Photos: North to the Alaskan Arctic (by motorcycle)

[djnsmith7]

What an amazing journey. Crazy to ride on some of those roads with those weather conditions. You had the right bikes for it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jlee]

Seems like a weird trip that was almost purely for a "oh, we can make a book out of the photos" reason.

From what I read on reddit, the two men on the trip are pro-photographers (Could be wrong?). Taking photos is what they do for a living... This trip has less meaning to me when there's an obvious financial aspect to it too.

Also, this was not an impromptu trip. This was very much planned out. You don't fucking get sponsors, a designed website, and all the gear for a trip like that in no time.

Regardless, they made it happen.

I want to do a trip like that (but to a warmer climate) with my truck and gf - need to sort out the financial situation first, but it's definitely doable.

 

[Bacstar]

When I moved to Anchorage for a job, I drove up from SoCal late November in my old Chrysler 300M. Winter was just getting started, and I was in a rush. People up here were telling me, I had to beat the really bad weather. WOW is all I can say. I felt like the last man on earth when I finally crossed the border into Alaska. Incredible snow covered views, and not a soul around. I thought I was going to die in some spots, and no cellphone coverage. Experience of a Lifetime, but I've been itching to do it again in the summer...

 

[andylawcc]

Bacstar:

you drove up and drove pass the Canadian territory? (ie: not taking the ferry like the two bikers did)


and which month did you drive up there? what's the "window" to do it?

 

[Kaido]

But man, the guy walking it-that's just incredible. How he kept the mosquitoes from driving him insane alone is amazing.

Yeah, that dude was pretty hardcore. I wonder what his story is...

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Reminds me of The Long Way Round and The Long Way Down shows on Netflix. Speaking of i still have 1 episode to go to finish The Long Way Down.

there's actually another documentary where charlie races in the dakar rally race. that race is pretty nutters. you got natural hazards and then you still have to worry about cars running you over.

 

[UnklSnappy]

Cool trip.
I've been following the journey Ara and his dog Spirit for several years now.
The Oasis of My Soul
Something I'd love to do someday, if even just for a year.

 

[Bacstar]

Bacstar:

you drove up and drove pass the Canadian territory? (ie: not taking the ferry like the two bikers did)


and which month did you drive up there? what's the "window" to do it?

I drove up the last week of November. I didn't take the ferry like the bikers did. I drove up through Canada, bypassing Vancouver, through the Yukon territories, and crossing into Alaska. All the roads were pretty much paved or covered in hard-packed snow. Summer is the safest window but everyone does it, so I've heard, a lot of RV traffic.

Not sure I'd ever do it again actually. Once I got into Alaska, I was scared shitless most of the time, worried about running our of gas, finding a gas station, or sliding off the road and not being found until spring. Some incredible memories of driving along, especially at night with the moon and my headlights lighting the way...beyond my ability to put into words.

 

[werepossum]

That's incredible. So wish I had done something like that when I was younger. Although I've never had a bike that would approach 500 miles between stations without me looking and feeling like a suicide bomber.

 

[TridenT]

That's incredible. So wish I had done something like that when I was younger. Although I've never had a bike that would approach 500 miles between stations without me looking and feeling like a suicide bomber.

They had extra fuel. Practically no motorcycle out there gets 500 miles to a tank.

 

[Kaido]

Cool trip.
I've been following the journey Ara and his dog Spirit for several years now.
The Oasis of My Soul
Something I'd love to do someday, if even just for a year.

Wow, dang, powerful stuff :thumbsup:

 

[Kaido]

I drove up the last week of November. I didn't take the ferry like the bikers did. I drove up through Canada, bypassing Vancouver, through the Yukon territories, and crossing into Alaska. All the roads were pretty much paved or covered in hard-packed snow. Summer is the safest window but everyone does it, so I've heard, a lot of RV traffic.

Not sure I'd ever do it again actually. Once I got into Alaska, I was scared shitless most of the time, worried about running our of gas, finding a gas station, or sliding off the road and not being found until spring. Some incredible memories of driving along, especially at night with the moon and my headlights lighting the way...beyond my ability to put into words.

Funny how we have those awesome memories of unique times in our lives, yet life keeps going back to the day-to-day, you know? I think everyone should take an amazing scenic trip at some point in their lives. I did a cross-country trip a few years back with a buddy to help him move - it was amazing seeing the entire breadth of America from nearly coast to coast & all of the variety inbetween. Puts things in perspective for sure!

 

[ManyBeers]

Another fascinating adventure

 

[werepossum]

They had extra fuel. Practically no motorcycle out there gets 500 miles to a tank.

Understood, but my Ninja gets 48 mpg and holds about 3 gallons. I'd have to carry two five gallon cans! (Assuming a 25% margin.)

 

[andylawcc]

I drove up the last week of November. I didn't take the ferry like the bikers did. I drove up through Canada, bypassing Vancouver, through the Yukon territories, and crossing into Alaska. All the roads were pretty much paved or covered in hard-packed snow. Summer is the safest window but everyone does it, so I've heard, a lot of RV traffic.

Not sure I'd ever do it again actually. Once I got into Alaska, I was scared shitless most of the time, worried about running our of gas, finding a gas station, or sliding off the road and not being found until spring. Some incredible memories of driving along, especially at night with the moon and my headlights lighting the way...beyond my ability to put into words.

:thumbsup;