Alaska Trip Preparation

[EricV]

Hose clamps. Good for a million uses.

LOL. I don't use them for hoses any more.

Those were all over my turbo Miata back in the day. 20 psi of boost needed a bit more than a std hose clamp. :-\

I used commercial sign post clamps for my wife's fuel cell. Mo' better. Last long time. Passed IBR tech inspection too. ;D

 

[Tenerester]

Thanks Eric. ::008::

 

[outdoorsntn]

Tenerester: I like your fuel can too and where you mounted it. I've been scratching my head for awhile on if I would need one and where I'd put one if I decided I'd need one. This convinced me to get one and I just ordered what you have for a ride to Deadhorse in 2018. Thx.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Here's another fuel carrying option. We've used them for years on BMWs and they work well....

https://bestrestproducts.com/product-category/pegpacker/

 

[Tenerester]

Tenerester: I like your fuel can too and where you mounted it. I've been scratching my head for awhile on if I would need one and where I'd put one if I decided I'd need one. This convinced me to get one and I just ordered what you have for a ride to Deadhorse in 2018. Thx.

Thanks. Good luck with the trip preparation.

 

[dietDrThunder]

If the heat controller came with your TM gear, and is less than three years old, it is the redesigned one, and should be fine. I had (2) of the older ones fail, and then the 'new' one came out a few years ago, and I've been using it ever since with no problems. the old one and the newer one look exactly the same, so there is no way yo tell just by appearance. If it's less than 3 years old, it's the new one. This is not to be confused with the rectangular bodied newer one that you can get from other vendors' it is also a good controller.

 

[Tenerester]

I bought the TM heated vest just 3 months ago and it came with a dual controller.

 

[Al-n2it]

Do I need to put my tent in a dry bag for my upcoming trip to AK. I have dry bags for sleeping bag and clothes, but do i need one for the tent?
The thing is going to be getting wet as soon as I take it out of the bag, is there something i haven't thought of?
Allen

 

[OldRider]

The only thing else I can add about an Alaska trip is that the roads will be BETTER than you expect from reading on the internet. A rider on a street bike with wore out shocks will almost die on a road that an S10 or a GS will fly down wide open. Respect the roads, but don't fear them.

 

[Cycledude]

Do I need to put my tent in a dry bag for my upcoming trip to AK. I have dry bags for sleeping bag and clothes, but do i need one for the tent?
The thing is going to be getting wet as soon as I take it out of the bag, is there something i haven't thought of?
Allen

I bought a dry bag from Cabalas that's big enough for my 20 below sleeping bag, tent, air mattress and a few other things. For me it has worked great on 2 Alaska trips, I use Rok straps bought from Aerostich to tie it down on the back seat using the passenger grab handles and it has always stayed perfectly in place, nothing has ever got wet at all. Clothes I store in a duffel bag in the left saddlebag.

 

[snakebitten]

You can never err making the successful effort to stay dry when wet would be miserable.

The only reason not to make the effort is the unwillingness to take the extra time that might be required. Right?

One of the wisest old men I ever knew advised once: "Ruthlessly remove all hurry from your life"

 

[Pterodactyl]

The only thing else I can add about an Alaska trip is that the roads will be BETTER than you expect from reading on the internet. A rider on a street bike with wore out shocks will almost die on a road that an S10 or a GS will fly down wide open. Respect the roads, but don't fear them.

Roads? Try to remember that almost 700,000 people live in Alaska. They drive mini-vans, Mazda Miatas and 7 Series BMWs. Hell, when I lived there they even had indoor plumbing (mostly), Jehovah Witness folks going door to door and pizza delivery, and all that civilized living takes roads. Spent a fair amount of time in Barrow and some other Inupiat towns and villages. Hard for some to grasp that Barrow is the HQs for a billion dollar corporation (Arctic Slope Regional Corp.) offering global communications and security services, and they still find time to hunt whales in skin boats, but they don't have any roads that go anywhere other than right back to Barrow. I'd estimate a couple of hundred people ride to Alaska on Harleys every year and some go to Deadhorse. I saw two 70 something ladies ride to Deadhorse and back 2-up on a Vespa and a guy from Tennessee got a speeding ticket just south of Deadhorse while riding a Goldwing and pulling a trailer. Was doing 70 MPH in a 35 zone; yup, even the haul road has speed limits and Troopers to enforce them. Alaska has roads, takes US dollars and isn't quite at the end of world.... at the end of the road.... well ya. ::025::

 

[OldRider]

