ride more wrench less this summer

[canuck750]

I made a commitment this summer to ride as much as possible and put the wrenches down other than maintenance or to finish some small jobs.

My summer ride began about three weeks ago heading in a meandering route from Phoenix to Edmonton, Canada, leg one is done, 3500km. Today I leave for my trip to dip a wheel in the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyuktuk NWT, its the 1st summer the new all weather road has been open between Inuvik and Tuk and I plan on the wheel  dip for the afternoon of the solstice. Its about 3400 Km to Tuk from here. Leg three is a return trip down the centre of B.C. In August I want to be at Bonneville to watch a friend compete for a record on his old 1950's BSA 500, then back to Phoenix. The final leg will be down the Baha to Cabo, across to Mazatlan and then return inland to Phoenix for the winter. Once done I should be tired of riding for a while.

[Toecutter]

Have fun. Be careful. I lived in the Yukon and NWT for a sizeable portion of my life... It's beautiful, but rugged and unforgiving.

And be ready for the bugs. And pack as though you may have to spend a night on the land. It can be very cold, and very hot on the same day.

[toolittletime]

I made a commitment this summer to ride as much as possible and put the wrenches down other than maintenance or to finish some small jobs.

My summer ride began about three weeks ago heading in a meandering route from Phoenix to Edmonton, Canada, leg one is done, 3500km. Today I leave for my trip to dip a wheel in the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyuktuk NWT, its the 1st summer the new all weather road has been open between Inuvik and Tuk and I plan on the wheel  dip for the afternoon of the solstice. Its about 3400 Km to Tuk from here. Leg three is a return trip down the centre of B.C. In August I want to be at Bonneville to watch a friend compete for a record on his old 1950's BSA 500, then back to Phoenix. The final leg will be down the Baha to Cabo, across to Mazatlan and then return inland to Phoenix for the winter. Once done I should be tired of riding for a while.

When you return through BC.......stop in for a visit.
Tim

[Guzzi Gal]

That sounds like an epic way to avoid the Phoenix heat!  When you are able, post pics so we can live vicariously.

[canuck750]

Have fun. Be careful. I lived in the Yukon and NWT for a sizeable portion of my life... It's beautiful, but rugged and unforgiving.

And be ready for the bugs. And pack as though you may have to spend a night on the land. It can be very cold, and very hot on the same day.

Good advice! I love the Yukon, spent many years working up there and travelling on most every section of paved / gravel / dirt road there is, the bugs, yep aren't they something! I am packing mosquito head nets, lots of repellant and winter clothes too!

[TRw1]

Safe travels and provide us some updates.  Sounds like a fantastic journey.

[nick949]

Safe riding Jim. Looking forward to some pictures.

Nick

[canuck750]

I am cheating for the 1st 2000 km (I have ridden Edmonton to Whitehorse too many times to care anymore), my buddy trailered three bikes up to Whitehorse, I fly up this pm, then we ride into Alaska, then up to Dawson City, Inuvik, Tuk and I will ride back home to Edmonton on a meandering route through northern BC.

[oldbike54]

 OK , we are expecting an epic ride report with daily updates 

 Dusty

[Dave Swanson]

That's a dream ride!

[Scud]

 :1: on the basic theme of ride more wrench less. I've been trying the same, but no epic ride planned. Have fun.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Winter is for wrenching.. Spring, Summer and Fall is for riding. If you do Winter properly.. you won't need to wrench in the Summer. 
(Disclaimer: SoCal guys need not observe this axiom.)

[canuck750]

Day one was a short ride from Whitehorse to Skagway and back. The Whitepass and Yukon train was at Carcross when we stopped for coffee, beautiful narrow gauge railway. The pass was cold, raining and the fog left about 50 feet visibility, cool and raining in Skagway, three cruise ships in port. Yesterday was warm and sunny for the ride from Whitehorse to Tok Alaska, saw three cinnamon bears one real big one on the side of the road, a couple moose sightings as well. Beautiful open mountain vistas and little traffic. Heading to Chicken Alaska and back into Canada to Dawson City tonight. Met two guys from Portugal riding around the world, they have done Asia Africa North and south Amelrica and Eourope. They had warnings that the Dempster between Inuvik and Tuktoyuktuk is very sloppy and there was a serious motorcycle accident on Friday. It’s going te slow going but one way or another I am going to get my front tire into the Arctic Ocean. 

[Lannis]

It�s going te slow going but one way or another I am going to get my front tire into the Arctic Ocean.

The way you say that reminds me of Jack London's story "Love of Life", where a dude has made the same commitment.   Since you've got a motorcycle, hopefully it won't be as painful.

But it does sound like the ride of a lifetime!

Lannis

[canuck750]

Made it into Dawson City tonight. The sun is high in the sky at 11:00 pm. The Top of the world highway is paved about half the way gravel the rest. water trucks were dumping calcium chloride, damn I hate that stuff, turns gravel and sand into a skating rink. No issues with the bikes, great scenery, surprised by the number of motorcycles this year and how many are Europeans or Auzies. The rain has stopped at Inuvik so we are hopeful the road will be open to Tuktoyuktuk on Wednesday. Two of my companions drank the famous toe cocktail at the Jack London bar. I passed, a pickled toe in a shot glass ain’t for me. Best sight today was two young guys riding new Triumph Bonnyville Scramblers with amo cases for hard bags and a bent sheet of aluminum for a skid plate. I bet they are the only two Triumph scramblers being used for what the name implies, good on them!

