Author Topic: Norge Riders Head North!!!!! (Alaska - June 2017) (Read 15250 times)

sbaker · « **on:** June 03, 2016, 02:55:22 PM »

Hello Norge Riders... (and everyone else)

Lets do an Alaska trip !!!! NEXT June.. 2017 will need to allocate 4 to 6 weeks depending on where you start from, but it's time we took the Norges North....

Lots of logistics to work through, think of this post as starting the process...

I have not been, but it's on the bucket list.. As I am recently retired.. I have the time... :)

Thanks

I'll be at John Day Guzzi Rally to talk about it.

Matteo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:07:48 PM »

Sam, Look me up at John Day. Spent many years in AK lots of trips on my Norge and Jackal. Rodekyll will be there too, he's been up and down those roads a few times too.

rodekyll · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:16:15 PM »

Yeah, that's my neighborhood. I've done the complete Alcan a half-dozen times or so and portions of it at the connecting routes more times than I can count. I'll be happy to offer input on planning, and I might even still be in Alaska to join the ride.

PJPR01 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:47:23 PM »

Very enticing idea indeed!

I would probably want to run some Heidenau 60/40's to deal with gravel/dirt roads, anyone run those on a Norge yet or something comparable as I'm pretty sure the Pilot Road 4's won't cut it on the Dalton or Dempster?

Should be a good campfire discussion in Oregon for sure!

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:47:23 PM »

atavar · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:50:30 PM »

Put me on the notify and reminder list! If I can I will. A long ride with a Gaggle of Norgii would be great fun.

atavar · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2016, 03:59:24 PM »

Hey, could we route through the NWT on the way home?

MGrego · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2016, 04:10:15 PM »

I have 2 things in common with you, I live in Dallas and I ride a Norge.....but I won't be retired for another 20 years !!!

Hope you make it happen and have a great trip ! Keep us posted !

PJPR01 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2016, 04:49:08 PM »

Quote from: twowings on June 03, 2016, 03:51:02 PM

Scramblerize it, Paul!!

:1:

Imagine a giant rooster tail flying out of the back!!

How's it looking for Oregon - going to make it?

rodekyll · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2016, 04:55:29 PM »

I ran 60/40 Tourance in 2012 and decided there's not enough off-pavement to make the crappy feel on pavement worth it. The handling limited my speed and annoyed me more than it helped. The big problem is the layer of marbles they lay over hardpan, which seems to be a universal answer to pavement in the north. You're gonna skitter on them skittles regardless of your tire choice.

Matteo · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2016, 05:08:21 PM »

Route suggestion, head to Banff Alberta, north to Jasper on the Icefields parkway. Then west into the Cassiar with a stop in Hyder. Continue north to Watson Lake in YT. Thru Whitehorse. Be sure to stop at the Klondike salmon bake for lunch, north to Dawson YT on solstice for Dust to Dawson "Not a rally". West on Top of the world highway. Up the Richardson highway to Farbanks. On up to Arctic circle, Dalton highway if dry. If wet proceed carefully to Deadhorse. Back to Anchorage on the Parks highway by Denali. South to Homer. Back to Anchorage and home on the Alcan. Covers all but Haines/Skagway loop and the Kennicot mine.
Don't forget your passport.

PeteS · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2016, 06:15:10 PM »

Quote from: Matteo Manfredi on June 03, 2016, 05:08:21 PM

Route suggestion, head to Banff Alberta, north to Jasper on the Icefields parkway. Then west into the Cassiar with a stop in Hyder. Continue north to Watson Lake in YT. Thru Whitehorse. Be sure to stop at the Klondike salmon bake for lunch, north to Dawson YT on solstice for Dust to Dawson "Not a rally". West on Top of the world highway. Up the Richardson highway to Farbanks. On up to Arctic circle, Dalton highway if dry. If wet proceed carefully to Deadhorse. Back to Anchorage on the Parks highway by Denali. South to Homer. Back to Anchorage and home on the Alcan. Covers all but Haines/Skagway loop and the Kennicot mine.
Don't forget your passport.

Another option for the route home is catch the ferry. It stops at all the major ports and you can get on and off wherever you wish. Camp on deck if you want or get a cabin. They sail to either Vancouver or Seattle. Routes back east could include Lolo Pass and Beartooth!!

Pete

rodekyll · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2016, 06:35:23 PM »

. . .Assuming there still is ferry service next year. It used to be that us folks in the isolated SE islands coukld catch a boat like you folkks do a bus. But now they're robbing our marine highway system to add lanes and fences to the highways in the Anchorage corridor. It seems like they've given up on getting Anchorage drivers do do the silly things -- like stay on their side of the highway and drive like there are other people using the road -- so they're throwing the entire SE region under the bus to compensate for the carnage. They know who's got the population base to re-elect them.

Right now we have a ~ferry a week in either direction, except you need to go north to get south, and they charge for the great circle route instead of the actual route you needed to travel. So your chances of finding a ferry within a week of your travel schedule are slim. There was no way the math worked out for me ferrying to the mainland and riding the trike to America. Unless I wanted to start the trip three weeks early, the next boat got me to Canada the day the rally starts.

My point being that it will be tricky to both get a ferry and still make the D2D on the solstice.

Dofin · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2016, 06:50:09 PM »

I wanna go!! I dragged my feet this year, gonna do it next year!!

PJPR01 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2016, 07:56:59 PM »

Quote from: rodekyll on June 03, 2016, 04:55:29 PM

I ran 60/40 Tourance in 2012 and decided there's not enough off-pavement to make the crappy feel on pavement worth it. The handling limited my speed and annoyed me more than it helped. The big problem is the layer of marbles they lay over hardpan, which seems to be a universal answer to pavement in the north. You're gonna skitter on them skittles regardless of your tire choice.

