In The Beginning

After a chat with Chris tonight, I am beginning to consider what will be required to accomplish this trip, so I thought I would start making notes about our actions that will lead up to departure.

Some of the things we are considering right now:

Exactly when will we depart? How many days do we anticipate the trip taking? How much wiggle room should we build in?

What will our route be? This will necessarily be subject to change as we go, due to the nature of the roads and possible side trips excursions we end up taking. But we need to have a rough idea for making reservations ahead of time, for campgrounds or hotels, BnB's, etc.

Gather information about places we can stay and make necessary reservations

What gear do we take with us? Services are limited in many places so we need to carry essentials but stay as light as possible so it is vital we don't take anything that we don't need. We also have to consider clothing and protection from insects, rain, sun. But, again, we don't want to take anything unnecessary.

GAS! My little Suzuki asks for very little, but gas is an essential. Motorcycles must eat. With a little planning, managing gas shouldn't be too difficult. There will be at least one, and possibly two, stretches that we will have to carry extra fuel with us. How are we going to do that?

Bike service. It is likely we will need tires once we get back to Fairbanks and oil changes, for certain. Possibly other work, depending on how well the bikes hold up on the Haul Road to Prudhoe Bay. And we have to consider what spares, service parts and tools we need to carry with us.

Emergency gear. First aid? Satellite Messenger? Travel insurance? Life flight insurance? These are real considerations as American health insurance is not accepted in Canada. A spill and a broken leg could end up being catastrophic.

Bears! Canada has oppressive firearms laws, so firearms appear to be out. Chris thinks bear spray. I suspect bears drink bear spray like Americans drink coffee. One blog writer suggested carrying firecrackers. I'm thinking dynamite.

Some of the things we are tossing around as we prepare for departure. As well as making sure the bikes are ready. Preparation cannot guarantee a problem free trip but it can certainly make achieving the end goal more likely.