Wishing you were here.

Sunday, August 30th 2009
9:30pm, Beak Creek Hostel, Haines AK.
The ferry!
Lot's of days to fill in. Best to keep it short.
Decided to take the Marine Highway(the ferry) out of Alaska! Called them up to make the reservation because the web site is complete crap. Sent the same search into the engin three times. It gave me three different interaries ranging from 4 days @ $500 to 30 days @ $2,500.
The lady on the phone was nice. I asked when the next ferry leave from Homer to Bellingham was. She replied, "Let's see...well, there is one leaving in 3 hours....could you make that? Oh your in Fairbanks...you'll probably not make it then. The next ferry is Sep.29th"....
!?!?!
Seriously, apparently it catches lots of people off guard. The ferry from Homer only leaves once a month. Damn. Turns out the ferry from Haines leaves every Monday at 6pm. So I booked a ticket for me and my bike, and rode out of Fairbanks.
Took four days ride to get here. It rained some. Saw some glaciers. Met some of the coolest people so far on the trip. Seems the only motorcyclist left in AK are the hardcore ones(me NOT included!). In Wasilla at the Kawaski Powers ports shop(hate my new tinted but cool looking face shield), I was told about some dude who had just passed through attemping to get to Prudo bay, but was snowed out....
In Tok I met some guy riding for an organization trying to ban the use of cell phones while driving. He was going to Prudo bay....told him about the snow reports. He seemed prepared. Even had an extra tire with him on his awesomely modified KLR650.
Later that day I met the guy who was trying to get to Prudo bay. Mike. Met at border city and rode together for a day. In the pass from Destruction bay to Haines Junction there are a lot of frost heaves. I'd never ridden with anyone before, and despite knowing better, I was leading, and pushed my little blast harder than I should have to 'keep up' with Mike's triumph street triple. Well, I hit one bump really hard at 60+mph, and my back tire rubbed against the tie downs I'd been wrapping around the back seat to hold everything on the bike.....melted right through those puppies. My gerry can fell off, and nearly everything else. It was embarressing and hysterical at the same time:)
As it happened, besides the extra set of tie downs I had in case any of them broke on the road, I had a third awesome ratchet set I'd purchased in Fairbanks for the ferry(You have to bring your own tie downs for the ferry). We had that bike re-outfitted in about 20min. This was the 3rd 'set up' I'd gone through with strapping all my crap on the bike. But it was easily the best, and will probably not change it again.
Haines is beautiful. It was a long stretch sans gas. 160 miles or so. Used the full gerry can of gas. Scary! Rode through this cathedral of a high altitude valley. The clouds hanging around you. Like being in an airplane. Epic to the point of being spiritual. The journal entry was rather sappy, but for friends and family, I'd be more than happy to indulge face to face.
Nice to be staying at a hostel. Even though there was parking down near the proprietor, I rode my bike right up to the cabin. Fuck it.
The ferry leaves at 6pm tomorrow. Will take 5 days and 4 nights...I think. Either that or it's 3 nights and 4 days. Eh. I can't remember. I'll loose some street cred for taking the ferry part of the way out(was 1,200 miles ride from Fairbanks to Haines!), but I'm told it's a 'once in a life time' sort of things. We'll see:)

Whoa. That's big.

August 22-24th 2009
Denali,
my buddy and I went down to Denali this weekend. That's a big mountain. We were blessed with clear skies leaving Fairbanks. We could see the peak from the city. That's 250miles away! That is really far to be seeing something That's twice the distance my childhood home was from NYC. And it wasn't that close to the city.
You can't take your car into the park, so they have buses to take the visitors all around. We attempted to take the bus out to Wonder Lake because the mountain was unusually clear. Perfectly clear, but only made it 60 of the 90miles in before we had to catch the last bus back our campground.
We saw some bears right up close. Freaking grizzlies. Those guys are strong. I watched as the cub causally dipped his paw into the hard packed earth as if it was chocolate pudding. Then he was pulling up roots 1/2inch think and tearing them as if they were cooker spaghetti. OMG. Those things are strong. I'd harbored a secrete disdain for bears through out the trip because of the inconvenience they'd cause me packing and unpacking my life everyday on the bike. Being super careful about food and contaminating anything else with sent. But now. After seeing them that close....I had a healthy amount of fear for the bastards. Pepper spray was not going to save you in an bear attack. Nothing would save you. Tip #6 Stay away from bears.
It was really cold that night. We got back to camp in the dark. Cooking was a pain in the ass. The stoves wouldn't light becase the fuel was frozen....the pasta wouldn't cook because the water couldn't get hot enough...etc. Eventually we went to sleep cold and unsatisfied. Which was fun too:) It was the first real miserable night of the trip so far. Our rapid decent into self pity over undercooked pasta was comical and lightened the mood.
Breakfast went slightly better:)

