Bug Murderers Assault Alaska! (with some time-lapse)

Here lies a tale of assorted scooter trash on their assault to Alaska. My personal goal was to put a boot in the Arctic Ocean, but I got a little more than that




The tale starts in Portland, Oregon with an invitation by Biermeister brauhausbier to tag along with him on his 2nd attempt at Prudoe Bay; his first attempt being thwarted by snow at Atigan Pass a few years ago.




Joining us for part of the trip would be Wild Man Forrest, doing his last leg on a multi-month 4-corners trip, with AK being the 5th corner.




Intersecting our departure was the fascinating Ms. Chiff, who was heading down California way and on to West Fest, despite my best efforts to convince her that riding to Alaska with us would be far more exciting.




Another one of my goals was to film the entire trip with time-lapse. Between 3 cameras I managed to take over 9,200 pictures (and because of that, this trip report will be painfully slow to compose). One picture taken every 10 seconds. The time-lapse was only partially successful however. One problem was bugs:




And another was vibration (ferchrissakes, I mounted the camera on the handlebars of a KTM 640, what did I expect?) :huh




And finally the Rube-Goldberg mount, eh, she assploded.




Ok, I really have to get back to work now but I am going to put so many pictures up that you will want to vomit, and some other details about the trip perhaps not found in other AK trip reports. Hang in there, I'll be back!

...can't wait, bring on the bug-crusted time lapse.

Stihrigg told me to watch for this one!

looking forward to the report!!

Awwww sheeite.

I've been looking forward to this..... started chuckling at photo #2, and figure I only have 9,198 to go. And between the three of you - this will be a good one.

Subscription - check.
Popcorn - - check.

Anything to discourage me from writing up a report on the lame by comparison trip I just got back from, eh?

Glad you all made it back in one piece.

Brauhausbier - First batches of brewed in UT all grain beer are kegged. Your expert advice and ingredient help are much appreciated. My best ever.

Now make with the entertainment.

Looking forward to this one.

Dude, it's been an hour and a half where's the next installment?

Ok, ok... I'll give up a work break for you then.
My most oft' repeated phrase: "I only have half a brain, and it's full."
My newest phrase - "ass maintenence", as in keeping your self reasonably clean. Got that one from a Marine, of course. His identity to be revealed later.

"ass maintenence" - I'm afraid to ask...

+1

Yeah! How far'd ya get??? Swimming in the Artic? Show that first. I'm gonna drink it dry next summer!

Ass maintenance? You fixed yourself?
Just kidding dawg. Can't wait to see some pics and hear about this gnarly waitress you tagged. You sure she wasn't just a bigfoot?

Having just returned home from the PDX meet-up(see PNW in regional), and hearing some stories face to face, this should be a very good report. I can’t wait to see some of the pictures that relate to what I’ve heard.

OK, drrags get on it.

Yer one of those guys that reads the magazines from the last page forward, aren't ya. Are you sure you're ready for this? Ok, here's a teaser!



At least you'll know when you should skip ahead later

Dood! You know I don't kiss and tell!
Yeah, I'd like to come off as a hero and all, but there was no "tagging". She was a cutie though An extra day in Fairbanks could have been nice.

Mike,

Glad to hear your brewing is going strong! I'm stoked all those PNW brewing ingredients I gave you are making you some fine brews out there in the State of Utah.

I just got back last night at 8pm from my personal best of riding from McCarthy Alaska to Portland in 4 days via the Alcan. I pretty much slept all today after that riding marathon (and took a much needed shower).

I took about 1600 photos and just got a raw look at them this afternoon. I'll see if I can get some up tonight.

I can't believe we left for Alaska on July 4th. Now some 22 days ago.

Let's back up a bit....

Before we hit the road for this epic trip, I hosted a bbq get together on July 3rd. Drrags, Mischief, and Forrest all joined in for some bbq goodness and my oven fries, and plenty of cold brew...Draggs was still trying to convince Mischief to ride that KLR250 of hers up to Alaska with us.... Could I blame him?



Mischief...


My last good USA grown food before heading into the deepest and darkest corners of Canada (and the blandest, most epensive, and thanks President Bush for making our Dollar worth about nothing....!!!)

We were all up early on July 4th and I think we were on the paved express I-5 by 6 something am. Luckily it was the 4th of July, and the Seattle Commute was not its nasty norm.



We breezed up through the Sumas, WA border Crossing with ease and headed for the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler out of Vancouver.

I'm a chemist and microbiologist for Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Oregon...and I have my eye on locally brewed cold beer through this trip. Many new brewpubs have opened up north since my last trip in 2001. And the first target is the Whistler Brewhouse in Whistler Village...






The house lager is clean and cold, but ouch...the cost? $8 US and with tip about $10 US here for a beer. My first indication of where our dollar has headed....

And while I was the only one enjoying a cold one after our hot ride up to Whistler (it was 80-90 degrees coming up from Vancouver), Drrags was taking a nap by the parking lot and constant train of down hill mountain bikers riding back to the ski lift.