Author Topic: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer  (Read 1689 times)

AZRedhawk44

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Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« on: November 13, 2019, 01:35:02 PM »
It's been awhile since I've been on a moto trip and I've got an itch for one again.  I'm on a 2013 Triumph Tiger 800XC with 26k miles on it right now, and I want one more good ride on it before it gets too long in the tooth to trust on a remote ride.  Riding the Denali/Alcan highway and seeing the Arctic Ocean has always been on my bucket list.

Is WildAlaska from TFL on this forum at all?  He did some work to one of my Redhawks ages and ages ago...shipped it to his shop in Anchorage and back to me in AZ.  I'm trying to figure out the best way to remain armed for as much of the ride as possible.  I'd like to ship that same .44 somewhere near the AK/CA border for me to pick up once I cross into AK, and then ship it back home again once I get ready to go back into Canuckistan and back south.

I figure in CA, I'll tote bear spray.  Might look into the possibility of a pump shotgun.  I have a cheap Stevens Ithaca clone that might be short enough to ride cross-ways on the back of the bike.  I don't know to what degree the gun must be enclosed/cabled/etc, I'm certain I can't carry it loaded on the bike.  Not that that would be a good idea anyways, with a tube mag and a possible involuntary dismount on the bike impacting the butt or barrel hard enough to jostle stuff.

I looked into taking the ferry from Bellingham, it just takes too long and costs something like $2000 each way with a bike.  Though I could take my .44 through that route.
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Northwoods

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2019, 02:50:03 PM »
If you decide to come through Bellingham let me know ahead of time.  At a bare minimum we'll meet up.  Might even be able to give a place to stay for free for a night, depending on timing.
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Northwoods

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2019, 02:54:29 PM »
Oh yeah WildAlaska used to be on here but he drifted off many, many years ago.  Haven't seen him here in longer than I can remember.

Just looked, and his last posts here are from just over 10 years ago.  Didn't see anything indicating he was mad or in conflict with anyone.  Maybe he just lost interest in this forum.
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MillCreek

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2019, 03:16:24 PM »
If you decide to come through Bellingham let me know ahead of time.  At a bare minimum we'll meet up.  Might even be able to give a place to stay for free for a night, depending on timing.

Ditto here; I am just a few miles east of I-5 about 75 miles south of the Canadian border.
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230RN

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2019, 03:22:28 PM »
You must be aware of this:

From Wiki:

Quote
Prudhoe Bay is the unofficial northern terminus of the Pan-American Highway. The Bay itself is still 10 miles further north than a security checkpoint so open water is not visible from the highway. A few tourists, arriving by bus after a two-day ride up the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks, come to see the tundra, the Arctic Ocean, and the midnight sun, staying in lodgings assembled from modular buildings. Tours must be arranged in advance to see the Arctic Ocean and the Bay itself.

So, ummm, why?

I've seen a couple posts here and on other boards on that problem of packing past gun free zones like Canada to Alaska, including by boat.  (Hunters, of course, will fly up there anyhow.)

IIRC, the most practical thing was to ship it to a dealer up there and pick it up when you get there.  I recall passages about flying up to Alaska in a chartered (non-TSA) airline, but that's expensive too, and I'm not sure that's a valid method any more.

In any case, as a practical matter, I think it's fairly safe to transit Canada without a gun anyhow.

I suppose it's possible that new international arrangements for transiting Canada have been made, but I don't know of any.
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Ben

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2019, 04:48:37 PM »
Oh yeah WildAlaska used to be on here but he drifted off many, many years ago.  Haven't seen him here in longer than I can remember.

Just looked, and his last posts here are from just over 10 years ago.  Didn't see anything indicating he was mad or in conflict with anyone.  Maybe he just lost interest in this forum.

I'd say that's about the same time his TV show started. :)
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BobR

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2019, 05:34:39 PM »
Depending on the firearm it is possible to transport it through Canada.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=695


bob

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2019, 02:09:24 AM »

Maybe you could find a bush flight from Deadhorse and get dropped on a beach for a few days. Or fly to Kaktovik, which has a decent airport and support in case the weather gets bad. It is a concern when waiting for pick up in remote areas.

AZRedhawk44

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2019, 06:20:04 PM »


In any case, as a practical matter, I think it's fairly safe to transit Canada without a gun anyhow.


It's not the denim mafia I'm concerned about.  Just the big toothies.

It's 2200 miles from Seattle to Fairbanks, and only maybe 200-ish of that is in Alaska.  The rest is through Yukon and BC country.  Haven't worked out lodging choices through that area, I'd prefer to camp off the bike in random places than stay in a hotel.  I just don't dig the notion of having no meaningful protection.  This is the sticking point that has stopped me from doing this trip for so long.
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charby

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2019, 06:44:57 PM »
It's not the denim mafia I'm concerned about.  Just the big toothies.

It's 2200 miles from Seattle to Fairbanks, and only maybe 200-ish of that is in Alaska.  The rest is through Yukon and BC country.  Haven't worked out lodging choices through that area, I'd prefer to camp off the bike in random places than stay in a hotel.  I just don't dig the notion of having no meaningful protection.  This is the sticking point that has stopped me from doing this trip for so long.

I'm wanting to ride from Fairbanks to Prudhoe, my plan is to fly into Fairbanks, rent a bike and stay in lodging on the trip. I really don't feel like camping and becoming a grizzly snack. I figure that the truckers throw left over food out their windows and this attracts bears to the road sides. I want to rent a bike, mostly because of when the Dalton is open to non truck traffic is my busy time with work and I don't want to subject a bike I own to all that calcium and grit from the road surface.
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2019, 10:10:55 AM »
I just got the PTO approval from work for the trip.  Really excited.
"But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist."
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230RN

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2019, 12:31:39 PM »
Have a great trip.  Bring back many jpegs.
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Northwoods

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2019, 01:00:42 AM »
If you're going to come through Bellingham (whether to drive across or take the ferry) let me know know when you will be in the area.
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2019, 10:29:40 AM »
Decided I'm going up UT/CO/WY/ID/MO rather than across NV and up the coast.  And that the Artic Ocean destination will be Tuktoyaktuk in NWT, rather than Deadhorse AK. 

No pistol.  I'll buy bear spray somewhere in Canada.

I've got a month to git 'er dun, so if the Dempster proves to be in great riding condition and I have lots of time left I may opt to hit the Dalton and Deadhorse after completing Dempster, in the same trip.
"But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist."
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charby

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2019, 11:16:19 AM »
Decided I'm going up UT/CO/WY/ID/MO

Isn't Missouri a bit out of your way?  =D
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2019, 01:32:24 PM »
Isn't Missouri a bit out of your way?  =D

Oops, I guess that big one up top is MT, not MO. =D
"But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist."
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charby

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2019, 02:34:34 PM »
Oops, I guess that big one up top is MT, not MO. =D

 :rofl: :rofl:

Big road trip that way.
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Northwoods

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Re: Trying to plan ride to Prudhoe Bay next summer
« Reply #17 on: December 10, 2019, 10:51:21 PM »
Would've been fun to meet you.  Sounds like a fantastic trip.  Safe travels!
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