In response to a question about riding a FJR to Prudoe Bay, I thought I would post my experience to the Bay. I was riding a 2001 Kawasaki KLR650 with some mods.
The KLR was a great bike for the ride. I hauled from NE Oklahoma to Lewistown, Montana and rode from there. 7200 miles were put on the bike round trip. 2800 miles on my pickup.
The short version:
Rain, mud, cold, and construction, 507 miles in 13 hrs.
If it is raining stop at Cold Foot and spend the night. Most of the road dries and packs quickly. You have been warned.
The long version:
I left North Wood Lodge, southwest Fairbanks, in a light rain and the temperature about 50. The Dalton Highway soon turned to dirt/gravel and construction zone. I was behind 3 different pilot pickups through construction zones by the time I reached the Artic Circle. Temperature was slowly cooling. Another construction zone and more wet, slick road, some of that gray slime stuff that everyone warns you about, then wet hard pack oil and gravel, then wet tar and gravel.
I brought an extra gallon of gas so I did not stop north of the Yukon River for gas. I used the gas just short of Cold Foot. Stopped at Cold Foot (260miles from North Woods Lodge) for gas and food. Excellent all you can eat buffet for $17.95. I ordered the Soup of the Day (clam chowder $3.75) and a V-8 ($1.50). A light rain had stayed with me for most of the trip so far.
Now the gray slime stuff got serious with trucks ruts. I stopped for 30 min. for a culvert replacement. Temperature dropped as I approached Brooks Range and Antigun Pass. Antigun Pass was a sea of mud and it was snowing. I got in a truck rut that led me into a turnout. I didn’t argue. That’s when I decided Cold Foot would have been the place to stop. I gently slowed and crossed the rut and resumed up the pass. Going down the pass wasn’t any better. Through the valley it was bumpy and the gray stuff was still serious. I rode to the far right out of the ruts when possible. I waited at another stop for construction. No pilot pickup, but I rode 2 miles on wet river rock while dodging dozers and other equipment. Soon after that I noticed that the bike was running close to hot on the gauge. I used two bottles of water to wash off the gray stuff that had coated the radiator. One pilot pickup later the road was mostly gravel, rough but not a lot of slime. That took me the last 50 miles or so into Prudhoe Bay.
I rode north through town to the BP Gate. That’s as far north as you go unless you take the $37 tour with one of the two hotels (Prudhoe Bay or Glacier Bay, owned by the same people) that offer it. It’s still raining and the bank type sign say it’s 42 degrees. I got gas with my credit card, no attendant after 7 or on Sundays. I parked the KLR in front of the Deadhorse sign at the Prudhoe Bay General Store and got my picture taken by a woman that came out of the store. I go in only to be told, it is closing time, but the lady behind the counter told me the best (lowest cost) place to stay was the Artic Oilfield Hotel. I walked over to the Prudoe Bay Hotel with a BMW GS1150 rider. He and another GSer were waiting for a rear tire that was coming by air. Room price was quoted as $120. I go to the Artic Oilfield Hotel and see two KLRs. The quoted price was $85 for a room with three meals included. The clerk told me to help myself to whatever was left out in the dining room. I ate with the only person in the room, an oilfield worker getting a late snack. My room for the night was dorm room size with twin beds. I shared shower and restroom with the workers, but I saw few of them.
I slept late and missed breakfast, so I helped myself to what is left out. There were plenty of choices. I met the two KLR riders, Mike and Larry. The clerk connected an outdoor hose for us so we can clean off our radiators. I pay for the room and the clerk gives me a $15 discount. We packed our bikes and the clerk tells us that before we leave town, come back and eat lunch. We rode around and took a few pictures and go to the General Store. After lunch at the hotel, we head south. It’s partly sunny and in the 50s.
I rode with Mike and Larry for about 60 miles and two construction zones. They rode slower than I wanted. They planned to stay in Cold Foot that night and I decided to go to Fairbanks. The road was hard packed and I was soon doing 80 every chance I got. What a difference. What was 45mph white knuckle is now 65mph freeway. It is KLR territory.
I occasionally stopped on the return and took pictures. I visited with two female GS riders (one English, one Australian) with a German guy on an old Gold Wing (not full dressed) that he had bought in Canada. The women had talked him into the Dalton Road trip. The girls were quite lovely in their Hein Gericke suits and to hear their accents!!!!!!!!!! I almost turned around. A gas fill up, another soup for the day (vegetable), and V-8 was had at Cold Foot. The last construction site was hazardous. A shower had come through and the first few miles were gray slime and gravel, but the last few miles were just gray slime. The southern sites are only worked 12 hours a day, so I missed the pilot pickups. I got gas at the first station at end of the Dalton. I made it to North Wood Lodge in 11 hrs and 40 min.
Notable wildlife I saw: 2 moose, snowy owl, artic fox and kit, 20 caribou
A side note: A few days later at Haines Junction I talked with an 1150 GS rider. He was with a group of 4 GSers. He said that they had attempted the Dalton Hwy a few days earlier in the rain. They gave up after 40 something miles.
