Based on the votes, I am planning a nice leisurely 2009 tour!

Basically, we will leave St. Augustine, FL on or about July 1 so we can have a possible hook-up with a group of bikers from Tulsa, OK (they could rendevous with us, if they want) riding for St. Judes Children Hospital.  My thoughts are for us to do 500 mile days so every day we can get rest, have a chance to do laundry, etc.  With this leisurely pace, individual bikers can split off for side trips or stop at local attractions knowing there is a nice dry room at the end of the day waiting.

Believe me ... it is one thing to dream and plan to drive to Alaska but the reality is that things happen on the road to take up time plus you will get fatigued.  Don't try to be so gung ho and do mile eating days (I confess I did that my first two years with several days of 900 to 1,000 miles) because you will simply be miserable enduring this.  Also, there will be bad weather and for safety's sake, we will need to stop for a few hours for the worst part to pass over.  If you simply don't have the time for this leisurely pace, then wait for another year when I do the shorter segment directly to Hyder and back.

Tentative Schedule (to avoid big cities and horrendous traffic)

July 1 -- Day 1 .. St. Augustine to Birmingham, AL  453 miles in 8 hours 25 minutes

Thru Waycross and Albany, GA then Columbus then Birmingham


July 2 -- Day 2  Birmingham, AL to Fort Smith, AR  522 miles in 8 hours 15 minutes’

Thru Memphis, Little Rock.

 
July 3 -- Day 3 Fort Smith, AR to Garden City, KS  496 miles in 7 hours 53 minutes

Thru Wichita, KS, 54 West to US 400 to US 50

 
July 4 -- Day 4  Garden City, KS to Craig, CO  580 miles

Thru Pueblo, US 50 West , then 24 North to Vail, CO to I-70 West, Route 13 North

 
July 5 -- Day 5  Craig, CO to Logan, UT  351 miles

Route 13 north to I-80 then US 30 to Bear Lake Utah then US 89 to Logan.  There will be a MINI-RUN and a welcome reception for us at approximately 3 p.m. that day.

July 6 – Day 6 – Logan, UT to Great Falls, MT  512 miles 7 hours 20 minutes

Interstate 15 North

July 7 – Day 7 -- Great Falls, MT to Edmonton, AB  506 miles, 8 hours

We will go through spectacular Lethbridge, Alberta and take rural route 23 starting at Monarch which is West of Lethbridge.   23 becomes 24 and zig zags NW to route 9, bypassing congested Calgary,  We will then take route 72 West and get onto the main highway to Edmonton.

There are two lodges I want us to stop at ... Teslin River Lodge and Dawson Peaks.  The guy who operates Teslin River Lodge showed me the cabins and said we can arrange to have a BBQ when we arrive.  Dawson Peaks Lodge 400 miles further West has a really nice restaurant.  We MUST stop at Mulkluk Annie's Salmon Bake also!

  This segment is 4675 miles in approximately ten days which is less than 500 miles per day on the average.  So, we would actrually be riding just 9 hours a day, with several hours for sightseeing, rest, etc.  After getting to Fairbanks approximately July 10, we would then rendevous July 14, then head to Hyder Alaska.

What to do in Fairbanks?  There is a 16 hour tour to and from Prudhoe Bay which costs around $600 per person, or there is a (seems a better value here) a three day tour of Prudhoe Bay which is around $900, double accommodations.  Personally, I would want to go on this one!

You can always rent a bike suitable for driving up to Prudhoe Bay or a car but for that price, I'd really relax and take one of the guided tours.   Its all your choice!!

Others may want to go South to Denali Park and Homer and then rendevous in Tok or Haines Junction with the group staying in Fairbanks/Prudhoe Bay area.

PLEASE realize this is a loosely organized tour to give you flexibility.  If you want to ride alone, you can leave in the morning at whatever time you want.  If you want to ride in a group, you will have a chance every day to chat with other bikers and make informal agreements to ride in groups.  When we arrive in Alaska, you are "on your own" so use chamber of commerce listings, travel agent recommendations, etc. and set up your itinery. 

