tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68528718370248809682024-03-05T11:12:36.837-05:00Fall of Freedom 2007 TourFrom Boston to Alaska's north shore, exploring the back roads of Canada along the way.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-43985949898997731542008-09-25T08:56:00.004-04:002008-09-25T09:07:36.795-04:00How to make your woman happy: a four-step guide<span style="font-weight:bold; font-size:2em; color:#ff0000">Step 1.</span><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380000711_UBy38"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380000711_UBy38-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold; font-size:2em; color:#ff0000">Step 2.</span><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380000499_dsMLo"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380000499_dsMLo-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold; font-size:2em; color:#ff0000">Step 3.</span><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380001805_2BttB"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380001805_2BttB-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380002109_WeBq7"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380002109_WeBq7-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold; font-size:2em; color:#ff0000">Step 4.</span><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380002761_DvfsT"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380002761_DvfsT-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380030321_6JRzi"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380030321_6JRzi-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380031190_kBqYM"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380031190_kBqYM-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380030221_mFhAp"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380030221_mFhAp-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold; font-size:2em; color:#ff0000">Success.</span><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380031875_mCafs"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380031875_mCafs-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br />I really like this bike! I picked it up yesterday at Morton's BMW in Fredericksburg, VA and rode it 50 mi back home for the big surprise. Even though I was keeping it below 4k rpms for the break in and riding the whole way on the 95 (I had to get back quickly before my cover story wore thin!), I had a stupid grin on my face the whole time. The motor just purrrrrs along. The shifting is really smooth. Nice pep, GREAT sound coming out of the pipes, and my oh my oh my is it a gorgeous shade of red.<br /><br />Miriam was QUITE pleased. She's upgrading from an F650 classic (aka a "Funduro"). Great bike, but she was ready to move on. Too bad the weather stinks this weekend, but I suspect we'll be out there anyhow!<br /><br /><br />Oooh, OK, one more pic. The caption for this is "ooooh, electronics!"<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/6060886_SSetz#380030407_GkVST"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/380030407_GkVST-S.jpg"></a><br />The amount of gadgetry on this bike is crazy! (In stark contrast to her carbureted and very, very analog Funduro!) It puts on a pretty impressive light show when you turn the key.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-62893162260459571542008-01-03T00:23:00.000-05:002008-01-08T00:30:17.490-05:00ALASKA!<div style="text-align: center;">Fall of Freedom 2007 tour! Boston to Alaska's north shore and back.</div><br /><a href="http://www.mit.edu/%7Ejhartman/map/?ll=50,-105&z=4"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/240761799-O.gif" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Click on the links below for the story,<br />or click the map for an interactive look at my route.</div><br /><div style="text-align:center; margin:0 0 2em 0"><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/ready-for-launch.html">start here: — Ready for launch!</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-1.html">day 1 — A rescue mission</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-2-3-we-have-problem.html">days 2 & 3 — We have a problem</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-4-7-stuck-in-wisconsin.html">days 4 - 7 — Stuck in Wisconsin</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/days-8-10-from-green-bay-to-ak-highway.html">days 8 - 10 — Crossing the Great Plains</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/days-11-13-alaska-highway.html">days 11 - 13 — The Alaska Highway</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/days-14-17-north-of-arctic-circle.html">days 14 - 17 — North of the Arctic Circle</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-18-do-nothing-day.html">day 18 — Relaxing in Fairbanks</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-19-denali.html">day 19 — Denali</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/11/southern-alaska-anchorage-seward.html">days 20 & 21 — Anchorage, Seward, and the Exit Glacier</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/11/days-22-25-more-southern-alaska.html">days 22 - 24 — Valdez and Haines</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/11/heading-home.html">days 25 - 39 — The long journey home</a><br /></div>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-60589789094627000702008-01-03T00:14:00.000-05:002008-01-07T17:19:33.750-05:00Heading home<a name="day25"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 25-26: Ferry to Prince Rupert</span><br /><br />Well, Day 25 fell on October 1. Well past the date when the mountain passes of the Alaska Highway became impassible to motorcycles without studded tires. That left the ferry. Not a bad option: it passes among the islands of the Alaska shore, making it a scenic break from riding. And Oct 1 marks the start of the off-season, so it was substantially cheaper than during the summer.<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208253582"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208253582-S.jpg"></a><br />My bike. After taking this picture, I spent some time securing it to those pipes and ladder with some string. I'm glad I did:<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#225391040"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/225391040-S.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The water started getting rough. The ferry ship was tossed. If not for my strong digestive fortitude, my pancakes would be lost. My overpriced pancakes with side of bacon from the ship cafeteria would be lost.<br /></span><br /><br />I lost count of the lighthouses along the waterway.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208252911"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208252911-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Misty mountains and fjords.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208253061"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208253061-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />One of the many stops along the way. These towns are only accessible by ferry or small plane. Note the glacier in the background.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208253374"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208253374-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Finally, where I slept:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208253723"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208253723-S.jpg"></a><br />Just unrolled my sleeping bag on one of the deck chairs and slept under the roof here. I think I slept for nearly 12 hours. Which is just as well, because there is <span style="font-style:italic;">absolutely nothing to do</span> on these ferries. I spent a good bit of time nursing a beer, chatting with the bartender, and staring out the window. Also read Cormac McCarthy's <span style="font-style:italic;">The Road</span> in pretty much one 8 hour sitting. What a book.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day27"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 27: Prince Rupert, BC to Jasper, AB</span><br /><br />No pictures. It rained almost the entire day. Lovely.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day28"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 28: Jasper to Great Falls, MT</span><br /><br />Critters and mountains in Canada's Jasper National Park:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#225391320"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/225391320-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#239021832"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/239021832-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><a name="day29"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 29: Great Falls to Denver, CO</span><br /><br />After getting rained on for much of the previous day, I fought some serious winds crossing through the Wyoming plains. Probably the most tiring day of my entire trip. <span style="font-style:italic;">And</span> I got stuck with a speeding ticket. 85 in a 70 in middle of nowhere, Wyoming. Grumble, grumble.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day30"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 30-32: Resting in Denver</span><br /><br />Took a break at my dad's place in Denver area. Did some much needed drying off.<br /><br />Also replaced my rear brake pads and disk and changed my oil.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day33"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 33: Denver, Co to Gary, IN</span><br /><br />1110 miles that day! Woohoo!!! And my butt wasn't even particularly sore.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day34"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 34: Gary, IN to Lansdale, PA</span><br /><br />778 more!<br /><br /><br /><a name="day35"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 35-38: Hanging out with family in Lansdale</span><br /><br />Back to Lansdale, the town where I was born and raised, to hang out with family and old friends and go to a cousin's wedding. A good way to end.