What is your position?

Wed. Aug.19th 2009
@ Fred Meyer eating a sandwich.
Dropped off the bike at the Harley Dealer. $100 an hour they charge for work! Man alive. What can you do huh?
The Helmet guy at the dealer looked at me and said, "You're a traveler right?" when asking my know edge of the locality. He was pointing me towards a motor sports shop on the outside of town where I might be able to find a new face shield to replace mine which was all scratched up.
The title struck a chord. I'm not a motorcyclist, or a scientist or explorer....I'm just a traveler. As if a body in motion is a perfectly acceptable thing to be...so common in fact that there is a name for these people. Travelers. It fit like a glove.
It's time to plan the escape route.
The locals frown when I tell them I want to ride out before winter. They expect the first snows in maybe a week or so, and full on winter in 3-6 weeks. I'd planned on spending some time here in Fairbanks, but Fireweed has gone to seed, and I've got to get out. My buddy gives me word that no one really expects I'll get out of here with the bike. Man. How do people even know I was coming?!
I always new it was going to be close coming here this late in the season. That was a decision made back in NY....back in June. But then the setbacks in San Fransisco, and Seattle, both taking longer than expected. Dispite the odds though, the risk paid off by making it here, alive, in one piece, and in perfect repair.
All I can think about now is getting back on the bike to ride across the U.S. I'm looking forward to that more than the entire rest of the trip. It's the only thing I ever expected or wanted on this journey. Not that I would/could trade this adventure for all the tea in china.....and I'm not expecting the lower 48 to compare to the Andes, Amazon, or the Northern Rockies(BC, Yukon, AK).
There is the great desire to see my country! I want to see with my own adult eyes this land which I plan to spend the rest of my life in! It's romantic and silly I know, but the idea has been the call to adventure. It got a hold of me, and there will be no peace till the conclusion!
I don't know. These are all big ideas for a little guy. I'll contend, from birth -> death that I will be the least unique person to grace this sweet earth. I don't have refined tastes, manors, speech or written word dispite a good upbringing. My personal endeavors to learn or gain new skills have proven time and time again how uniquely ordinary or average I am.
The line a body must cross to fight against one's nature or accept will always allude me.
At the end of the day, there will be no peace unless something is learned or created. Sleep has never come to be during daylight hours. There is always something which needs mending or making, or further study. And, when those are exhausted, there is one's precious family to love & waist time with:) Family is one of those for granted bonds that can withstand droughts and famine. But even the hardiest plants flourish with love and attention!
Ahh! It's not good to think too much. It get's a body into trouble.
My god I am enjoying this adventure. The inspiring people I meet. The unbelievable adventures and tales of brave ancestors and trail blazers on the Yukon and Alaska. Renewing old friendships, and changing old ones.
Searching for expectations or meaning in unexpected disappointments has been interesting also. On any other adventure there has never been time for that sort of reflection or to ponder "why".
Ha! Anyway! I've got an escape to plan!

Keep moving.

