Ray's

2026 Moto Alaska

2Up1Down

7,950 miles, 18 days

July 2026

SpotWalla

This trip and the previous one to the Big Trees were back-to-back.

This was my forth motorcycle trip to Alaska, and I enjoyed it just as much as the last ones. The ride never gets old because the weather, the animal sightings, and the people met are never the same. The trip is long enough to sink your teeth into. And I always learn so much.

I called the trip "2Up1Down" because I took a pillion to Fairbanks then rode solo back home (2 north, 1 south).

I rode two-up on this trip - Max and I. She was made in China so doesn't speak much English :) But she's very cute, and Jenny likes her as well. She was with me for seven weeks altogether, including a month on the bike - before I somehow lost her in Fairbanks, AK. I will have to look for another mascot for next year, but for now, I'm getting ahead of my story.

Speaking of mascots, some of my readers might remember "Sparkle" of last year's Alaska trip. I still have her, and every time I go to the grocery store, I see that they are still selling this cute squirrel dog toy. The company must have made millions of them.

An odd story: Early morning I was packing the bike in front of my motel room in Rock springs, WY; when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a cat strolling by the room. My bike was parked six from the motel room door, and so the cat must have been only a few feet from me. But it was a very large cat, so I looked again and saw that it wasn't a cat - it was a red fox. Imagine a wild fox in town. I sure did a double take on that one!

Not part of the story, but today (Aug 2) I was walking across a field close to home (in NM), when I found this snake. It's a gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer); non-venomous and quite docile. But imagine my surprise when I found a conspicuous scar on what would be it's left shoulder. Several years ago I removed a large cactus thorn deeply embedded in it's body. Turns out, this snake and I go way back, and it once lived with me for five months, maybe five years ago. It wasn't thirsty today and I didn't have any feeder mice to give it, so after an hour together I returned it back to the wilds.

Ballpark Campground I wanted to camp here, but a fast-moving wildfire suggested I move on.

Highline Lake State Park

Quarry Visitor Center Dinosaur National Monument

Flaming Gorge Reservoir

These two women were from Missouri and were touring the country on three-wheelers. Turns out they are sisters, and have been riding motorcycles pretty much all their lives. They switched from two-wheel bikes last year because of an accident, but they are still going strong.

Willow Flats and the jagged Teton Range

Black Pool hydrothermal, Yellowstone National Park

Crowds awaiting the eruption of Old Faithful Geyser

Red Rock Pass Rd, I've camped here many times.

Excelsior Geyser Crater in the fog.

Black Sand Basin

Laid-back Raven in Yellowstone

Yellowstone Falls is really ripping today

Life on the bike.

Leaning Tree Campground

Logan Pass in Glacier National Park. No hiking today because I didn't want to leave the bike in the strong winds.

A view from the Going to Sun Highway

Returning to St Mary, I made a starling discovery. The rear tire was showing a few cords in one small section. The tire was almost worn-out. I needed to high-tail it to the nearest motorcycle tire shop, and unfortunately that was back in Helena. But once there, the shop had the needed tires. (Front 120/70 R19 and Rear 170/60 R17: Dunlop Trailmax Raid at Mount Helena Motor Sports. Good people, excellent service.)

Rocky Mountain Sheep in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB Canada

Canyon Campground

Lake Louise

Bow Lake from Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint

icefields parkway

Whistlers Campground

Dawson Creek

This is the woman's third Goldwing, she said.

Charlie Lake Campground

Sikanni River Campground

Painted rock seen at a pull-out

Traditional stop for cinnamon buns and coffee at the Tetsa River Lodge

Muncho Lake

Liard River Hot Springs

Yukon River

Whitehorse

Ground squirrel at Destruction Bay

Thompson's Eagle Claw Motorcycle Park

Oil change at Thompson's

Thompson's

Thompson's

I turned around at Fairbanks.

Same ground squirrel at Destruction Bay

I pulled into Yukon Motorcycle Park at 11:30 PM and slept for three hours

Yukon Motorcycle Park

Tire changer at Yukon Motorcycle Park

Continental Divide Lodge

Liard River Hot Springs again

Gas stop at the Northern Rockies Lodge

Toad River Lodge

Fort Nelson, gas and sandwich on the fly. (Make a sandwich and eat half, then eat the other half while blazing down the highway.)

I pulled into the Mile 80 Rest Stop at midnight and made camp

Mile 80

Mile 80, I slept for three hours then hit the road again.

Dawson Creek signpost again

I made camp in the middle of New Dayton at midnight

The rear tire was wearing thin, and I began to be concerned. I was only a day away from home, but I had to cross the hot desert. So I stopped in at 21st Century PowerSports in Blackfoot, ID. They had only one tire that fit my bike, but it was a very good one (Continental TKC70 Rocks, 170/60 R17)

I pulled into Helper, UT at 12:30 AM and made camp in a small park across the street from the City Hall. I slept for only two hours before hitting the road again.

I rode from Fairbanks Alaska to home in only 4.5 days, averaging 20 hours riding per day. this was Iron Butt riding at it finest. It might sound extreme but there's a secret. During the day I took frequent naps at the Iron Butt Motel. Procedure: Pull into a rest stop, find the least obvious place to park the bike. Without getting off, place feet on the ground, on both sides, lean forward until the helmet contacts the handlebar, and go to sleep. Typically I wake up five minutes later wondering where I am. But it's all good, so I start the engine and resume the journey.

Arriving home

Jenny hosing off the bike.

Planning Map for Future Reference