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day39"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 39: Back to Boston</span><br /><br />The Lansdale-to-Boston trip? I remember when that 300-odd mile trip seemed long. HA! I was back home before I knew it.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>DONE!</span> Thanks for reading. <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/">Back to my main page</a>>>></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-49853326360419770212007-11-21T22:51:00.000-05:002008-01-03T18:37:26.301-05:00Days 22-24: More southern Alaska<a name="day22"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 22: Exit Glacier to Copper Center</span><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208248423"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208248423-S.jpg"></a><br />Southern Alaska is still wet. Nothing like waking up to find that your tent is in the middle of a two-inch-deep puddle.<br /><br />Probably not the smartest place to camp, granted, but I got back late after the glacier hike and didn't realize that my campsite was in a depression. Ah well. Shove the whole mess into the side cases, have another granola bar, and move on.<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208248661"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208248661-S.jpg"></a><br />Turnagain arm, again.<br /><br />Hm. Well, at this point, it's taking me forever to finish this ride report. So I'll dispense with most of the narrative and stick with pictures. This is probably the right approach anyhow, as my words cannot do southern Alaska justice.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day23"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 23: Down to Valdez</span><br /><br />Valdez is the southern terminus of the oil pipeline. The road to Valdez ... it is hands down the most beautiful road I have ever traveled in my life. Mile upon mile of this:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208249809"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208249809-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />And this:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208250541"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208250541-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />And finally, this:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208252309"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208252309-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><a name="day24"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 24: Valdez to Haines</span><br /><br />No pictures from this day, as I had a good 700 miles to make in order to reach Haines, AK in time for the ferry, which was scheduled to depart early the next morning.<br /><br />I rode back north to Anchorage, then east into the Yukon Territories. Revisited the stunning Kluane Lake and its soaring mountains, and I again got to enjoy the impromptu roller coaster of the larger ice heaves.<br /><br />Then to Haines Junction, YT. Had a tense dinner as I watched the clouds gather and the darkness fall. The final 150 miles to Haines would take me through some remote mountains, and snow was a serious concern.<br /><br />This road is supposed to be phenomenal during the day. At night, illuminated by a near-full moon, the immensity of the silhouetted mountains rolling past me was in no way diminished. Again, I was just struck to the core by my surroundings.<br /><br />Eventually, I'd descended enough that the mountains gave way to the boreal rain forest of the Alaska coastline. And fog. Thick, thick fog. Also: rain. Slowing at times to 20 mph, I crept along. Eventually crossing back into the States. Found a small park at a pull-off, and unrolled my sleeping pad and bag onto a picnic table under a rickety roof. 5 hours of shut eye, then early wakeup to head into town for the ferry. I still got wet from the rain blowing in sideways.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/11/heading-home.html">Heading home</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-26816374934449186052007-11-04T13:54:00.000-05:002008-01-03T18:36:06.917-05:00Days 20 & 21: Anchorage & Seward<a name="day20"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 20: Anchorage</span><br /><br />Southern Alaska is wet. I'd learn, later on, that much of it is technically rain forest. But the night of Day 19, lying in my tent at a pull off that the signs told me was -- on clearer days -- a southern Denali viewpoint, all I knew was that it was raining. No complaints: I'd had spectacular luck with the weather so far, hitting rain only once or twice in the roughly 7000 miles I'd traveled thus far. With a little luck, it would stop by morning.<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#216868190"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/216868190-S.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Another lovely view of mighty Denali</span><br /><br />Or not. Woke up to still more rain. In what would soon become standard operating procedure, I didn't bother to fold up my wet tent, instead just stuffing it piecemeal into my side cases, however it would fit. Neatly rolling up the tent and fly and fitting them into the stuff sack requires more dexterity than my fingers could muster in 35°F rain.<br /><br />Fortunately, I was only a little more than 2 hours north of Anchorage at that point. Even more fortunately, Anchorage is full of awesome people. Many of whom own motorcycles. (Alaska has the highest per capita motorcycle ownership rate in the United States.)<br /><br />My first destination in Alaska was <a href="http://www.alaskaleather.com/index.html">Alaska Leather</a>, home of the sheepskin buttpad and other motorcycling delights, and something of an Alaskan motorcycling institution. I <span style="font-style:italic;">almost</span> made it, but wound up sidetracked by the Glacier Brewhouse. Ahhh, nothing like a hearty bowl of soup and a pint of good porter to fend off the cold and wet. Anyhow! -- brew & stew break complete, I headed for Alaska Leather. Met the owner, Barb, and she gave gave me some references for local riders and shops. She also let me use the "courtesy computer" in her shop to type up the previous update. Continuing my extremely positive impression of Alaskans.<br /><br />I headed over to the local REI to meet <a href="http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3638637">AKDuc</a>, one of the local riders that Barb referred me to. (AKDuc is his screen name on <a href="http://www.advrider.com/">ADVrider.com</a>.) He very kindly invited me to crash at his place after he got off of work.<br /><br />With some time to kill, I hung out at a bookstore for a while, then headed over to another local brew pub. Lots of them in Anchorage, apparently. As I pull in, a family waiting for a table greets me. Apparently they ride too, and the son is <a href="http://www.bmwbobbyzarr.shutterfly.com/action/">AlaskaZman</a> -- yet another ADVrider! So I have a beer and dinner with them, and we swap some motorcycle stories. I'm really liking Anchorage!<br /><br />Eventually I meet back up with AKDuc and go for an evening ride around the hills above Anchorage. And I crash there for the night. The <span style="font-style:italic;">only</span> downside to this Anchorage experience is that AKDuc's dog Comet almost killed me. Not that he was vicious; we're talking about a cute little terrier here. But MAN did he set off my allergies. And all he wanted to do was say hi to the stranger and hop up in my lap. Poor Comet. He only wants to love.<br /><br />I take a few shots of my asthma inhaler and hit the sack. Ahhh, it was good to sleep in a real bed!<br /><br /><br /><a name="day21"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 21: Seward and Exit Glacier</span><br /><br />On AKDuc's advice, I set out the next day for Seward, AK, a coastal town on the Kenai peninsula, which extends into the Pacific south of Anchorage.<br /><br />The trip to Seward was spectacular.<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#215322626"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/215322626-S.jpg"></a><br />A shot of Turnagain Arm, a bay off the Gulf of Alaska. I was told that it had the second most extreme tidal flow in North America, with the incoming and outgoing tides sometimes advancing as six-foot-tall walls of water. I didn't have the luck to see that, unfortunately.<br /><br />(And in case you're wondering, the most extreme tide is supposedly the Bay of Fundy, abutting Nova Scotia. Not sure if that's true, but that's what I've been told.)<br /><br />And on to Seward! After the picturesque ride down, I was rewarded with the equally lovely Resurrection Bay, on which Seward lies.<br /><div style="width:400px;height:340px;overflow:auto;"><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#216966945"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/216966945-1644x300.jpg"></a></div><br />After lunch in Seward (delicious fresh fish!), I headed to the nearby Exit Glacier, which spills (slowly) down from the icefield that dominates the Kenai Peninsula. Approaching the glacier, I was greeted by signs marking its extent in the past: the first, marked for 1860 or so, was well over a mile from the current base; the span between later signs decreased, reflecting the increasing rate of melt. Apparently the glacier has recessed by nearly 1000 ft in the last decade alone. No doubt about it: part of my motivation for visiting Alaska was to see it before even more disappeared.<br /><br />The Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefield from which it flows were the highlight of the trip for me. Words cannot describe, and my pictures can't really capture. Here are some pictures from the hike up to the icefield.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208241057"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208241057-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Looking back down into the valley. From the signposts, I figure that the glacier used to fill this entire expanse, down to the base of the distant mountains.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208240871"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208240871-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Black rock; white ice; blue sky.