Start date from St. Augustine, Florida (you can join us anywhere en route and leave at any point) will be July 16, 2011. This will be a moderate trip (500 miles per day with an occassional 600-mile day balanced out by 400-mile days for laundry and rest) for those of us who have a limited amount of vacation time and want to check off BIKE TO ALASKA on their bucket list.
The 2012 trip will be 7670 miles in 132 hours ... around 15 or so days days on the road, 2 days in Hyder. Many bikers on this trip, based on past history, will form groups either before the trip via emails or enroute and plan separate trips to Fairbanks or other points North. Here is a link for the route
Some bikers may, in the months of exchanging emails back and forth, and in the week driving to Alaska, form groups to continue past Hyder to Anchorage, Fairbanks, etc. The return route is only a suggestion and you, of course, are perfectly free to do whatever you want but we hope you will stick with us to Hyder.
Here's the tentative schedule. I am listing an inexpensive and a "middle of the pack" hotel plus a suggested rendenvous for each night.
July 16, 2011 -- St. Augustine to Wytheville, Virginia -- 561 miles
Kickstands up at 7 a.m. at First Coast Honda, US 1 South, St. Augustine, FL
Rationale: Who wants to go through Atlanta? This first day will take us through the mountains. I-95 to I-25 to I-77 -- we can, of course, veer off and take parallel secondary routes. This is a long first day but then we will reach cooler altitudes by the time the afternoon heat normally kicks in. The next morning, we can be on the road at sunrise with expected temperatures in the low 60s.
Motel 6 240 Lithia Rd, Wytheville, VA 24382 US Website (276) 228-7988
Hampton Inn Wytheville 950 Pepper's Ferry, Wytheville, VA 24382 US Website (276) 228-6090
Rendenvous at 7 p.m. Sagebrush Steakhouse & Saloon 170 Nye Cir, Wytheville, VA 24382 US Website (276) 228-7103
July 17, 2011 -- Wytheville, Virginia to Ann Arbor, Michigan -- 481 miles
Kickstands up 7 a.m. at Motel 6 in Wytheville
Rationale: With a cool start in the early morning, we should be feeling the cooling effects of the Great Lakes as we approach Ann Arbor in the early afternoon.
Motel 6 Ann Arbor 3764 S State Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 US Website (734) 665-9900
Hampton Inn Ann Arbor-South 925 Victors Way, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 US Website (734) 665-5000
7 p.m. get-together -- Mediterran -- an upscale restaurant --- 2900 S. State St. Suite #7 Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734-332-9700
July 18, 2011 -- Ann Arbor, Michigan to Wawa, Ontario -- 484 miles
Kickstands up at 6 a.m. at Motel 6 in Ann Arbor
Rationale: Spectacular views of Lake Superior to our left and nice twisties in the hills. Some may want to get off the interstate after Saginaw and take route 23 bordering Lake Huron and rejoin I-75. Another option would be to go West to Elk apids, Michigan and go North on 31/119 for Michigan's version of "Tail of the Dragon" which was featured in the September 2010 edition of Rider magazine, pages 60-64.
White Fang Motel - I stayed here twice ... it will be on your right about five miles before Wawa. 105 Hwy 17, Wawa, ON P0S 1K0 CA Website (705) 856-0344
7 p.m. get-together -- Kinniwabi Pines Restaurant 150 Highway 17, Wawa, ON P0S 1K0 CA Website (705) 856-7226 -- this is across the highway from White Fang Motel. I ate here twice.
July 19, 2011 -- Wawa, Ontario to Ignace, Ontario -- 439 miles
Kickstands up at 7 a.m. at White Fang -- most likely there will be thick fog.
Rationale: Ontario has lower speed limits and there are lots of twists and turns. There is a magnificent waterfall and a ravine we must visit en route!
Ignace White Otter Inn - 203 Main Hwy 17, Ignace, ON P0T 1T0 CA Website (807) 934-6322 -- Our whole group in 2009 stayed here. I was amazed because I needed to do some laundry and they did it for me at no charge!!!! Is this a Canadian hospitality thing or just the White Otter?
Meeting place at 7 p.m. -- Main Street is only five or so blocks so we can scout out the eating places and go to one.
July 20, 2011 -- Ignace, Ontario to Russell, Manitoba -- 508 miles
Kickstands up at 7 a.m. at White Otter
Rationale -- rather flat terrain to make good time.
Jolly Lodger 515 Memorial St S, Russell, MB R0J 1W0 CA Website (204) 773-2177 -- Russell is another really small town so not many choices here.
July 21, 2011 -- Russell, Manitoba to Lloydminster, AB -- 439 miles
Kickstands up at 7 a.m. at Jolly Lodger
Rationale -- fast route ... there are a few parallel routes which will be added later. Lloydminster is a rough and tumble oil field town but has quite a few big box stores such as Wal-Mart if you need to replenish on supplies.
Best Western Wayside Inn & Suites 5411 44th St, Lloydminster, AB T9V 0A9 CA Website (800) 780-7234 -- Canadian prices may be a bit high but we will be comfortable here and with up to four sharing rooms, this will be a luxury well worth it.
Ramada 5610 44 St, Lloydminster, AB T9V 0B6 CA Website (780) 871-6940
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Lloydminster 5612 44th Street, Lloydminster, AB T9V 0B6 CA Website (877) 410-6681
Meeting at 7 p.m. Tony Roma's 5621 44 St, Lloydminster, AB T9V 0B2 CA Website (780) 872-7070
To be arranged ... we will continue thru Edmonton, AB and the world's largest indoors mall (if you want to visit that place), then through Jasper, Prince George, and arriving at Hyder, Alaska. Most of the group will probably go North on Cassiar Highway and get on Alaska Highway at Watson Lake and head for Fairbanks and/or Anchorage and other points. Some of us will go back through Calgary, then Minot, North Dakota, then through Minneapolis and points south through Alabama (avoiding Atlanta, of course).
When you register, your email will be shared with other registered bikers. For years, we have had group emails for months, forming friendships, opinions, and route suggestions so by the time July 2011 arrives, you will already have destinations with a group (or ride solo, if that is your desire).
