Favorite Rides Spring 2017 | Page 16

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www. FavoriteRidesAndDestinations. com | ridermagazine. com
SPRING 2017 ISSUE 01 / VOL. 02
The Dalton is kept wet to suppress dust. Pre-run: lavish on spray cooking oil. Post-run: get to the coin-operated car wash ASAP.
At one of several construction stops on the Dalton Highway, some real ice road truckers got out to admire my bike on their way to Prudhoe Bay with loads of diesel fuel. They were as interested in my GS and its journey as I was in their mammoth tankers.
alone. Traveling alone gives you the option of changing plans on the fly( as I would later do) without the possibility of the other person not wanting to do what you really want to. And as I would learn, although I was not riding with someone, I was never really alone.
As for the safety issue of riding solo, either a Spot or DeLorme inReach satellite communicator solves the issue of summoning emergency medical help or sending texts anywhere in the world. With the tracking turned on, they also allow friends and family to follow your progress on their computers.
I considered the more expensive option of a satellite phone, but correctly assumed that I would not be away from cell coverage for more than a couple of days.
Prior to leaving, I learned some sage advice from Rene Cormier, a hearty soul who rode his BMW Dakar 650 around the world over four years. His idea of a plan was not to have a plan. I focused my research on reading“ The Milepost”( a must) and“ The Adventurous Motorcyclist’ s Guide to Alaska” along with the accompanying Butler map to figure out a general route to
Seeing a moose cow and her calf at the side of the road is not uncommon. Keep your camera with a long zoom in your tank bag.