The Start

Today is May 31st, 2007 and the great adventure starts the day after tomorrow. First to the Border of Mexico and then north to Alaska. It's only fitting that there be a "before" picture and this is it. The bike is all shiny and clean and ready to roll. Like my grandpa used to say, there's a lot more travel in it than there is in me. I'll be making the trip to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska on this 2005 R1200GS BMW with these add-ons: Jesse 10" bags, Kaoko travel bag strapped on the passenger seat to give me some support for an old worn out back, rear rack that will hold a 2.5 gal gas can for a last leg that is iffy for gas, low seat with an Alaska Leathers sheepskin cover, Marsee small tank bag, Touratech hand guard extensions, Touratech crash bars and head protectors, handlebar pull back/riser, headlight protector, and an Aeroflow medium height windshield. The motor is box stock.

I went through the "modify the engine" phase when I was riding 250 cc dirt bikes. Now I figure that if 1200 cc's won't go fast enough in the dirt, then I need a psychiatrist, not engine modifications. I've only ridden this bike a couple of times in the dirt to get the feel of it and it certainly isn't a KTM 950 Adventure, but considering that most of this trip will be on pavement, and I just turned 59, comfort wins.

So why go to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the northernmost point in America, on a motorcycle? The last 250 miles of the "road" to Prudhoe Bay has a reputation of quirky nastiness and we guess that we'll be riding about 4500 miles one way to get there. We also know that the weather up there and back will vary from occasionally good, to usually bad. So, if I need to go, why not just drive my truck?

Well first off, I don't need to go, I want to go. Since I retired 2 1/2 years ago I don't have many challenges in my life. In my professional life I accomplished all that I set out to and part of the reason to retire was to seek new challenges (I was also pretty worn out) Our children are grown and gone so that responsibility has, as much as it ever can, been met. There was an itch to do something that would challenge me physically and mentally and I had heard that this trip would do that. At 59 you also start to feel that if you are going to do something requiring physical endurance, you better do it sooner than later. We are all one misfortune away from a health problem stopping us from doing something like this. I have a friend, Dale Ploung, who has been touring South America and his motto is "It is not the things I did that I regret, it is the things that I didn't." Perfect. Lastly, I now have young grandchildren and I want them to have confidence that they can do adventurous things throughout their lives. Don't let age be an excuse not to try.

As for why a motorcycle? Simple: I love to ride them and a trip like this on a bike is a greater challenge than in a truck. Make it hard, and tell me I can't do it. That's reason enough.

Jeff