My "Slightly Past Mid-Life Crisis" Gold Rush Tour 2009

[idea man]

Continuing to be one of the best RR's out there. Thanks

[locorider]

Steve:

Great report, awesome pictures and lots of useful information. I have plans for next year, but coming up from Colorado( Well, my bike and I will do a long trip to FL, then trailer to CO and start our journey from there). By next summer I'll be turning 50, so thats my birthday present.

Thanks for sharing! I find your thread one of the top 10 so far to Ak.

Question: Tell me about your camera. Did you took the videos with it?

[Twistn'roads]

Originally Posted by locorider

Steve:

Great report, awesome pictures and lots of useful information. I have plans for next year, but coming up from Colorado( Well, my bike and I will do a long trip to FL, then trailer to CO and start our journey from there). By next summer I'll be turning 50, so thats my birthday present.

Thanks for sharing! I find your thread one of the top 10 so far to Ak.

Question: Tell me about your camera. Did you took the videos with it?

Carlos,

The camera I used for this trip was a Canon Powershot SD700IS, 6 megapixel. For video I used a VIO POV 1.5 helmet camera system.

Good luck with your trip. You will have the birthday present of a life time!

~ Steve

[locorider]

Thanks, Steve!

You did not fix the camera to the helmet, right?

[Twistn'roads]

Originally Posted by locorider

Thanks, Steve!

You did not fix the camera to the helmet, right?

That is correct. I mounted the video camera to my handlebars and various other locations on my bike with RAM mounts.

~TR~

[Twistn'roads]

They're making my money diminish;
I'm sick of the taste of champagne.
Thank God! when I'm skinned to a finish
I'll pike to the Yukon again.
I'll fight -- and you bet it's no sham-fight;
It's hell! -- but I've been there before;
And it's better than this by a damsite --
So me for the Yukon once more.

Verse 8, “The Spell of the Yukon”

~ Robert Service ~

Day 23 – July 4
Valdez, Alaska > Haines Junction, Yukon
Today’s mileage: 891.6 km, Trip to date: 12,637.5 km



Another great day of sunshine and scenery….

Before my fellow travelers had risen, I quietly packed my things. I could not find my SPOT messenger anywhere. I used it the night before and had left it under my motorcycle cover for the required 20 minute “OK” message cycle but had retrieved later. My SPOT had worked flawlessly throughout the trip and was an important device for keeping my family and friends updated on my whereabouts. I could not afford to loose it now. I was stressed. Eventually my room mates got out of bed and helped in the search. My SPOT was found under Ella & Joe’s bed of all places! How in the hell did it get there! I’m loosing my mind. I later recall helping Ella with her computer wifi connection that night and had set the SPOT down on the floor beside the bed. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Highlights of the day included riding through Keystone Canyon, Thompson Pass, a stop at Worthington Glacier, the views of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park along the Glenn Highway, and the brilliant blue of Kluane Lake in the Yukon.

Late in the afternoon I stopped for gas at Burwash Landing where I met 3 other motorcyclists trying to diagnose and fix a coolant leaking problem with one of their bikes. They were well equipped with tools so there was little I could do to help. I did offer them some epoxy putty that might help seal the leak if they could find it. I wished them luck and went on my way. I would later meet up with these guys the next day. I was getting tired so I thought it best to start looking for a place to camp for the night.

The views along Kluane Lake were spectacular and I had hoped to find a campground here to pitch my tent. As I turned into Congdon Creek Campground I was immediately greeted by bear shit all over the road and a sign warning that this campground was not suitable for tent campers due to high bear activity! I’m outa’ here! I would continue farther south than I had originally planned that day to find a good spot at the Kluane RV campground in Haines Junction. I would end the day with a warm shower and free firewood!


Valdez in the distance





Keystone Canyon





Keystone Canyon waterfall









Climbing Thompson pass





Worthington Glacier





Wrangell-St. Elias













Mentasta Lake, AK





Kluane Lake, Yukon

[locorider]

OMG, Steve! You were spotted on the wrong place!

Its about time you give us an update!!!! You had me looking all day yesterday!

Great report pal, keep it coming!

PD: Got to tell you the last post have one of the most beautiful pictures I've seen from Ak. The weather was wonderful with clear skies and a bright sun! Awesome...

[idea man]

Originally Posted by locorider

Got to tell you the last post have one of the most beautiful pictures I've seen from Ak. The weather was wonderful with clear skies and a bright sun! Awesome...

This pretty much ruins it for me. Those pictures are too pretty. I'm cancelling my trip and just going to borrow yours. Maybe photoshop myself in here and there.
Awesome shots indeed.
Good call on the bear shit campground. Always a telltale sign.

[SparkyL]

Originally Posted by Twistn'roads

Here are some video clips of riding in the loose gravel on the Dempster Highway north of the NWT border >


Loose Gravel On The Dempster Highway from Twistn'Roads on Vimeo.



