Dust2Dawson 2011

[torgo]

Good Morning DDSR!!!
I thought I should write up the Dust to Dawson ride I did last summer before I loose my mind.... I mean forget something. 

Maybe just a little back ground --- My name is Travis and I currently live in Iowa just south of Sioux City.  Since 2001 I have been working in Alaska and have been comuting back and forth.  I am usually up north for 3 to 6 weeks at a time and then fly home for a 2 to 3 week R&R (Rest and Relaxation- although being gone from home for 6 weeks never leaves time for relaxation because everything breaks a my house when I leave).

Through work I met a great guy Keith Christensen (Roadhazard on ADVrider).  Keith lives in Palmer, AK and has been doing a little ride called Dust  2 Dawson for a couple of years now.
You can read about D2D here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=735855

Keith is a great guy and LOVES his scooters.  He built a T100 into an awesome machine which he offered to me to ride along to the D2D rally this year.

Thanks Keith!!!! 

So here is the old girl all dressed up ready for the Palmer to Dawson City, YT run.


Keith bought himself an F800 and now that is his Dawson rig.


Here is me and the bike ready to ride



The group also consisted of Ken and Louie


And LuLu--- NOW I know what you are thinking here --  LULU??
BUT LuLu is the the most charming English lass you ever want to meet, and the accent is awesome ( more on that later)   LuLu rides with Ken on an GS1150 and Louie was on the maiden ride for his new to him GS1200.  (the XR650L in the picture is Keiths TAT build for next year)




So off we head – on our way to Dawson City, YT for the D2D (it's not a rally) Rally.

There ain't but one road out of Palmer really so we head up the Glenn Hwy toward Glennallen on our way to Tok for the night.

First stop is at Matenuska  Glacier for pictures and butt stretch.





Then on to Eureka for gas---and BREAKFAST!!!!!




We push on through Glennallen where we get gas (sorry no picts of that) and get on the Richardson Hwy toward Tok for the night; a misely 276 miles through some beautiful country.



We spent the night at Young's Motel and supped at Fast Eddie's.  I got a couple of Tee-shirts for the kids.




Here is picture of LuLu indicating how her trip is going so far!!



The next morning it dawned cloudy and threatening rain but I was ready to ride!!!  Notice the FROG TOGS!!!



The Richardson turns to gravel and the road is pretty good but the pot holes had a population explosion,  a little rough on the Bonnie's  short suspension.

Not many pictures of the ride to Chicken, but one at the border crossing into Canada.


The FROG TOGS were awsome!!! But I need to work on the waterproof boot thing.  Aplinestar DryStar gloves worked really well but eventually soaked through, hand guards would have really helped.

I can't say enough good about them, I picked them up on my Fly-n-Ride when I bought my KLR this spring.


From the border to Dawson the weather started to clear up, well it quit raining anyway.


We pull into Dawson and wait for the ferry with other D2D goers, the only way across the Yokon River is by ferry.

You can see that LuLu's back is pretty covered in mud.


Once across the river we get checked into the hotel and chill a little.  With 24 hours of daylight at this latitude we had plenty of time to ponder what to do next.  We get checked in and bought our tickets to the banquet, get a couple of tee-shirts and warm up a little.




Keith being the only non-virgin D2D attendee suggested a quick trip to Bombay Peggy's for a quick drink and then a run downtown to see the bikes on Main street.


Now the camera woman gets into the picture


Bombay Peggy's is an ex-brothel rebuilt into a hotel/bar.  See this link for more info.
http://www.bombaypeggys.com/about.cfm

The place was packed so we made our way outside to the sunshine and took up residence.


  "Now let's see that drink menu"



Yep ex-brothel for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ken insisted on buying LuLu her first drink.  Can you guess what he picked?  And he made her ask for it.


You have never heard anything so funny as an woman with a thick English accent ask the 23 year old male waiter making his way through college for a:     "SPANK MY NAUGHTY ASS" cocktail.



More to come------ I better get back to work:)

[Hank]

   That is good stuff!   Nice pics and report.. lets see more!

[Lonesome Dave]

Great report, love that drink menu! Thanks.

[jacin theis]

Alaska is on my short list of rides. Hope to do it soon. Thanks for sharing and cant wait to see more of your trip.

[sleddog]

Hope we don't have to wait for you to get back to Iowa for the rest of the RR

This is good stuff!

Sleddog

[torgo]

No, I am working on organizing the rest of the pictures and should have the rest of the report up soon.

Thanks

[torgo]

Ok, to continue..
Later that night (day light 24hrs a day) we make our way to Main Street by the Downtown Hotel where all the bikes are parked.....  GEEESH.............. you think this was a BMW/KLR RALLY!!!!!!!!!!





We take a little time to kick back and take in the sights..............




Bikes of every shape and size..... even a enduro sidehack!!!


DMC makes this one I believe.
http://www.dmcsidecars.com/sidecars/enduro/
More bike inspections.........


After that it was to bed and get ready for the poker run tomorrow.
First stop was the Dredge


Then some great fire roads to the local cell phone tower....


I don't have many pictures of the poker run as the T100 was a TOTAL blast to ride.  MUCH faster than any of the BMW's.  Although one guy on a clapped out XR650L passed me like I was standing still.

Here I am hauling............


Group shot...


Last stop overlooked the Yukon River....






Secret last stop was Fighters House.........


Later that night we attended the banquet at the theater....


Us with our SWAG ( free stuff)........


Later that night it was motorcycle games. 
Cone weave, Bite the hotdog (by the female passenger)  all good fun.




At midnight there was the traditional posting of the bikes.  Everyone lines up by their bikes and gives the ADVRider salute for the camera.  I don't have a picture of it but I think you can buy them.

This vendor set up at midnight every night and sold brat and burgers out of a pushcart.  He worked the midnight to 4AM crowd.  This was about 2AM.


The next morning we head back to Tok for the night.  Route is to the border via Top Of the World Hwy and then on to Chicken AK.

We pack for the trip back.......




The T100 was a bit muddy still.........


The weather was perfect on the way back no rain in sight.


1045.jpg[/IMG]
Top of the World Hwy........




Crossing back into Alaska.........




On to Chicken, this time with no RAIN.......
We stopped and had lunch and bought a few trinkets.......


The rest of the trip to Tok consisted of typical road construction waits and awesome riding. 
I have to recogmend this ride to anyone.  Great weather (most of the time) and plenty of daylight to enjoy it with.

I want to say thank to Keith for lending the bike and letting me tag along and to Ken, Lulu, and Louie for being great traveling companions.

Here is a couple of shots of the T100 in street clothes.........




One last shot, taken by accident but maybe my favorite.........