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I was asked to review my gear- bike, camping gear, farkles, and the like. If you are wondering about something I didn't cover here, please ask.
Camping Gear
My goal is to fit all of my camping gear in two sidecases, including clothes and food. Many people strap on drybags or bungee gear on top- that isn't for me.
- Tent - main goal was to use a freestanding 2-person tent with an available footprint (ground cover that was cut for a specific tent). I used the Kelty Teton 2, with matching footprint. It is a good tent- breathes quite well, completely freestanding, stakes are completely unnecessary unless you are also using the rain fly- and even then, only one is absolutely required. I'd usually pitch with 1, 4, 6, or 8 pegs, depending on a variety of issues (threat of rain, how much rain, hardness of ground, threat of wind, etc). I like the assembly/disassembly ease- you don't have to stick fiberglass poles in sleeves, they simply clip in. This tent takes very little room, I can easily roll it together and it takes about a third of one sidecase.
- Stove - main goal was a safe, no-hassle fuel source, useful for many things (other than making coffee), and small size. I used the Snow Peak Giga Power Stove: incredibly compact (2x2x3.5 inches), this has an ignitor and simply screws on top of gas canisters. The canisters are only good to about 20 degrees F, but I don't do well riding below that anyhow. This stove works very well, gets very hot, and doesn't have any hassles, nor is priming/pumping/anything required. A single canister lasts for a long time- probably 20 single-person meals, or a few weeks of camping.
- Sleeping bag - I sleep cold, so I used a REI Polar Pod +20 mummy bag with a cotton liner. Down is certainly superior to synthetic, but I couldn't really justify the cost.
Bike and accessories
- Bike - most people know I really enjoy my DL650 V-Strom. It's mediocre at everything- pavement, dirt, distance, etc. Certainly a Gold Wing is a better choice for long highway miles, and a KLR or DRZ is a better choice for the tricky bits. I like the compromise of the DL650 though. There's no way I could have averaged 500+ miles/day for two weeks on a KLR.
- Headlights - headlight protection is recommended. There are some insanely overbuilt guards for the DL1000- but I don't want my lights compromised with metal mesh. I had the StonGuard clear headlight masks installed when the bike was new, I'm quite happy with it. They can be contacted at 425-646-0670 or timh at stonguard.com.
- Tires - I like the Michelin Anakee tire on DL650. It is a great all-around tire, good for year-round commuting as well as gravel roads. Normally I get 8000 miles out of the rear, double that from the front. I knew I wouldn't get that during this trip because of the rough roads- I was very glad I had a set waiting for me in Fairbanks after running to Deadhorse. The replacements will last about 4500-5000 miles. I left the tires at full pressure- though lowering them slightly would be wise.
- Oil - I carried a spare oil filter, figuring I could do a change if necessary. Instead, a shop in Fairbanks did my oil change.
- Flat tire repair - I use the Standard Tire Plugger from StopnGo, then I use a CyclePump compressor and EZ Air tire gauge from BestRest. The cost of this kit is less than one tow truck call. (note all three items can be bought from BestRest)
- Chain - not much to say here. I think most X-Ring chains are the same. Next time I'll clean and lube the chain more- I ran out of lube and didn't clean the chain at all, and it lasted 8000 miles.
- Crash protection/skid plate - I like the SW Motech skid plate and crash bars. There are others on the market, but these work. I don't worry about radiator/oil cooler protection with this setup.
- Luggage - Givi E41 and V46 on Givi sidecase and topcase racks. Aluminum panniers are sexier, more durable, and provide room for stickers, but Givis are easily repairable and transferable from one bike to the next.
- CB Radio - since I was travelling alone, I wanted a way to ask for help and communicate. The Chatterbox CB radio is a great unit for that- modular, somewhat easy to stow, and such. It doesn't work on wet days, nor can it be secured while mounted.
- Audio - I use the Sony EX51 attenuating earplugs. The cost makes it easy to keep an extra pair and not worry if I destroy them. These plug in to my Mix-It 2, which is an incrediblely capable motorcycle audio mixer/amplifier. I listen to music with a 4gb MP3 player. It is solid-state, lasts a long time with a AAA battery, and isn't crazy expensive like the iPod players.
- Radar Detector - after experimenting with other radar detectors, I use an Escort Passport 8500 X50. It has an audio jack, and works very well. I mount it on a RAM magnetic mounting plate.
- GPS - I've been using the Garmin 60CS for about 2.5 years. It is very durable, waterproof, and I like the vertical format. I'd replace it with a memory card model like the the CSx. The 56mb memory size is just too limited for large trips.
Food
- Eating out - I ate out about once per day. I'm spoiled with very good food, and I won't eat at chain shops. So I was a little disappointed- lots of greasy, heavy food, not a lot of vegetables.
- Camp meals - I didn't carry any food other than freeze-dried meals. These just take 1/2 to 2 cups of boiling water poured in their mylar pouch, so they are easy to fix and self-contained. Practice with them, figure out which meals you like (I don't like most of the breakfasts). Take side dishes of veggies too. (my favorites: Mary Jane's Alfredo Pasta, Buttery Herb Pasta and the Pad Thai)
Alaska Resources
- Books - the gold standard is the Milepost. I used it extensively for trip preparation, took it with me, but didn't open it at all. Most people use it during their trip. Greg Frazier's Alaska By Motorcycle is dated but very useful for preparation and on the road. In fact, it is probably more useful than the Milepost.
- Shops and Supplies - I've heard great things about Alaska Leather- you can send tires, they have mounting equipment, etc. Perfect if you are in the Anchorage area (I wasn't). Thompson's Eagles' Claw in Tok is much more DIY- they have a workshop, you may send tires and do whatever you need, even if you aren't staying there. (but why wouldn't you?)
Common Concerns
- Bears - I didn't camp in the woods or alone because I was concerned. I only saw a few small bears. The major thing is to avoid having food in or near your tent- one of the reasons I only used freeze-dried food and immediately disposed of the garbage in a bearproof garbage can.
- Mosquitos - they are very bad in some areas. Large clouds, they would splatter on the bike and faceshield. When stopped, use DEET, mosquito nets over your head, etc. Luckily they aren't a problem if there is a slight breeze.
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