Table of contents
Army car
27 pictures
Army car
1/27
A MOTORRAD volunteer fulfills a lifelong dream: from Alaska to California on a motorcycle.
Army car
2/27
Pure nature: private life is not, deer and other animals come to the tent.
Army car
3/27
Antelope: Antelope Creek formed this ingenious canyon in Arizona.
Army car
4/27
Bearing: Course 358 degrees on a never-ending slope in the vastness of Alaska.
Army car
5/27
Rough life: In the port towns of Alaska like Valdez, the clocks tick more slowly.
Army car
6/27
Normality: In Alaska and Canada, moose can be seen from the street.
Army car
7/27
Dawson City: The Diamond Gerties give everything and show a furious program.
Army car
8/27
Fun on the slopes: The north of the American continent is tough on Yamaha.
Army car
9/27
Dawson City: There’s not much going on in Dawson without gambling, beer and whiskey.
Army car
10/27
Dawson City: Highly motivated participants in the biker meeting from Dusk to Dawson.
Army car
11/27
Arches: This fascinating national park is located near the town of Moab, Utah.
Army car
12/27
Bonneville: The salt flats in western Utah are famous for record drives.
Army car
13/27
On the Gulf of Alaska, Yamaha and globetrotters enjoy space and sun until the cold comes.
Army car
14/27
Oregon: If a bison wants to cross the street, there is no need for a red light.
Army car
15/27
Canada: Boya Lake in British Columbia has extremely clear water.
Army car
16/27
Alaska: Hyder sometimes looks like a ghostly ghost town.
Army car
17/27
Dawson City: Blacksmithing Competition: Whoever forges the most beautiful horseshoe wins.
Army car
18/27
Alaska: A bizarre tree in Hyder, which is in Alaska. Access only via Canada.
Army car
19/27
Canada: As planned, the Yamaha will also be inspected in the wilderness en route.
Army car
20/27
A salmon can hardly taste better than freshly pulled from the Chilkoot River.
Army car
21/27
Los Angeles: Schwarzenegger friend and B-movie star Ralf Moller.
Army car
22/27
Yosemite: This park in California also beguiles with its ingenious landscapes.
Army car
23/27
Las Vegas: It goes without saying that the gaming metropolis could not be missing on the route.
Army car
24/27
Los Angeles: Bikini girls play beach volleyball for a good cause.
Army car
25/27
San Francisco: The markets in Chinatown offer exotic culinary experiences.
Army car
26/27
Through the Yukon and Alaska.
Army car
27/27
Photogenic skyline: on the way to the highest point in San Francisco, the so-called.
to travel
Motorcycle tour Panamericana part 1
Motorcycle tour Panamericana part 1
From Alaska to California
A MOTORRAD volunteer fulfills a lifelong dream and wants to travel from Alaska to Argentina – 30,000 kilometers, six months, more than a dozen countries. He has already come to the Mexican border.
Mathias Heerwagen
11/08/2012
At the airport, I stand completely soaked in the employee parking lot of the FedEx shipping company and tear the cardboard and foil from the box. I waited longingly for this moment, finally it is Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Tenere in the Worldcrosser Edition with me.
Buy complete article
Motorcycle tour Panamericana part 1
From Alaska to California
10 pages) as PDF
€ 2.00
Buy now
In less than an hour I unscrew the transport frame in which the motorcycle is, assemble the windshield, mirrors, handlebars and side panels and, in an adventurous way, use a forklift and a thin lashing strap to insert the front wheel. I turn the ignition key, press the starter button: done. The first few revolutions of the two-cylinder blow all the worries and anger of the last few days out of my brain. Forget the customs offices in Stuttgart and Dusseldorf, which did not want to clear the motorcycle with the existing documents, forget the anger about the FedEx people who left the motorcycle in Frankfurt for days. Now and here it doesn’t matter, the tour of my life begins. From the northernmost navigable point in North America, Deadhorse / Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, I want to go to Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina. I’ve had this trip in my head for years, now the time has finally come.
It’s still raining heavily, the temperature display in the cockpit shows eleven degrees – and yet motorcycling has never been more fun than at that moment. I’m leaving Anchorage heading north, today I want to make it to Denali National Park, 360 kilometers away.
A car pulls up next to me at an intersection, the window goes down, and a guy in a plaid shirt, mustache and hat calls over to me that the Dust to Dawson motorcycle rally is taking place on June 21st and 22nd in Dawson City, Canada. More than 250 motorcycles like mine are expected, plus it’s the 20th anniversary. The light turns green, the guy disappears as suddenly as he came.
The temperature is falling steadily, when I arrive in the national park, it’s still eight degrees, but at least it’s not raining any more. At the park entrance, the ranger warns me: For God’s sake don’t store any food in or in front of the tent, because this is the one
Widespread bears have excellent noses and are always hungry. I just eat my Pringles, Snickers and the can of tuna myself and fall exhausted into the sleeping bag.
