There is a picture of the lodge where I had breakfast on Moncho Lake. The second image is of Moncho Lake. The other image is of Stone Mountain.
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Heading for Alaska on June30
- Thread starter lriggins
- Start date
What have you been paying for premium gas?
Day 25 to 26 - Fort St.John - Sedgewick - July 24-25 (860 km)
Well I am finshed with the Alaska HiWay and the mountains. BooHoo. Well I guess I am really on my way home now. It started off cool and then really heated up. By the time I got to Edmonton it was 27C. Unfortunately I didn't take my GPS's advice and chose to go through the city. I sort of remembered that there was a freeway through the city. That was partly true. It exists in the eastern part of the city. It doesn't exist in the west end. The traffic ground to a halt due to the construction, an accident, and the Indy Car Race. I only lost 20 minutes but it sure was hot with that full face helmet & no air movement. I got to Sedgewick by 6:00, in time for supper with My cousin Rachel & her husband Lorne.
Lorne didn't have to work on Monday so I decided to take a day off and sleep in. We visited with Rachel (who was working), had lunch, and put in a round of golf. Well Lorne played golf and I hit the ball around quite unsuccessfully. It was fun anyway. It was good to stay for the extra day. I only see them every 3-5 years. It was good to catch up.
Day 27 - Sedgewick - Yorkton, Saskatchewan - July 26
I got up with Rachel, Lorne had left for work at 4:00am. I thought about getting up with him and thought better of it. i was on the road by 7:15 just in front of a thunderstorm. I didn't hit rain again until Elfros. It was clear and hot (26C) again. I really hope it cools off soon. I got into Yorkton early (4:30) but most of the rooms were booked. I ended up taking a smoking room again. At least I'm in out of the rain. A pretty violent thunderstorm hit. It has been pouring for about an hour. If I can book accommodations I will try for Dryden tomorrow.
Day 28 - Yorkton - Dryden, Ontario (810 km)
Well another hot day and still no rain. I bet I've only had a few hours of rain in the entire trip even when I wished I could have some. Am I ever glad to be done with the prairies. They were interesting on the way up but after being in the mountains for more than 2 weeks they were pretty hard to take on the way back. Too many straight roads and my worn tires even forced me to keep my speed down to the speed limit. It was a good thing I was keeping my speed down. My welcome back home into Ontario was the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) pulling over a guy for passing me. Well I might have been doing 100 kph in a 90 kph zone but he wanted to go faster. Anyway it is good to be home even if I still have 1800 kilometers left to go. I should make Wawa tomorrow.
Well I am finshed with the Alaska HiWay and the mountains. BooHoo. Well I guess I am really on my way home now. It started off cool and then really heated up. By the time I got to Edmonton it was 27C. Unfortunately I didn't take my GPS's advice and chose to go through the city. I sort of remembered that there was a freeway through the city. That was partly true. It exists in the eastern part of the city. It doesn't exist in the west end. The traffic ground to a halt due to the construction, an accident, and the Indy Car Race. I only lost 20 minutes but it sure was hot with that full face helmet & no air movement. I got to Sedgewick by 6:00, in time for supper with My cousin Rachel & her husband Lorne.
Lorne didn't have to work on Monday so I decided to take a day off and sleep in. We visited with Rachel (who was working), had lunch, and put in a round of golf. Well Lorne played golf and I hit the ball around quite unsuccessfully. It was fun anyway. It was good to stay for the extra day. I only see them every 3-5 years. It was good to catch up.
Day 27 - Sedgewick - Yorkton, Saskatchewan - July 26
I got up with Rachel, Lorne had left for work at 4:00am. I thought about getting up with him and thought better of it. i was on the road by 7:15 just in front of a thunderstorm. I didn't hit rain again until Elfros. It was clear and hot (26C) again. I really hope it cools off soon. I got into Yorkton early (4:30) but most of the rooms were booked. I ended up taking a smoking room again. At least I'm in out of the rain. A pretty violent thunderstorm hit. It has been pouring for about an hour. If I can book accommodations I will try for Dryden tomorrow.
Day 28 - Yorkton - Dryden, Ontario (810 km)
Well another hot day and still no rain. I bet I've only had a few hours of rain in the entire trip even when I wished I could have some. Am I ever glad to be done with the prairies. They were interesting on the way up but after being in the mountains for more than 2 weeks they were pretty hard to take on the way back. Too many straight roads and my worn tires even forced me to keep my speed down to the speed limit. It was a good thing I was keeping my speed down. My welcome back home into Ontario was the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) pulling over a guy for passing me. Well I might have been doing 100 kph in a 90 kph zone but he wanted to go faster. Anyway it is good to be home even if I still have 1800 kilometers left to go. I should make Wawa tomorrow.
I think the most was about $1.47. I can't remember the minimum. The advantage of the ST is the size of the tank. It meant that I only gassed up in major centres. That could mean quite a bit in the north. Some bikers needed to carry gas cans just to make it between gas stations. With a range of over 500 km I never had to worry.