Tue. August 18th 2009
8:10pm. Sitting in my buddy's cabin here in Fainbanks. It's hard to believe the trip here is over! It took so much planning and care. Not that's I'm sorry. The ride up here was mind blowingly beautiful. When I get home I will write about the great wilderness here. It differs from the intensity of the Amazon. Lonely and Peaceful.
Quick note about yesterday. Probablly the best riding of the trip. Had a horrible realization in the morning. My back tire was not going to make it to FB before going bald...which was probably going to happen around Tok....so I hatched an idea. There was lots of tread left on the sides of the tires(can you see where this is going). So I rolled the bike back and forth across my lane getting it as leaned over as possible. White line to yellow line.....white to yellow. Almost instantly I realized how much fun it was! Why had I not thought of doing this sooner!??
It felt almost exactly like skiing when I learned how to parellel. Staying in the carve as long as possible, then slowly upright...and boom switch to the other side. Back and forth down the hill. It was exactly like that, only on a motorcycle, and I never reached the bottom of the hill. I got to ride those carves all day long! It was awesome! I probably looked like an idiot, but of the 6 other motor vehicals I saw that day, I couldn't care less:)
I love when you stop for a rest/snack and it's 40min...60min...no 70min sometimes before anyone passes you on the road. That meant for a moment in time, the closest human was 70miles away, if not further. It was fun.
Today was mostly in the rain after Delta Junction. Bearly any tiresaving swerving was possible. I rolled into Fairbanks on a breadth and a prayer. So Happy! Quick stop for gas proved I still had some tire tread! Thank god for the USA. As soon as I had crossed the border in to the US the roads became nice once more. None of that damned chip-slate crap. Well bearly any:)
The timing plate cover poped off somewhere today. Put some gorrilla tape over the large hole to keep water and other crap out. Other bikers seem super concerned about keeping thier bike SUPER clean....I like to clean it as mush as possible. But, it's more of a routine inspection sort of thing than pride of any kind.
The Harley Dealer had a dunlop tire in stock when I stoped by today to ask. Got an appointment tomorrow to have the thing mounted.
I know I just got here, but it's been getting colder EVERY day I was riding north. I think with in a week there will be the first snow of the season.
I've got the get the hell out of Fairbanks before winter. Super tired. New tires tomorrow. After that, it will be time to hatch an excape plan. I'd only ever planned on getting to FB. Never how to get out. Turns out this place is really really far away. Don't think I'd make it back through those passes again before winter hits them. Several days already I woke to see snow dangerously low on the mountians. Also it's been hovering +- freezing every night since Hope BC.
Here's to getting out of here with my bike!

I love RV folk.

Sunday, August 16th 2009
7:12pm. Haines Junction @ the Kluane Vally Inn.
$69.95 for a double room. They have a bar and restaurant. My room is at ground level which made me very happy. Always get self concious about staying at hotels on this trip. After you check in, get everything off the bike....the day ALWAYS seems to open up. The rain stops, the winds die down, and the sun comes out. Every single time.
Today was hard riding! Was only 50mi out from Johnson's crossing(corner?) to Whitehorse...had a tail wind...it was awesome. Even stopped at a Tim Hortons for lunch because I'd been tipped the chili combo was a good bargin(turned out to be true). It was an awesome morning ride. chilly, but just cruisin enjoying the sights and the overcast but not raining sky.
Gas, and back on the road. About 10miles out of town, the engine starts thumping pretty hard. I know what that means by this point. Quick look at the 'trees' and grass confirms it. Head wind.
About 30 sec later, I cross a small pass, and am BLASTED by a cross wind that that knocked me off the road into the pullout!(thank god it was there, as there arn't many). the wind the turns full bast 180 from my earlier tail wind into a crazy ass head wind/cross wind.
About 3o miles of the most difficult riding of the trip, I pulled over into a senic rest area. I know what this wind is. It's called a Vally Breeze. We'd learned about it in Paragliding school back in Grenoble. It's the hot air in the valley which travels to the highest point. Everyday. The same direction, extream weather excluding. I knew the wind would die down...eventually....maybe only when the sun started to set....but I simpily could not ride, and just had to wait it out.
Everybody who stoped asked me if I was alright, if I'd fallen or gotten hurt by the wind, which kept getting stronger and stronger. An awesome couple in an RV took extream pitty on me. They were brooklyn also. Invited me into the camper and fed me bagels and lox. They had cured the lox themselves from salmon they'd caught several days before! How cool is that?!?
About 6hours later, the wind was still not calmed down enough to ride in my opoinion...but I saw another motorcyclist rolling along, and I got brave. Also I was bored, and the thought of risking my life to get to Haines Junction seemed aceptable.
It was wreckless and stupid. It was all I could do to keep that bike upright against the gusts of wind. It was exausting, and phyically demanding. Some times the gusts were so hard that I bearly had the strength to counter steer against it. It was the hardest riding I've yet attempted....I promissed myself that I would NEVER do that again. If I had only waited two more hours, everything would have been calm!
Tonight I'm going to dump some weight to try and stretch the back tire. Books, 1/2 the gas(when I need it) The extra fuel...anything. I don't know if the tire will make it. There is still about 600miles left to ride. These roads have in 2200 miles nearly ridden my back tire bald.
Still have the other half of the Kluane Valley to ride tomorrow, so I need to be past it before noon, when the wind will stop me again.