Army car
Bonneville: The salt flats in western Utah are famous for record drives.
The next morning the sky clears up every now and then, gaps in the clouds reveal a view of snow-capped mountains. The road winds its way through the national park in gentle arcs, coniferous trees tower up to the right and left, everything is lush green. Only the first 28 kilometers of the cul-de-sac into the park are privately driven, after that you can only continue with shuttle buses. The chance of catching a glimpse of Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America at 6,194 meters, is almost zero despite the gaps in the clouds. I turn around and continue north.
My fingers are cold and stiff, it’s still raining, the temperature barely rises above eight degrees. Now a hot bath! The Chena Hot Springs are only 100 kilometers to the east: hot springs feed a rock pool, and what could be nicer than loosening your tense muscles in 55 degree warm water? I turn off and on the way to the springs I see two beavers and an elk in one of the countless lakes. After more than two hours in the pool, I am deeply relaxed and look for a campsite.
The next day I pass Fairbanks and for the first time see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline by the side of the road. It stretches from the oil field in Prudhoe Bay in the far north to the port in Valdez in the far south of Alaska. One fifth of the US oil demand is covered by this pipeline; I see security vehicles patrolling accordingly often. There are now only few petrol stations, and I am making a mistake: in the firm belief that there is petrol in the town of Livengood, about 100 kilometers away, I leave the petrol pumps next to me, drive on and am still amazed at the sign “Next service 118 miles “- almost 190 kilometers. And indeed: no petrol in Livengood! I creep on, the reserve indicator has been flashing for what feels like an eternity. Finally the next place, after almost 410 kilometers a little more than 20 liters go into the tank of the Super Tenere – the dress rehearsal for the next section has been passed.
Army car
Photogenic skyline: on the way to the highest point in San Francisco, the so-called.
A bullet-riddled sign announces the infamous Dalton Highway. Asphalt and gravel roads alternate at the beginning of the 666-kilometer route to Deadhorse, but that should change quickly. I stop for the obligatory photo at the Arctic Circle, swarms of mosquitoes drive me on. The tundra begins, the trees slowly disappear – in the long, dark winter months there is hardly any light for photosynthesis, only flat bushes and grasses now line the slope.
Behind the rest stop in Coldfoot, the big nothing begins. No gas station, no workshop, no cell phone network, no campsite. 390 kilometers of gravel with allegedly inconsiderate truckers and terrible road conditions lie ahead of me – at least tell other motorcyclists. I’m not worried about the Yamaha – the Super Tenere gives the impression from the start that nothing and nobody can harm it.
After a while I wonder when it will get more difficult, because the gravel road is relatively wide and surprisingly well prepared. I let it roll, my speed is now around 80 km / h. Oncoming trucks pull huge plumes of dust behind them, completely fogging me in, my teeth grind. I am covered with fine dust from top to bottom. Most trucks, however, visibly brake when they see me coming. Some passages with still loose gravel make me lurch a bit, otherwise there are no major challenges, also thanks to the Continental TKC 80, which claws properly into the ground.
Army car
Los Angeles: Schwarzenegger friend and B-movie star Ralf Moller.
Maintenance teams are constantly improving the runway so that the supply of material to the oil field is not interrupted – the Dalton Highway is in really good shape. Shortly before midnight, the sun is flat above the horizon to my left, sending warm, golden light, while a rainbow is forming from the dark clouds some distance away on the right. Craziness! Around two o’clock in the morning I pitch my tent a little away from the slopes by a river and fall asleep quickly despite the light.
The next morning I reach Deadhorse and thus the actual starting point of my trip. The navigation device shows 70 degrees, 12 minutes north latitude – from now on I only go south. I do a few laps between all the tanks, trucks, workshops and living containers, everything has only one color: dusty gray. There is nothing to see, the saying “The journey is the goal” has never been more valid than on the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse. I fill up with bad, expensive fuel at a tiny wooden hut, talk to a few other motorcyclists in front of a hotel and leave after about two hours. The next destination is Dawson City in Canada. The anniversary of the Dust to Dawson motorcycle meeting in the Yukon Territory is awesome: The most dazzling guys on motorcycles of all classes meet here to celebrate. They talk about gasoline, get to know each other, compete in games of skill that are hard to beat in terms of fantasy and fun. It must have been the same in the Wild West, here I can guess what was going on at the time of the gold rush. Bars overflow, girls dance, wild guys go wild, but the mood stays good and the meeting is forever in my memory. After my Yamaha has been admired extensively, I make my way south again.