Sorry to worry everyone. Yes, I was in a WiF-free zone. Last night I was in a Howard Johnson and the WiFi was so slow that ST-Owners.com wouldn't launch. I'll probably be home on Friday and I'll try to load some pictures from my SLR. It has been a great trip. Definitely not for the feint of heart but worth every minute. Thank you for all your well wishes for Bob. He feels bad about being so close and yet so far from Alaska but I'm glad he quit before he really got hurt. I think I've learned to be much more careful when picking a partner. Make sure they are well prepared and capable to do the trip.
When you stayed at the Air Force Lodge, did you have to remove your shoes and leave them at the front entrance of the lobby? I went to Alaska from Florida in July, 2009. Stayed at the same lodge.
Day 29 - Dryden - Wawa, Ontario - July 28 (830km)
I got off to a slightly late start (7:10) and then lost another hour due to the time change. As a result I didn't get finished until about 6:30 tonight. It started off warm (18C) and got progressively hotter. By the time I got to ThunderBay it was 31C. I was worried about the wear on my rear tire but it is OK. Of course there were several holdups for up to 10 minutes due to contruction. That is the only time I wish I road without a helmet. It gets unbearable inside a fullface helmet when there is no moving air.It cooled off to 25C as I road along the lake at Nippigon. The fog rolled in at Terrace Bay and it dropped by 10C to 15C. The fog stayed all the way passed Marathon and the temperature droppewd to 13C. After the heat of the afternnon, it was a welcome relief. It cleared up until I got to about 5 km from Wawa. I only have 1000 km left. It will be a long day but I think I can be home by 9:00 tomorrow. Home sweet home. It is nice to go but it is better to come home. I met a guy from Toronto on a GS800. He was hoping to make it to Sault SteMarie tonight so he could make it home tomorrow. I hope he stopped at Wawa. He would have torun in the dark and possibly in the fog. NOT GOOD. This is MOOSE country.
I got off to a slightly late start (7:10) and then lost another hour due to the time change. As a result I didn't get finished until about 6:30 tonight. It started off warm (18C) and got progressively hotter. By the time I got to ThunderBay it was 31C. I was worried about the wear on my rear tire but it is OK. Of course there were several holdups for up to 10 minutes due to contruction. That is the only time I wish I road without a helmet. It gets unbearable inside a fullface helmet when there is no moving air.It cooled off to 25C as I road along the lake at Nippigon. The fog rolled in at Terrace Bay and it dropped by 10C to 15C. The fog stayed all the way passed Marathon and the temperature droppewd to 13C. After the heat of the afternnon, it was a welcome relief. It cleared up until I got to about 5 km from Wawa. I only have 1000 km left. It will be a long day but I think I can be home by 9:00 tomorrow. Home sweet home. It is nice to go but it is better to come home. I met a guy from Toronto on a GS800. He was hoping to make it to Sault SteMarie tonight so he could make it home tomorrow. I hope he stopped at Wawa. He would have torun in the dark and possibly in the fog. NOT GOOD. This is MOOSE country.
Yes, it is sort of a strange place. It certainly has character. Sort of like living in a dorm with common showers and bathrooms. I think I'd stay there again.
Day 30 - Wawa - Ottawa (home) - July 29 (1030 km)
I left Wawa in the fog. It seems half of the time I've spent up there has been in the fog. The cool air blows in off Lake Superior to create it. I followed a kind trucker for 45 minutes until we got down to the clear lower levels. I fiured he would fare better with a moose than I would. It was a nice cool ride down until I hit Sault Ste Marie. I had brunch in Bruce Mines before it REALLY started to warm up. By the time I hit Sudbury it was reading 33C on my temperature guage and not a cloud in the sky. It ooled down to 28C in the Ottawa Valley. The traffic going my way wasn't too bad but it was bad heading north. I guess everyone was heading up to cottage country. I got home just before 8:00. It was sure nice coming over the hill at Kanata and seeing the city open up in from of me. That is my favourite sight after a long trip.
Well that was an adventure. ~16200 km. I never want to have to deal with a partner going down again. I'm really am glad Bob made it home in one piece. I'm really sad that he never got up to Alaska. There really was some beautiful scenery. Lots of mountains and animals. I'm really glad I made the trip. There are still some places I would like to see (Haines, Dawson City, DempsterHiway, etc.) but that will be with a different bike in the future. The ST is a great bike. It's 550 km range and ability to gobble up distances in comfort are its forte. The next time will be on an adventure-type bike like a V-Strom, Triumph Tiger 800, or GS650. My short legs will not allow me to ride a GS1200 or GS800. As Trix (my wife) says. Time to plan the next trip. Next year will probably be down east. I hope to get to Newfoundland in 2012. The bike only has 63000 km on it. It still has lots of legs left on it.
