Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

FUN ON ABMW OR ..HOW NOT TO GO TO ALASKA By James Campbell ThomsoD Camp was struck at Bear lake ClUJlPwas going to be a cinch. We were able to ground, 40-some miles up the road. I maintain 50 mph with ease. stayed here two days as it was the Part of the bull I had been told by weekend. And I was not really in any "Informed parties" was about the long rush. No spectacular thtngs happened; I stretches without gas stations. There nursed my wounds by day and fougllt was gas to be had at least every 50 miles mosquitoes at n1ght. It was here that I and usually at 100- mUe intervals repair noticed the days began to extend. The facillties and a store. sun did not go down til 10:30 p.m. At approximately mile 125 the hardMonday about noontime I set my sights packed clay ended and loose gravel beon Dawson Creek, 210 miles up the road. gan. My speed was cut to 35-40 in third From past exPerience I exPected to gear. I soon learned to follow the inner arrive about 5 p.m. The Manta fairing bare spot from the cars, moving toward was lashed on top of my carrying box, the center at the turns where the gravel or what was left of It. We made a good was deep on the outer edge. hour's run and came to the end of paving Problem Time on the road. This gave me a reason to rest, so I leaned the bike against a teleThe weather at this point was showing signs of an approaching storm. I made it phone pole and discmounted. I badn't been lying in the grass five minutes beup to what a road sign called "The Secfore two bikes rolled up to mine, coming ond Highest Point on the Highway." At from the north. Closed Cave (mile 150) lwaited out the TbCllls...·s BMW Is "'rely visible under Its load at ibIs ..stine place on the 7~m"e unpaved stretch to Dawson C.... Pauslne In a park at Fort Nelson on lbe Alc:u Hwy. are author James Thomson (rllllt) and fellow trav"er Charles Lowman from New Jersey. The riders turned out to be college students from near Fairbanks. One was on a BMW R-69S, while the poor onehad a Honda Dream. They told me they had ridden the Alean Highway in four days (1200 mUes long) and that the unpaved section I was beginning was 71 miles in length. We then exchanged a few words about BMW superiority. after which they left me to my 71 mUes of gravel. It took two hours (although It seemedllkethree) to reach the blacktoP again. While on the gravel I passed a large brush fire at an oil drl1llng rig and was asked by the foreman to stop at a small settlement up the road and inform them of It. This was dooe, and we continued north. The sun left me still 70 miles from Dawsoo Creek. In company with ~e sUD went what little warmth was left. On arrival In Dawson Creek. we stopped at paulson's Campground, where camping was a buck a night. bot showers 25~. I was so cold I'm sure even a cold shower would have felt good. Dawson Creek has a mood all Its own _ somewhat Uke st. LouIs had when It was the jumping-off place for wagon trains going to California. The road to Alaska begins here, so people from all over the states and Canada were gathered, preparing for the ordeal ahead. F1Uther Preparation I stll1ed two days as there were preparations to be made on the BM. At a local lumber yard, fIberglass cloth and resin were purchased and an afterDOOll was speDt pasting and pounding, tben attach1ng the fa1rIng back on the R-27. Of course, the wIndsh1e1d was gone but the bottom part offered some protsct1oD. '!be wider tire was pot on the rear and au nuts tlgbteDed to prevent shedding. '!be A1can HIghway ts paved for 86 miles from Dawson Creek. Also for the traveler's convenience tbere are mile posts on the roads1de. Wednesday I was away, with the town of Fort Nelson (mile 300) as my destlnat1on. The paved stretch passed eas11y, and When It ended I was quite surprised to find hardpacked clay. My flrst tboughts were. If this was to be the notorious Alean, It storm. After half an hour or so the rain stopped, the sun came out and now my troubles really began. 