Alaska Trip Report

Just to close up for this last trip:

OK, I rode up from Vancouver BC to the North American, Western Arctic and back.
I rode both of the available "highways" that go beyond the Arctic Circle there.

I had a ball :)
I thoroughly recommend going to see the Arctic to everyone!
I particularly recommend it to Canadians... One of those "here-say" statistics in my head is that over 90% of Canadians live within 100 km of the southern boarder with the USA. Most Canadians are urban and have very little idea of how big or how beautiful their country really is and I truly believe they would be better for seeing it...if only once and for a few days.

For myself, I preferred the Dempster Hwy (the Canadian road through Yukon and NWT) over the Dalton Hwy in the USA, but either one is equally accessible and passable.
I saw lots and lots of "Overland touring" bikes on both roads, and many of the bikes were far better designed for off-roading than mine (KTM 950/990s), but the moment the weather turned a bit unpleasant, most of them gave up and turned back.
These highways seem to have a reputation as being dangerous and difficult. I had some trepidations myself when I set out because of those "reputations"... But, I have to say that its just like my experiences riding through central America. The reputations are not justified...
There is a saying that I like that captures it:

Bad news can be three times around the world before good news has got its boots on!

The reputations of these roads are derived mostly from hear-say and compounded by peoples "paranoia".
So, I'll say it here...
The roads are dirt and the distances are far, but the roads are good and safe and easy to negotiate. Yes, it was harder on a bike in the wet, but just go slow and its fine. Honestly, anyone could make it up these roads on a moped! (even if its raining!). There are no steep or 4wd sections at all.

I also saw the south of Alaska around the Kenai peninsula which was also very beautiful country... Recommended.
I also saw lots of the province of BC, and again I recommend this to anyone in the "lower mainland" (area around Vancouver) where most BC people live (again overwhelmingly urban population)... Go see your province and be awed :)

My trip was quite fast and I saw all that stuff in just over three weeks.
This was pretty much constant eight-hour days of riding.
I could easily have gone slower and spent some more time in some places. likewise, there were several "side roads" that I did not go down but would have liked to (Like to Valdez, and Prince Rupert etc). I had a limited time for my trip, so I did not "linger".

One detracting feature of the "north country" are that, winters are long, cold, and dark...but this compensated for by the long, warm, and bright summers.
The only other detracting feature is that there are a LOT of bugs up there! This is a significant issue for people on bikes (like me) and it did contribute to why I didnt "linger" more: I had to more or less keep riding, be sitting in my tiny little tent, or be inside a cafe/restaurant etc. But this is ot an issue for people with RVs or staying in hotels... or even camping if they have a more spacious tent :)

Anyway, I recommend the north to anyone, and Im very glad I went.

Now, its time to quickly get ready for my next trip...
Im off to Nevada in a couple of days for the annual "Burning Man" in the desert down there!
Ive never been to it before and I dont really know what it'll be like, but,

I shall report back! :)))