Leaving for Alaska,right now......
- Thread starter theshnizzle
- Start date
kiwi
Well-known member
Hope you packed knobbies for your "touring" bike. The Dempster is no joke.
very very true. I did it years ago in the car and we carried 2 spare tires Just in case.. and needed BOTH!!
Enjoy, ride safe !!!
Good luck, I still think your nuts though lol. If you survive maybe I'll give it a shot next time lol.
Wow, sounds incredible!
Take care and best of luck...
Take care and best of luck...
seconded - good luck but that is a very risky highway even properly equipped
I found out the hard way what the wrong tires can do - at least I had 3 burly guys to lift the bike off me.
This was on a properly equipped adventure bike
http://www.motorcyclememoir.com/admin/dempster-highway-on-motorcycle
I'd give the Dempster a pass on a road bike. Too easy to completely ruin a terrific trip.
more
http://www.cycleconnections.com/articledetail.asp?ID=1791&TypeID=3
Looking forward to pics as we are going to camper tour the area either next year or 2014 and hope to take a pair of small off road bikes with us.
Alaska is gorgeous and instead of the Dempster take the bike down the Inside Passage via the ferries - fantastic mix of highway and boat travel. We loved the area last year travelling by boat up the Inside Passage and I've hitched the Alaska Highway many years ago - the scenery is glorious.
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Wheelieboy
Well-known member
GoodLuck! HaveFun!
looking forward to the pics, safe trip.
Safe trip. Alaska is on my short list.
Sent from my GT-S5830D using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my GT-S5830D using Tapatalk 2
BeastieGirl
Well-known member
Have a great trip - update us when you have a chance 
BeastieGirl
Well-known member
Things can happen on a long trip whether you are male or female - I probably wouldn't tackle the Dempster on my own just for the safety in numbers theory not cuz I'm a girl. But also note she said "maybe" to the Dempster. Anyway we all take a leap of faith when we load up the bike and hit the road - I've had an accident on a road trip but that was 90,000 accident free kilometers ago .
Yup - solo always carries some extra risk but the Dempster is exceptional risk even on fully equipped bikes for that kind of distance in hostile terrain. That flint section sounds nasty big time.
I do hope the maybe turns to not this time as the rest of the ride should be fab.
When I hitched up there in 1967 ( Can/Am highway) the flying rocks from trucks were incredible.....frequent and often large....had one the size of a baseball come through the window and land in my lap and I was up in a full tractor. There was a warning sign at the beginning of the highway that all insurance coverage ( comprehensive ) for windshield etc was void and everyone up there had armored gas tanks.
Because the distances are so large the big trucks travel at freeway speeds on gravel and it makes for rather unnerving situations at times.
The couple I hitched down with had to get all four tires replaced after we got off it.
Luckily that road is now fully paved and I want to retrace my route up to Tok and then further into Alaska.
Even without a crash the Dempster is a tire eater according to riders and getting the right tire and a change up there might run into more than the bike is worth.
But aside from the Dempster - what a great ride this time of year - just take care with bears if you are camping. Guy I hitched with for a while had a grizzly reach under his tent wall and pat around. He was with a bunch of rangers so they scared the bear off. The one rider posted up their griz sightings on the Dempster on the links above but that goes for much of Alaska.
I do hope the maybe turns to not this time as the rest of the ride should be fab.
When I hitched up there in 1967 ( Can/Am highway) the flying rocks from trucks were incredible.....frequent and often large....had one the size of a baseball come through the window and land in my lap and I was up in a full tractor. There was a warning sign at the beginning of the highway that all insurance coverage ( comprehensive ) for windshield etc was void and everyone up there had armored gas tanks.
Because the distances are so large the big trucks travel at freeway speeds on gravel and it makes for rather unnerving situations at times.
The couple I hitched down with had to get all four tires replaced after we got off it.
Luckily that road is now fully paved and I want to retrace my route up to Tok and then further into Alaska.
Even without a crash the Dempster is a tire eater according to riders and getting the right tire and a change up there might run into more than the bike is worth.
But aside from the Dempster - what a great ride this time of year - just take care with bears if you are camping. Guy I hitched with for a while had a grizzly reach under his tent wall and pat around. He was with a bunch of rangers so they scared the bear off. The one rider posted up their griz sightings on the Dempster on the links above but that goes for much of Alaska.
alaska update.......from port hope to wawa.......day 1......wawa to ignace on...day 2.......ignace on to moosomin saskatchewan.......day 3.......moosomin sk to medicine hat alberta.......day 4........rain rain rain rain camping in rain...horseflys....mosquitos...broken zipper on rainsuit.............12 / 13 hour days on bike............rain forecast for all of my waypoints up to Dwson city..........endless praries,no where to stop nd pee even!!!!!!
Saw a bear a lynx and many moose.........cles notes version, stay tuned.........
Saw a bear a lynx and many moose.........cles notes version, stay tuned.........