Harvey
Waitin' for my '06.
The KLR was a great bike for the ride. I hauled from NE Oklahoma to Lewistown, Montana and rode from there. 7200 miles were put on the bike round trip. 2800 miles on my pickup.
The short version:
Rain, mud, cold, and construction, 507 miles in 13 hrs.
If it is raining stop at Cold Foot and spend the night. Most of the road dries and packs quickly. You have been warned.
The long version:
I left North Wood Lodge, southwest Fairbanks, in a light rain and the temperature about 50. The Dalton Highway soon turned to dirt/gravel and construction zone. I was behind 3 different pilot pickups through construction zones by the time I reached the Artic Circle. Temperature was slowly cooling. Another construction zone and more wet, slick road, some of that gray slime stuff that everyone warns you about, then wet hard pack oil and gravel, then wet tar and gravel.
I brought an extra gallon of gas so I did not stop north of the Yukon River for gas. I used the gas just short of Cold Foot. Stopped at Cold Foot (260miles from North Woods Lodge) for gas and food. Excellent all you can eat buffet for $17.95. I ordered the Soup of the Day (clam chowder $3.75) and a V-8 ($1.50). A light rain had stayed with me for most of the trip so far.
Now the gray slime stuff got serious with trucks ruts. I stopped for 30 min. for a culvert replacement. Temperature dropped as I approached Brooks Range and Antigun Pass. Antigun Pass was a sea of mud and it was snowing. I got in a truck rut that led me into a turnout. I didn’t argue. That’s when I decided Cold Foot would have been the place to stop. I gently slowed and crossed the rut and resumed up the pass. Going down the pass wasn’t any better. Through the valley it was bumpy and the gray stuff was still serious. I rode to the far right out of the ruts when possible. I waited at another stop for construction. No pilot pickup, but I rode 2 miles on wet river rock while dodging dozers and other equipment. Soon after that I noticed that the bike was running close to hot on the gauge. I used two bottles of water to wash off the gray stuff that had coated the radiator. One pilot pickup later the road was mostly gravel, rough but not a lot of slime. That took me the last 50 miles or so into Prudhoe Bay.
I rode north through town to the BP Gate. That’s as far north as you go unless you take the $37 tour with one of the two hotels (Prudhoe Bay or Glacier Bay, owned by the same people) that offer it. It’s still raining and the bank type sign say it’s 42 degrees. I got gas with my credit card, no attendant after 7 or on Sundays. I parked the KLR in front of the Deadhorse sign at the Prudhoe Bay General Store and got my picture taken by a woman that came out of the store. I go in only to be told, it is closing time, but the lady behind the counter told me the best (lowest cost) place to stay was the Artic Oilfield Hotel. I walked over to the Prudoe Bay Hotel with a BMW GS1150 rider. He and another GSer were waiting for a rear tire that was coming by air. Room price was quoted as $120. I go to the Artic Oilfield Hotel and see two KLRs. The quoted price was $85 for a room with three meals included. The clerk told me to help myself to whatever was left out in the dining room. I ate with the only person in the room, an oilfield worker getting a late snack. My room for the night was dorm room size with twin beds. I shared shower and restroom with the workers, but I saw few of them.
I slept late and missed breakfast, so I helped myself to what is left out. There were plenty of choices. I met the two KLR riders, Mike and Larry. The clerk connected an outdoor hose for us so we can clean off our radiators. I pay for the room and the clerk gives me a $15 discount. We packed our bikes and the clerk tells us that before we leave town, come back and eat lunch. We rode around and took a few pictures and go to the General Store. After lunch at the hotel, we head south. It’s partly sunny and in the 50s.
I rode with Mike and Larry for about 60 miles and two construction zones. They rode slower than I wanted. They planned to stay in Cold Foot that night and I decided to go to Fairbanks. The road was hard packed and I was soon doing 80 every chance I got. What a difference. What was 45mph white knuckle is now 65mph freeway. It is KLR territory.
I occasionally stopped on the return and took pictures. I visited with two female GS riders (one English, one Australian) with a German guy on an old Gold Wing (not full dressed) that he had bought in Canada. The women had talked him into the Dalton Road trip. The girls were quite lovely in their Hein Gericke suits and to hear their accents!!!!!!!!!! I almost turned around. A gas fill up, another soup for the day (vegetable), and V-8 was had at Cold Foot. The last construction site was hazardous. A shower had come through and the first few miles were gray slime and gravel, but the last few miles were just gray slime. The southern sites are only worked 12 hours a day, so I missed the pilot pickups. I got gas at the first station at end of the Dalton. I made it to North Wood Lodge in 11 hrs and 40 min.
Notable wildlife I saw: 2 moose, snowy owl, artic fox and kit, 20 caribou
A side note: A few days later at Haines Junction I talked with an 1150 GS rider. He was with a group of 4 GSers. He said that they had attempted the Dalton Hwy a few days earlier in the rain. They gave up after 40 something miles.
Harvey
Waitin' for my '06.