Roads? Try to remember that almost 700,000 people live in Alaska. They drive mini-vans, Mazda Miatas and 7 Series BMWs. Hell, when I lived there they even had indoor plumbing (mostly), Jehovah Witness folks going door to door and pizza delivery, and all that civilized living takes roads. Spent a fair amount of time in Barrow and some other Inupiat towns and villages. Hard for some to grasp that Barrow is the HQs for a billion dollar corporation (Arctic Slope Regional Corp.) offering global communications and security services, and they still find time to hunt whales in skin boats, but they don't have any roads that go anywhere other than right back to Barrow. I'd estimate a couple of hundred people ride to Alaska on Harleys every year and some go to Deadhorse. I saw two 70 something ladies ride to Deadhorse and back 2-up on a Vespa and a guy from Tennessee got a speeding ticket just south of Deadhorse while riding a Goldwing and pulling a trailer. Was doing 70 MPH in a 35 zone; yup, even the haul road has speed limits and Troopers to enforce them. Alaska has roads, takes US dollars and isn't quite at the end of world.... at the end of the road.... well ya. ::025::

I don't quite understand your reply to my post ???

 

[Pterodactyl]

Not really a response directly to your post, more like inspired by. You just got me thinking about how the idea of riding to AK has taken on a mystique that is removed from reality in many ways. Not disparaging those that aspire to make the ride, it is truly a great ride, but is not the test that it is often portrayed to be.

 

[OldRider]

Not really a response directly to your post, more like inspired by. You just got me thinking about how the idea of riding to AK has taken on a mystique that is removed from reality in many ways. Not disparaging those that aspire to make the ride, it is truly a great ride, but is not the test that it is often portrayed to be.

Ok now I understand. Goes along with what I said about the roads being better than one will hear.

The strangest thing I experienced while in AK was the night we got back into Fairbanks from Deadhorse. After we unloaded the bikes my riding buddie went on in the motel to get a shower and I went looking for some food. It was around 1-2 am and although it was daylight, the city was deserted. It was like one of those movies where all the people have disappeared and you're the only one left. I finally found a 24hr. Wendys and grabbed a sack full of burgers & fries and headed back to the room.

 

[Tenerester]

Do I need to put my tent in a dry bag for my upcoming trip to AK. I have dry bags for sleeping bag and clothes, but do i need one for the tent?
The thing is going to be getting wet as soon as I take it out of the bag, is there something i haven't thought of?
Allen

Yes it's advisable to have the tent and tarp in a separate dry bag as these are most likely to get wet in case of a downpour in the night.
I intend carrying all my camping gear in a WP duffle bag for the convenience of opening just one bag when camping. The tent and tarp will always remain in a dry bag so that other items don't get wet. This said, I do not intend camping in the rain unless it is unavoidable.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Great thread. The wife and I are planning our first ride to Alaska this year. So much research to do.

The US Army ruined camping for both to us, so we are strictly hotel/motel travelers. I was encouraged to see EricV say reservations were not necessary. We tend to get a bit ornery when we have to be some place. Much happier when we wing it for the nightly accommodations.

 

[EricV]

Great thread. The wife and I are planning our first ride to Alaska this year. So much research to do.

The US Army ruined camping for both to us, so we are strictly hotel/motel travelers. I was encouraged to see EricV say reservations were not necessary. We tend to get a bit ornery when we have to be some place. Much happier when we wing it for the nightly accommodations.

I would add that getting into the routine of deciding where you will land for the night around noon, then calling ahead to reserve a room is a good method to ensure you have a spot. This does require some time, (and wifi), and you don't get to check out the hotels in person before you book the room though. Most of the places we went, we would have been ok finding a room when we stopped for the day. A couple, like Haines Jct., if we hadn't booked well ahead, we would either have been in a dump, or it would have added significantly to the day's miles to go to the next town. Be aware of where your next likely place is if everything is booked and act accordingly.

 

[snakebitten]

I'm betting there are many more ways than 1 to do an "Alaska Trip"

I've read a few Ride Reports. A few by the very inmates on this forum.

It appears to me that you can choose as much "adventure" in the trip as you desire.
There's eemsreno style on one end of the spectrum, and "They drive mini-vans, Mazda Miatas and 7 Series BMWs" on the other.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I would add that getting into the routine of deciding where you will land for the night around noon, then calling ahead to reserve a room is a good method to ensure you have a spot. This does require some time, (and wifi), and you don't get to check out the hotels in person before you book the room though.

That's our normal process. I see there are some pretty big gaps in our T-Mobile data coverage between Jasper to Fairbanks. On most trips we could find something like a McDonalds to get WiFi. Curious if there are similar opportunities for WiFi in that region of no phone data coverage.