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How to Survive With No Car and Only a Motorcycle
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From a couple weeks ago when I played hookie from work.
These first few are off of Knik Goose Bay Road. KGB Road runs southish out of Wasilla. You end up on the other side of the Knik Inlet from Anchorage. The road that I drive everyday to get to work runs parallel to the coast on the other side of the Inlet. I have to say that the drive down KGB was much more pleasant.
The next day, I rode the other direction toward the Knik River. That road is beautiful. The pavement is in good condition, and if you go one direction, there are nice twisties. If you go the other direction, just gentle curves and eventual views of the Knik Glacier. Unfortunately, the wind was out of the north and the closer I got to the river the colder and more miserable the ride got. So, I turned around about half a mile short of the River and went back to walk around on the Matanuska River. Here is a picture of Thumper in front of the Matanuska River.
I also spent some time enjoying the view at Center Lake Park in Wasilla watching the ducks.
Finally, these are just for Eon. These are mostly taken from the trail up to or within the April Bowl at the top of Hatcher Pass. The road is paved most of the way up for access to Independence Mine (a State Park), but the road over the pass is gravel. I didn’t try taking my bike up here, but we sometimes see them on the road making the trek over the pass (even cruisers- I think I’ll stick with the comfort of my sweetie’s truck).
The last one with the gorgeous yellow willow trees is taken in Willow
Valley, which is the long way down from Hatcher Pass. Those are fantastic. I’ve never really liked taking landscape shots because I despair of ever getting anything as breathtaking as those.
I’ve heard that the cruise deals were really good this last summer.
If you do that though, try to get three or four days to rent a car and explore on your own. The weather isn’t quite as unpredictable here in Alaska, but I really miss Oklahoma’s thunderstorms. Yes, there is a missing Oklahoma theme. What can I say, but that it is my childhood home.
I know what you mean about the distinction of the seasons. As much as I detest the cold, I love watching the seasons roll over.
I’m originally from the Midwest too (Oklahoma). Living in Alaska is quite the change.
Generally, riding season starts in March or April depending on break-up (local jargon for when the snow and ice starts melting and clearing out). It ends in September or October depending on the rider’s tolerance for cold weather riding (we’re in the 30s and 40s right now). The number of riders on the road has dropped off exponentially over the last two weeks. I think I saw one motorcycle on my commute home today, where I would see 20-30 at the height of summer.
It is only time for whatever they do at the 500 mile break-in service (oil change, tightening stuff, waving the magic wand, etc). I cracked 501 with Sunday’s ride.
Inexperience strikes again!
To follow up, if I need to use the choke, do I need to roll on the throttle after I have started the bike? Or do I just pull out the knob and start it and it does its thing?
Thanks guys.
I’ve never been on a snow machine, so I didn’t realize that they are a manual transmission. Are the throttle inputs as sensitive as they are on a bike? Just curious.
I started on a 650 single cylinder, and it has been quite the experience. As you point out, you aren’t stepping into this cold turkey as I did. For each person, it really comes down to what they are comfortable with. I honestly don’t have any experience with any bikes other than what I started with.