'Ibe Alean descended quickly to lowlands and the gravel turned to hard-packed clay - or what had been hard. '!bere was now a sUck fUm of mud to contend with. My speed was down to 20 when we reached a right-angle turn and sUd right off. Nothing was hurt, I was just off the road. With a bit of pushing and sUpping the clutch, the road was again attained. It took me 20 minutes to make the next mile post. Let me just say that It was SLICK. After the stretch of sUme, my feet were Ilack on the pegs andwewereraoring along at 25 mph. The surface had Improved, but not as much as I had hoped. Down went the bike on apeg-bendingflop that sent me rolling. Nothing much was hurt, except my hope of achieving a31lOmlle day. Not too many more mUe posts went by until I noticed the BM seemed to be 108ing power. upon stopping, I found the rear brake smoking for It had been forced on by a bent peg. The sunlight left me 60 miles from my destlnatloo, but I reduced speed and kept going. Arrived late and set up camp in Fort Nelson's Park. Dldn't eat much, turned in promptly• Got up late. Decided to spend a day bere straightening out the bike. Besides the pegs and brakes to work OIl, the box was too much weight for the rack. The commerclal1y available motorcycle luggage racks are fine for light weight 00 paved roads. But a little over 200 miles 00 the Alean had bent mine out of shape. I had had a 1/2-inch steel rod welded under the part that attached to the fl!llder. Even that didn't belp me. Well, I gave the box and all the things that I felt I didn't have to keep the heave. I rolled the rifle and my clothes up 1nside my tarp, tying this on the rack. It stuck out two feet on each side, but that was okay with me. '!be tent was stuck in the space between the seat and rack. Evef7thlng else was put in the newspaper bags. In the early evening I looked up to see another falrtnged BMW coming toward me from across the field. This turned out to be Charles Lowman, a young engineer just out of college. With some time to kill before having to begin work. and a new BMW R-69S, he was going to Falrbanks to visit his sister. So we joined up together to ride the remaInder of the Alcan. After the evening meal, we were visited by two local riders on Honda 50's. One told of heavy rains on the section we would be traveling on the next day. In his own words he said, "It's as slick as soot on a tin roof." He was pretty near right. As we left Fort Nelson, we agreed to alternate front position every ten miles. U one ran off the road, the other rider would know somethtng was amiss before getting too far in front. Lowman. with his twin. was able to cruise at a s1IgbUy higher speed (about 50) than I felt comfortable at. '!be flrst couple of times he led I would drop Ilack half a mile or so at the end of the section. Early in the day I was unnerved crossing a short coocrete brtdge. and plunged into gravel that seemed a foot deep. The problem was accentuated by two oncoming cars. Luckily they moved over to let me ski past. After the gravel came the mUd, as we entered a lowland sectioo that would have been very fast had It not been· for rain. I quickly found a sUck spot and went down at 25 mph. I tried again UP the road 20 mUes or so. While taking a turn, apatch of slime was crossed. and I was on my head again. While passing two giant house trailers near the summit, Charlie moved too close to the edge of the road. His rear tire sliPPed off the road, pulling him after It, and he flopped on the steep shoulder. There was no damage as the mud was soft. We were soon back on the road, and shortly thereafter made the summit. It was damn cold, ra1n1ng with snow falling not too far above us. We each took a picture and headed for warmer air of the valleys ahead. Eight hours after leaving Fort Nelson we pulled into the LIard Hot Spring at mile 496.5, giving us an average of about 25 mPh. The hot spring Is a "must" stop for bike riders, and dirty car drivers allke. although It's a nothtng campground _ too small, no wood and few tables. Here a boardwalk begins that leads one to the hot springs, 500 yards into the woods. This first "spring" justa wide, damnedup cr'€llk, had been provided with dressIng rooms and an entl!rlng dock on one side. '!be surface temperature was 129 degrees and the Idea was to stir up the cooler under-water, jump In and keev stirrtng. ED. NOTE: Here, happily stimo, and headin, for warmer valleys, we leave our weary traveler. His adventnres whUe stayinC in AJasIla, and the trip back, wiD be cowred in later installments.) r----------------------------, MOTORCYCLES ONLY I I SALVAGE I I : I COMPLETE S£RVICE- HARD TO GET PARTS WE SERVICE WHAT THEY SELL : I L _~ ~s:.. 1~ ~~4~ ~:'n ~.~D:':~f:': T': 2,:1~ _ HARLEV- DAVIDSON o~ J .Dr Long Usa Special '65 '66 Tn 36S4 I .. L "'S Fro. $795 lead.... 426-nOJ J

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