<br /><div style="width:400px;height:365px;overflow:auto;"><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#216967309"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/216967309-XL.jpg"></a></div><br />Finally, I reached the top. This is an arduous hike, ascending roughly 3500 ft in the course of 3 miles. Near the summit is a cabin that serves as an emergency shelter.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208241821"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208241821-S.jpg"></a><br />Like most back country huts, this one was covered with good-natured graffiti by the many hikers who had passed this way. Some observed the time-honored tradition of carving their names and dates of visit into the wood ("Izabelle was here"); others, words of love ("Tim [heart] Julie"). Some, no doubt moved by the beauty around them, wrote words of inspiration ("Carpe diem!") or Biblical verses (John 14:6). No one, however, quite captured the mood of the steep and rocky hike as well as this poor bastard:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208242040"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208242040-S.jpg"></a><br />Amen, brother. Amen.<br /><br />The view from the top:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208242792"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208242792-S.jpg"></a><br />And a 360 degree panorama of the same:<br /><div style="width:400px;height:286px;overflow:auto;"><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#216968449"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/216968449-3000x248.jpg"></a></div><br />For some scale, you can see another hiker in the top photo. The Harding Icefield is vast, extending far past the horizon in the above images.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/216936810-S.jpg"></a><br />The rule in the bottom left of the map indicates 10 miles.<br /><br />Everything is overwhelmingly beautiful up here. Even the textures and colors of the crumbling volcanic rock are mesmerizing. The rocks...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208246341"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208246341-S.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208247105"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208247105-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />... and the ice ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208246912"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208246912-S.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208247853"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208247853-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />... and the places where they collide ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208245770"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208245770-S.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208247377"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208247377-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Shadows growing longer, it was time to descend back into to the valley, down to the glacier-fed Resurrection River.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#208247630"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/208247630-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Got back down to the base about an hour after sunset and made camp at the nearby tent site. Too tired to go back into town, my dinner was a couple granola bars and an orange. Ah well, I'd had a big lunch.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/11/days-22-25-more-southern-alaska.html">Days 22-25: More southern Alaska</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-10087251306867277282007-10-08T22:28:00.001-04:002007-10-08T22:36:00.047-04:00More details soon!Sorry for the long hiatus in updates! Between being away from fast Internet connections and just being plain lazy, I haven't yet uploaded my photos from southern Alaska and the ride back to civilization. But I'm back, more or less: I'm typing this from my father's house near Denver. I've been here for a couple days resting -- enjoying a real bed, home-cooked meals, and jumping on the trampoline with my dad's stepkids.<br /><br />Tomorrow I head back to PA for my cousin Nancy's wedding. The plan is to do it in two days: here to South Bend, IN tomorrow, and then to Lansdale, PA on Wednesday. Long miles, but I'd rather just get it done. Then: a real update, with pictures. Southern Alaska was absolutely stunning.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-25976720264687034992007-09-26T19:49:00.000-04:002008-01-03T01:06:03.858-05:00Day 19: DenaliWell, Denali National Park, anyhow. As for Denali itself, it's no closer than 40 miles to any major road, and it's frequently surrounded by clouds and fog. When I passed through was no exception: it was raining off and on all day. Here's my only shot from within the park in which blue sky was visible:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#200793651"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200793651-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />I <em>think</em> I might have been able to see Denali.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#200793781"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200793781-S.jpg"></a><br />I'm pretty sure Denali is that white rise behind the clouds and closer peaks. What impresses me is not just its height (20,300 ft), but its rise above the surrounding land: this picture was taken from no more than 2500 ft above sea level. As its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_McKinley">Wikipedia article</a> points out, Denali has a greater relative rise than Everest.<br /><br />Well, I was disappointed by the whole Denali experience. Until I tried to leave. (Look on either side of the road, a ways away.)<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#200793500"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200793500-S.jpg"></a><br />Oh crap. This would be incredible ... if I was in a car. Much less cool on a motorcycle. The sign at the park's entrance read: "Any wolf that is not afraid of people should be considered dangerous."<br /><br />They were loping along the road away from me, looking back over their shoulders every so often. Great. The lighter wolf ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3546166#200793940"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200793940-S.jpg"></a><br />... ducked into the brush. (That photo is on max zoom, right beforehand.) The black one held its ground on the left side of the road. Which left me little option but to go between them. Staying put seemed a mistake, as I could no longer tell the lighter wolf's position; for all I knew, it was flanking me. So I gassed it. Blew past the black wolf, which continued to hold ground, about 10 ft away when I passed it. I could very clearly see the color of its eyes. Yellow. I kept on the gas for a few good miles.<br /><br />That was Denali. I rode another 100 miles and called it a night.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/11/southern-alaska-anchorage-seward.html">Days 20 & 21: Anchorage & Seward</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-22494302083830711772007-09-25T00:36:00.000-04:002008-01-03T01:04:57.024-05:00Day 18: a do-nothing day!Well, not quite nothing. I took my bike over to George's shop, and he fixed up the fork seal and replaced the fork oil. Charged me $107 for parts, labor, <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> a spare seal to carry along with me, just in case. I can't say enough about the service there. He gave me a Trail's End BMW license plate frame as a souvenir, and my bike will wear it with pride.<br /><br />And then ... I blogged. And blogged. And watched Pan's Labyrinth (recommended) on HBO. And then blogged. And here I am. Done, and finally up to date.<br /><br />And since I'm writing multiple entries more or less at once, the order is a bit funky. So skip down a couple entries and read 'em in order!<br /><br />Tomorrow: Denali! And I'll try to keep the updates more regular.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-19-denali.html">Day 19: Denali</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-82037400445375875522007-09-24T23:40:00.000-04:002008-01-03T17:32:16.116-05:00Days 14 - 17: North of the Arctic Circle<a name="day14"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 14: Crossing the Arctic Circle</span><br /><br />I was ready to strike north from Fairbanks. But first, I badly needed new tires. My old ones (Anakees, for the connoisseurs) had some 15,000 miles on them and weren't really passing the old Lincoln-head test. Plus, I expected mud and gravel once I hit the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_Highway">Dalton Highway</a>, for which knobby tires are much better suited.<br /><br />So I took a trip to Trail's End BMW here in Fairbanks. This is not like any Beemer shop I've seen down south. George Rahn runs a one-man operation out of his back yard. And what an interesting back yard it is.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199963890"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199963890-S.jpg"></a><br />Plenty of bikes that he's accumulated over his 40 years of operation, along with some harrowing debris from accidents along the Dalton. (Check out this <a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199963119">final drive</a> and <a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199964411">rear wheel</a>, both off of R1150GS's.) George is a great guy, and after some chatting, he swapped my tires. No fancy-pants tire changing machines; he spooned them on with two tire irons, making the whole operation look trivial. (When <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/04/first-dirt.html">I did this</a>, I had a friend helping, and it still took me hours.)<br /><br />Now prepared for the worst, I pointed my bike north. I could tell immediately that it was going to be an amazing ride.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199964842"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199964842-S.jpg"></a><br />That's gotta be a good sign.