Road trip to Alaska

[Ferroequinologist]

My Father in law is planning a trip on his motorcycle to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. It is the farthest north you can get in the United states by road. He plans on leaving from Mile Post 0 on I-95 in FL. He has been obsessed with the trip, going over all his routes, plans, stops, and preperations with me.

SO- Now I'm hooked. I am planning to start preparing now for the trip, Hoping to go about this time next year. Going to drive the M109 to Alaska and back!

Now, there are several things I want to upgrade on the truck before attempting this trip. I will be going through everything I can, including the brakes. Right now I'm planning on taking a M105 with drums of vegi oil and my processor so fuel costs will be lower. I can sleep in the back, no matter where I stop, so lodging can be cut down to almost nothing. I plan on cooking most of my own food, so that will save money as well.

Upgrades-
Install cab heater kit (I have one already)
11x20 XLs, all tires. I don't want to single it out, because I will have 5 'spares' if I leave it dualed. I can't carry the 4anywhere else.
Electric wipers (a kit if I can find one, maybe modified locomotive wipers I'm trying out now.)
Shower ( I have a tank, and pump, just need a way to heat the water, will probably just be a head sticking out off the side of the truck.)
Box Heater (I already have AC
Dual voltage alt ( Just need to install) for seperate 12 system for CB, GPS, Phone charging, and inverter.
CB radio ( manditory on the Dalton Hwy to Deadhorse, AK)
Lockout hubs on the front axle and first rear axle (help with wear and mpg)
Over the cab rack

I'm already planning to bring triple what I usually carry, oil, gear oil, coolent, bulbs, hoses, filters, etc.

Anything else you guys would think I could do to the truck to make the trip better/easier?

I'm looking forward to maybe meeting with some SS along the way, maybe even delivering some parts cross country?

 

[tamangel]

Will be an interesting trip with many sights and experiences. Please keep us up on happenings as much as you can with many pic's..

Mike

 

[SterlingDevelop]

What is your time budget?

Sounds great!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Oh, I forgot to add that. I had that in the original post, but I lost it because I took to long typing it. I'm going to take a full month off work. well, 4 weeks. I figure I can do 10k miles in 30 days or so.

 

[ken]

It sounds like the trip of a life time! What time of year are you planning on?

 

[Divemaster920]

You will never do 10000 miles in 30 days in a 109, without a LOT(I DID SAY A LOT) of help along the way.

 

[Divemaster920]

Add a poll option
Do it in 180 days.
Enjoy life.
Then I will convoy with you.

 

[frodobaggins]

Driving at least 6 hours a day to make 10k miles in a 109.

You have lost it !

 

[Lonesome715]

Such a jouney as long since been a fantasy to me. I so wish I could go with you.

 

[Divemaster920]

334 miles per day.
Yes at least 6 hours a day...more like an average of 7.5.
Then MURPHY will be there also.



I have lost it.....Go For It.

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

I would get some Bose noise canceling earphones that will connect to various audio devices. Consider seeing if you can find some sort of audio switching device so that you can plug all your stuff into it and then switch between them.

I would also get the most comfortable seats I could find. Your butt will be a bruised and battered hunk of sore meat after two or three days if you don't.

Consider swapping out the multifuel to a International DT-360 with an automatic transmission and installing a cruise control. You can buy an old school bus for $1500 or less and use the parts.

 

[Green_gator]

I have looked at doing a drive up there and found that the last part of the road is private and you have to get permission ahead of time to travel the last section. I mapped it out to do it in a jeep and it came out just over 11,000 miles round trip. That was starting in Tampa and going to Key West, then Alaska and back to Tampa. I would think more like a six week trip then a four week trip. A couple of absolute needs for me would be a muffler to reduce noise, a set of quality seats to make that much sitting tolerable and a radio for sound. Six weeks of nothing but the voices in my head while wearing hearing protection and I would go nuts.

 

[dc3coyote]

Has anyone crunched the numbers for fuel cost, That would be my biggest issue. The drive would be wonderful, the transcontinental convoy. but it would be one for the records

 

[frodobaggins]

Has anyone crunched the numbers for fuel cost, That would be my biggest issue. The drive would be wonderful, the transcontinental convoy. but it would be one for the records

10000 miles at 6 mpg and 2.50 per gal diesel is 4200 dollars in fuel.

 

[G-Force]

10,000 miles @8 mpg= 1,250 gallons. Figure you bring 5 drums of veggie @ 50 gals per drum (just to make it easy on the math) that means you have to buy 1,000 gallons of diesel....lets say at $2.60 a gallon (conservative) that would be........$2,600 dollars in fuel.
Now....10,000 miles in 30 days equals 333.33 miles per day. At 55 miles per hour that would be....... 6 hours per day......could be done....go for it and make sure you send me a post card every day as a record.....good luck....

 

[dc3coyote]

Huhm contact the Discovery channel, maybe they could make a series about it. I would bring the Pinz and the Mog if someone else paid for the fuel. Plus it would be good TV having stuff break down in bad spots, A tire change while a bear is eyeballing you as food.

 

[zout]

Depending on time of the year you are going @just before sping ?
tire chains
spare tires
anti gelling fuel supplement
air line antifreeze additive
hammer to unthaw your brakes if you ever stop to knock em loose.
good cushioned drivers seat

Depending on the type of motorcycle - been there - done that but not as far north as the bay. if the bike ain't made for extreme conditons - kiss it goodbye along the trip - and you will have a passenger.

bring plenty of CD's if you do not easily amuse yourself.

Been up there in tractor trailer an bike. It is breathtaking and my hats off to ya.
You won't be able to get any crude of the ground that will last the U.S. the next 200 years becuase it is all classified - head over to Gull Island also.

bring Plenty of film and once up there you may never want to come back.

 

[citizensoldier]

"Depending on the type of motorcycle - been there - done that but not as far north as the bay. if the bike ain't made for extreme conditons - kiss it goodbye along the trip - and you will have a passenger."
My Step father did this trip on a Goldwing and started at the southern tip of FL.. He did fine until he side swiped a Moose in the Yukon Territory and laid the bike down bending the front rim and took out that tire. You dont just go buy a Goldwing tire and rim down the road in the Yukon Territory.. LOL.. He had to wait and pay a VERY high price to have one flown in for him. When he made it back to Michigan the bike was junk. The roads are not the best and it completely wore everything out on it.. He did say he would do it again in a heartbeat so there you have it...

 

[tamangel]

Do you have a way to haul the bike if you need too? A trailer would allow more spares, provisions, and a space for the bike if necessary..

Mike

 

[zout]

That was basically my point as not being second hand:

"The roads are not the best and it completely wore everything out on it."

some sit and talk about doing something and they never do
some are too afraid to do something like this - and they never will
some take what they have making the best laid out plans they can within their budget - and they learn along the way - but they did it.

some just sit and wish they could think of doing something like this.

Look on the map - Alaska is really not that far away
good luck on your planning and best of luck to you.