Sugar Coating It.

Sat. August 15th 2009
9:45 pm @ Johnson's Crossing.
Made it pretty far today.
Maybe I'll make it to Fairbanks by Monday?
Left camp way late this morning. Didn't make it out till almost 9:30. I must have been the ONLY person in the camp grounds by that hour. It was embarrassing.
Had a crazy dream last night:
Was with my family, we were all swimming. The deep end which fell off quickly seemed nice, but no one wanted to join me. So in a fit, I decided that I could swim alone, and just tell them how awesome it was after. Found a cliff on the other side of the lake to jump off of. Must have been 50feet above the lake. I jumped, and as I was falling, I saw my father. He had this look of terror on his face...like he would never see me again. It was sad and full of fear not knowing what to do.
There was a pivitol moment where in the fall I could have steered towards the shallow end...but in a fit of recklessness dove straight into the deep end.
As I made it easily down to the bottom of the lake....I let some air out of my lungs, so I could stay down there and explore for a moment or two. Just as I was feeling the need to get some more air and accend....I noticed a current. It was slow but VERY strong. I looked back and saw what my father's fear was about. There was a huge underground river at the bottom of the lake!! I was sucked down instantly, plunged into absolute darkness. I was struggling to breath. This was it. I was going to die here. Alone. In the dark. I'd never see my family again. Mortal Terror.
I forced myself away.
Turns out, I had pushed myself way down to the bottom of the sleeping bag in my sleep, and was actually struggling for air.
"Man!" I thought. "That was a bit blunt. Wish my mind could have been less dramatic. Maybe sugar coated that a bit!"

One last thing. Been wearing my rain suit fairly constantly. I look like a moron. But damn that thing keeps all the wind out! It's been hovering around 45-60deg everyday. That thing was the best $89 dollars I've spent this trip!

Seriously?

Friday, August 14th 2009
On the way into Liard Hotsprings I met my buddies, the 3 verterains from Beaver Creek. Met another young man traveling solo by motorcycle. He was on a tour of epic proportions! He'd left with a buddy from the wid west nearly two months ago, and had been nearly everywhere! Up through Bamph and Jasper, the Dalton Highway, Dawsoon City and the top of the world highway, down to Denalli, and out to Homer and Vadez.... he was riding a KLR650.
It never occured to be before talking to this guy that I should attempt to see or ride anyplace other than Fairbanks. The trip seemed so epic from back in NY....now....he was so excited.....kept spouting things like 'once in a life time'...and 'so many things to see'....hmmmm.
I never dawned on me that I'd not set my ambitions high enough or sights far enough. Catches one off gaurd.
There was only one camp site left when I pulled into the springs. Not unusuall for a friday. There was a 'bear trapping' going on in the next camp site. Huge dead animal and a bag of onions hanging in what looked like a large tube made out of green metal mesh. Awesome. Apparently, as I would learn later, there was a woman who was eaten last week at the upper spring(which was still closed). Even more awesome. Slept through the night just fine though. No bears. Was a little more cautious about putting ANYTHING that had been near food in the bear box though.
Oh, yeah. Had my first close call today. Nearly took a spill. There was gravel around a turn, and I took it too fast. That was pretty scary. When I put my foot down(bad idea), I learned how heavy my bike really is all loaded up. 425lbs(by my figure), straight down on my left leg. Ow. Had read a dirtbiking mag at the dealership in Prince George, and remembered some advice...."when in doupt...gun it!". So I rolled back the throttle, and was back upstraight again in a moment.
Oh, one last thing. The mountians are incredible! And appently it's only going to get better in the Yukon! When you come around a mountian and you see the 'wild' stretching on as far as your brain can imagine. In your mind's eyes you know how far it goes. You've been studying these maps for months....but to be riding through those little squiggles on a piece of paper....this ride is larger than I EVER imagined. If I make it to Fairbanks, through these endless stretches of wilderness, I am going to cry out in joy!