Oncoming Grader & Gravel Trucks, Dempster Highway from Twistn'Roads on Vimeo.



A Dusty Dempster Highway from Twistn'Roads on Vimeo.

TR;
Thanks for the awesome RR! I am in. I am truly inspired. The scenery is just amazing, as is the tale. Just curious, how did your 3 friends make out on the Dempster Highway with those 1,000 lb. Harleys?

[Twistn'roads]

Originally Posted by SparkyL

TR;
Thanks for the awesome RR! I am in. I am truly inspired. The scenery is just amazing, as is the tale. Just curious, how did your 3 friends make out on the Dempster Highway with those 1,000 lb. Harleys?

Thank for your kind words!

The Harley riding guys you speak of from earlier in my RR were fellow travelers I befriended along the way. I met them in Balfour, BC and again in Hyder, AK. They were headed to Wasilla, Alaska. I did the Dempster Highway solo and later stayed with them in Wasilla. They did take their 1000lb Harleys over Hatcher Pass though, the crazy bastages!

~TR~

[dave6253]

For now, I must live vicariously through your RR. I hope to someday be able to take such an epic journey. Awesome Job!

[bemiiten]

[robincx]

What a great RR, I'm enjoying every moment.
Kudo's to a great life experience.

[Twistn'roads]

There's gold, and it's haunting and haunting;
It's luring me on as of old;
Yet it isn't the gold that I'm wanting
So much as just finding the gold.

It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace.

Final verses, “The Spell of the Yukon”

~ Robert Service ~

Day 24 – July 5
Haines Junction, Yukon > Haines, Alaska > Skagway, Alaska
Today’s mileage: 315.3 km, Trip to date: 12,952.8 km



Yesterday was a long but enjoyable day. I had traveled farther than originally planned. I sat by my campfire late into the night, lost in distant thought, mesmerized by the dancing, crackling flames. After my supply of free fire wood dwindled, I slipped into the tent and crawled into my warm down sleeping bag. I was just on the verge of twilight slumber when I was startled wide awake by the angry sound of roaring KLR’s, ransacking and pillaging the campground! It was actually the three guys I met at Burwash Landing earlier in the day trying to find a spot to set up camp.

As I didn’t have far to go today, the pace would be much more relaxed. I was headed down to Haines to catch an evening ferry to Skagway. I got up later than normal and took my time packing up. After breakfast and coffee, I went over to talk with the noisy KLR dudes. Alin, Vasile and Cristian were on their way back to Vancouver from their own Alaskan adventure. Unfortunately Cristian’s trip was at an end. His bike had a leaking water pump that could not be repaired easily on the road. He would take the long ferry ride back while his travel companions continued on. I would meet up with these guys later in the day in Haines and then again on the Skagway ferry.

Like many of the Alaska and Yukon highways, the ride down to Haines was extremely scenic and packed full of photo opportunities. Not long after crossing the Canada/US border, I stopped for gas and a late bacon & egg breakfast at a friendly little spot, the 33 Mile Roadhouse > http://www.33mileroadhouse.com/







































Nearing Haines, I took a break at a pullout along the Chilkat River. I talked at length with a local salmon fisherman about the bears and eagles that frequent this area. I was too early to really see any abundance of wildlife. The main salmon runs that attract bears and eagles had not begun here. I was a little disappointed at not having had the opportunity to get many wildlife photographs while in Alaska. I took proper precautions around my camp so as not to have any fury visitors but I had hoped to have seen more animals in my travels, especially fishing bears. I had run out of time and tomorrow I would be saying farewell to Alaska. He suggested that I take a ride up to Chilkoot Lake State Park and have a look around.


















It was early in the afternoon when I got to Haines. Being Sunday, the town was pretty quiet. I stopped at the Bamboo Room > http://bamboopioneer.net/ for a beer and chatted with the very friendly and informative young lady working the bar. She suggested also that I take a ride up to Chilkoot Lake which is about another 10 miles past the ferry terminal. She mentioned another very scenic ride out Mud Bay Road. Time allowed me to do both without seeing any bears! I later went back to The Bamboo Room for dinner and made use of their wifi to upload pictures and connect with my family. Cristian, Alin and Vasilie would also show up.






















The ferry to Skagway was very scenic as the sun set. I even got to see some distant Humpback whales but no pictures! I was joined on the ship by Alin, Vasile, fellow ADV rider “Hamon” and his dad. We would all camp together in Skagway at the Mountain View RV Campground. This campground was pretty “crusty” and obviously not well set up for tent campers. The sites were small, close together, with no picnic tables or privacy. You might as well have camped in a gravel parking lot. The showers were hideous but warm. We arrived after the camp office was closed and I was well on my way the next day before it opened so I guess I can’t complain about the cost!


Vasile, Cristian and Alin chillin’ at the ferry terminal





Cristian is hard on his toys!

[locorider]

As before, great pictures and outstanding narrative!

Keep it coming Steve!