A 40 day, 9600 mile trip comes to a end! Was it worth it? Absolutely! It had it's ups and downs along the way but that was to be expected. We saw country that one can only dream of. Being on a motorcycle, with no walls to confine you, is similar to sailing through the countrysides. You become fully aware of your surroundings as nature completely encompasses you. We set out to have a once in a lifetime experience, and so we did!!!
As far as the equipment was concerned, we are mostly satisfied. The stereos on Joe & Tom's bikes failed during the course of the trip, this was a bummer. Joe's was on the way out of Alaska and Tom's when we entered the US on the way home. A software problem according to the Harley people we spoke to along the way. Mechanically the bikes did very well considering the the road conditions we encountered. We're aware of only one missing bolt on a tour pack, which is nothing after all the vibrations. The luggage and/or bags that we decided on for the trip all held up great. Tom & Joe were satisfied with their "T-Bag" brand and I with Harley's brand of luggage. Leakage being a main concern at the beginning, was of no concern. Electronics also did very well with the bouncing they had to put up with. Communication with the outside world was of course limited to service provided. As you are aware of, if you followed this blog, there were times of little to no service for phone and Internet. One thing to note is all hotel/motels will claim to provide WiFi. They are not to be trusted!!!!! I personally give two thumbs up to "Anti Monkey Butt powder", it served me well. The Garmin GPS and cameras held up well and were used throughout the trip. The video camera, that I had hoped to record some road footage, just couldn't take the vibration and was a bust.
One thing the boys did prove during this trek was that you can throw all your dirty laundry into one machine, mix in a little soap and "voila", it's clean. Have you women been lying to us all these years? ???? Laundry areas in motel/hotels are fairly common, however the costs vary greatly.
Having stayed at over 30 different places, it was determined that all but a few are all the same. Fortunately we had no bad encounters, IE bugs, mold, gunfire, etc.. Costs were anywhere between $60 to $200 a night depending on supply and demand. The lodging was a variety of cheap motels to expensive hotels and B&B's to historic landmarks. When it comes down to the rooms, they're mostly the same!!!!
Road conditions for the most part were good. The problems we encountered were mostly up north where they use the practice of tearing up the asphalt and putting down packed gravel for extended periods of time. This makes for some rough going and is not too kind on the bikes. The worst by far was the Al Can highway up in the Yukon Territory. The road up there is a mine field that is having little to no work done on it. The highways in the states are for the most part in much better condition.
There was not one day weather wise that prevented us from riding. Sure we had our share of rain and cold, but it wasn't extreme enough to sideline any of our intentions. So as a whole, we were very lucky with weather, remembering many a day when we just happened to skirt around this or that storm. As a note; the "Gore Tex" rain gear is worth every penny, impenetrable!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the length of the trip we met so many people from all over the world. Some very interesting and some full of bull----. The friendliest by far were the Montanans, waving to you as you would ride past and helpful as can be if you had a question. The least friendly I would have to say were the British Colombians. They have beautiful country and act as though they created it, thus what are you doing there. Very expensive too. Taxes at times are as high as 15-20% in their somewhat socialist world. Many people we talked to from Yukon and Alberta, their neighbors, don't regard them very highly! Sigh
Alaska is absolutely incredible! Even with Sarah Palin, ha ha. We did have the pleasure to cruise through her hometown a couple of times, Wasilla is the name if I remember correctly. The state is so large and unique and unspoiled for the most part. The only drawback being it's limited roadways for those wanting to explore but on the other hand it is able to maintain a Edenistic quality. Without the Al Can highway, it would still be fairly secluded. Private ownership of planes is higher in Alaska than anywhere else in the US. Many native Indians still in the remote areas live a very simple existence.
Now that the trip is over it is time to reflect. So much to absorb from the last six weeks because even though we were there, we were on the move almost constantly. A lot of information overload! At times it was stressful and exhausting and mistakes were made. That is the downside to such an undertaking and hopefully we remember all the good that came from it. If the trip was being planned today I couldn't think of a better pair to go with!!
Well with that said, it is time to put down the computer and start cleaning the bike. Weeks of dirt,tar,mud,glacial dust, jelly beans and who knows what else, is in every crevice. Thanks so much for being a part of our adventure. Thanks for excusing my poor literary skills and I hope it wasn't too repetitive! A special thanks to our loved ones that not only allowed us to do it but also took on the added responsibilities at home.
Personal Favorites;
Foods - Elk chop and Bison prime rib
Lodging - Fairmont Hot Springs resort and Homer Alaska BandB
People - Montanans
Rides - Glacier Park, Iceland Parkway and Denali
Sayings - "I concur", "they're people too", "WOW"
Snacks - Chips Ahoy cookies and Crunchy Cheetos
Lakes - Louise and Jackson
Take care and to the bikers out there "KEEP THE SHINY SIDE UP".