God damned bears, or, The middle of freaking nowhere.

Thurs. August 13th 2009
My god it's beautiful out here.
Every once in a while riding up a big 'hill' and it become clear why the engine has been straining. The road starts to level off and drops down in front of you like a curtain being pulled back. You've just crested another summit. There it is, the Northern Rockies! An endless vally stretches before you, so large that it can have several different types of storm systems rolling along at the same time. 40,50,60mile across. I've not been taking any pictures for any number of reasons. Pictures wouldn't mean anything anyway against this vastness. Would be like bringing back a bottle of water and trying to explain the ocean. Pointless. Don't know if my family or friends will ever forgive me....but it's really not that kind of trip anyway:)
Even though I never said it out loud, the Mile Post gave me the impression of the Alaskan Highway being like route 66. Small towns, cool little attractions, fun & interesting restaurants....the reality in a way is fairly unglamorous. 9times out of 10 the cute little hotel or RV park or camp grounds are shrouded with the 'closed forever' look...or the towns just don't exist/ The gas stations are further appart than the book says also. It was a good thing that I went to the visitor's center in Fort Nelson. Apparently two of the gas stations I was counting on to get me to Watson Lake are closed forever(ish)...that means a stretch from Muncho Lake->Watston Lake will be 180mi sans gas. Damn. That is larger than my range with the 1gl gerry can.....so I had to find a larger one! I gave my old one to the clerk at the hardware store and upgraded to a 2&1/2(10liter)tank...which was harder to strap onto the already pretty well loaded blast:)
I expected to see more couples and families road triping...at least come home...but nothing. Maybe it's too late in the year....but mostly it's shipping trucks or work trucks. A motorcycle couple passes going south every once in a while....but we never get more than a wave in. Not very many people riding this road solo on motorycles.
Anyway. It's 8:30 and I'm excited and exausted. The sun won't really set to somewhere around 10 here. As I get further and further north the sun keep hanging out in the sky longer and longer. Wonder what it will be like in Fiarbanks?!? The light is fine with me. The darkness is a little unsetteling here with all the bears(which i've seen EVERY day). The less darkness the better!

Tougher than not.

Wed. August 12th 2009
Today Prince Gorge->St.John
Had intended to stop at Dawson Creek, but the weather was misserable, and I was happy on the bike riding. Rained all day(nearly).
The pass from whatever to Chetwyne was beautiful, but dicy. As predicted the tank hit reserve nearly exactly 85miles. Filled the take from the jerry can at 93 miles because it was a convient moment....though I would have liked to see how far the tank could have gone before going completely dry. As the trip is going, I'm guessing that little 'experement' is going to happen sooner than later. Towns and gas stations keep getting smaller and further apart.
Pulled into town felling 'low'. Meaning that I was cold and hungry.
Dispite my dislike of staying in hotels while on the road(hate taking everything off the bike and having to walk super far to a room, and the security problem), the lady at the information desk told me of an awesome open mic night at a bar in town. So I got a room and went to hang out with the locals. As soon as I got into my room having forked over $100 for a freaking room, the clouds disapeared and the sun came shining over the land. Man! Turns out this happened nearly every day durring the trip. This was typical fall mountian weather I was used to growing up in the catskills. Sunny when you first wake up. Clouds and maybe rain, and clear skies every night near sundown.
There were some other bikers going north that passed me today. They were wearing open face helmets, leather jackets and chaps. I was cold in my blue rain/space suit. Those were some bad ass bikers. Definatly made of tougher stuff than me.

If you're too scared...go home.

