My Alaska Journey

Why Alaska, you ask? And why by motorcycle?
It all started sometime back in the early '90's, when Tom McIntyre, an old friend, and beemer fanatic, said: "Wouldn't it be cool to ride to the Artic Circle". Yeah, I said. Then promptly put that thought on the back burner.
In August,'06 I was up in the mountains, camping with my son and our horse's. For entertainment, I had brought the "Long Way Round", which we watched on my son's laptop every night. One night we had some friends over for a gourmet cowboy dinner, and the conversation somehow turned to my trip to Africa. In 1993, I and two other friends shipped KLR 650's to Capetown with the intention of riding them to Germany. I, however, highsided my bike in the northern Kalahari after a freak blowout. My injuries precluded further offroad riding, and I regretfully returned to the states, still having had a great time riding through South Africa and Namibia. My friends did make it to Germany three months later. Their trip is a book in itself.
When I recovered from Africa, I went hardcore on the motorcycle thing. I rode everyday, commuting, traveling by bike. I owned a Suzuki GSXR 1100F, a Honda ST 1100 and eventually a Honda Goldwing GL 1500SE. I'd taken my ladyfriend to the Grand Canyon on the back of the Suzuki in November from San Francisco. ( I wouldn't recommend that, if you want to stay in a relationship). Her tears were frozen to her face by the time we rolled into Flagstaff at 10:00PM. I was a lane splittin' fool on the Gold Wing. Had to buy that after the Grand Canyon debacle. ( although I have to say the thing was amazing on the twistys after I redid the suspension with Racetech gear). My single longest day in the saddle was a trip from Cedar City, Utah, back to San Francisco one early April. Coldest ride I've ever done. Went over Donner Summit in a whiteout just before they closed it down to vehicles only with chains.
So OK, I'm not exactly a noob to riding. Sitting in the woods that night, remembering all these things, plus, I have to admit, "The Long Way Round"effect, made me start thinking: Well, why not Alaska? The retrospective blog that follows, depicts that trip.