<br /><br />The Dalton Highway stretches from 50 miles north of Fairbanks up to Deadhorse, the oil town immediately south of Prudhoe Bay. It's commonly referred to as the Haul Road due to the large volume of truck traffic to the oil fields and back. And when they say Wide Load, they mean W-I-D-E L-O-A-D.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199965362"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199965362-S.jpg"></a><br />This truck looked like it was carrying half a con tower off a small ship. Two entire lanes wide, so all the other traffic gets off the road.<br /><br />Dalton Highway, milepost 96: Finger Mountain.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199965862"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199965862-S.jpg"></a><br />Although the landscape here is barren, I'd soon learn that this was only temporary. There are still full-blown forests well north of the Arctic Circle, much to my surprise.<br /><br />At Finger Mountain, I took a picture of my bike, now setup for the rough roads.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199966367"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199966367-S.jpg"></a><br />In addition to putting on the knobby tires, I took off the heavy side cases and cut my gear down to the essentials for camping: tent, sleeping bag, pad, two changes of clothes, and the most basic toiletries. Plus bike tools and some first aid supplies. Man, that is one good looking machine.<br /><br />Milepost 115: The Arctic Circle.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199967720"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199967720-S.jpg"></a><br />Yeah, so it's crooked. That's the best I could get from setting my camera on top of my helmet and using the timed photo feature. Next trip, I'll bring a lightweight tripod.<br /><br />Milepost 175: Coldfoot.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200008348"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200008348-S.jpg"></a><br />Originally a Gold Rush town, Coldfoot was revitalized in the mid-70s by the construction of the Dalton Highway and oil pipeline.<br /><br />Coldfoot is a wonderful place. In strong contrast with Deadhorse, all the workers I met at the cafe/hotel/gas station (the "town" is only a couple buildings) seemed to be there because they loved the place. And near the midpoint between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay, it was an ideal base of operations for my time on the Haul Road. I spent all three days above the Arctic Circle camped here --<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199968574"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199968574-S.jpg"></a><br />-- on a foam mat they have in a (free!) campsite nearby. Very comfy. Plus, given that the actual hotel rooms run something like $180 per night -- everything this far north is extremely expensive -- the decision was pretty much made for me. The coldest it got during the night was probably in the low 20s. Cold, yes, but I have a great sleeping bag, and it was no problem. (So long as I didn't have to go to the bathroom. BRRRrrr.)<br /><br /><br /><a name="day15"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 15: Prudhoe ho!</span><br /><br />Not far from my campsite, these guys have a campsite of their own:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199970007"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199970007-S.jpg"></a><br />These huskies work in mush teams during the winter.<br /><br />After a hearty pancake breakfast, I hit the Haul Road again.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199970444"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199970444-S.jpg"></a><br />You can see the Pipeline to the left of the road, through the trees. Another overcast day, but on the plus side it hasn't rained for some 24 hours, so the dirt road wasn't <span style="font-style:italic;">too</span> slick.<br /><br />13 miles north of Coldfoot, I stopped at Wiseman. In contrast, Wiseman is actually a town rather than just a truck stop. Living this far north, the people there are <span style="font-style:italic;">quirky</span>.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199971267"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199971267-S.jpg"></a><br />You may have to click on the image to read the signs. The rusty objects in the foreground are the remains of old mining machinery.<br /><br />I decided to head up to the old Wiseman graveyard. Nothing cooler than old graveyards. Well, maybe this:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199972486"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199972486-S.jpg"></a><br />Wow. I ... yeah. That's right up there with the twine ball. Not surprisingly, most of those cans are beer.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199973592"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199973592-S.jpg"></a><br />Man. Some homeless dude needs to come up here and collect these things. At 5 cents a can, he'd be doing pretty well.<br /><br />Anyhow, after passing the cans, I reached the graveyard.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199974776"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199974776-S.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199976174"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199976174-S.jpg"></a><br />Even from the graves, it was clear that these were not lives easily lived. I was particularly touched by the inscription on this Mason's marker:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199977398"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199977398-S.jpg"></a><br />"Daniel Webster, 1862 - 1922. His life is a monument of much good. Loved and honored by native and pioneer."<br /><br />There are some dirt roads (rutted but passable) at the Wiseman turnoff that lead to some mines. Worth the side trip. No pictures, as the mines themselves weren't particularly interesting, but the roads were beautiful. You can actually circumvent about 15 miles on the Haul Road in this way, eventually passing under the Pipeline and returning to it.<br /><br />As I continued north, the Brooks Range loomed larger.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199979367"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199979367-S.jpg"></a><br />All sorts of interesting-looking side roads beckoned, but with limited gas (and riding skill -- <a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199980170">some of these</a> looked pretty serious) I continued north.<br /><br />Milepost 245: Atigun Pass.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199981069"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199981069-S.jpg"></a><br />The continental divide -- north vs. south, that is. After crossing this range, all the rivers flow north into the Arctic rather than the Pacific. (This raises an interesting question: where is the continental triple point, at which the Arctic, Pacific, <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> Atlantic watersheds meet?)<br /><br />This sign was pretty amusing:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199982927"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199982927-S.jpg"></a><br />The avalanche warning sign that has clearly been run over by an avalanche. Moments later...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199982159"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199982159-S.jpg"></a><br />CRAP. Note to self: riding motorcycle with snow-encrusted tires and contemplating irony do not mix. There was some snow at the top of the pass, and I was dumb enough to ride into it for a photo op. Ah well. I got it back up quickly enough. The damage: a cracked but still usable left mirror.<br /><br />Now's when things started getting weird. The last real tree is just south of the pass. Nothing but tundra to the north.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199983700"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199983700-S.jpg"></a><br />And the pipeline.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#199984616"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199984616-S.jpg"></a><br />Broken by the occasional hills and pumping station. The Haul Road makes no bones about going straight over the hills. It is quite steep in many places, and the spots of mud and occasional ruts made it difficult going at times. Still, it was not nearly as bad as some of the horror stories that I've read.<br /><br />I passed through a particularly cold zone, in which everything was covered in thick frost.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200000891"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200000891-S.jpg"></a><br />It is a spectacularly bleak place.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200002878"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200002878-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />And somewhere among those frost-covered hills, I met Dai.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200003520"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200003520-S.jpg"></a><br />Dai is from Japan. Dai plans to ride his bicycle from Prudhoe Bay to Mexico. Dai is nuts. Nice guy, though.<br /><br />Eventually the frost cleared as I descended toward the coast.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200004010"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200004010-S.jpg"></a><br />And I thought Penn State was in the middle of nowhere. (FYI: PSU, where I was an undergrad, is also located in a "Happy Valley.")<br /><br />About 100 miles north of Atigun pass, I came across this herd of musk oxen:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200005689"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200005689-S.jpg"></a><br />These ice-age beasts were perfectly content to lie about on the frozen tundra. Strange, strange creatures. How they survive up here is beyond me. (In particular, I wonder how they get enough water. Sure, there is water all around, but it's all frozen.)<br /><br />About 60 miles south of the coast, even the hills end, and the landscape becomes a uniform plane descending gradually toward the ocean. The North Slope indeed.