Alaska & Back on 2014 Ultra Limited
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 805
From: Washington
Several Planning Suggestions
1) The Alaska and Cassiar highways are paved except for construction. That said, we had a 60 mile stretch of broken asphalt, gravel, washboards and mud on the Alaska Highway above Haynes Junction in the Yukon. More so in Canada, when they do construction it might be for 10 or 20 miles. Very dusty if dry, slick and muddy if raining. Top of the World Highway is almost all gravel and good for 40 to 50 mph.
2) Check your cell phones plan for Canada. You may be able to buy a one month plan for reasonable cost. I couldn't on my basic Verizon service but could text at no additional cost. One rider's Walmart cell phone didn't work at all except in the major Alaskan cities. One guy had top of the line ATT service and he had full data coverage most places, if there was cell service.
3) Consider emergency evacuation insurance. I bought a one month policy through an AAA travel agency that provided $2MM of air evac coverage and $50K of medical insurance world-wide for about $40. Getting your US medical insurance to pay costs incurred in Canada can be a pain.
4) I noted in some places in Canada that American Express and Discovery cards were not accepted. I had VISA and never had a problem.
5) Consider getting some Canadian currency for the trip through Canada. You can exchange currency at banks just either side of the border. I exchanged in Bonner's Ferry ID. Partners exchanged at Lethbridge Alberta, and got a slightly better rate. Of course a better exchange rate is just a few pennies on the dollar so we aren't talking a whole lot of money on $300 to $500 of currency. If you exchange at your hotel or where you buy stuff likely you'll be bent over.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 114
Likes: 3
From: south corolina
wow, nice report, my wife and I just got back sunday, 24 days, we cheated, took the truck, camped every nite and cooked out. dawson city, chicken, artic circle, top of the world hwy, etc were just ausume. lots of driving, roads were rough and full of frost heaves, truck took a beating, traded it in when we got back to Spearfish s.d., few days in Sturgis and the badlands then home to s.c.
glad we left the bike home??????
glad we left the bike home??????
Tourer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 274
Likes: 17
From: West Slope Colorado
Made that trip last summer on a couple KLR's. I hope to do it again next summer on my EG and a trailer.
I didn't see any mention of the Guidepost but I'd advise those planing the journey to pick one up at the bookstore. Covers about every possible route to AK. I'd also recommend picking up the Ferry on the ride to the lower 48, it's a neat way to travel and gives you a chance to wind down for a couple days.
Wish we would have had time to have ridden Vancouver Island.
I didn't see any mention of the Guidepost but I'd advise those planing the journey to pick one up at the bookstore. Covers about every possible route to AK. I'd also recommend picking up the Ferry on the ride to the lower 48, it's a neat way to travel and gives you a chance to wind down for a couple days.
Wish we would have had time to have ridden Vancouver Island.
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