Day 24 - Home

Home. June 16, 2010, 9:30 PM. Over 14 hours in the saddle today but, only about 722 miles. The East is crowded and there are lots of needlessly slow roads. Oppression on the highways is everywhere. It is a unique phenomenon.

Absent Bruce's wheel bearing difficulties, which could be expected with over 100,000 miles on his bike before we began, there have been no mishaps. But, also as expected, a grueling ride to a place I wanted to go just to say I had. Last year I threatened to go alone if need be. Bruce stepped up and offered to join me. Looking back at my concerns and mindset before leaving, I doubt I would have gone without him. Many thinks for his willingness to join a foolhardy expedition.

My odometer shows I traveled 12,991 miles. Less than expected. It cost less and did not take as long, even with the added side trips to Yellowstone and Devil's Tower. The weather conditions where unexpected. The temperature variation was the surprise. We went from a day at 92F to several days at 36-38F. Rain is always expected but the snow and hail caught us by surprise. Also a surprise was the sheer size of things. The plains are huge. The mountains are huge. The distances are long.

We covered over 750 miles of dirt. Most of it pretty good dirt when compared to other wilderness adventures we have enjoyed. But, the Goldwing is not built for dirt and it's work to sling a 900 pound (plus) two wheeler around switchbacks and s-curves with guard rails, when they existed, just high enough to act as kickers to catapult the hapless rider into big space and a hard landing often between 3000 to 9000 feet below. Who knew such places existed?

Of note, we "rode" The Dempster Highway, we "did" The Top of the World Highway, we "drove" the The Alaska Highway and the Klondike Highway. We visited Jasper, Banff and Yellowstone Parks plus a hundred smaller national and state/provincial parks/forests. We met, without exception - well there was the proprietress at Chicken, Alaska - good and interesting people including the owner of Turple Honda, Glenn Turple, in Red Dear near Calgary, who showed us all the racing awards won by his departed brother and business partner, Rex, plus his pictures of the dealership he and his brother started in 1946 in the family barn. His shop is huge, he carries almost everything, and he has many pictures and memories that he loves to share. At 82, he rides to work every day on either a trike, which he was riding the snowy day we were there but, the snow does not stop him from taking the two wheeler we were told, a Goldwing. Young and old women even flirted with us sometimes; out of habit if not out of interest but, I'm grateful for anything I can get these days. Often, we'd just sit down at a gas stop and talk to whomever was there. Learn things and teach things. We crossed the north/south continental divide at least twice but, perhaps, more. It's, not marked that much. We crossed the east/west continental divide at least 8 times but that's only marked in Yellowstone or, sometimes, by 'The Divide Diner".

Although we saw the occasional "rice burner" sport bike, on the black top, the selection was limited almost exclusively to Harley's, either Electra or Road Glides (mostly rentals, I think from Alberta), Goldwings, and the sporadic, over prepared and heavily laden BMW off road. We saw many retirees bicycling singly, in couples and in moderate to large groups. Often they we blue in the face but determined to go where Bruce and I went only with trepidation on our motorized vehicles. I was humbled and felt a certain shame for having taken the easy way out. A bicycle doesn't fit a knee bend that works for me; the "stride" is too short. Walking would be easier for me and we saw a few of those ... but, not many. One sinewy old fellow was pushing a two seater stroller, one of those with the zippered front entry with clear plastic so the kids can see out, packed with gear. He was in the Yukon headed to Alaska. We saw him twice both coming and going.

There was not the wildlife I expected but, we saw black and grizzly bears - highlighted by the black that took a fancy to Bruce - elk, antelope, bison, huge ravens, vultures, big horn sheep, mountain goats, moose, marmots, some raccoon sized creature with a "golden", foot wide ring around its torso that I haven't identified, wolves, deer, golden and bald eagles, black squirrels and other forest and plains rodents, a black bird with a white ring around each wing and white in its tail when it flew - very pretty, huge flocks of doves, small ones of pigeons, cows - lots and lots of cows - and horses, lots of horses, mostly, quarter but some thoroughbred, and a few light work horses. And, pigs, a few pigs. Of course, the occasional dog and cat.

And, yes, we saw a movie being filmed starring Steve Martin, Jack Black and some pretty thing. It's a comedy, with bird watching in the wilds of Alaska as a vehicle, being filmed in the Yukon on The Dempster because the sun never sets, there is nobody there and Dawson City is only 40 miles away.

There were bugs on the windshield, black flies and butterflies, but I was bitten only twice. I'd credit Bruce's timing for that but I'd also credit his timing for the snow, hail, and my frozen fingers. Sometime they would remain white for hours after we had secured our room and the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers of my right hand are still numb at the tips. Regardless, on the whole, the weather was clear, dry and sunny and that is certainly the case for every critical destination point we set and visited. That is consistent with Bruce's input, as well.

Three of the most challenging roads I've encountered on a heavy bike were met on this trip: The Dempster, at least to the circle (a real workout) - extra points for reaching Inuvik in the first days of the spring open - even the BMW off roads couldn't make that; The Top of the World Highway (scary but ho! god ...), Route 97 along the Alaska Highway from Tetsa Lake to Fireside (gorgeous and challenging; full of wildlife) and Route 14 through the Big Horn Mountains (Expert level and terrifying). The fourth, and most difficult, would be the haul road in The Labrador. All four road should be on every adventure bikers list and should be accomplished at maximum drive and machine capability. I tried to do that. Of all the beautiful, breathtaking rides, the trip through Jasper and Banff was, perhaps, the most impressive. And, a stop at Radium Hot Springs should be on the list - we didn't stop.

A beautiful, really fun run on a well domesticated road is from Anchorage to Homer in Alaska. It's the weekend jaunt for the Anchorage riders. Off-season, it's very affordable; in-season, it's The Cape.

I often road with the helmet shield open to smell the air. Some places, like the poplar and birch forests, were so sweet. Other places were just crisp fresh air. The fresh air of the true wilderness is an intoxicant. East of Chicago, even on a good day, the air is tainted. I notice and miss that much more that I expected.

Room rates ranged from $151 to $53 for essentially the same quality of 2 bed accommodations. We stayed at Super 8 motels often. After 10-14 hours a day, they were easy to see and we knew what to expect. That goes a long way in the decision making process.

And, finally, for Goldwing riders in Alaska with mechanical trouble, Jerry Russel, in Soldatna, is the only man to see. He has more parts than the dealer and years more experience. He's 79 years old and his very good.

The End.