Sounds dicey and fun at the same time...I just finished reading Nick's book Beyond the Coffee Shop and he seems to mention marbles a few times as well. For off-roading we typically tend to air down a bit in the 4x4, do you do the same on the moto for this type of road?

rodekyll · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2016, 10:48:13 PM »

Yes, there were four of us in that group, and we all had different tires and different ideas on how to rig for the marbles. I think at one time MMNorth was running about 18/11. If I got mine tolerable for the slow speed slippery stuff it was unmanageable at any kind of highway speed on pavement. Not even the big BMW GS 1500 coped with it well. That was the only one we had to stop to help pick up. The three Calis never went down.

BRIO · « **Reply #15 on:** June 04, 2016, 05:35:26 AM »

I'm in!

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #16 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:41:19 AM »

Would be fun. I would be interested in riding at least as far as the Yukon Terr. with you. Seattle would be a good place for you to stop and mount new tires.
There are lots of Guzzi guys here that would probably let you ship stuff to their address.

PeteS · « **Reply #17 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:46:31 AM »

Too bad about the ferries. I decided if I go again I would take the ferry one way. It allows you to see some towns only accessable by sea or air like Ketchikan and Juneau plus the fabulous scenery along the coast and avoid backtracking any roads up.
We met three riders who rode up from Venezuela at Denali last year. All on very tricked out BMW GS's.

Pete

sbaker · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2016, 09:30:04 AM »

Wow.. .Great responses all.... We have time to plan and get routes and tires all organized... This is great input....

Paul: I will make Oregon!.. But I can't leave until Monday early.. So I'll see you there... Even pounding up the slab, i don't think I can make up the days... But I'll be there ... Probably pulling in late at the Hotel in Downtown ... License "Guzzi2" ... White Norge.... see you there!

AT NATIONALS>>>> We can plan on a Saturday Dinner / Alaska discussion table, get everyone's addresses and contact info and do a bit of planning... BRING MAPS and highlighters... !!!!!

This is going to be GREAT !!!!

Matteo · « **Reply #19 on:** June 04, 2016, 02:12:42 PM »

Start here;

https://www.themilepost.com/

Ciao
Matt

PJPR01 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 04, 2016, 03:02:45 PM »

Quote from: sbaker on June 04, 2016, 09:30:04 AM

Paul: I will make Oregon!.. But I can't leave until Monday early.. So I'll see you there... Even pounding up the slab, i don't think I can make up the days... But I'll be there ... Probably pulling in late at the Hotel in Downtown ... License "Guzzi2" ... White Norge.... see you there!

No worries Sam...post up when you get on the road and we'll see if an intersect is still possible...I'm going to take a leisurely 5 days to get there thru lots of twisties...and maybe even spend an extra day in Colorado just for fun...any idea what your route will be?

I know Chris is still looking at coming out as well...so maybe we'll have a 3 way rendezvous somewhere along the way, if not perhaps on the way back out!

Counting down the days...tick tock tick tock!

toolittletime · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:36:18 PM »

Put me on your list as well. I would probably do part of the trip. We do lots of riding in Canada and took a trip to Yellowknife a few years back. I'm right on the way.......north Idaho at the Canadian border.
Tim

rodekyll · « **Reply #22 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:41:12 PM »

It would be fun if you guys could swarm the D2D. I think there were five there the year I went. If you doubled that it would be quite special.

Toolittle -- I often cross the border on 95 when I'm travelling. Sometimes I come through Rykerts.

Jerryd · « **Reply #23 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:44:27 PM »

Hey Sam,

I thought you were going to do it this year? I'm all gassed up

JeffOlson · « **Reply #24 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:59:59 PM »

My wife says I should go!

(What does that mean? She did not say I could go but that I should go.

)

Still, I am on a treadmill at work, and I won't be anywhere near retired by then. Consequently, four to six weeks are too many. Perhaps I could join you for part of the trip...

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #25 on:** June 04, 2016, 09:08:27 PM »

Ha! My wife came home from work and I mentioned this thread to her. She thinks it would be a good opportunity. We would be in! Jeff, introduce yourself to us at the National. Sam, likewise.

Bill Lovelady is
Eskimo Spy

toolittletime · « **Reply #26 on:** June 04, 2016, 10:53:12 PM »

Quote from: rodekyll on June 04, 2016, 08:41:12 PM

It would be fun if you guys could swarm the D2D. I think there were five there the year I went. If you doubled that it would be quite special.

Toolittle -- I often cross the border on 95 when I'm travelling. Sometimes I come through Rykerts.

I am currently building a new house in Eastport Idaho.......about 200 yards south of the Canadian border. Should be finished by next year and I could host a camp spot there if needed.
Or a pistol drop spot.
Tim

rodekyll · « **Reply #27 on:** June 04, 2016, 10:59:23 PM »

That's good to know. When I go through Golden I generally cross on 95. So I go through Eastport a lot. My kid's mom lives in Sand Point.

Gino · « **Reply #28 on:** June 05, 2016, 03:31:31 AM »

My wife and I used the Prince Rupert to Haines ferry in 2013, one of the outstanding memories of our trip. I see it runs weekly still. If I was to go again I'd use that ferry, whale watching, scenery & on board party hard to beat

ITSec · « **Reply #29 on:** June 05, 2016, 03:21:35 PM »

Four to six weeks is way too long for most - if I could go for that long a ride, I'd likely never come back!

News:

Author Topic: Norge Riders Head North!!!!! (Alaska - June 2017) (Read 15250 times)

Wildguzzi.com