lake, and also Jamie wrote about him in Liard Hot Springs a few weeks ago. 

We regained our cell signals west of Teslin, but still no data (i.e. Internet) was available. 

In Whitehorse we took stock of Marks' rear tire and decided to ride it to Anchorage, about 1000 miles away. He hasn't yet worn through the outer layer of rubber ... after that he has cords to wear through. There might be a spare tire in Tok (there is a tire changer there) and we'll assess the situation again there.

In Whitehorse we grabbed some dinner and beer ... paying cash because there's no internet. Apparently someone cut the only fibre cable to the east.

About 10km east of Whitehorse there is a new Yukon Motorcycle Camp where they have tent-cabins. We stayed there and met fellow two-wheeled travelers ... One from the Netherlands, two from Utah. And magically, the internet started working again. 

Putin Is a No Show in Alaska

 But the trip continues. A pile o' photos from Alaska. And some road notes, too....

So far the trip has been about equipment failure. Last week my nine year old helmet fell apart. I had been planning on replacing it but couldn't find a good replacement for it, as Bell changed their head shapes in 2015 or so. So now I was forced to buy something and the best fit was a $600 shoei. However, after two hours it develops a painful hot spot on the top of my head, and no time to go find other helmets, I shave down some styrofoam to make it work, and it doesn't buffet with my short shield (not tested with tall shield). Ok helmet works, but not as well as the cheap Bell; the sheild won't stay open on the first detent, it grabs the wind when I turn my head, it fogs up incessantly (but does have a pinlock visor), strap digs into my adams apple (so I don't snug down as much) etc. But it'll do. 

I had installed a Shinko 705 rear tire to get me to Anchorage where we'll put on new tires (about 4000 miles). Other than construction we weren't planning any gravel prior to Anchorage, then we'll have fresh tractor tires for the Dalton and to get home. So I figured, if I was going to throw away half a tire, it'll be a cheap (~$150) Shinko. From past experience they wear like iron and stick fine in the dry but I need to careful in the wet. But on Tuesday I looked at, with 1500 miles on it, and it seemed noticeably worn. Sure enough, it had gone from 6.08mm to 3.88mm in 1500 miles. That will never get me to AK. So I installed a Dunlop mission trail with 6000 miles on it which still had 5mm or tread left. It will get to Anchorage, but it will be near bald, which is what I wanted to avoid. Oh well, better than wearing through cords.

Final Round of Walt Ride 2022 Pix

More posted tomorrow from Alaska adventure, which is still in progress. Or, whenever I get off my dead ass to post stuff. They don't pay me enough to work that hard. Otherwise, this is the final-final of Walt Ride 2022 unless I find stoopid stuff that I missed.

Hillclimb Action, Right Here, Bub

A few from yesterday's AMA's Super Series at the Valley Spring's Motorcycle Club grounds in Bay City, WI.