http://www.alcan5000.com/2014itin.htm Itinerary http://www.alcan5000.com/2014entryF.htm Entry form and costs I thought I'd post this. A few here have run this event before. I ran it in 2006 and again in 2010. It is a time-speed-and-distance rally for both cars and bikes. 9 days long and maybe 4500 miles, starting from Seattle. Most days have two or three timed sections. Other days have more of a challenge aspect to them without a timed section. If you run those, you are guaranteed your highest previous TSD score. They will be dirt. The reason they are not timed is because most everybody wants to ride them like hell and not worry about arriving early. 2014 will feature over 2000 miles of dirt roads. The principal dirt is a) the Blackwater b) Cassiar, Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek c) North Canol Rd to NWT border and back out d) part of the Klodike Hwy e) Dempster Hwy to Arctic Circle and back f) Top-of-the-World Hwy g) Denali Hwy. Finish in Anchorage, ride or ferry back to Seattle (another 2300 mi). Rider entry is $2k and includes all lodging and a few meals plus an awards banquet. They also provide us with chase trucks to pick up wounded riders/bikes, haul our spares, clothing etc and spot gas for us where we need it to complete a liason. Bikes: 4 classes; under 700cc, over 700cc, computer aided navigation, non computer aids. You'll need at least 170 miles fuel range. DOT knobby front tires recommended. Your spares will likely include a second set of tires and you'll have to spoon them by hand as there are no tire changing services open when you arrive at night destination. Most will swap rubber in Dawson at the hotel lot after some 3k miles. The field: All ages and skill levels. Rider's are pretty evenly split between twins and thumpers. Maybe 15-20 starters. Fewer cars, but all kinds. Heck, I've seen people rent one way SUV's loaded up with insurance and fly home. The winners will have full on electronic navigation. Jimmy650 here won 2nd overall and first bike aboard a BMW 650 Dakar. Ned, his buddy, was 3rd overall and 2nd bike on another BMW 650. They both practiced their timing and zeroed a few TSD's just like the top cars with navigators on board. Route sheets are sized for 6" roadbook holders. You'll get all kinds of weather. Gortex and heated gear is recommended. I rode a KTM 950 both times. if I do it again, I'll use a 2012 KTM 690. It's a great trip. Hard to beat the cost. The competition aspect adds a little fun to your vacation. -P
Pics from 2006.... That's me on the left 1999 640 ADV Parks Highway BC Yes, that is snow in August Replacing my buddies chain in Whitehorse YT
is badass. I will have this in my schedule. If I can't do 2014 (1 year out of college) definitely 2018! (since it sounds like it's done every 4 years)
The Canol, Dempster and Denai roads are perfect for your Super Enduro. The Canols will be 2nd-4th with an occasional 5th. The Dempster is a real thrill running up and down the gearbox endlessly; 3rd-4th-5th. A little slower on the Denali in that you probably don't top 70mph very often. Well, it depends on the conditions as they change season by season. In 2006 the Denali was rough with babyheads. Pickups ran about 20mph while the bikes were about 50. 2010 was smooth and fast. Telegraph Creek is a twisty thing, better for a thumper, but very fun on anything. The Blackwater will be slow going initially because the front part is all TSD and unless you really know your timing equipment, you'll be struggling to read all your roadbook notes . But after the TSD is done, you'll be honking that big twin like nobodies business. I followed Crankshaft through there in 06 after he came by me. He gave me a good pace to try and hang onto and was very fun trying. Just be prepared for free range cattle...:eek1 Top-of-the World for use was all mud, but it had good grip if you had knobbies. There was a Suby WRX that came by us and really having fun! You'll have some mud. I've never been up there when we didn't have lots of rain.
I PM'd you the guy who knows all that stuff. There is a paperback book that the organizors can lead you to. It has the basics of time keeping and roadbook markings. The computer that everybody used was a red case gizmo about the size of a Zumo. I think it was called an ICO. -P
http://www.tsdroadrally.com/ TSD is the same for cars and bikes. If you want to practice, you can find a lot of regional TSD events that you can run in the family car with a friend. I've done a few with my cousin and we had a good time.
IF......I could make it happen................R1200GS or XR650R?. A quick read on the 2010 thread suggests 1200's are fine and certainly fuel capable not to mention the heated grip and gear. This seems lots different from the Sandblast Rally with regard to mileage and timing so i get the feeling the GS might be the ticket.
I'm digging this, from what I can find, this happens in the middle of August ? do you finish from where you start ?
Seasider: This event will be more like 2006. Much more dirt oriented. The best bikes then were singles, although time keeping is much more important than the type of motorcycle. In 2010 the Canol roads had serious mud, so all the twins were very slow through there. I'd say bring the bike you are most comfortable on. You definitely need heat. You'll have plenty of wet and cold weather. The thumper riders like Crankshaft stopped and made under vests out of plastic garbage bags to retain more body heat! Also, the liason between TSD sections are challenging because of the distances to get to your next start time. You can't dawdle, so your bike should to be able to cruise around 70mph. Some of the KTM singles only cruised about 60, so they were always rolling up just before their TSD start time. :huh B1ksolo - The rally starts at a Hotel in Kirkland, just north of Seattle on Monday August 20th. Most arrive Saturday, unload and commence finishing the prep work they never got to . Sunday August 19th is sign in, scrutineering, downloading gps, route charts and the rally master's meeting. The rally typically starts at 8am on Monday with vehicles leaving a minute apart. The first TSD will be a paved section through the apple country northeast of Seattle. This gives everybody a chance to get comfortable navigating their route charts. If you're new to it, it can be quite challenging at first trying to ride and read all your crap at the same time. 9 days later the rally will end at Anchorage, AK. There will be an awards banquet that night. By then, you'll have many new friends and a great time will be had by everyone. Next morning, some will load their bikes onto trailers brought by the rally crews, and ride in a truck/car the way back to Seattle. I always rode back, though. It's about 2200 miles and I typically did it in 3.5 days. Almost everybody towed to Seattle and towed home, so we had to make arrangements to park our rigs. Go to my first post and click on the link that shows the daily routes. Then go to google maps and take a look. Go to satellite and zoom in to see the terrain.
I was thinking my next attempt would be the winter version in a car. Now that I see that all the good roads that were missed in 2010 are back on the list....I'm thinking I'm going to have to do it again on the 990. Thanks Pantah for the update!
Do you still have your ICO? You should win this thing if you do. You had that thing figured out tha last two days!
This is high on my list of events I want to do. While it is probably doable with my KLR I am hoping to have a KTM 950 Adv by then. So, the $2k entry fee includes hotels and chase vehicles? That is one heck of a deal!