August 11.2009
It rained like the dickens yesterday just after I checked into my hotelroom. So, I did what any other honest person would do. I took out my rain gear and went out for a ride! I was really curious how the suit worked and would hold up in a REAL storm. Turns out the thing is amazing! It was torrentially downpouring, and nothing was getting through my blue full body suit! Pretty stoked about that!
Turns out there was nothing wrong with the bike. 1/2 day at the dealer. Oil change, new sparkplugs...checked the timing and some other obvious things like filters and the electircal system...nothing. Took the bike out for a ride. Nothing. It was still 'acting wierd'. We waiting for the Buell guy to come in after lunch. He took the bike out for a ride....nothing was wrong that he could tell.....then I took it out once more...still acting funny....then the guy sat me down and lectured me a bit about riding. Told me what I was expearencing of the power band and the gears 'sliding up in mph' was typical of the Harley engine. Said the bike was finally 'opening up', and the reason it hadn't happened sooner(like in the 1k breakin) was me. I'd probably been lugging the engine. He told me to take the bike out once more, and 'ride the piss out of it'. That the bike could take a beating. It has a rev limiter, and there was almost nothing I could do to hurt this this bike.
So..I took the blast out and rode it just like he said. Really got the rpms up there. Even hit the rev limitor a couple of times. Well you know. I'll be damned, but the bike was awesome. It was just as he said. I was pussy footing around, and needed to have a slightly heavier hand.
At that point when riding back into the dealer to finish the paperwork and pay for the service(which was warrenty! awesome), I was completly humiliated. It was a testimate to my poor riding skills and not knowing what I was doing. Not about motortouring, or nearly anything about motorcycles or how to ride them.
As we are sitting there outside waiting for the youngers micanics to detail the bike(which was pretty dirty), I confessed my nerverousness about riding the blast, and goin to Alaska....he looked at me plainly and said quit frankly: "If you are really that scared about riding to Alaska, go home."
It was the first time I'd encountered that attitude on the trip. Where people are strong and take care of themselves. How they have little patience for self pity or the like. Pick yourself up by your own boot straps sort of people. This guy was easily 4-6 my junior also.
That cut pretty deep. I made a resolution as I rode off. This was going to be an adventure. I wasn't going to be a burden on anyone durring this trip. If there was trouble, I would deal with it. Untill then, there was no use worring myself sick anymore about it. What would come would come. I could be prepared as much as I could. I had a life time of expearences and problem solving behind me. This trip might be smooth, it might be a disaster, it might be unexpected....but it was my trip, and I was not going to back down because I was afraid! Alaska was still thousands of miles away, the fear wouldn't stop me anymore.
It's a bit cheesy to write this sort of thing, but it's the truth, and I don't have any other stories to tell besides that:)

Patience is necessary.

Monday August. 10th 2009
Resting on the side of the road. Rode from Hope-Lake Willimas yesterday. 230mi or so. Running now to get to Prince George before the rain. Not that it would bother me much, but there is something wrong with my bike.
Started the other day and has been getting progressivly worse. Can only use 5th gear about 65mph, and really only down hill....with a tail wind. 4th gear is like the 5th used to be in range and power.....ah. I still have about 120 miles before I reach Prince George. There is a Harley dealer in PG. This is about as stressed as I've ever been in my entire life. grr.
Oh, last night when buying some grocieries for dinner, another biker who was also doing to quick lite shopping invited me to stay as his sister's place for the night! That was pretty awesome. Good group of people. He was a miner and had tons of cool stories to tell. Him and his friends are some serious motorcyclists! I hope someday I'm as good a rider as those guys!

Hope!

