Alaska 2023

Mellow said:
I have never cared about visiting Alaska on the bike myself... I've been as far as BC and that's beautiful but I'm a paved-guy afraid of non-paved surfaces.
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I thought you had been on the Moki Dugway at one time? Now there's a road, particularly going down on a two up fully loaded ST, to bring the heart up into the throat!
 
Bush said:
I thought you had been on the Moki Dugway at one time? Now there's a road, particularly going down on a two up fully loaded ST, to bring the heart up into the throat!
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I've done that several times but that's easy and hard packed.
 
Sorry to hear your trip is ending like this. I've broken ribs, collar bones and more on two occasions - the pain and discomfort were really tough to deal with, even when staying still and recovering. I can only imagine what it's like trying to get your bike upright, board/unboard the ferry and ride all those miles back home. You sound like one tough SOB.

I hope the rest of the trip goes as smoothly as possible and that your injuries are confined to just broken bones and plastic - all of which will heal in time. Be well and stay safe.
 
Whew!

Thanks for the report, my friend. Damn… The ribs I cracked so very long ago in Viet Nam are aching in sympathy.

BeST wishes for a less painful recovery. Good drugs are helpful as you full well know.

Looking forward to your “Home safe!” poST.

Warm Regards, John
 
Made the 660 or so miles from Missoula to Rapid City today.
About the same mileage for the next two days (Kansas City then Nashville) and I'll be back in the Holler.
It's all slab, so set the cruise and hang on!
What aggravated me the most is I could have picked my way through the mess (just rode from Tok to Chicken to Dawson City on the Top of the World).
But she stopped and refused to go further (several vehicles behind me) unless I got behind her.
Gravel is okay, hard pack is okay but the tanker truck wasn't spraying water - it was dumping it in large quantities.
And I believe the road base as near as I could tell was mostly clay so very little traction at all.
And I could have dealt with that but when the deep rut shows up from under the truck there was no time to react.
As heavy as the ST1100 is and I'm doing 20-30 mph, I am amazed that it marred up enough to come to a complete halt without me even hitting the brakes!
Tons of pictures and still taking them so it will take me a while for the ride report.
BTW, ran into some weirdness on highway 12/Lolo Pass.
There was about 30 miles of old pavement that something on it that looked like red sap and it was slicker than snot.
It thankfully stopped at the Montana border.
 
Looked like red sap but was slippery?
Somebody blew their fork seals ahead of you, or a car was losing all their ATF.
 
Sadlsor said:
Looked like red sap but was slippery?
Somebody blew their fork seals ahead of you, or a car was losing all their ATF.
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Nope, it went on for about 30-50 miles - you had to pick your line off of it.
It was strange stuff for sure but stopped at the state line so it makes me think it was something sprayed on the road.
 
If it was winter-ish I'd say beet juice. Up here they use it as an anti-icing fluid on the bridges. Does the same thing as the brine mixtures they use.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Nope, it went on for about 30-50 miles - you had to pick your line off of it.
It was strange stuff for sure but stopped at the state line so it makes me think it was something sprayed on the road.
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Home heating oil #2 has a red dye added=no road tax.
 
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Damn UP! I hate to hear of your troubles. I hope it is smooth sailing back to the holler. Heal fast and I hope to see you at the BRG.
 
Made it to just north of Kansas City, KS for the evening - about 700 miles or so.
600 miles to the Holler tomorrow where I was told that my internet is down. :rolleyes:
I can't feel anything 'rough' edges where the pain is so I don't think I've broken anything at this point.
But I can tell you if I sneeze or cough, yellow water wants to run down my leg ....:eek:
I'll get it tended to when I get back to the Holler.

A little trick you may not know -
If you start to sneeze, put the tip of your tongue between your upper lip and your upper gum in the center and apply pressure with your tongue. (There's usually a little 'connector' there) and it will usually stop you from doing it.

Even with the trouble I've had, it's still been a great trip that I would do over if I hadn't already done it.
I just wouldn't follow the pilot truck into a 'ravine' and would pick my own line through the mess! :biggrin:
 
I never heard of that anti-sneize trick.
But the same thing happens when I pinch the bridge of my nose up above the "nose bone", close to my eyes.
No sneize action.
I've never broken ribs, but cracked some when I was 16yo in a car crash. No fun at all.
I imagine it would be even less fun today...
Healing prayers sent, along with thankful prayers that it's not me this time.
Yeah, selfish. I know.
 
I just read the last 3 pages of the thread- sorry about your injuries (you’re tough where many would have quit and abandoned ship). It could be worse, more than the pain- as you said, internal bleeding or lung injury from the broken ribs- worse would be an extremity injury that disabled you from riding the bike. How much body damage (to the bike) in addition to the mirror covers?
 
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