Alaska Stats

 

We finished the trip riding in some rain, but couldn’t complain much as the majority of our trip was mostly sunny and pleasant temperatures.  I lost about 30 pounds on this trip, but seemed to put it back on when winter came.

 

 

Traveled for 61 days reaching by road the farthest North and West of North America by motorcycle.

Rode 14,800 miles on a 2000 Honda GL1500SE "Goldwing."

Used 437 gallons of fuel averaging 33.9 miles per gallon.

Highest cost per gallon was at Saskatchewan, AB (Tourist Trap) converted to US dollars@ $4.724.  The highest in the US was at Prudhoe Bay, AK (also a Tourist Trap) @ $4.04.

Lowest cost per gallon was at Middlesboro, KY @ $2.299.

Total cost of fuel was $1382.54 averaging $3.16 per gallon.

Total cost of lodging was $944.61 averaging $15.48 a day.  (Discounted sometimes for being a Disabled Veteran)

Total cost of food was $1652.88 for two people averaging $13.55 a day per person. (Discounted sometimes for being a Disabled Veteran)

Total cost of activities were $1236.91 for 2 people (Discounted many times for being a Disabled Veteran)

Total cost of repairs to the motorcycle was about $250.00 (Tire replacement alone was $204.69, also done was the replacement of a fuel filter, oil & filter, headlight bulb, and a fork seal)

Started out with a leaking water pump and returned with it sealed by God, because I did nothing to fix it.

So not too bad for just under $5,500 about what I make through my retirement and disability for the same span of time. 

This trip was actually more than seeing Alaska...it was a test for me on survival on the roadways in my country and a foreign country for a longer length of time than I have ever done before.  The only tougher test I can think of would be traveling through Central and South America where you would be more worried about the human kind of wildlife (like being kidnapped).  I know I can do it for less if I had to live in the true wilderness like I sometimes did in the USAF.  I hope to test that theory someday on the Appalachian Trail.  Anyone want to go with me...you'll need at least 6 months off if not a little more?

Well hope you were able to travel through some of my pictures, until next time.

God Bless to All!

Griz

PS: If you enjoyed the pictures I’ll be adding to some of the post later, so check back in a month or so to see what I added, Sorry just so big that I still need some more time to categorize some of the pictures.  When I erase this post script I will be satisfactorily done ;-)

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

  

August 6,2011

We rode all day across South Dakota in the rain and saw a horrific Goldwing accident on the highway.  It looked like confetti spewed out all over the medium.  I’m figuring speed was a contributing factor.  Anyhow Miss Daisy wanted to see the Corn Palace and I had never been.  So after visiting a Minuteman II silo and control site on the way we were off to Mitchell, SD.  What a dreary day, at least I have two good tires with tread.

    

Staying over at a friend’s house that we met at Sturgis.  I had previously met him at the 65th Sturgis Rally.  He likes to rebuild cars and motorcycles and lives in Shakopee, MN.  We’ll we had to get on the rode and ride some more in the rain.  Welcome back to the lower 48, riding with the weather!

 

Wind Cave NP, South Dakota

Badlands NP, South Dakota

August 4, 2009

Griz 8 vs Goldwing 0 

(This was our last email during the trip and it had been 10 days from our last one in Canada.)

Hi from Ellsworth AFB, SD

Short message to let ya all know we are fine and doing great now that I have a new rear tire!  We just keep meeting all sorts of Angels on our trip, Campground owner let me borrow his truck to take my almost blown tire to the Honda dealer to get it changed.  Saved about $100 by removing the wheel off the bike which I did in the campground, quite a feat with only the tools supplied with the motorcycle when it was new.  Kathy did the laundry while I was getting the tire replaced.  I actually wore into the 3rd set of cords in the tire, never gone past the second set before as it only has six layers.  We did this last Friday and been riding all over the Black Hills out here.  I now have over 84,350 miles on the Goldwing and working on 13,000 miles on this trip...had to disconnect my battery cable yesterday in an emergency as my starter solenoid stuck for some crazy reason, I was able to get it going again.  Three times I've conquered problems on the motorcycle and that water pump problem has seem to gone away for now.  Its true God never gives you more than you can handle. 

Oh, we’re here at the worlds largest bike rally, Sturgis!  Saw a hill climb with the Jackpine Gypsies, the true beginnings of Sturgis.. might go to the 1/2 mile flat track races tomorrow.  Riders come from all over the world to this rally, quite a sight even though the economy has reduced the numbers to 400,000 bikers...the first time I came in 2005 it was around 500,000 bikers.  Its getting crowded around here, sought relief at the base today, maybe do a missile silo tour (Minuteman).

Since I’m at the base library I have no way to send pictures, so some other time if any of you are still wanting to see more of our adventure...guessing some thought it was over after I left Alaska.  We've been to Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP, and the Devils Tower NP.  Might get the Badlands NP and Wind Cave NP in today and tomorrow.

  

For those that can't make it to Alaska, just remember there is plenty of wildlife and similar things to see in the lower 48.

Griz

Mt. Rushmore

       

69th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

And you all thought we didn’t make it?

Griz - 7 vs Goldwing - 0

We actually made it to the campground, but that rear tire was so bad I wouldn’t even take Miss Daisy to Mt. Rushmore only about 10 miles away.  After setting up camp I started working on removing the tire so I could take it to a Honda shop up the road in Rapid City, SD the next day.

     

There is a good story about this tire change that I have in a future email that I sent from Ellsworth AFB, SD. in a few days.  Meanwhile we hit the rally running with a fresh new rear tire and the front tire still looks pretty new.  The Dunlop Elite 3 seems to be a much longer lasting tire.  Too bad I didn’t have one for the rear like this new one when I started this trip.  Kathy still has no clue what we are in for, but she won’t be disappointed.  I can’t wait to show her all the neat rides and places to see.

   

This is one of the fun things I wanted Miss Daisy to see while traveling through Custer State Park. Only animal you can get close too and pet, even though I have seen bikers try to get close to Buffalo…really not a good idea!

  

Their are 3 keyholes that view Mt. Rushmore as you go through them, one vehicle only at time.

       

We hung out at Sturgis one evening so Miss Daisy could experience the difference.

 

Jack Pine Gypsies Hill Climb