For example, Denali Park, Homer, Hot Springs, float plane fishing, rent a car or dirt ready bike and drive up to Prudhoe Bay, take a van tour of Prudhoe Bay, take a bush mail flight to an remote Eskimo village, do salmon fishing, hike in the mountains, etc. so you will be busy and happy until the time our group rendevous and leave Alaska.  There are books on Alaska in your bookstore.  Have a plan before you leave on the trip and chat with other bikers your plans and perhaps you can go in groups of two or three.

Last time, we arrived in Hyder early in July, the mountain roads were still covered with snow and we couldn't see the majestic glaciers and the salmon run hadn't started.  To take care of this we are visiting Hyder AFTER Fairbanks and will be going east on the Alaska Highway to just before Watson Lake and taking the Provincial Route 37, we will go on an extremely scenic road (partially unpaved) .. parts of this road had trees right at the edge with no shoulder to speak of! 

This segment would take us three days covering 1236 miles.  Arrving at Hyder July 16, there is a motorcycle friendly hotel we can stay at. 

All next day, we can go up a gravel road about 50 miles and you will see a majestic glacier from horizon to horizon BELOW you!   (See photos by Patrick Henry).  We then can to go an observation deck and watch wild bears fish for salmon.  There is a vintage hotel and dining room where you can enjoy gastronomicalepicureandelight meals.

Above is the glacier and a typical hotel nearby.  Such lovely views and accommodations!

To the right and below is an actual photo of bears.  You will be on a high and safe observation deck watching all their antics.  The fun part is watching the cubs learn from mother bear on how to fish!

Leaving Hyder July 18, going East 2500 miles all across cool Canada to the top of Lake Superior, we would arrive in Wawa, Ontario in about five days or July 22.  Leaving July 23, cutting south between Lakes Michigan and Huron, we can get into Indiana in cool weather (the two lakes on both sides keeping us cool in the late July heat).  Cutting southeast, some of you can then take the Tail of the Dragon.  This last segment is 1500 miles in three days would take us back to Florida approximately July 26.

Reason for this?  More variety and cooler.  Much cooler and scenic.  There is a gorgeous waterfall near Thunder Bay, Ontario.  It will be cool indeed all the way to Indiana!  Two years ago, we returned via the Southwest and were greeted with 110 degrees heat.  Last year, it was in the 60s 70s and low 80s all the way into Georgia!

   There will be a designated lodging with a web link and description.  You are, of course, free to use internet and find alterate lodging in the vicinity if the official lodging is not to your liking or is sold out.  On the registration form which will be ready in October, you will have the option of (1) getting your own private room or (2) you want to share a room (each room will have two beds).  As bikers register, you will see their names and contact information and you will know which ones are seeking room-mates and you contact each other and decide how you will split the costs of the rooms you reserve yourself.

In a few weeks, the registration will be ready.  Basically, there will be a menu to give you a choice of:

1.  Want to be matched up with a room-mate.

2.  Willing to take turns being the lead and tail biker?  I plan to get walkie talkies so the tail biker can ask the lead biker to stop if a biker has problems.  (Actually, I think the best thing is for us to go in pairs only ... being compatible with speed range, fuel range, and "bathroom break range".

3.  Third person in room option to take a sleeping bag (this way, it will be split 40/40/20 with the two people taking private beds and the sleeping bag.  This is for bikers who want to really save money.  So bikers who want to take sleeping bag/air mattress will contact bikers who already made room reservations and ask if he/she can share the room, paying 20%.  This does not guarantee you will get a sleeping floor space.

For 2010, how about a "Bed and Breakfast" tour that will appeal to couples?  I am thinking of a swing North around Lake Superior with 350 mile days so we can all sleep in, enjoy a breakfast, and hit the road.  This may be limited to five couples.  This would be to Hyder, AK with its majestic mountains, glaciers, water falls, salmon/bear observation deck and incredibly charming old hotels/dining rooms in Stewart, British Columbia.  Return trip would be thru Logan, Utah and then going directly East, eventually going Southeast around Kansas City, MO.

Watch the website starting this Fall for 2009 information!