Alaska 2013

[Zwartie]

Ben,
Let me know if you are coming through Calgary....
Are you camping or hotelling?

Jeff

Jeff,

As it stands we plan on stopping in Calgary on our way back, likey around July 29. I have a cousin there whom I would like to see. Then ride up to Edmonton to visit a buddy and then make the burn back to Ontario. As far as accommodations go, we are planning on camping as much as possible but of course if the weather is crappy we will likely wuss out and find dry accommodations. So a bit of both likely. It would be great to see some fellow FJers along the way - maybe we can meet up in Calgary.

Zwartie

[jscgdunn]

Ben,
Free Camping at my place near Bragg Creek....shop and tools if you need maintenance.

Happy to put you up.

Jeff

[Zwartie]

One more task done before the ride to Alaska...

Put just over 1,000 km on the FJ since the top end rebuild. So it was time to get the valve clearance rechecked:

I removed the tank and fairing and Mike Law (Raceworks Canada) stopped by and checked the valve clearance. Only 2 out of 16 valves required adjustment.




He also checked and re-torqued the cylinder head nuts. I was amazed at how they all had to be re-torqued and a significant amount as well! I will check them one more time before the big ride and maybe even once or twice along the way. Mike says this should be done at least once a season to prevent those nasty base gasket leaks. After seeing how much they were all out, I believe him!

Just a few more tasks to get the FJ ready for the ride - new brake pads all around and flush the brake and clutch fluid.

Zwartie

[Zwartie]

Set up my new tent that I'll be using on the trip:




It's the Koppen Maelstrom 2-person tent (or in my case, 1 person plus gear). Picked it up at Dick's Sports in Michigan for $110. It's gotten pretty good reviews so we'll see how it holds up to the elements. One of the best features is that it packs up small enough (or short enough) that it fits nicely into one of the Givi side bags - tent poles and all! One less thing to have to strap to the back seat.

http://www.koppenoutdoor.com/products/view/maelstrom-2-person-tent-12283373.html

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12283373

Zwartie

[Zwartie]

Washed the "Blue Bunny" this morning. Just need to pack the luggage tonight and I'll be Alaska bound tomorrow!!!



My cousin from Holland was able to hit the road in Halifax yesterday at 11:00 am and was able to get 700 km of riding in. He emailed me last night from Bangor, ME. He has 1,300 km to make it to London, ON. He should get 1,000 in today and then have a leisurely ride tomorrow - we don't leave London until 4:00 pm or so. Then off to Grand Rapids, MI to stay overnight at my sister's place and catch the Lake Express ferry from Muskegon, MI to Milwaukee, WI Saturday morning. Will post pictures along the way...

Giddy Up!!!

[jvb_ca]

Good luck Ben. This should be an epic ride. Takes lots of pics and keep us posted.

Cheers...Jake

[jscgdunn]

 be watching for you near end of month

Jeff

[Zwartie]

Packed and ready to hit the road tomorrow!





Zwartie

[Zwartie]

My cousin showed up yesterday and we hit the road. Rode to Grandville, MI to stay overnight at my sister's place. Off to Muskegon this morning to catch the Lake Express Ferry to Milwaukee.

Here's my cousin and I at my parent's place in Strathroy, ON - our first stop en route to Alaska!


So the adventure begins...

Zwartie

[fj11.5]

Awesome mate, have a great ride

[Tiger]

  Bon voyage, bon chance mon ami...  

[Zwartie]

Well, it's been an interesting ride so far. We left last week Friday (July 5) and headed to Grandville, MI and stayed overnight at my sister's place, then caught the Lake Express Ferry the next morning from Muskegon, MI to Milwaukee, WI. All seemed to be going well until that evening when Bruce's Moto Guzzi  Stelvio gave an ECU fault at our campground near Waterloo, IA. It seemed to resolve itself that evening so we continued riding the next day (Sunday) until it crapped out again, somewhere in IA - apparently only a few miles from where The Music Died (Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper). Got his bike towed to Mankato, MN where there is a local Guzzi dealer. My cousin Albert (Tiger 1050) and I carried on the next day while Jack (GS1200) stayed back with Bruce - unfortunately the Guzzi shop was not open on Monday. On Tuesday morning they got to the dealer and after a few hours it was determined the problem was a bad ground. So they got the bike together and started on their way to catch up with us. They made it about 130 km when Bruce's bike crapped out again - this time a different ECU fault. He towed it back to the Guzzi dealer and the problem was a chaffed wire that had shorted to ground. Bruce was so disheartened and lost all confidence in his bike that he decided to head back home. Albert and I were able to make it all the way to Mount Rushmore by Tue night and stayed at a KOA a few miles outside of Mount Rushmore. On the way there my fuel pump crapped out just outside Winner, SD and we were able to bypass it until a permanent fix could be done. On Wed we continued heading west and to make up for lost time, super-slabbed it on I90. Albert and I put in 800km that day while Jack pulled off 1,200 km in order to catch up with us. Another challenge was presented to us that day when Albert and I stopped somewhere in Wyoming to take off our rain gear as the sky was blue and there was no sign of the rain that seemed so ominous when we left Mount Rushmore. During that stop Albert called his wife back in Holland and left his key turned on so that the headlights and aux lights were on for about 20 minutes resulting in a dead battery. The FJ did not have enough juice to boost the Tiger so we flagged down some workers in a Ford F350 and they were able to bring the Tiger back to life. Jack caught up to us on I90  - Albert and I were having a break on a parking area off the highway when Jack roared by and saw us in time to make a quick turn in (through the exit), and there was much rejoicing. When it was time to hit the road again Jack put the hammer down to get back on I90 and then almost immediately ground to a halt when he realized that his Blackberry flew out of his tank bag and was somewhere on the highway. He walked back a couple hundred meters and found it...in pieces. He then inadvertently dropped his custom ear buds on the highway while picking up the remnants of his Blackberry and they got run over and destroyed as well. Sigh. We stayed in Bozeman, MT that evening. The next day the three of us rode 915 km and stayed overnight in Ellensburg, WA. It was three days of riding through some really flat, straight terrain. It made me think of that age old question: What came first, the straight road or the Harley-Davidson? We saw a shit-load of Harleys! On Friday we made a relatively short run (360 km) to my sister's place in Surrey, BC.  We dropped off the FJ and Tiger at Pacific Motorsports in Richmond, BC for a tire change. Looking forward to see how the Pilot Road 3's hold out! Had some down time on Saturday in the Vancouver area with my sister and brother in-law and enjoyed a great fish dinner at Moby Dick's in White Rock. So this morning we are getting ready to head North on the second leg of this adventure. Let's hope the little mishaps are out of the way...

[Firehawk068]

Despite your hiccups, you guys are maiking me jealous!
I'd love to do an adventure to Alaska and back.............Keep the posts coming!

[The General]

Mate, fantastic, entertaining post. I think all fj eyes in Australia are hanging off every word you type. Thanks for allowing us to ride with you. (more please - can`t wait ta see the pics). Your reporting will become a globally shared example of priorities being the Journey and the destination a less important, goal. 

[movenon]

It's not the destination, it's the trip that you will remember the most   Keep up the adventure and the reports when you can,  and above all be as safe as you can and still laugh about it.   
George