Moto Adventuring: North to Alaska

by Lee Klancher

Dirt Rider Magazine July issue, 2003

"Grandeur and beauty in a thousand forms awaited us at

every turn in this bright and spacious wonderland."

- John Muir, The Harriman Expedition, 1899

Alaska's wild beauty has lured explorers,

rebels and adventure-minded visitors for

more than a century. Early explorers were

drawn to the remote landscapes and

stunning mountain ranges and coasts. This

land of the midnight sun remains a

dramatic, primitive land that draws

adventure tourists from around the world

- a perfect setting for the off-road

motorcycle adventure of a lifetime.

Born and raised in Alaska, tour operator

Philip Freeman found the inspiration for his

travel business while teaching English in

Japan. He was struck by the prevalence of

motorcycle adventure tourists on the

Japanese Island of Hokkaido. When he

returned to Alaska, he bought a clapped-

out Honda XL 250 and rediscovered his

native land from the back of a motorcycle.

Freeman accessed placed even long-time

residents never visited. Today, this love of

Alaska's remote areas serves him will as

the owner and operator of Alaska Rider

tours, a dual-sport motorcycle tours

specialist.


The most dirt-oriented of his 2003 tours

is the Prince William Sound Route, an

eight-day trip that journeys between the

Alaska and Chugach mountain ranges, down

the Denali Highway and through Thompson

Pass, a glacier-lined mountain road winding

into the coastal town of Valdez. When

riding through Thompson Pass, Freeman

says you can reach out and put your hand

on the ancient glaciers spilling out of the

jagged mountain peaks. "You can go up,

touch it and even chew on the ice if you

want," Freeman enthused. "It's a profound

feeling."


The Denali Highway offers a trip along one

of the most remote stretches of road on

this continent. Three mountain ranges are

visible from the 123-mile dirt road that

the state department has quit maintaining

due to low traffic. Freeman's groups have

run into herds of 200 caribou and often

go a day or more without encountering

another traveler. When they do cross

paths with people, they tend to be other

motorcyclists.


The scheduled mileage on the tour is about

100 miles a day, which is mild for a dual-

sport rider. Freeman says groups of riders

typically do a lot of side-road exploring,

which ups the mileage to 200 or even 300

miles per day. However, he cautions this

ride "is not for wimps."

The mountain weather is unpredictable,

and temperatures can swing from the 40's

to the 80's- sometimes in the same

afternoon. Rain is fairly common, yet

warm-weather gear is essential. "I

wouldn't keep doing this if it didn't clear

up around the corner," Freeman added

with a laugh.

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