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200006194"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200006194-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Milepost 414: Deadhorse.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200006452"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200006452-S.jpg"></a><br />There is no grand sign welcoming you, so instead I just took a picture of the local gas pump.<br /><br />I did not like it there. I am an unapologetically liberal Democrat, and this place just made my skin crawl. I felt like I was going to get ambushed and shot by Dick Cheney at any moment.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200006717"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200006717-S.jpg"></a><br />Ah, those Halliburton folks. What will they think of next? (OK, so actually that is pretty funny. In the dark kind of way you'd expect from Halliburton.)<br /><br />And I never made it to the north shore. This is as close as I got, roughly 12 miles south of the ocean:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200007053"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200007053-S.jpg"></a><br />North of this point you enter the oil fields, which are closed to visitors. The only way through is on a tour bus, which was done for the season. Even then, you need to pass a security check before they let you on the bus. The guard there brusquely turned me around. (Ah, and as for the possibility of flying to Barrow, AK to see the shore: the cheapest round-trip tickets went for $370. Not worth it.)<br /><br />Well, at least I can celebrate my successful journey with a beer, right?<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200007440"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200007440-S.jpg"></a><br />WHAT?? I rode 5,000 miles, suffered a costly transmission failure, and traveled the roughest highway in the United States for THIS? A dry town??<br /><br />Forget that. I rode back to Coldfoot.<br /><br />Well, not quite immediately. I was hungry, so I had the $18 cafeteria-style buffet at the Arctic Caribou Inn in Deadhorse. I wound up sitting with a bunch of pipeline maintenance workers. Young guys, all in their early to mid-twenties, to my surprise. The few I talked to had come to work here shortly after high school. Working 2-and-2's: 14 days on, 10 hours per day, followed by 14 days off. One was working a 3-and-3. Man. Anyhow, they quite reasonably pointed out that if Deadhorse was <span style="font-style:italic;">not</span> a dry town, all hell would break loose. I see their point.<br /><br />Regardless, I wanted my beer at the end of the adventure, so I did indeed ride back to Coldfoot that evening. Although it was dark, the road was relatively dry, and the pass was clear. According to one of the truckers I talked with along the way, that was not predicted to be the case the next morning. So it all worked out.<br /><br />And returning through Atigun pass, I saw the Aurora. It was beautiful. It shone all the way back to Coldfoot. And I had my beer: a <a href="http://www.ptialaska.net/~gbrady/pages/beer.html">Coldfoot Pilsner</a>, brewed by the Silver Gulch Brewing company in Fairbanks. All in all, the perfect end to a great day.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day16"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 16: Exploring around Coldfoot</span><br /><br />Well, not much exploring, really. I wanted a low-mileage day. But a couple people on the Coldfoot staff had mentioned a trail from Coldfoot to Chandalar Lake, roughly 60 miles away. Sounded like a good excursion.<br /><br />But first, breakfast! I had pancakes again, but this time with caribou sausage. I thought that was sufficiently novel to warrant a picture.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200007914"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200007914-S.jpg"></a><br />Well, trust me, it's caribou. Tasted good to me. Not at all gamey.<br /><br />Now, back to the excursion to the lake. As it turns out (and as a more informed staff member later told me), the Coldfoot-Chandlar Lake trail is a <span style="font-style:italic;">winter</span> trail. During the summer, in contrast, it is a mud hole. Excluding, of course, the places where it's a river. And maybe a lake farther along.<br /><br />I made it about 2 miles, falling twice in the mud and deep ruts. Got to the first water crossing (rocky and swift, although not too deep) and decided enough was enough. Back to Coldfoot (falling once more in the process). Total day's miles: 4.<br /><br />The next half hour was spent duct taping back together my newly cracked windscreen (oops). Ah well. Adds some more character to the bike. Also busted a turn signal, but that hardly bears mention. Then, a good nap.<br /><br />That night, the aurora was out again. This time, I was ready with my camera.<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200008595"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200008595-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200008830"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200008830-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3535084#200009172"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200009172-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Note the prominent constellation in the last picture. These were all taken with 15 second exposures.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day17"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 17: Back to Fairbanks</span><br /><br />After a leisurely morning, I left Coldfoot and headed back south. And I made another appointment with George at Trail's End BMW: all the battering the suspension took on the Haul Road resulted in a blown right fork seal. Not a major problem, as the front suspension geometry of the Beemers makes the fork not bear any significant weight. But still, something to be fixed sooner rather than later.<br /><br />Back at my hotel, I sat around and watched TV. I was utterly beat.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-18-do-nothing-day.html">Day 18: a do-nothing day!</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-71031614761303095612007-09-24T18:27:00.000-04:002008-01-03T17:31:06.794-05:00Days 11 - 13: The Alaska Highway<a name="day11"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 11: 398 mi to Fort Nelson, YT</span><br /><br />Well, I got off to a late start today. The oil change mentioned at the end of the last long update took a little longer than anticipated. Oil change in high winds? Not so much fun. Oil was everywhere. So it was a short day, heading west to Dawson Creek, mile 0 of the Alaskan Highway, and then riding up to Fort Nelson.<br /><br />The Alaskan Highway is long. 1,500 odd miles from Dawson Creek, BC, through the Yukon Territories, and finally into Alaska. You can see on my GPS in the upper-right corner the distance to the next <span style="font-style:italic;">turn</span>: 1,408 km. Long.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#200013014"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/200013014-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />The ride to Fort Nelson was distinguished by some snow. Fortunately it was still a bit too warm for it to stick to the road, so it just made for some nice scenery.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199937491"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199937491-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><a name="day12"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 12: 748 mi through the Canadian Rockies to just past Whitehorse, YT</span><br /><br />It was a veritable wildlife safari! In the eastern foothills, this little guy bounded across the road. Unfortunately he was faster than my camera, so you'll have to take my word that this is a black bear cub. <span style="font-style:italic;">Super cute.</span> I honked my horn a couple times hoping he'd look up, but no luck. So I moved on before momma bear decided to check out what all the commotion was about.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199939372"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199939372-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Then there were some deer. No pictures. You know what deer look like.<br /><br />Then I came across this maintenance crew trimming the grass alongside the highway.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199941009"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199941009-S.jpg"></a><br />And like any good government employees, plenty of them were just lazing about, not doing much of anything.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199942156"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199942156-S.jpg"></a><br />Or taking their good old time, probably laughing among themselves about making you wait.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199942819"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199942819-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />In the Rocky Mountain passes of BC, there were caribou and moose everywhere! Sorry, no pics: they move much more quickly than the buffalo. Plus, those passes were generally narrow, windy, and steep single lanes in each direction. With big trucks. And a little slush accumulation. In short, not ideal for stopping for photographs.<br /><br />The grass in the high plains is maintained by a different crew.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199947299"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199947299-S.jpg"></a><br />Awwww!<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199948107"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199948107-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Then at the end of the day, there were elk west of Whitehorse. Lots and lots of elk.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199955589"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199955589-S.jpg"></a><br />Including some <span style="font-style:italic;">big</span> elk.