Bucket list

[old time rider]

First time for me.See lots of names I recall from IntruderAlert.I am Paul on it.Retired in 012 and did my big bucket list ride right before retirement.Four old guys 60,62,64,and 70 went on motorcycles as far as you can go by road in N.A. to DeadHorse,Alaska.All camp gear on each bike and camped every night but one in DeadHorse because not allowed for too many bears.28 that night and snow so not to bad :big grin: .I was only one with out elc gear so was cold most of Alaska and Canada.Day light all night was odd.Three and a half weeks,10,300 miles.Sidetrips,a roadblock mud slide,and really bad mud/gravel roads from Artic circle to DeadHorse cut way into our miles per day but still good for four old men.We all had rode motorcycles most of our lives but the other three had more off road as I had more miles.They have been my main means of transportation since 73 and week end fun before that.On hind site the lots of bears and sleeping with no gun beside me in the tent at night,thanks to Cadana,was the most danger IMO.Turned 65 the day after we got back home to Kentucky.Now to work on more bucket list before unable to ride anymore.Have met some of you and hope lots more on the road

[Jolsen]

Cool story brother. Would love to see some photos of the trip.

~Jols3n
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[PCC]

.Have met some of you and hope lots more on the road

Hope you make it up to OMG sometime! :thumbup:

[MadCow]

My bucket list is Alaska

[Jolsen]

I threw away the bucket and filled the tub with my list lol.

~Jols3n
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[Suzuki Johnny]

Hey Paul//.... That must have been a whale of a trip/... at any age...but for older coots like ourselves it's an adventure to end all bike trips...back in the day we tossed that monkey around for several years and just the thought of running our 883 Sporty's through mud filled roads and sleeping in pup tents ( I got enough of that in the military LOL) was enough to discourage any more random thoughts of making it across the frozen tundra.
I applaud your determination to make such a guantless trip at your ages... :thumbup:
I'm 71 now and after several consecutive 400+ days this year...........it's shown to me that I have but a few more long distance trips left in me..LOL
Dickie and I have on our schedule a return to Colorado and several Arkansas trips to the HUB before we hang up our leathers.. This year we are headed to Big Bend National Park in May, for us it's something like 780 miles in two days travel time
....as of now 6 have expressed an interest in going with us...Some have been there and some will be their first time in that region of the US...No camping for us tho....cheap motels is the closest we will come to Mother earth :big grin:

[Jolsen]

Some of those cheap motels might be closer to mother earth then you care to think about.

~Jols3n
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[MadCow]

Thanks for sending me the pics Paul...

I *will* one day do an Alaska trip. God willing.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Some of those cheap motels might be closer to mother earth then you care to think about.

~Jols3n
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Motel 6 is usually what we look for or a Mom and Pop motel we found a great biker motel on Montrose, Colorado in 2007 and a really clean and cheap motel in Alpine,Texas near Big Bend National park, they are everywhere you just have to take the extra time to look for them...... The Motel in Montrose lady behind the counter offered to wash our clothes for nothing, she said it was part of the service.... we gave her 20 bucks a piece..it was well worth it :thumbup:
..... prices run anywhere from 42 to 50 a night ...split two ways ain't half bad for a shower and some soft feathers under our rumps... :big grin:
At my age there is no way I could rough it sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag...those days are over with.....and now that I can finally afford to pay for rooms for the night... :big grin: :thumbup:

[Jolsen]

I been in too many bad motel 6s. I go for super 8s

~Jols3n
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[Larry TN]

I honestly do not even have a bucket on my list. I would, however, like to live until I die.

[Jolsen]

Live to die another day.

~Jols3n
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[NE_FL]

Paul, that was quite an adventure! I drove to Alaska from Chicago in 1968 via the Alcan Hwy, but I can't imagine doing it on a motorcycle. Back then the Alaska Hwy was all gravel and potholes. We drove about 40 mph with a bang,bang,bang,bang as we hit the potholes, and trucks going the other way would shower us with gravel and rocks messing up the windshield on my 1950 Pontiac.