Leave the Yukon Territory, cross British Columbia with its fascinating nature and its hospitable people. Approach the United States border and enjoy the increasing warmth. In San Francisco, along with other Panamerica drivers, I meet such nice people that I don’t even want to leave. In Los Angeles I meet Hollywood director Paul Verhoeven and Ralf Moller, one of the few Germans who have achieved star status here. Here too: loads of party invitations, cool people, bizarre encounters and unforgettable excursions to the grand national parks of the American West.
More and more I realize that it is actually the interruptions that make the trip the experience of my life. Which is not to say that the marathon trips on the Yamaha are not great experiences. The Tenere is my home, my reference point on this Panamericana. It is a pleasure to go to dirt tracks with the stable chassis to lure the bike out of its reserve. That is hardly possible here in the west of the USA, because other challenges must arise. For example Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama. How I get to Colombia via the Darien Gap is not yet clear. My journey remains exciting …
Info
Overview of the route.
It’s the old dream: one day from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. No problem as far as the Mexican border, challenges await behind it. Basic information:
Transport: Depending on the flight provider or forwarding agent, there are different options for transporting the motorcycle. The easiest way is to place the motorcycle directly on a pallet and lash it down without dismantling any parts or removing the wheels. Since volume in the aircraft is “given away” here, this type of transport is relatively expensive depending on the destination airport. In the case of transport in a box, the following generally applies: the smaller the box, the cheaper it is. Our author organized one of those metal frames from a motorcycle dealer in which new motorcycles are delivered. These racks usually end up in the scrap container at the dealer and therefore do not cost much. The shipping companies require a closed box, so the frames are either clad with plywood or thick cardboard.
EPA – letter of exemption: Anyone who imports a vehicle by air freight into the USA – even temporarily for travel purposes – must apply for a special permit from the Environmental Protection Agency, the American environmental protection agency. This Letter of Exemption certifies that the vehicle does not have to comply with American emissions regulations. Personal contact details, the reason and duration of the import and the technical data of the vehicle are sent by email in advance. If the EPA has no objections, it will issue the approval within a maximum of three weeks – all of this is done via email without any problems and is free of charge. Further information and contact: www.epa.gov
Detailed view of the driven route.
International vehicle registration: It is not absolutely necessary, but can make it easier to cross the border, especially in South America. It also serves as a reserve in case the national vehicle registration document is stolen or lost. For around 15 euros you can get the international vehicle registration from the responsible registration office.
Forwarding agents and prices: Only a few forwarding companies take on motorcycle transports to Alaska. The forwarding company Kroll-International prepared an offer for 1750 euros for air freight transport from Frankfurt to Anchorage. Leisure Cargo, Air Berlin’s freight company, calculated the transport at 1250 euros, Yusen Logistics was in the middle at 1550 euros. Depending on the offer, picking up the box at home is already included in the price. The shipping company takes care of all the necessary customs documents as well as the required air waybill and the dangerous goods declaration.
Related articles
-
Motorcycle tour through Bolivia
Daniel Lengwenus 29 pictures Lengwenus 1/29 Experienced globetrotter takes on a young student for her first tour of South America. An adventure in itself…
-
Schulz to travel Motorcycle world tour Motorcycle world tour 50,000 kilometers home Many dream of the great journey, the trip of a lifetime. At some…
-
Motorcycle tour through Algeria
to travel Motorcycle tour through Algeria Motorcycle tour through Algeria The dunes of the Sahara Algeria. The grave road, the sand dunes from Erg…
-
Morocco motorcycle tour for Africa beginners
Iron ham to travel Morocco motorcycle tour for Africa beginners Morocco motorcycle tour for Africa beginners Allah’s wild rock garden Mysterious cities,…
-
Motorcycle tour – the north of Chile
Markus Biebricher 14th pictures Markus Biebricher 1/14 Communicative: break at the trucker bar in the middle of nowhere Markus Biebricher 2/14 Evening…
-
Motorcycle tour Peru – from south to north
Markus Biebricher 15th pictures Markus Biebricher 1/15 In Peru, one of the most diverse countries on earth, you can commute between the extremes. More…
-
Breakable 22nd pictures Breakable 1/22 Island happiness: The slender streets of the Isle of Mull enchant especially around the highest mountain Ben More…
-
Motorcycle tour in Northern Thailand
Jo Deleker 36 pictures Deleker 1/36 Traveling by motorcycle in Northern Thailand. Deleker 2/36 Traveling by motorcycle in Northern Thailand. Deleker 3/36…
-
Motorcycle tour in Kashubia, Poland
Henniges 30th pictures Henniges 1/30 Low pressure areas can really spoil a tour. Five days of vacation, but not a sunspot! Apart from the Gdansk region….
-
Motorcycle tour Himalaya Ladakh
Photo: Lohse 32 pictures Lohse 1/32 Lohse 2/32 … must not rely on perfect conditions. But a lot can be mastered on the Enfield. Lohse 3/32 Lohse 4/32…