You have my attention. I've been dreaming of driving to Alaska since before I could drive. Come really close but hasn't quite happened yet maybe in a few years when the kiddies are older. Border crossings have been my worry up to this point and I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone. I guess anything more than a traffic violation on your record could get a guy turned back depending on the mood of the officials. I wish I could have skipped a few of the young adult/stupid/head up my as--butt years of my life.
Anyway I think the Cassiar hwy up and the Alaskan hwy down or vice versa would be sweet but it probably wouldn't fit in your time frame.
EDIT: I was confused for a minute that route wouldn't work for Hyder unless you wanted to add visiting the Yukon to the list
Interesting about the border crossing denial, makes me wonder if I'd get in...
Only one way to find out!
There is so much to see up that way and at least for me, not enough time currently. Seeing the Yukon would be incredible!
Do AK the right way. And like rot box said take both highways. I have been on them three times. Each time the roads were better. It is an adventure like no other. Like gas stations that tell you the distance to the next gas station because if you don't plan ahead you may not make it. Or the miles and miles of rock pile names and wedding proposals on the side of the road. Or maybe the license plate forest. Or driving for hours and hours without seeing another car ( one time we literally parked the car in the middle of the road and chased a deer up a hill side to get a picture. We were parked for about an hour!). One time we petted some black bears that were eating berries on the side of the road. On a clear night the northern lights will blow your mind.
Just do it!
My biggest problem is time and how long it would take to do it the 'right' way. IMO 3 weeks is the bare minimum, especially on a motorcycle. I just don't have that kind of time away from work right now, the reason I'm interested in Hyder is because I could make that happen over 10 days on the motorcycle, with time to explore Banff on the way. I see Hyder as my Intro to Alaska, or Alaska 101.
Eventually I want to take a 3 week or so trip, but in order to make it happen next year I'm limited on time. I'll be taking a weeks vacation for our 10 year anniversary, which cuts out my time on any kind of Alaska trip. Seeing the Northern Lights is a Bucket List item for me... really looking forward to that one.
Drove from Anchorage to Idaho to Virginia in 1983.... wow, what a ride..
Damn! That's a LOT of miles... what were you driving?
Looks cool. :greg: - Do it.
I'm going to try like hell!
I would like to go, but I wont.. Mostly because once I arrived, I wouldn't leave. I would become a hippy and live off the land. My cell phone wouldn't work. My family would be nervous, they would call the police, who would contact you. You would not be able to prove my whereabouts, and would go to jail for murder. Your wife wouldn't be able to provide for herself all alone in that big house, she would get remarried while you were in jail. So you see, it's a bad idea.
You'd better stay home then...
Sounds like a plan!
Me and Jeremy are doing it as soon as we get Adventure bikes. Banff is a lot of fun. BC is awesome. Check out Kootenay lake on the way back down. There is a motorcycle only campground around the lake.
http://www.toadrockcampground.com/
Well, keep me posted! Seems like everything between Banff and Hyder would be amazing, BC looks so fun to explore! Have you guys figured out what bikes you want yet? Honda should bringing out the new Africa Twin within the next year. Thanks for the link!
AK TDI trip! I'd love to go depending on the time of year. I'm guessing early summer is the best time and I'm already kinda booked
I would love to make the drive in the car first, get to know the roads & drive, then make the trip up again the following year on the motorcycle. We will see... my wife get's jealous when I go on a long motorcycle ride and leave her at home, so I offered to take the car up first with her... then last night she said she didn't care if I went up on the MC first. That sounds like a trap to me.
Late-July thru September is the time of year if you want to see the bear feeding on fish in the Salmon River from the viewing platform.