You guys are tough old birds to go all the way to Deadhorse on motorcycles!

.

[old time rider]

A lot of work was being done on it in early stages when we went.May be better now?Still about all gravel/mud from Circle to DeadHorse and they charge a lot more for a rental car if going to DeadHorse.We stopped to see if we could help for two.Its the law to stop.One just a cracked windshield but other had had a rock tear a hole in the rad and had to be towed.I do not want to go to DeadHorse again.If you see a simi coming at you and a big cloud of dust pull over!You will not be able to see anyway and they do not slow down!We met Lisa Kelly coming at us.Had her name on door and HUGE dozer and blade of it on a second simi behind her.Critters like the muskox were fun to see as never saw one before.So wide with hair to ground and cartoon looking :big grin: .Lots of Alaska is so great looking with out getting off good black top and ok gravel roads.Homer is a nice side trip with bald eagles as thick as crows in Kentucky.We have a few Bald Eagles in Ky but not thick like that.

[PCC]

I been in too many bad motel 6s. I go for super 8s

~Jols3n
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I have found some great motel 6's that have taken over larger hotels. Spent two nights in Santa Fe in a Motel 6 with hot tub and indoor pool for $34.95. Stopped in Evanston, WY and got a Motel 6 that they had taken over better hotel where I had a huge room with micro, refrig and all for about the same price.
On my three motorcycle cross country and countless cage trips I have had very few place that were too bad. I feel lucky to have found some good bargains with those road coupons since I usually go without advance reservations and fly by the seat of my pants.

[old time rider]

Guess ten or more stops were no camp ground at all.Just get off the road out of site near a river.Look for bears and set up camp and a fire.Baby wipes :big grin: were your friend.We went four days twice with out a shower but so cold not as bad as yoy think.Half the people we met went longer than that I bet.Lots of Canada was like Alaska in that they had lots of old places that were boom places in the 60s and just died away later.Lots of bulding you can hide from the road behind.We never stayed in them but felt a little better near them when so many bears around.Lots of small towns even in U.S. we ask locals or law about parks with free places to camp.Often they know.In Virginia a law man told us of one.The signs may say you cannot but if law says don't worry no one will bother you go for it. :thumbup:

[Jolsen]

Unless he was setting you up for the next shift lol

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[Suzuki Johnny]

Guess ten or more stops were no camp ground at all.Just get off the road out of site near a river.Look for bears and set up camp and a fire.Baby wipes :big grin: were your friend.We went four days twice with out a shower but so cold not as bad as yoy think.Half the people we met went longer than that I bet.Lots of Canada was like Alaska in that they had lots of old places that were boom places in the 60s and just died away later.Lots of bulding you can hide from the road behind.We never stayed in them but felt a little better near them when so many bears around.Lots of small towns even in U.S. we ask locals or law about parks with free places to camp.Often they know.In Virginia a law man told us of one.The signs may say you cannot but if law says don't worry no one will bother you go for it. :thumbup:

Back in the day, and I know you can relate to this Paul, we camped out with our sleeping bags at road side parks...during that day and time they were scattered all over the road ways in almost every state, usually kept up by state or county people..usually had a few wooden tables and a fire pit at some.....we'd sleep under the tables so the dew wouldn't soak our asses in the mornings...spent many a night on the ground under those tables.
Alabama was the worst for staying at those places.. a few times a state trooper would stop and tell us to move on.. we'd just go to the next one further down the road :thumbup:

[old time rider]

Yes have been under a table in rain and dew.On the BlueRidge the fog can be so bad you need the rain suits. :big grin: Still wish I had got the address of some met on the road at camp grounds and sometimes a thunder storm can have a under pass full of one time meets with same kind of nuts as us. :thumbup:

[NE_FL]

Yes have been under a table in rain and dew.On the BlueRidge the fog can be so bad you need the rain suits. :big grin: Still wish I had got the address of some met on the road at camp grounds and sometimes a thunder storm can have a under pass full of one time meets with same kind of nuts as us. :thumbup:

You can meet some real characters on the road. What's next on your bucket list?