Screw Bill and Ted! Kim and Mike's Most Excellent 2008 Alaskan Adventure

Being a bit older than Bill and Ted, we still both like a "Most Excellent Adventure" every once in a while. Last year we did Atlantic Canada (NH, VT, Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and ME) via the Trans Labrador Highway and had a blast! Rain, mud, gravel, some sun, awesome people, icebergs, whales, moose, just a great time. Go to http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240316 if you are interested.

This year, it's Alaska and the Canadian Yukon Territories with a stop at D2D to meet up with fellow ADVers at Dawson City. We've got 3 weeks of travel time for our journey while in AK/Canada. With the limited time, we're flying to AK and shipping a bike (more on that later).

So I thought I would post as we go along this time, including some of the prep and all the fun from start to finish. Hopefully, I can gin up a good ride report and share the fun.

So to start, here's the route:



More soon!

Kim will be riding a DR650. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any travel gear on it so I have to add some.

So, viola'... UPS delivers....



Some Happy Trails Teton 9" panniers and a Happy Trails top box.

Time to start the assembly project. First off with the side panels, seat, turn signals and rack...



Then sort out the frame and miscellaneous bits and get to work...




Although I love the panniers and top box, there is a small hitch in the assembly. The instructions say that you MAY have to lengthen the turn signal wires. It should say that you HAVE TO lengthen the turn signal wires. Anyway, not that big a deal but another step added...



and then...



About this time, there's a bit of an interruption. My three "helpers" need to be fed and are banging on the door of the garage. So it's time to feed (and I'll use their best pics ),

DESMO - What me? I didn't do anything.



His sister: PRILLER - Who you looking at?



and as if you couldn't tell our unrelated cat, ZIPPER (head); not the brightest cat we've ever had. You can't tell from this pic, but he is 23 lbs. That's why he's wearing black. He thinks it's very slimming.



Mission completed, it was time to go back into the garage and get back to work.

Have fun! Looks like my route for June/July! Maybe see you along the way!

I have a little room off the back of my garage where I do some of the work on the bikes. It's lovingly called the "Shrine".

Because it's a Shrine, there are signs of reverence. Like this one after entering....




When one enters hallowed halls, one must tread lightly.


Having obtained the proper tools, it was time to make a template of the DR's luggage rack so appropriate cuts could be made to the top box plate.





I'm no Michelangelo as you can see.




And ultimately, mounted it looks like this...



I'm too embarassed to show you the plate. It was pretty butchered by the time I was done, but the top box was on and it was on good.

Oh yeah, so was the windshield.

Ultimately, Kim's DR looked like this with a few more tidbits to go...



The big test will be when Kim gets on it and passes preliminary judgement. Stay tuned.

Myself and six others will be up there as well. See ya up there.

www.curtisgoestoalaska.com

Great! The more the merrier! Look forward to meeting you all. We'll be arriving in Anchorage on the 13th of June.

Mike and Kim

I strongly recommend going to Haines, Skagway and Homer. You have plenty of time to do it.

This looks good...

edit: What luggage system is that? Need some for our DR650.

Thanks

The luggage is all Happy Trails. 9" Teton Pannier and their big flat top box. The panniers come in different widths and sizes.
I will say one thing. The top box I chose for the DR is BIG. It remains to be seen if Kim will ride with it or we use something smaller.

Anyway, you can check out the DR specific Happy Trail Panniers here:

http://happy-trail.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PANKIT-DR650-TE

Tim Bernard is the owner and a super guy. I can't say enough about the luggage. When we went on the Atlantic Canada loop last year, Kim had Jesse panniers and I had the Happy Trails. Lots of rain and mud etc. Guess whose panniers leaked like crazy? Also, the Happy Trails are lighter than the Jesses. That's why Kim now has Happy Trails.

Mike

Where did you get that windshield for the DR?

The windshield came from Turbocity. It seems pretty sturdy, went on easily and can come off with 4 nylon screws in a couple of minutes (although the frame would still be on).

Details of their DR stuff at:

http://www.turbocity.com/default.php?cPath=69_78

Mike

Mike

Thanks for the good DR info. just got the bike for my girlfriend so we can ride togather and all my knowledge is klr related.

Looking forward to the report.

Hijack over.

Tyler

Oh yeah...ALASKA!
I love AK RRs...

I see you guys are at it again this year.

good luck on your trip.

OH why the DR, what happen to the f650?

Howdy Dave!

Nice to hear from you! Still diggin Gander?

We figured that AK roads might be a tad rougher than the TLH and Kim could throw the DR around more than the F650. So far, she finds it more maneuverable and flickable. It's somewhat lighter and has more suspension travel, so we'll see.

Our best to your family and everyone at RTR.

Mike and Kim

May happens to be my birthday month and my best bud, my father in law, always does something nice for me (pretty cool huh). So he knows that Kim and I are going to AK and shipping Kim's bike. So what does he do in his spare time and deliver to my garage ready to go?




One Ready To Go Motorcycle Crate!


and a pic of the crate at a different angle...



It's a good thing for me that he's an excellent woodworker. One crate ready to go and delivered to your house! How's that for service?

Anyway, Kim and I were able to pay him back in a small way (we hope) because we got him into bikes at age XX, that's his Shadow on the right...



that's him and Kim on the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia...

and

He got us into....



BEER!

Notice the small (empty) mugs.... Well not really, we kinda knew about beer already, but we can enjoy it together.

Hey Mike-good to hear from you!! Nice to see the preparations are going well for Alaska. I just got home again 2 nights ago and am ready to ride! I'm set on Labrador this year before they pave it-we'll see what else I can fit in. I'm going to have to do more multi days to maximize my time I'm thinking? Did you post a link to this thread on RTR yet?

Mike,

Glad to hear you are going to ride the TLH! I haven't posted a link to RTR but can do so if you think they would be interested over there.

Hope all is well.

Mike