Alaska 2012

We started riding at 7am today and found a hotel to stay at in Salem, Oregon at 7pm: We rode nearly 450 miles. I then had a shower, as did most others, and went for a Mexican. It’s now 9pm and I’ll go to bed soon as we start again at 7am tomorrow.

Interesting day, or some of it was. Initially we rode for about 100miles alongside the Pacific going North in California. The road and views were nice but it was quite cold and it got bleaker the more North you went – just look at the breakfast joint we went to in the picture album. We then started going inland towards Oregon. A lot of this ride and that up the Pacific was through a vast redwood forest. Trees, trees and more trees. But the whole size of this quite natural forest is vast – hundreds of square miles.

Oregon proved pleasant to start with and very ‘TV’ American: Flags flying, pick-ups everywhere and trailer parks by the road. Plus wide open spaces. We then crossed a plain on an interstate to get to Salem – we did 150 miles on a dead straight road! Really. It was boring but necessary to move us quickly towards the Canadian border which we’ll get to tomorrow evening via a stop at mount St. Helens. An active volcano.

I’ll probably edit this post later as it’s a bit rushed – I’m quite tired – and it doesn’t give a full flavour for what I saw today.

Only rode about 200 miles today. But the ride was firstly along the Pacific Coastal Highway which is a road that follows the coastline and, surprise, surprise, is just one continuum of tight corners. A great road to ride, but quite hard work as you have to concentrate pretty hard. The views were great – though I have to say the coast road from Italy down through Croatia was perhaps more beautiful, and the Med looked far more tempting than the Pacific which is very cold and grey up here. We then started to go inland through Redwood forests – yes, they are big buggers – again on very twisty hilly roads. All in all a bikers dream ride – but quite tiring.

I’m now in a motel room, just about to get some petrol and then think about eating. It’s 6pm as I write this.

The group has jelled well and the guy I’ve paired up with is very organised and good company. Indeed, as we get to the motel he goes and organises and pays for the room, sorts the internet passwords etc and I just unpack my luggage and log on. He’s even made me a cup of coffee………

Yesterday evening the last four members of the group arrived. Now we are ten.

Today Symon (a 53 year old Scot who has his own boat building business) and I went for a little run to make sure our bikes were OK. We went inland and discovered both beautiful roads up and down quite steep hills/mountains (i.e. ‘twisties’) and a lovely lake where we stopped for a coke (see photo album).

Also got to try out my new head cam (see below). It works well?

The rest of the day was spent just packing all the gear ready for setting off tomorrow and then going up to the group leader’s cousin’s house for a BBQ.

It’s now 10.30pm and my room mates asleep and I’m about to go to bed: Slightly nervous because there’s no turning back now and the stories we heard about Canada and Alaska at the BBQ tonight both exited you and made you a little apprehensive. Not about motorbike riding but about the wildlife we’ll see on route and the mosquitos we’ll encounter!.

Picked the bike up this morning. Started first thing and with a couple of others picked up some petrol and got a few miles under our belts. Probably the biggest thing that hits you are the scarcity of road signs, rules, arbitrary speed limits and steady ques of cars going slowly. Driving on the right comes fairly naturally as I’ve driven on the Continent a lot – plus on a bike you’re not sitting on the wrong side when driving. So, not tempting providence I hope, it was a lot more relaxing than driving in Ipswich – which isn’t that stressful itself.

Most of the rest of today and tomorrow will be spent chilling and getting everything ready for Saturday. Then it’s doing some long hauls for real, though everybody whose driven/ridden here before says a hundred miles in the states feels like fifty in Europe. Have also checked and the temperature in British Columbia and Alaska is mid teens and low teens respectively – and getting warmer. So that’s OK then.

Well I was impressed with Heath Row airport and United Airlines. This was my first long haul flight and everything was very painless. I’d also pre-booked my plane seat in economy and had done well – I was facing the middle bulkhead on the 777 I flew on and could stretch my legs fully out and recline. The downside was that just as I got comfortable a woman and her baby came and sat next to me. Say no more!

Got through American immigration very quickly and walked out of the airport to see the coach to Santa Rosa just about to leave with another guy from the tour on it. We then crawled past the crowd coming from the American Open golf championship – which is being held in SF this week. Next onto the Golden Gate bridge and past Alcatraz! After a 30 mile ride through Californian countryside we arrived at Santa Rosa and caught a taxi to the hotel where we were met by three other group members and had a cold beer. As it was now 5am UK time bed was high on the agenda – though I must admit I haven’t slept that well as I think jet lag coupled to thinking about the challenge ahead has impacted a bit.

Will pick the bike up after breakfast and start discovering what riding in America is like!

For all those who are reading this blog the attached is the itinerary we’ll be riding to!

Alaska Adventure 2012 mileage and highlights