[Calculon]

Sounds Awesome!  Make sure you've got enough gas.  I can't imagine there's many places to fill up being the road's so new.

[TRw1]

Good luck with the weather and road conditions.  I'm sure you will make it no matter!

Thanks for the updates.

[canuck750]

We made Inuvik today, road has been mostly dry, some stretches of deep loose gravel, very dusty. The ferry over the Mackenzie river is interesting. Inuvik is a very clean and quite pretty, lots of government money here nice bright colours on the buildings. Bad accident yesterday near Eagle Plains, two motorcycles went down, both medical helicopter flight to Dawson, broken leg, ribs, etc. Road is open to Tuktoyuktuk but warning of loose gravel and some washed out areas. Guys coming down report 3 hours to travel the 100 or so miles. Never seen so many adventure bikes in one place. There must have been twenty alone at the bar last night. Lots of guys camp, not me, the bears are real big here and there a lot of them. I am trying to find an air cargo company that will fly my motorcycle and me to Prudhoe Bay to come back down the middle of Alaska rather than repeat the 1000+ km back down to Dawson City. The sun will go down for a half hour tonight.

[Paul Brooking]

Envious

Very high on the Bucket List

[TimmyTheHog]

We made Inuvik today, road has been mostly dry, some stretches of deep loose gravel, very dusty. The ferry over the Mackenzie river is interesting. Inuvik is a very clean and quite pretty, lots of government money here nice bright colours on the buildings. Bad accident yesterday near Eagle Plains, two motorcycles went down, both medical helicopter flight to Dawson, broken leg, ribs, etc. Road is open to Tuktoyuktuk but warning of loose gravel and some washed out areas. Guys coming down report 3 hours to travel the 100 or so miles. Never seen so many adventure bikes in one place. There must have been twenty alone at the bar last night. Lots of guys camp, not me, the bears are real big here and there a lot of them. I am trying to find an air cargo company that will fly my motorcycle and me to Prudhoe Bay to come back down the middle of Alaska rather than repeat the 1000+ km back down to Dawson City. The sun will go down for a half hour tonight.

awesome to hear you are doing well!....

and yes, as you know it, do not feed the bear...it ain't the Yogi Bear 

[TRw1]

Good luck on that last stretch!  Send a pic of that wheel in the Arctic.

[mjptexas]

....Lots of guys camp, not me, the bears are real big here and there a lot of them.....

One more reason to avoid the vagaries related to camping.

[guzzisteve]

For me, I have to wrench more so I have the money to ride more.

[canuck750]

We made Tuktoyuktuk today, 150 km from Inuvik. Road mostly dried out except for a 10 km stretch at the end most bikes turned around the BMW and KTM were too heavy for the mud but the little KLR�s wiggled there way across the mud and the dirt bike type front fender did not plug up with mud like the �adventure bikes�. We all drove out the the furthest point in town and ride into the Arctic Ocean, open water but lots of broken ice. It�s a holiday, Aboriginal Days, everything closed but the Inuit were having Arctic Games and a BBQ and fed us lunch. Back in Inuvik tonight, big Arctic games going on and Inuit food being served tonight, hoping to get some caribou and Beluga whale. This road is really going to change the lives of the Inuit in Tuktoyuktuk and that may not be a good thing. The Inuit are already preparing for the fall caribou hunt, tradition sleds and snowmobile�s are parked along the highway waiting to go out. The herd is some 180,000 strong and no one knows where they will cross the arctic each year. It�s been a very fun ride now it�s returning back the way we came and tomorrow is a 12 hour gravel road ride back to Dawson City and rain is forecast which could make it a 16 hour day.

[TRw1]

Jim - congratulations!  A great adventure and accomplishment.  Good luck on the ride back.

Ted

[nick949]

  congrats Jim. With you in spirit. 

Nick

[canuck750]

Back in Dawson City. My KLR decided to stop charging it’s batter left me on the side of the road an hour south of Inuvik. I pulled the bike apart, I carry spare electric components and swapped the regulator, boosted the bike and it ran. Battery will not stay charged and electronic tack has died. Probably a short in the tach is at fault but who knows. I made it to pavement and will boost the bike in the morning and make it to Whitehorse. It was a 12 hour ride today half in the rain, all my joints ache and vodka is my best friend.

[Yukonica]

Back in Dawson City. My KLR decided to stop charging it�s batter left me on the side of the road an hour south of Inuvik. I pulled the bike apart, I carry spare electric components and swapped the regulator, boosted the bike and it ran. Battery will not stay charged and electronic tack has died. Probably a short in the tach is at fault but who knows. I made it to pavement and will boost the bike in the morning and make it to Whitehorse. It was a 12 hour ride today half in the rain, all my joints ache and vodka is my best friend.

Glad you are enjoying the ride.

[TRw1]

Sounds like you and the KLR are hanging tough!

[Muzz]

I was a bit sad about missing out on a canuck rebuild this year but the trip report pretty much makes up for it.