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199956077"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199956077-S.jpg"></a><br />I saw a few groups, which appeared to comprise some females, some youngsters, and a big bull. The females and calves would retreat when I stopped for pictures, but the bull would hold its ground until they were all safe in the cover of the woods. Women and children first. The bull in the above pic is doing just that: staring me down after his harem and litter left the roadside.<br /><br />Oh yeah, and there were some mountains!<br /><br />And rivers.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199940142"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199940142-S.jpg"></a><br />(why are they such a striking blue?)<br /><br />And rapids.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199944522"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199944522-S.jpg"></a><br />(The above is a short side trip down to Whirlpool Canyon. I figured with a name like that I couldn't go wrong.)<br /><br />And then things flattened out, and I figured I was through the Rockies. Much to my relief, given the slushy snow in the pass I'd ridden through. Eh. Wrong. After entering the Yukon ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199946756"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199946756-S.jpg"></a><br />... I found that the mountains just go on ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199953631"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199953631-S.jpg"></a><br />... and on ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199954083"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199954083-S.jpg"></a><br />... and on.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199954416"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199954416-S.jpg"></a><br />(I am writing this in my tent about 50 miles north of the Arctic Circle -- more on that later -- and the mountains <span style="font-style:italic;">still</span> roll on and on, one impassible wall of rock after another. I love it.)<br /><br />Oh! and there was a gian signpost forest somewhere in the middle of the high plains. <a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199948869"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199948869-S.jpg"></a><br />I guess you have to keep yourself occupied somehow during the long winters.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199953181"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199953181-S.jpg"></a><br />Makes you wonder: what the hell is in Vincennes, Indiana?<br /><br />At sunset, as I rode out of Whitehorse, I noticed a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog">sun dog</a> to the right of the sun.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199954745"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199954745-S.jpg"></a><br />These are formed by the refraction of sunlight by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. I have only seen them once or twice before in the southern latitudes, but I presume they are more common up here. Here's a <a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199955091">larger pic</a> that shows its position relative to the setting sun.<br /><br />It was a full day.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day13"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 13: 520 mi to Fairbanks</span><br /><br />Here's who I woke up to the next morning.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199956540"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199956540-S.jpg"></a><br />Her foot was cold and she snored loudly throughout the night (not to mention that there were trucks flying by, as I was just camped in a rest area alongside the highway). Still, I slept well and woke up with a greater sense of contentment than I had felt in a long, long time.<br /><br />That morning's ride was one of the best I've ever taken. The walls of mountains continued, now interspersed with long, narrow lakes, no doubt carved by glaciers. (Most of them ran roughly north-south, strong evidence for this.) I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscapes that I stopped taking pictures. Sorry. There was absolutely no way to capture it.<br /><br />Here are the two I did take. I'm approaching Kluane Lake. It's still morning, no later than 8:30 am.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199957932"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199957932-S.jpg"></a><br />Looking at the way the clouds rolled over the mountain, you can't help but think of waves breaking against a rocky shore. Just breathtaking.<br /><br />I took a side trip down a dirt road I took to get closer to the lake's edge.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199956961"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199956961-S.jpg"></a><br />That side trip wound up getting much gnarlier, fording a couple streams and crossing a rather deep drainage ditch. A good shot of off-road adrenaline, accompanied by more amazing scenery.<br /><br />Farther north, I saw plenty of these:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199957415"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199957415-S.jpg"></a><br />Bumps in the road due to ice heaves. Great fun, actually. Unfortunately, at this point it was raining, and I discovered that my boots were no longer waterproof.<br /><br />Cold and wet, I finally came to the border of Alaska. My first view of it, rising above the fog and clouds:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199958257"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199958257-S.jpg"></a><br />Apparently Alaska has also adopted the "impenetrable walls of rock" decorating scheme. Fine by me.<br /><br />Not long after, I was there:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199958747"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199958747-S.jpg"></a><br />I chatted with a couple truckers at the border, and they took my picture.<br /><br />Stopping for gas shortly after the crossing -- ah, paying the low US gas prices again is so nice, even on a motorcycle -- I ran into a couple who were doing an Alaska-Canada trip <span style="font-style:italic;">on bicycles</span>.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#199959237"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/199959237-S.jpg"></a><br />Great people. I didn't take a picture, but they volunteered that I could crash at their place north of Anchorage, so perhaps I'll run into them again.<br /><br />And then it was a couple final hours to Fairbanks! Checked into a hotel, scheduled a tire change for the next morning, and fell quite soundly asleep.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/days-14-17-north-of-arctic-circle.html">Days 14 - 17: North of the Arctic Circle</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-87846826901749677772007-09-20T12:52:00.000-04:002007-09-20T12:59:10.422-04:00A brief updateWell, I made it to Fairbanks! In a half hour, I'll go to the local BMW mechanic and he'll swap out my mostly on-road tires for 50/50 on-road/off-road tires. Then it's north to Prudhoe Bay! It's been rainy in Alaska for the past few days, so the haul road that follows the Alaska pipeline will be muddy. Should be interesting.<br /><br />My connection is slow right now, so I can't upload my pictures of the trip up the Alaskan Highway through BC and the Yukon. It was breathtaking. Absolutely stunning scenery. I'll try to get those online in a couple of days -- along with the Prudhoe Bay branch of my trip!Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-29491186100799947582007-09-17T10:00:00.000-04:002008-01-03T17:29:46.057-05:00Days 8 - 10: from Green Bay to the AK Highway<a name="day8"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 8: 387 mi to Darwin, MN</span><br /><br />GREETINGS FROM THE TWINE BALL, WISH YOU WERE HERE!<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196720431"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196720431-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After escaping form De Pere, WI at around 2 pm, I headed west toward Minnesota. Stopping for yet another lunch at a Subway -- incidentally, Subways in Wisconsin have more cheese options than anywhere else I've found, which I suppose makes sense -- anyhow, so realizing I was about to enter Minnesota, I gave my brother a call. The conversation went something like this:<br /><br />JAKE: Hey Steve, you near a computer? I'm about to enter Minnesota and need you to look something up for me.<br />STEVE: What's that? You lost?<br />JAKE: Think: I'm about to enter <span style="font-style: italic;">Minnesota</span>.<br />STEVE: Minne -- <span style="font-style: italic;">NO WAY!</span><br />[clatter of Steve's chair falling as he leaps out of it]<br />JAKE (laughing): Yep. Can you tell me where it is?<br /><br />Why is this exciting? Because we're uber-dorks and listened to Weird Al growing up. Aside from his parodies, he wrote a few original songs, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Biggest_Ball_of_Twine_in_Minnesota">this tribute</a> (sincere, to my ear) to Roadside Americana:<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/daZtLf6TceU"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/daZtLf6TceU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br />(If you don't have Flash, that's supposed to be an unofficial Youtube video for "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota.")<br /><br />So when I found out that it would only take me about 30 minutes off my route, I had no choice. <a href="http://www.com-www.com/weirdal/thebiggestballoftwineinminnesota.html">Twine ball or bust!</a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196719685"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196719685-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately, the Twine Ball Inn doesn't look like anything more than a run-down bar, so I wound up camping at a nearby RV park.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day9"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 9: 817 mi to Regina, SK</span><br /><br />Crossing the northern American plains. Minnesota to North Dakota to Saskatchewan.<br /><br />Not a very interesting ride, although northern North Dakota has a rather stark beauty.