Here I am with ADVers BIpsen and ADV Rx ready to head out. Caught up with Kim and clan and had a bite to eat at Sheep Mt Lodge. Another great night with friends around the campfire at Eagle's Claw in Tok. Always great food at Chicken. Also enjoyed the $5000 upgrade Susan did to the outhouses at the behest of the tour companies. Every D2D means the Gold Rush in Dawson will be VERY full of motorcycles! Went up to the Midnight Dome to hang with about 100 locals celebrating Solstice. Thank you Doug for letting us borrow the van to take a load of girls up. Had a few other ADVer's up there as well. Good times. It's quite the annual celebration! First time I'd actually been in Dawson for the Solstice. Anchoragite and ADVer Wendella, aka Whitney, and her trusty KLR that she rode to TX and back for her 2nd D2D. Yours truly and my trusty steed. Other than a cloud burst at Slana, had great weather most the way back. Around 10am I went to the front of a long line because a ferry worker said "they wanted a few bikes up front to wedge in the corners." Thank you very much. Works for me! And then was very surprised to have NO line at the Border when I arrived. Again, lucky me! Another ADVer said it took over 1/2 an hour to get thru the Border because the line was so long when he arrived 15min before they opened. Thanks again to everyone for sharing a wonderful few days! Till next time, Mark H.
The two extra days spent in Dawson City allowed sight-seeing for the first time, including a couple of rides to the Dome. Won't be the last time that spot is visited by this rider, if all goes well. The view from there is spectacular. Upriver - Downriver - Downtown - More to come.
Will the "Official D2D Group Photos" be posted here? If not, where can I find them? Also....a link to video from the heli spy cam? :eek1 In the meantime.....here's one of my pics of the "eye in the sky"...... PhotonRyder (aka Gary Benson)
Not sure what she's looking for in that Jesse case......but it must be good. We had a great time in Dawson, as always......good to see you all again! Gary
Had a nice trip over to Dawson, with just a minor amount of rain shortly after clearing customs. Seeing some other dualsports at Chicken, it was necessary to park the Wingsport near them for a "family photo". Then on down the nice, dry road. Enjoying the extra days to wander around the town, a short walk in the sun down to the ferry "dock", such as it is, led to a ride back and forth across the river. The new venue for the banquet provided a lot more elbow room, and with the crowd that showed up, it was certainly welcome. Then it was time for the games. All the activity holds the bystanders attention - And you thought riding in a blinding fog was difficult! Time to assemble for the group photos, folks. A large cloud formation provided an attractive addition to the evening sky as the sun slid to the horizon.
here is a link to some of my pictures. http://s1068.photobucket.com/albums/u450/Alaskajeff/Dust%20to%20Dawson%202012/
New stickers! Not as cool as two decades, or even double digits like some people I know... But six years in a row is still pretty cool, I think. Finally made the run up the Dalton that I have been wanting to do for many years. I rode up there before D2D and the weather was great! Really cool of Twisted Throttle to support D2D again. *It makes me want to buy stuff out of their catalog; and when I do, I'll be sure to let them know. *I liked this unique little reflective sticker that they gave us. Nick, the Beemer tech at Trails End, took the time to have a look at my bike and provide advice when I was having throttle issues on my way up towards the Dalton. *So I'll happily rock the sticker. Dredge number 4, aka poker run stop number 2, is going to be celebrating 100 years and gave us D2D'ers this neat sticker I did some pre-recon for the recon riders on the Denali highway and made sure it was clear for the recon crew to sweep through a day later; I also did some northern recon on the Dalton and made sure the riders up there were pointed the right direction to Dawson... So I was given this special edition little beauty: Some new pins for Chicken, Arctic Circle, Prudhoe, and Dawson City: And finally, the coolest thing of all: I consider this a big honor and I will proudly display it under my plate. Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.
These are just my cell phone pics, dropped my film off last night so hopefully I'll have something interesting tomorrow. Some of the riff raff filtering in through Tok Thursday morning. The crazy German hotel bus that was parked in Gold Rush 80's cover band at the bar next to the ice cream shop... she was good, the rest.... not so much Friday morning My mini bike On top of the dome Last obstacle course buddy Christ is... My favorite bike, love seeing Ducs out being ridden hard and proper Fun and Games downtown Getting kicked out of Dawson en masse by the ferry folk far too much of this past Tok But then Denali came out to play And the little bike earned its sticker Had a blast, can't wait to make it back to Dawson again.
2012 D2D Group photos are now up. http://prints.jimkohl.com/Events/Dust-to-Dawson/2012-Dust-to-Dawson-Group
Lorie, the "you rode from where, on a what?" shnizzle let herself get talked into participating in one of the games, risking life and limb behind yers truly. but, due to pilot error, went away from the weinie bite hungry. The next afternoon we ganged up on a cinnamon roll at Braeburn Lodge, but even outnumbered, the cinnamon roll won. Thus we parted ways at that point, each carrying 1/4 of one of the huge rolls. A couple of hours later, approaching Haines Jct, the mountains provided a picturesque backdrop to the little town. After enduring temps as high as 86° north of Carmacks, the rain and cooler temps that welcomed this rider back in to Alaska felt good, and this rainbow, seen developing over my left shoulder for over 15 miles provided a fitting last photographic subject for a great trip.
It all started in Soldotna. Travel to Wasilla, Hatchers Pass to find it was closed, Galkona, Maclaren lodge, Healy, Fairbanks, Tok, Dawson Via TOW Hwy. Return trip was back to Tok, Valdez, Fery ride to Whittier and through the tunnel back to Soldotna. Hatchers Pass... Galkona was Nice... Denali Hwy was next to Healy... Very nice place just to the north of town... And on to Fairbanks but not with out a visit from a UFO... Any one guess where this critter was spotted??? Chena Hot Springs. I hadn't been back in over 20 years. That makes me feel OLD... back to Fairbanks and off to Tok the next AM... Starting to see more ADV'ers... Tok to Chicken and then Dawson... At the river crossing...
In Dawson... The sticky stuff got put on the poster to the 6th check point Obstacle course... Nice form \/ \/ \/ Remember to look where you WANT TO GO!!! /\ /\ /\ /\ But they where CONES!!! Check out the Water hazard... Looks like he likes it too much... The guy with the lousiest hand in the poker run... Good Sport! Bikes as far as one can see... Evidence of the previous evenings events. I know Myself and 7Mtang had another wonderful ride to and from D2D this year. Thanks to all that volunteered to make this happen again and help make the new folks feel welcome and part of the event. If I can help out next year in any way, just let me know. Cheers. P.S. No Small cars where injured in making of our trip this year. Last year was another story... <label for="rb_iconid_16"></label> Its a bird, Its a plane, No Its A Pterodactyl Copter! And its watching you all...