Sat. August 8th 2009
Hope BC, Canada
Had a super late start from Seattle. Bought a hotel room for the night here in Hope. Travel Motel. It's actually much nicer than it would seem. And pretty cheep also. $40 or so.
Getting a feeling for the days of the journey.
Wake->Stress about the bike holding up->Rejoice at the end of the day.
Only touched the tip of BC, but it was breathtaking. America and Canada are fairly different. Stores on the American side of the border. Farms on the Canadian side. The strangeness to one another is blunt.
Tomorrow, going to try and make it to Prince George. Not sure the distance at the moment, but between here and there on the map is a place called the "100 mile house". That sounds undaunting.
Hit reserve on the gas tank at 87mi today. Should have easily gotten 100? Not sure what to think about that just yet.
The reason for leaving Seattle so late was my fear I had ruined the rockerbox gasket when I over filled the oil several days ago. The bike's been leaking pretty honestly since then. The dealer in NY assured me that I would make it back to NY just fine....I lied and didn't mention that I was riding to Alaska. Not many people have been to impressed on me taking the Buell Blast to Fairbanks...and I was not in the mood for any possible lip:) It will be a fun story to tell them when I get back to NYC!

Tank bags and Tires and Plugkits oh my!

August.6th 2009
My new tires arrive tomorrow! It's been over a week here in Seattle waiting for this pair before I head off to Fairbanks. I can't imagin what will happen if I need new tire(s) on the road. The plugkit will get me to safty....ah, I don't like to think about it!
Had planned to ride out to Mnt.Rainner today, but my buddy and I stayed up late last night(1am) watching "The Long Way Around" and eating burittos. Didn't wake up super early. Concidering going to the map store(Metsker). Also, I'm seriously concidering going back to Home Depot to buy the 2gl gas can instead of the 1gl that I bought. There is something comforting about doubling my range on the 'little' blast.
I've only looked at the map as far as Dawson Creek and have already found a section 100+ without anything. If I miss that gas stop, or the town is closed....of whatever, the 1gl tank is only going to take me 50+- more miles(ish). My only concern is the weight. I hate to put ANY more weight on the back of that bike. It burns through those street tires as is, and every 7lbs I put on that bike just adds up to more and more. I've got an entire day to think about it.
Going to try packing up the bike today also. A dry run. The best time I had going up the coast was 1:30. Yeah. One and a half hours. Lame. My new large heavy duty 'waterproof' rubber Nortface bag should take 30min off the pack time. I can put everything in the one back as apposed to strapping on every little thing indevidually.
My buddy Joel keeps making fun and not believing me about the weather going through BC and the Yukon. It's one of my big concerns. I've still never ridden in the rain, and I hear reports of others who've taken this trip that I'll probably encounter snow! Yikes. Some biker in the red Woods was telling me he and his wife took the trip last year, just the same time I'm about to. Told me it rained for 14 days straight! Ahh.
In defense, I installed hand gaurds on the bike the other day. The only thing not shielded now are my legs. Whatever. I personally HATE the windscreen. Since the day I put it on. Messes up the handeling on the bike since it's connected to the front fork and not the frame. But it was highly recomened by everybody that I'll need the thing, so I'm still in the process of giving it the benifit of doupt.
In the same vein, since I've not got heated anything, I'm hoping/counting on being able to consume enough calories to get by.
I've got this silly camping stove, wich takes isobutane/propane mixture. I've never used one before this trip, and have no idea how long the little canisters of fuel last or how many of them I should take, or even where to get more for that matter. It's one of those things that I'm tiried of thinking about and planning and am sure will just work out for the best:)

Can-Can

August.2nd 2009

In Seattle. Yesterday went out with some friends to the CanCan down on Pike right next to the market. A friend of a friend got us all in without having to pay the cover charge($40 on a friday! yikes). It was amazing. Somehow the performers captured the eroticism of the old can can show in a strip tease sort of way. It was all performed to modern music you'd hear on the radio(dancy stuff). An amzing time. If you are ever in Seattle, you'll have to check it out.
Took the bike out for a little ride because it was so nice. Some little highways, wound up near(at?) Scoqualmie where there was a car show going on. Had to check that out. Then why walking back to my bike, there was a train museum. While buying postcards, I asked how much it was to ride the steam locomotive train they had restored to take people to the falls. $10 he said. What?!? You bet your ass I was on the next train to the falls! Wasn't much of a view in the end, but it was awesome riding on an old train like that! Even though I feel like an imposition on my buddy, I'm having such an amzing time here in Seattle.
Tomorrow is the last trip to REI to get the remaining gear for the next leg of the trip.
I just want to get back on the road. Everything about motorcycling is easier when NOT in a city. Tomorrow is tank