<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196720800"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196720800-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196721086"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196721086-S.jpg" /></a><br />(don't worry, Mom -- I parked the bike first. <span style="font-size:78%;">And then ran into the middle of the road to get a better shot.</span>)<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196721312"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196721312-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Camped about 15 mi north of Regina. There was no hot water in the shower. Not fun.<br /><br /><br /><a name="day10"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 10: 815 mi to Grande Prairie, AB</span><br /><br />More dead boring riding across the plains. There were cows ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196721649"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196721649-S.jpg"></a><br />(moo)<br /><br />... and bugs ...<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196722695"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196722695-S.jpg"></a><br />(splat)<br /><br />But mostly there was nothing. Even more nothing than in North Dakota. Yes, yes, stark beauty and all that, but I was getting sick of flat and empty.<br /><br />Fortunately, that started to change once I got past Edmonton and turned NW. Soon there were hills, trees, streams. Industry shifted from farming to logging and oil.<br /><br />Another picture of my shadow. Autumn is in full swing up here!<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196724153"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196724153-S.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#196723270"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/196723270-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />There are additional pictures that I didn't post in my <a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618/3/196723621#P-2-15">online gallery</a>. More of the same, really, but maybe you want another look at those bugs?<br /><br /><br />I'll be in Fairbanks in 2 days, which makes my Prudhoe Bay run the 20th or 21st. Precisely on the equinox. As a result, everywhere but the northernmost latitudes will still experience a full day/night cycle: on the equinox, the inclination of the Sun above (at noon) and below (at night) the horizon is just your angle from the North Pole. Fairbanks is at about 65 degrees north, so the Sun will go from 25 degrees above the horizon to 25 degrees below it -- more than enough to ensure perfectly dark skies. ("Astronomical night," during which it's dark enough for the big telescopes to operate at their best, is defined as the sun being more than 18 degrees below the horizon.) OK, physics lesson over. In practical terms, it means: I MIGHT SEE THE AURORA!! Please send some spaceweather, my astro friends.<br /><br />OK, I've got to run! Day 11's a rollin', and I still need to change my oil before I hit the road.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/days-11-13-alaska-highway.html">Days 11 - 13: The Alaska Highway</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-42590755686340966072007-09-14T12:47:00.000-04:002008-01-03T01:00:06.232-05:00Day 4 - 7: stuck in Wisconsin!Sorry for the lack of updates. I have no excuse, as I've had nothing better to do while I sit around in my hotel room. (Which, luckily, does have high-speed internet.) But my situation has been sufficiently pathetic that I've been doing nothing other than watching TV, playing computer games on my laptop, and ... well, that's about it. I did travel into Green Bay on wednesday and check out the local brew pub and a few other places. And there is a pretty decent Mexican restaurant right next door to the hotel. (I know -- it must be like all 10 of the Mexicans in Wisconsin, right there.)<br /><br />So, the damage to the bike: one of the seals on my transmission failed, letting crap get in there. That destroyed the transmission and caused the clutch plate to become unaligned, prematurely wearing it. OUCH. I lucked out and found a used, good-condition tranny on beemerboneyard.com, which buys totaled beemers and parts them out, so that saved me a good bit of money. Still, this hurts the old checkbook.<br /><br />WOOHOO! Dealer just called as I type this. BIKE IS DONE! I'll be back on the road in an hour.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/days-8-10-from-green-bay-to-ak-highway.html">Days 8 - 10: from Green Bay to the AK Highway</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-13660782078356619272007-09-09T18:42:00.000-04:002008-01-03T15:53:38.610-05:00Day 2 & 3: We have a problem<a name="day2"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 2.</span> More or less uneventful. I rode from Alton, ON to Sault Ste. Marie along the lake. Nice ride.<br /><br />Clutch started occasionally slipping in the low gears at the end of the day. Sometimes got a rattling noise when the clutch wasn't engaged. Hm. Decided to ride day 3 (goal: Winnipeg, Manitoba) in the US rather than in Canada, in case things get worse. Which brings us to ....<br /><br /><br /><a name="day3"></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Day 3. We have a problem.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193639881"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193639881-S.jpg"></a><br /><br />Rode roughly 50 miles onto the Upper Peninsula, MI. No rattling, no clutch slipping. Life feeling pretty good.<br /><br />And then the clutch or the transmission or the final drive failed. Rattling and losing power to the rear wheel whenever the bike exceeds 40 mph or the engine has to put out a significant amount of torque.<br /><br />I limped my way another 15 miles, to lovely Newberry, MI. Checked into the Best Western. Pulled my starter (pic above), half expecting to see debris in the clutch and flywheel housing behind it, but no debris.<br /><br />Anyhow, that's academic at the moment. Regardless of whether it's the clutch or whatever else, I can't fix it here. I'll probably rent a truck tomorrow and take it to Nick's BMW in Greenbay. This is going to cost me a couple days and probably more money than I want to think about right now.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-4-7-stuck-in-wisconsin.html">Day 4 - 7: stuck in Wisconsin!</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-34288291170005792952007-09-08T10:43:00.000-04:002008-01-03T01:15:25.143-05:00Day 1711 miles, Cambridge, MA to North Hampton, NH to Alton, ON via Niagra<br /><br />So day 1 was a bit of a rescue mission. Miriam, a good friend of mine who is also doing a Canada ride, ran into some bike problems requiring some new parts. Parts in Canada are apparently hard to find and very expensive, so I stopped by the bike shop in NH that she goes to and delivered them to Alton, a town just north of Toronto where she is staying with friends. The plus side being that I got to stay with some extremely nice Canadians.<br /><br />But first -- the beginning. Here's my odometer, right before leaving. 41,969 mi.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193048488"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193048488-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Not much to see, scenery-wise. I wanted to be quick so it was just a straight shot down the 90 through Massachusetts and New York.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193048731"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193048731-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The auxiliary tank is AWESOME. 428 miles before my first refill, and I could have gone another 40. Between that, the new saddle, and the throttle lock (think a poor man's cruise control), the highway miles just flew past. An iPod and good earphones helps too.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193048908"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193048908-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193049062"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193049062-S.jpg" /></a><br />43 mpg. Not bad.<br /><br />Finally, I reached Niagra. I remember the rapids before the Falls frightening me as a child. At night they are even more menacing. Here the Horseshoe Falls are lit by spotlights from the Canadian side.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193049166"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193049166-S.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193049268"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193049268-S.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193049356"><br /><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193049356-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And entering Canada:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3440618#193049477"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/193049477-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />OK, that's all for now. I am being lazy since I have such wonderful hosts here but I need to hit the road!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-2-3-we-have-problem.html">Day 2 & 3 - We have a problem</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-1915424273263300132007-09-07T09:44:00.001-04:002008-01-03T00:54:37.816-05:00And we are GO!!!!I'm hitting the road! (figuratively speaking, of course.) Sadly, without the camera. It was not happy with the motorcycle power supply, despite the big filtering capacitors I put in my controller circuit and on the camera itself. Ah well, something to do for the next trip.<br /><br />It was a nice thought:<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192706438"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192706438-S.jpg" /><br /></a><br />And here's the bike, ready and waiting for me!<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192706613"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192706613-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192707109"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192707109-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Thanks to everyone who wished me off!