http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/hersh_ml/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from hersh_ml en-us Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:39:58 +0000 Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:39:58 +0000 Things have finally settled down a little bit and I've had time to look back and reflect. Overall the trip was a blast even though some unexpected events happened. I still feel ok with how much I got to see on the journey but it still leaves the door open to return and finish the trip some time in the future. My soontobe brother inlaw offered me his motorcycle to ride for the rest of the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-434396.html Somehow I forgot to publish this one sorry folks...Yesterday I rode along with Duane in his big rig. He had a day trip down to Tok to deliver some fuel. Let me tell you I had such a great time going It actually worked out better to do a day trip instead of an overnight trip to Prudhoe Bay. The bed in the truck only sleeps one so I would have brought my tent and slept outside. So this work http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-426508.html Today was great Linda and I drove down toward Paxson to visit a place called the glory hole. It is one place where the salmon spawn and they are pretty fun to watch. On the way down we saw Duane in his truck going our same direction and stopped to have lunch with him in Delta Junction. We saw plenty of red salmon swimming upstream and as the days keep going by they will become even more de http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-426645.html I've arranged a way to buy a plane ticket home whenever I want to. Linda was nice enough to sell some frequent flyer miles and it makes no difference if I book a flight today or 6 months from now. So I plan on riding with Duane tomorrow we are going to Tok and back here to Fairbanks. So it looks like I'll probably fly out Saturday or shortly after that. They aren't the best times to be flyin http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-426029.html Real quick update...I sold the bike today for 1000. It was a little less than I had hoped for but I'll take whatever I can get. Now I'm working on a plane ticket home. It looks like I may stay here for a week before I fly home. That will give me time to ride with Duane and get stuff ready to go home. I'm glad things are finally happening. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-425503.html Last night I talked to a fellow KLR650.net forum member and he lives down in Wasilla. He told me a shop just opened in Fairbanks about 3 days ago and that I should give them a call. I checked out their web site and it said they are open sunrise until sunset every day and in Alaska that means 247. I was looking at their web site and their shop is only about 5 miles from the Emmert's. I ca http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-424797.html Wow this is looking pretty bad. Just when I thought things had settled down and I would have no more bike problems along comes something else. I was riding the Denali Highway and what a beautiful ride indeed Well then I slow down to pass by an RV on the road and realize I cannot get below 4th gear. So I have 5th 4th then the transmission shifts into a false neutral. Transmissions proble http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Denali/blog-424300.html Thanks for being patient. Enjoy http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-423722.html Over the last couple days Derek and I made it to Deadhorse and back to Fairbanks. On Monday we drive to Coldfoot. Tuesday we drive to Deadhorse took the tour of the oil fields and to the Arctic Ocean and drove back to Coldfoot. We didn't get back to Coldfoot until 1am. Long day but I think we did it the right way. We left all of our stuff in Coldfood the day we went to Deadhorse and rode http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Prudhoe-Bay/blog-423710.html What a nice change from being stuck in Dawson The Emmert's have taken such wonderful care of us they are some of the best hosts you'll ever meet. They feed us well we have good times of talking and fellowship and we have the privacy of one of the sections in their house. It is really a neat setup. There is one main common area in the house and there are 3 other separate sections. We've g http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-422748.html Wow the last 2 days were simply amazing. We waited all day yesterday with no sign of motorcycle parts as of 7pm. The visitors center in Dawson City closes at 8pm. We hadn't heard from Adrian yet either. Derek and I were starting to make plans for today and weren't too thrilled with out options. I decided to go to the grocery store at about 7pm and I was going to get some food before they http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Fairbanks/blog-422209.html I broke the news to Adrian and Derek when they returned home from the Dempster last night. They took it well but I'm sure it was still disappointing. So we developed a plan and it goes something like this...I called the Kawasaki dealer in Fairbanks about 375 miles away if I recall correctly. They had my part in stock. I paid for it over the phone and told them Adrian would be by either lat http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Yukon/Dawson-City/blog-421510.html And now the moment you've all been waiting for...My chain and sprockets came in and I think that is the only good news of the day. I headed to NAPA bought the socket I needed to take off my front sprocket. NAPA was nice enough to loan me a breaker bar I needed for the job. As soon as I took off the nut I knew it would give me problems. It had some rust on the splines. I took the channello http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Yukon/Dawson-City/blog-421289.html I apologize if I keep repeating myself on certain things it is not intentional. Last night I slept for about 12 hours you know...nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't really have a whole lot to do so I just slept.I've been trying to do the video blog regularly so far I have done pretty well. It is very awkward to just talk to the camera but I'm trying to get past that. I'll review all the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Yukon/Dawson-City/blog-421164.html The parts didn't come in today. Bummer. Derek and Adrian are up on the Dempster and I'm hanging back waiting for my parts to come in. I inspected our radios today we've been having issues with them and they are nonfunctional. I think I figured out what was wrong and will have to test them again when Derek returns. I also made some repairs on my tank bag since my zippers were giving me ma http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Yukon/Dawson-City/blog-420837.html Quick update. Very quick update. Internet access is very limited but I will update when I can.We are stuck in Dawson City for a few days since I am having mechanical problems with my bike. My chain is shot and I am lucky to have made it this far. My sprockets are shot as well. I checked these before I left and they looked ok back then. But I can't change that now. The new chain and spro http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Yukon/Dawson-City/blog-420441.html Here is the quick update. We left Oregon on time Sunday morning and made it to Cultus Lake BC the first night. Pretty boring drive for the most part but we just wanted to put on some miles. We were very fortunate to have a host family the first night we had a lot of fun with Brian Jewell and Jenae I apologize if I spelled that wrong The next night we camped near 100 Mile House with http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vanderhoof/blog-418721.html The departure date for Alaska is coming very soon Sunday to be exact at least that is what we are hoping for. Derek is on his way out right now he should be here tomorrow. Saturday will be spent doing final preparations on our bikes. We will put new tires on Derek's bike and make any final adjustments necessary.I am not sure how much I will be able to update this blog while we are gone bu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-416965.html Last night we ended up driving to Fallon Nevada to spend the night. When I said motel on the last blog I really meant sleeping in the campers. It was pretty nice though things fold out nicely inside to give padded sleeping areas.I drove the pickup for the first time yesterday. This is not just any old pickup to me because it is pulling a trailer. I have never driven any vehicle with a trail http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-326011.html Today we finally hit the road We got up bright and early at 6am and hit the road at about 730. Nothing too exciting has happened today just mostly cruising on the open road. Tonight the plan is to stay in a motel in Reno so that puts us at about 500 miles we have to drive today. We have 5 of us traveling together in a total of 4 vehicles. So that gives us an extra driver if someone is ti http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Ashland/blog-326000.html