Trip from Anchorage, AK - Jackson, MS November 2012

Wow William, just wow. I'll be coming through Texas on the way back. We could meet in Dallas or something.

Stay warm, stay safe! Keep us posted!

Bears don't like loud sounds. But they love peanut butter! I don't know about the moose, but their poo does not taste like the delicious chocolate fluffiness you get in restaurants. Though bear poo smells like sweet potatoes if thats what they been eating!!

Will smell like frozen sweet taters this time of year.

Dang, all the many people that told how banging pots & pans together, making all kinds pf loud noises & even firing warning shots with big guns didn’t faze the bears in the least must have been lyin’.

For Your updates,,

Jack is more knoledgable than anyone else I know of on the Alcan. Guess thats how he got his name.. Hope you make it. There is a lot of high cold country between you and the south. Cheap motels? The cheapest I've crashed in were more than your number.

Going on the boat, or evin geting to the boat, could be a real ...

Well bears do not like air horns. I use them with my black bears and they run as soon as you push the button. It is how we get our stubborn bear to go inside for the night.

Maybe you can just go knocking on the houses, just ask nicely if u can stay the night for a few change. Tell em your story of travel.

Might work.

Great idea !!

Another fantastic idea :huh............. be sure to knock on The Dick's door if you get near Dawson.........

Crap, don't know if is a good idea to ride this late in the season, but I do have a couch that you can borrow for the nite, Sunday Nov. 4th. You can pm me, or my cell # is 867-335-1003.
I have to work Monday AM, so I will be up early. You can sleep in till it is light out. Noon or so LOL.

What time are you leaving in the morning ?? post up with some pics !!!!!

God Speed, brother. Cheers to those with well planned dreams.

Heed Alcan's wise words and know when to call it. Your wife will greatly appreciate your being present in your current life-like form.

1/2 a 5-hour energy every 3 hours of riding. High calorie count (Cold weather MRE's are GREAT!).

If your XRL is NOT new, replace the chain and sprockets before leaving. Check the chain guide on the swingarm. Bring a small can of ether. It may be the ONLY way that pig starts if it gets 0 or colder. Always park on a hill. A spoonful of HEET in each tank will keep any moisture from freezing up. LED headlamp glued to helmet. LED aftermarket light pod (Vision-X) draws VERY low power.

Thanks for the offer, if I can't get a hold of Bostjan when I get to Whitehorse I'll give you a call. I'm all set to leave in the morning.

Ride safe my friend

And keep in touch when you can.Say hi to bostian for me.

Bob

Good luck and have fun. Can't wait to hear about it.

And it looks like the weather might be cooperating too.

Mark H.

Waiting for you

Weather in Glennallen at 07:30: Temp -15°F, clear, no precip, highway bare, predicted high 18°, 20% chance of precip
Mile 117, Glenn Hwy: Temp 7°, overcast, trace of snow on highway, predicted high 18°F, 40% chance of precip
Slana: Temp 5°, clear, highway bare, predicted high 19°, 30% chance or precip
Tok: 6°F, mostly cloudy, predicted high 10°F
Border: 4°F, light snowpack

Conditions look favorable all the way to Tok & beyond. Let's get this show on the road.

Ok, I had to come back to Palmer. The bike was overloaded and it wasn't safe to ride. I'm either going to have to reduce the amount of gear I am carrying or figure something else out. If I ship the bike to Seattle I can reduce my gear by half but I would prefer to ride. Any ideas? I'm not going to head out with insufficient gear so I may have to postpone this ride. My rear shock was bottomed out and I didn't have much control. I made it to the Matanuska Glacier before I decided to turn around. I would probably be fine if I were staying on smooth paved roads the whole way but that's not going to happen on the Alcan.

Quoted from the "Alaska Primer" that some halfwit posted a while back: "...that will haul you and about half the gear you think you will need for the trip (because what you think you'll need is twice what you really need), that will carry sufficient fuel in its tank for at least 150 miles, ..."

The only survival gear you really need for a trip like this is sufficient warm clothing. Windproof clothing. Dressed properly for the windchill of riding, any time you stop moving, you will be too warm. A couple of candy bars, some liquid packed next to your body to stay thawed, and you're good to go. Despite its reputation, along your route you're never that far from help and/or shelter. In a worst case scenario, you can sleep just off the road in a shelter of trees. Ten to one you've overpacked.

Probably. I'm in the process of thinning out equipment right now. I have an oversized fuel tank but there is only one petcock so I have fuel that gets trapped on the right hand side of the tank. I was planning on carrying 4 extra gallons of fuel but maybe I can get away with one 2 gallon can. I have tools that I need to do a tire change plus make any other minor repairs and extra front and rear tubes. I've reduce the extra clothing I was going to carry as well. Any other suggestions? I can still leave in the morning if I can reduce the weight enough.