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/day-1.html">Day 1</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-22244762895616853492007-09-07T00:28:00.000-04:002008-01-03T00:52:52.560-05:00Ready for launch!OK. It's been quite a process, but I'm ready to go. Leaving at 8:00 am tomorrow. Yes, I said 5 am before, but I have good reason for leaving later. But first ....<br /><br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192595195"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192595195-S.jpg" /></a><br /><br />That is it. What my past 5 1/2 years at MIT have come down to. The above form indicates that I have turned in my thesis to the physics office, completing all the requirements for my PhD in astrophysics. (Note that "PhD" has been circled, rather than "SM," for a science masters.) Never mind that the above piece of paper could be easily mistaken for a dry cleaning ticket. That is it. And with it, I am done. Summarily cut off of the payroll and sent out the door. Not a moment too soon.<br /><br />So, with that in hand, I could go about more interesting things. Like this trip. The past couple weeks have involved a lot of bike preparation.<br /><br />Adding an electrical connection, so that my cell phone and laptop can recharge while I ride:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192595356"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192595356-M.jpg" /></a><br />I also hacked together a power cord and protective case for my Macbook, but it's packed away right now.<br /><br />Put a 5 gallon auxiliary tank on my bike, right over where the passenger seat would go. I'll take a pic tomorrow before I leave.<br /><br />Added a headlight guard to protect the glass headlight assembly from rocks on the gravel roads of Alaska. These things cost like $50 -- or you can whip out the trusty Dremel and drill and DIY. Granted, mine looks a wee bit ragged around the edges, but ... meh. It's functional.<br /><br />Did a little motorcycle-worthy hair styling. BEFORE:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192595444"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192595444-S.jpg" /></a><br />And AFTER:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192595537"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192595537-S.jpg" /></a><br />Again, obviously DIY. Like hell I'm gonna pay someone $15 to buzz my hair.<br /><br />And finally, I hacked up this old digital camera so that it will (hopefully) take a picture every six seconds while I'm riding. Unfortunately, learning astrophysics seems to have pushed most of the electrical knowledge out of my head -- and I never had much to begin with -- so we'll see how well this thing works. I give it 8 days before it falls apart. That's probably optimistic, but I at least want it to last until Alaska.<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192595624"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192595624-S.jpg" /></a><br />So the idea is that the camera will sit behind my windshield, looking forward and taking pictures of the scenery ahead. Taking one picture every six seconds, a time-lapsed movie will compress 2 hours of riding into a minute of video. If this all works, I'll put the time-lapsed movies on youtube. We'll see.<br /><br />So that's it for prep. The plan:<br /><a href="http://space.smugmug.com/gallery/3434012#192548747"><img src="http://space.smugmug.com/photos/192548747-S.jpg" /></a><br />I'm going to get up to Fairbanks, AK as quickly as possible. Blitz across the Trans-Canada Highway with minimal stops for scenery. At this point, it's late enough in the season that snow starts to be a concern. So I plan to be at Fairbanks in a week. I just got a new (to me) Sargent saddle. I hope it's better than the stocker.<br /><br />That's all for now. I need to hit it. I'll post a picture of my packed bike tomorrow morning.<br /><br /><br />(Click on the <span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT</span> links to continue through the story!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">>>>NEXT: <a href="http://space-jake.blogspot.com/2007/09/and-we-are-go.html">And we are GO!!!!</a></span>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-54636631886231785912007-09-05T22:41:00.001-04:002007-09-05T22:47:28.917-04:00Close ... but not quiteOK, one more day. Departure is Friday, 5 am. And that is final. (Note: the previous entry only claimed "<span style="font-style: italic;">some</span> finality" re leaving tomorrow!) But now my bags are pretty much packed, the bike is set up, and so on. I'm ready, or at least I would be with a couple more hours of prep. But I'm planning a long ride the first day, and I want a full night's sleep before it. So: one more day.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-76356025557250597562007-09-05T00:34:00.001-04:002007-09-05T00:38:47.347-04:00STILL in Cambridge!But I can say with some finality: the departure date is Thursday, September 6, at roughly 5:00 am. I decided that I am on vacation, so I am not rushing anything, not even vacation.<br /><br />Plus, I got bogged down in a morass of electronics, trying to rig up a digital camera to take a picture every 6 seconds of my trip. So that I could create a time-lapsed video. It would have been very cool. Might still be. But I'm having problems with the camera giving me "low battery warnings." (Despite the fact that it expects 3.7 V and I've given it anywhere between that and 4.5 V. Stupid camera.) So that might not happen. But I bumped it from the priority list, so I'll leave Thursday morning regardless.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-6514798682461179672007-08-25T09:08:00.001-04:002007-08-25T09:14:52.046-04:00Still in CambridgeAhhh, so, about the previous post. You see, "thesis is done" is a complicated statement. There's finishing the thesis, but there's also the minor business of defending, making revisions, and getting out a paper before the trip so it doesn't get scooped by a competitor. Also: applying for postdocs. And don't forget trip preparation.<br /><br />So I am still in Cambridge. Departure date has been rolled back to Sept. 1. And I've finally conceded that this is now the "fall of freedom" tour. And I've cut out the Florida bit, instead choosing to concentrate mostly on the dirt roads of Canada. I've seen the Eisenhower highway system before, thank you very much.<br /><br />But trip preparation is well on its way. More details shortly.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-67241692275645394132007-07-20T00:04:00.000-04:002007-08-25T09:18:03.289-04:00Thesis is DONE!!!THESIS IS <span style="font-size:6;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DONE<span style="font-size:85%;">, MY FRIENDS, <span style="font-size:6;"><span style="font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">done</span> <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 153);"> Done</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">DONE</span></span></span></span></span> i SAY!!!<br /><br />YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!<br /><div id="mb_2"><br /><br />ok, still a bit of minor editing and fun stuff like writing the acknowledgements, but practically speaking it is .......<br /><br />wait for it .........<br /><br /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-size:6;">DONE !!!!!!!!!!!!</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-7699481749728823892007-07-19T00:30:00.001-04:002007-07-19T00:31:42.243-04:00Almost ... done ...... the thesis. It will be finished in less than 24 hours.<br /><br />More importantly, I will be <span style="font-style:italic;">on the road</span> in 1 month. And counting....Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-68018356859179497762007-07-17T14:43:00.000-04:002007-07-17T14:49:46.968-04:00Notes from the thesis cave...I have sealed myself off from all civilization. There are roommates out there, I'm sure. Right now I do believe that they are cooking bacon. Maple flavored, if my nose serves me well. Or perhaps they also made pancakes. No matter! The outside world is of no use to me now.<br /><br />For right now, it is just me and the thesis. 95 pages of astrophysical lore, and likely to be 110 by the week's end. Seven chapters. Two appendices — or perhaps three, should the inspiration strike. The shades are drawn, and the air conditioner maintains a steady temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Its quiet hum my only companion.<br /><br />At times, I am driven to seek sustenance; as much as I try to concentrate without pause or interruption, my mortal needs cannot go unmet. At those times — and those times alone! — I venture forth from my thesis cave. Nearby, there is a friendly trader from the land of Syria, in the far-off Middle East, from whom I often order exotic falafel or lamb shwarma sandwiches. Farther, there is an establishment run by Mexicanos. I fancy their bean burritos, and the route to their shop carries me past a 7-11, at which I can procure milk at low expense.<br /><br />But I waste too much time! I must return to my astrophysical lucubrations.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-81471288839852449552007-06-21T16:20:00.000-04:002007-06-21T16:24:16.702-04:00Summer of freedom begins ... NOW!It's the solstice, the official beginning of the summer. Funny, I don't feel any free-er. I feel like I should be working on my thesis instead of procrastinating with this silly blog. In light of the rescheduled trip, I probably should rename this thing the "Fall of Freedom" blog, but that sounds far too ominous.<br /><br />Returning to work ... NOW!Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852871837024880968.post-29030743920554904022007-06-12T09:09:00.000-04:002007-06-12T09:49:18.910-04:00SOLD! DRZ400S<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jakehartman/DRZ400S/photo#5069626488788909634"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://lh5.google.com/image/jakehartman/RlrubngsfkI/AAAAAAAAAEU/Ubk7Y9rDJ2k/s400/IMG_9698.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Back down to a one-bike stable now: just me and the 1150. I'll miss having the lighter dirt bike, but the money will certainly help finance my trip. And the bike definitely went to a good home.Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02596967594895841376noreply@blogger.com1