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Alaska at Eighty

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CCjon
(@jan-2)
Posts: 1126
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Topic starter
 

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After the 2025 USCA National Sidecar Rally in Topsham, Maine, it was back home to Texas, unpack the Goldwing rig, then load the cold-wet-hot-dry weather gear for a run up to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. There to start the IBA UCC challenge to ride from Prudhoe Bay to Key West, FL in less than 30 days.

The current oldest rider to complete and document this challenge was 76 years old when he did it. I turned 80 in May, so my goal is to raise the bar a notch or two on this challenge.

This topic was modified 1 week ago by CCjon
 
Posted : July 1, 2025 3:52 pm
CCjon
(@jan-2)
Posts: 1126
Moderator
Topic starter
 

The turn out for the Topsham rally was great, friendly smiles, sidecarists and beautiful rigs.

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Now it is time to return to my lone wolf style of riding. 'cept now it is more like Grey Wolf. Back home the gear is packed, waterproofed and ready to load.

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Will load everything tonight with a planned pre-dawn departrure tomorrow July 2nd.

The next week will be riding from Houston up to Bellingham, Washington to catch the Alaska Marine Highway ferry on July 11th north to Haines, Alaska. From there vist a few spots I missed in my earlier Alaska rides before heading further north to Pudhoe Bay/Deadhorse.

Plan to post updates as the ride progresses.

Later...
CCjon

This post was modified 1 week ago by CCjon
 
Posted : July 1, 2025 3:54 pm
CCjon
(@jan-2)
Posts: 1126
Moderator
Topic starter
 

Thoughts to ponder...

We were wild with joy because tomorrow
We would leave the known world behind.
What a wonderful feeling . . .
To be able to decide your own life and destiny
Obeying without limitations your own mysterious call,
And dreams and passions.

Quote: Douchan Gersi

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 4:04 pm
(@brisco)
Posts: 13
Eminent Member
 

@jan-2 Good Luck and have a great ride! We'll all be following your travels.Β 

Above all, HAVE FUN!!! That's what it's all about.

Brian

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 4:10 pm
(@scott-h)
Posts: 1074
Noble Member
 

Sounds like an Epic Adventure.Β  Just the ride from Texas to the Canadian border would be amazing.Β Β 

Definitely look forward to reading about your journey.Β  😎Β 

Hold my keyboard and watch this! πŸ™ƒ

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 5:45 pm
(@miles-ladue)
Posts: 1379
Famed Member
 

@jan-2, let me know what route you expect to take to get to Bellingham.Β  If anywhere close,Β  I am happy to meet up with you along your route.

Having ridden the long way through B.C., and the Yukon, IΒ  applaud your decision to take the ferry.Β 

Safe travel mi Amigo. friday Β 

Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 6:44 pm
 MJ
(@mj)
Posts: 213
Reputable Member
 

@jan-2 Wow! What an epic adventure! Safe travels. Really looking forward to your posts on this journey.

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 7:25 pm
(@miles-ladue)
Posts: 1379
Famed Member
 

Jan, I will add that if you run into any mechanical malfunction between Houston and Seattle, my shop is prepared to remedy any malfunction you may have.

You have my contact info, so do not hesitate to call me. I also have your exact same trailer, so......

Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 8:35 pm
CCjon
(@jan-2)
Posts: 1126
Moderator
Topic starter
 

Mucho gracias FM. I plan to visit a nephew in Portland, Oregon on the way up, so that might take me right by your homestead.

Coffee and friendship sound good.

Β 

Β 

 
Posted : July 1, 2025 9:35 pm
(@swampfox)
Posts: 1931
Moderator
 

Safe travels, CCJon.Β  Looking fwd to the updates.

Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox

 
Posted : July 2, 2025 7:03 am
Thane Lewis
(@thane-lewis)
Posts: 731
Moderator
 

Vaya con Dios! Β Here is to new records being set - public and private!

Illegitemi non carborundum est!

 
Posted : July 2, 2025 5:12 pm
(@donbmw)
Posts: 20
Eminent Member
 

Have a safe trip.

 
Posted : July 2, 2025 8:32 pm
CCjon
(@jan-2)
Posts: 1126
Moderator
Topic starter
 

Got a late start, hot and very humid in Houston, the starting gas ticket, @ $2.539 a gallon
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beautiful wet clouds follow meIMG_0393.jpegIMG_0394.jpeg
Stopped to remove rain gear as looks clear ahead,
What I left behind
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was in and out of rain all day. Temps from 101 to 72.
Took Rt 6 all the way from Cypress to Quana, then left to Childress for the night.

 
Posted : July 3, 2025 7:07 pm
(@brstr)
Posts: 444
Noble Member
 

Nice Dodge.

Will have to translate the fuel costs sometime to $AU liter.Β 

Happy travels.

 
Posted : July 3, 2025 8:26 pm
CCjon
(@jan-2)
Posts: 1126
Moderator
Topic starter
 

Logged another 400+ mies today, stopping in Angel Fire NM for a few days to handle some chores.

Found the ranch of his dreams in NM.
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Most of the day was spent outrunning rain clouds.

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But in the end, they found me in the last four miles in the mountains.

Re the eight gallons of fuel, I removed the seat in the tub, making room for cold and hot weather gear, plus the eight gallons of fuel for that last stretch from Coldfoot to Deadhorse, 240 miles with no service, no houses, nothing, just follow the Alaska pipeline across the tundra.

On an earlier trip I met a BMW rider the side of the road, fuel tank empty. He was twenty miles shy of Deadhorse. He said the winds were so bad it cut his mpg way down. Β He had not anticipated that when calculating how much fuel to carry. Is better to have too much than not enough.

Β 
 
Posted : July 4, 2025 7:49 am
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