I’ve always been one for adventures, whether its a trip to a new country, a long road trip, or simply visiting somewhere new in my own city. Ever since my first trip to Yellowstone National Park while I was in middle school, all I have wanted to do is travel as much as I can. Getting out of my comfort zone and experiencing new places and meeting new people is one of my favorite things to do.
Riding motorcycles is also one of my favorite things to do. So naturally, combining my passion for traveling and motorcycles has given me opportunities to visit places while getting a unique perspective. If you have never been on a motorcycle before, it is a completely different experience than riding in a car. On a motorcycle, you feel everything. The wind, the rain, the cold, the heat, the bugs, the rocks and debris shooting up from the road…you feel all of it, all of the time. Although it is not always an enjoyable experience, it certainly keeps you focused on the road ahead and completely aware of your surroundings.
Shortly after I graduated college in 2012, my dad, a family friend, and I took a cross country motorcycle trip from Atlanta to California and back. I had previously taken shorter, overnight trips to locations in Georgia, but had never taken a trip this big on a motorcycle. I was hooked instantly! Driving through mountains, deserts, forests, and everything in between was such a amazing experience and one I will never forget.
About three years ago, while deciding where my next motorcycle trip would be, I finally came to the conclusion that I better “go big or go home” with the next adventure. That next adventure is this summer. I’ll be riding my motorcycle from my home in Atlanta all the way to Alaska and back. Most of which will be done by myself! While riding by myself (most of the way) makes me slightly nervous, I am beyond excited to push myself out of my comfort zone more than I have ever done before, all while seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth.
I look forward to sharing the experiences and photos with everyone and hope that you enjoy them!
From my first cross country trip… This is my 2002 Honda Shadow ACE 750 Deluxe
2018 Alaska Tentative Trip Route and Itinerary:
Will be riding my 2002 Honda Shadow ACE 750 Deluxe.
The first week of the trip I will be riding with my dad from Atlanta, GA to Santa Barbara, CA for my cousins wedding but, after that I’m on my own!
Day 1, Departure day – Saturday, 06/30/18 – Leave Atlanta and head West! – West Monroe, LA
Day 2 – Sunday, 07/01/18 – West Monroe, LA to Graham, TX
Day 3 – Monday, 07/02/18 – Graham, TX to Roswell, NM
Day 4 – Tuesday, 07/03/18 – Roswell, NM to Show Low, AZ
Day 5 – Wednesday, Fourth of July! – Show Low, AZ to Mojave National Preserve
Day 6 – Thursday, 07/05/18 – Mojave National Preserve to Joshua Tree National Park
Day 7 – Friday, 07/06/18 – Joshua Tree National Park to Santa Barbara, CA
Day 8 – Saturday, 07/07/18 – Santa Barbara, CA for cousins wedding
Day 9 – Sunday, 07/08/18 – Santa Barbara, CA to Ashland, OR – 660 miles ; will be on my own from this point forward
Day 10 – Monday, 07/09/18 – Ashland, OR to Bellingham, WA – 550 miles
Day 11 – Tuesday, 07/10/18 – Bellingham, WA to Prince George, BC, CA – 470 miles
Day 12 – Wednesday, 07/11/18 – Prince George, BC, CA to Hyder, AK – 440 miles
Day 13 – Thursday, 07/12/18 – Hyder, AK/Stewart, BC, CA to Watson Lake, YT, CA – 410 miles
Day 14 – Friday, 07/13/18 – Watson Lake, YT, CA to Haines Junction, YT, CA – 370 miles
Day 15 – Saturday, 07/14/18 – Haines Junction, YT, CA to Fairbanks, AK
Day 16 – Sunday, 07/15/18 – Arctic Circle Day Trip, stay in Fairbanks, AK
Day 17 – Monday, 07/16/18 – Open Day
Day 18 – Tuesday, 07/17/18 – Fairbanks, AK to Talkeetna, AK (near Denali NP entrance) – 270 miles
Day 19 – Wednesday, 07/18/18 – Flightseeing Tour in Talkeetna, AK (near Denali NP) ; Visit Denali National Park
Day 20 – Thursday, 07/19/18 – Denali NP to Whittier, AK – 300 miles
Day 21 – Friday, 07/20/18 – Boat Tour in Whittier, AK ; Whittier, AK to Anchorage, AK – 60 miles
Day 22 – Saturday, 07/21/18 – Anchorage with JJ and Alex
Day 23 – Sunday, 07/22/18 – Anchorage with JJ and Alex
Day 24 – Monday, 07/23/18 – Anchorage, AK to Burwash Landing, YT, CA – 540 miles
Day 25 – Tuesday, 07/24/18 – Burwash Landing, YT, CA to Watson Lake, YT, CA – 450 miles
Day 26 – Wednesday, 07/25/18 – Watson Lake, YT, CA to Fort Nelson, BC, CA – 320 miles
Day 27 – Thursday, 07/26/18 – Fort Nelson, BC, CA to Grand Cache, AB, CA – 480 miles
Day 28 – 07/27/18 – Grand Cache, AB, CA to Jasper National Park – 130 miles, (Visit Jasper NP rest of day) ; Jasper Np to Canmore, AB, CA (Banff NP) – 130 miles
Day 29 – Saturday, 07/28/18 – Visit Banff NP ; Banff NP to Calgary, AB, CA – 80 miles
Day 30 – Sunday, 07/29/18 – Calgary to Glacier NP Area – 220 miles, 4hr. 20min. ; Visit Glacier NP
Day 31 – Monday, 07/30/18 – Visit Glacier NP ; Glacier NP to West Yellowstone, MT – 380 miles
Day 32 – Tuesday, 07/31/18 – Visit Yellowstone NP ; Yellowstone NP to Jackson, WY (through Grand Teton NP) – 60 miles
Day 33 – Wednesday, 08/01/18 – Jackson, WY to North Platte, NE – 652 miles
Day 34 – Thursday, 08/02/18 – North Platte, NE to St. Louis, MO – 670 miles
Day 35, Final day – Friday, 08/03/18 – St. Louis, MO to Lilburn, GA – 570 miles
ALASKA OR BUST!!
The journey not the arrival matters. — T.S. Elliot
herecomestrebble 
That’s an admirable itinerary but please… take it from one who has driven from PA to Prudhoe Bay round trip 4 times, go with the flow. Meaning if you see something you really enjoy forget about the schedule and if you encounter bad weather or road construction let it roll right off because there is nothing one can do but enjoy what we have and wait for things to get better. Have a safe trip (I would take the ALCAN not the Cassiar highway or use the Cassiar going North and the ALCAN heading South) OH and though quite fat pack a copy of the Milepost book. It has every mile of your drive listed with what to see and do and where the campgrounds and gas stations are and their hours.
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Thanks for the advice! My schedule will be very fluid although I do have some time constraints. I will indeed be taking the Cassiar Highway north and the ALCAN south. What kind of motorcycle did you take to Prudhoe Bay?
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Sorry I did not mean to put forth the idea that my 4 round trips were on a motorcycle, I was driving a pickup. I went out of state each year to do outdoor shows to book clients for the hunting and fishing outfitter I was working for, thus the four trips to PA and back with side trips each year to near Prudhoe Bay for caribou hunts in August.
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