I left Wawa in the fog. It seems half of the time I've spent up there has been in the fog. The cool air blows in off Lake Superior to create it. I followed a kind trucker for 45 minutes until we got down to the clear lower levels. I fiured he would fare better with a moose than I would. It was a nice cool ride down until I hit Sault Ste Marie. I had brunch in Bruce Mines before it REALLY started to warm up. By the time I hit Sudbury it was reading 33C on my temperature guage and not a cloud in the sky. It ooled down to 28C in the Ottawa Valley. The traffic going my way wasn't too bad but it was bad heading north. I guess everyone was heading up to cottage country. I got home just before 8:00. It was sure nice coming over the hill at Kanata and seeing the city open up in from of me. That is my favourite sight after a long trip.
Well that was an adventure. ~16200 km. I never want to have to deal with a partner going down again. I'm really am glad Bob made it home in one piece. I'm really sad that he never got up to Alaska. There really was some beautiful scenery. Lots of mountains and animals. I'm really glad I made the trip. There are still some places I would like to see (Haines, Dawson City, DempsterHiway, etc.) but that will be with a different bike in the future. The ST is a great bike. It's 550 km range and ability to gobble up distances in comfort are its forte. The next time will be on an adventure-type bike like a V-Strom, Triumph Tiger 800, or GS650. My short legs will not allow me to ride a GS1200 or GS800. As Trix (my wife) says. Time to plan the next trip. Next year will probably be down east. I hope to get to Newfoundland in 2012. The bike only has 63000 km on it. It still has lots of legs left on it.
Wow, this was a great adventure. I'm happy for you because you had good time traveling and got home safe.
I'm still looking for an ST for a good price and probably I have to wait till winter for the prices to go down. Next year, I want to do a little trip. Certainly will not compare with the adventure that you did it, but I hope I will live unforgettable moments too.
Respectfully,
Michael.
I'm still looking for an ST for a good price and probably I have to wait till winter for the prices to go down. Next year, I want to do a little trip. Certainly will not compare with the adventure that you did it, but I hope I will live unforgettable moments too.
Respectfully,
Michael.
Sunday Rider
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Great write up and glad you got home safely. Seems like it is tough to do everything you want to do in Alaska in one trip. Unless you spend a few months up there. Thanks for posting it up.
I'm not very good at this. It means I have to think but here goes:
1) Spend the winter planning. Get the Milepost and study it. Understand what you are getting into as much as you can.
2) Leave lots of time. As you can see, the unexpected can easily happen and you need time to work out the issues.
3) In the west & north there are long stretches without gas. With the ST it wasn't an issue but bikes with <300 km range had better carry reserve gas. You never know when the gas station you were counting on will be closed.
4) Wear your good riding gear. It is so easy to go down even if you are good & careful. The unexpected happens quickly. I came over a ridge into a fog back going down a twisty road. I also had loose gravel on windy downhill section with a caribou thrown in for good measure. Slightly different circumstances and I could have easily dropped the bike. You can replace a bike but it is harder to replace a body. Have good medical coverage because it can get expensive. Bob's last ambulance ride cose ~$800. He had insurance, thank God.
5) Wear flexible clothing. I went from 12C to 25C and back again in less than a hour. It is cool in the passes.
6) You can't do a trip like this Cold Turkey. Get used to riding distances before you head out. I did ~8000 km this spring before the trip. I tested the bike out with all the gear. It is too late to do that when you are on the road. If you aren't used to travelling distances, the first week will be murder on your body (butt, back, arms and hands).
7) Stop at a minimum of every couple hours. Have a quick snack, something to drink, and run around the bike a few times to get the blood flowing. It only has to take 5-10 minutes and you will be much more awake, ciomfortable, and safe. Without doing that you will tire, make mistakes, and cramp up. In the end you won't be able to put on the distances you may need to do.
8) Take a computer, iPod, etc. so you can go on line and do research. You may need to find a bike shop or book a motel room. Motels were an issue because of all the construction, oil, communication people from out of town taking up all the room. In Northern Ontario it was fire crews and evacuees and in Southern Saskachewan and North Dakota it was emergency crews assisting with the floods taking up the motel rooms. It pays to book ahead by at least a day.
9) It is hard to plan your maintenance ahead but don't expect that you can just drop in and get an oil change. In Grande Prairie & Vernon they were weeks behind. They were short of service people and some of those people were on holiday. In Grande Prairie the Honda Dealer (powersport) wasn't even stocking oil filters. On the other hand we had otherdealers bending over backwards to get us back on the road. It can be expensive though.
10) Take time to stop and enjoy the sights. Take lots of pictures because for many of us it will be a once in a lifetime experience.
11) I had a GoPro camera pointed out the back of the bike. It took pictues automatically every 30 seconds which made a good picture log of the trip. Batteries last about 3 hours so I changed them out when I stopped for a break. I learned quickly to have it face backwards so that the lens wouldn't get covered with bugs, dirt, etc.
Here are some images from the Yukon
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