Solo Dawson and Back

[AKforza]

June is my annual migration to the Yukon river for the Dust to Dawson (D2D) gathering. You never want to call it a rally or you'll face vocal comments and name calling by past D2D riders. Its a meeting of riders about 300 this year of folks from Canada, Alaska, US states and all over really. The event started as a memorial ride of a group of friends to honor a rider that was killed the previous year. Since 1992 it has grown into the event it is today. This years most traveled were from Florida and Argentina. While the predominate attendees are ADV riders, all sorts of bikes are welcome. Its not what you ride its just getting there that counts. Made some new friends from Alberta riding a full dress Harley and Victory bikes. Its a two day event consisting of arrival getting settled in the towns Hotels and campgrounds, site seeing the best of what Dawson has to offer, Dredge tour, the Dome, Robert Service cabin or take a paddle wheeler cruise down the Yukon River. After dinner activities consist of meeting riders at the Triple J and downtown Hotel bars. Maybe a sour toe cocktail or two. (A well preserved missing toe of an old miner gets added to your drink, swallowing the Toe is not allowed and discouraged). Day two consists of a poker run at noon, steak dinner and no host bar, and bike games until midnight. By the next morning the town clears out of the D2D riders.

Bike ran great on the 1200 mile journey and weather was mostly clear and in the 80s despite a wild fire in the Tok area. It was my first solo ride on this bike and I overpacked for two many what ifs. Lesson learned and my pack list has since been downsized. Met up with one rider on a Ural on the Taylor Hwy just before Chicken and didn't see another bike until I made the Yukon border. Hung behind him for a few miles as it was fun to watch him muscle the corners. Gravel road conditions from Chicken to the border were loose ball bearing gravel in places with hard pack gravel and rock to the border. Once on the Canadian side the road was well packed with some loose gravel in the corners. My Heids are still showing good tread after 7000 miles so had no reservations about rubber this trip. Bike was sure footed and handled the gravel with ease. Conditions were a far cry from the mud slog from last year so I really got to relax and enjoy the best of the Top Of The World Hwy. Two bikes went down this year a BMW R1200 just into the second turn from the Eagle cut off missed the turn. Bike totaled but rider was lucky had the gear and just banged up. The other was a 955 Tiger before Chicken on the way out blew off the road blinded in the dust. Rider suffered a broken collar bone and several ribs and the ambulance met them in Chicken. Report is the rider is doing well recovering.

Top of the World and the Taylor can be lonely roads in 187 miles I didn't see another bike on my way out until Tok and I found the solitude to be a great ride with time to myself to take at my own stride and lots of vistas to enjoy.

Next ride is Mc Carthy/Kennecott and Denali Hwy.

Keep your rubber side down!
AK

[Mel46]

I saw some of those roads on tv. The show was about Alaska. There are several. I think this one was about building a house in Chicken. They showed this big chicken someone had built for the town. In any case, the roads were mud and bog. Even the atv's were getting stuck when it rained. I can't imagine what it was like riding 2 wheelers there.

Great pictures. I'm guessing that you are going back again next year. Most of us can't afford to live in one of the places you live in, let alone travel between the two. I have lived in every state in the USA except Alaska, and I don't see myself making it there in this lifetime, so I'll be happy with the pictures.

[tbln930]

Wow. Quite a ride and the beemer bites the dust right off of the blocks. Those Heids really seem to get the mileage. I am hoping for 10k on the new Continental TKC 70s which a tad less aggressive from early reports.

[AKforza]

Last years mud slog was 3-4 inches of very greasy mud with your occasional deep mud hole. Five bikes went down with two riders hurt and 78 riders turned around at Chicken and headed back to Tok. I wasn't one of them but had to rethink the wisdom of my decision several times on the way to Dawson. Rode the pegs with the bike going every way but straight. Throw in a strong case of newbikeitise and it was a white knuckle ride for sure. This year was a piece of cake and a lot of fun.