Alaska 2023 - As it happens!

[Sgt Bilco]

As I do every year, I'll try and keep up a running commentary on my Alaska trip which is always a great adventure.

It's a bit earlier than usual this year but the trip is a 13 day ride around the worlds greatest place to ride an Adventure bike in my opinion.

After the debacle of Covid and it's affect on shipping, we have to use rentals which is Ok and I use a fantastic small family run rental company who are a joy to work with.

Ok here we go..........

We all flew out yesterday, 1st June, from various points but 4 of us used a brilliant route on Lufthansa and Condor via Frankfurt. They are the only airline running a direct flight to Anchorage from Europe and after a glowing report from Jon on last year's trip, we gave it a go.

One of the great benefits ius you avoid having to use Heathrow and a major US airport to transit which as anyone who has travelled long haul can be misery at best.

Flying time was Birmingham to Frankfurt 90 mins then a 9hr 30 min haul up to Anchorage. The usual queue at Birmingham then we boarded the A319 to Frankfurt.





Luggage checked all the way through so the transit in Frankfurt was painless and up to the usual German efficiency and we climbed aboard the Condor 767-300 on time.

The flight was excellent and probably the best airline food I've ever had. The crew were friendly and service excellent.



The route took us over Greenland and into Alaska from the north which would have made great pics if it weren't for the cloud cover but never mind as we'll be riding down there soon enough.

.




Immigration was a breeze in Anchorage and we were welcomed by a Polar Bear in arrivals.

 

[Mjhb]

Looking forward to hearing all about it !


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[bristolsaint]

I'm in

 

[Headtester]

Me too!

 

[timeandtide]

Don’t really need to say “Have a gud’n!”

 

[Traffic893]

Looking forward to this.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Whilst most of the world is bathed in warm sunshine, we awake in Alaska to some unseasonably cold weather and rain but thankfully the forecast looks pretty good for the start of next week when we leave Anchorage.

I always think it's a good idea to arrive a few days early to get over the long flight and generally chill out and have a look round. Everyone has arrived at the AirB&B by 23.00 and all settled in. It's the first time I've used Air B&B on a trip and booking rooms in Anchorage is a fecking nightmare and the shower of shit running the Holiday Inn group let me down yet again!! I'm sure one of the guys will be along at some point to give an opinion of whether using air B&B is a success or not.

I always stay with my buddy Bill, made famous in the Itchyboots Alaska videos from last year, and his wife Chris which is always good and means I can start my day off with a proper cup of Yorkshire tea. They have even got a kettle which is the game changer for hot tea up here.



Firsts things first and it's breakfast at Gwennies which is an Anchorage institution and one of the best breakfasts you'll find anywhere. One or two the guys can't quite get their head around teh choice of artery blocking lovelyness but we all get out breakfast



After we waddled our way out of Gwennies, we went to a great store called Cabela's which is a huge store for the huntin' shootin fishin brigade which is a huge market up here. You can get everything from a mosquito net to a .50 calibre snipers rifle under the same roof. There was a lot of jaw dropping as everyone wandered round and bought some bits and pieces.



Spot your favourite tosser.



A selection of goods....








Available over the counter..............



The guys wandering around the second hand gun department pronably getting tooled up to keep the tour leader on teh straight and narrow.



To our eyes, this is all a bit odd to our delicate sensibilities but perfectly normal up here were just about everyone is packing a weapon of some description.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

The guys needed some retail therapy at the Apple store in town so whilst they got an Uber into the city, me and Bill headed off to the rental comany to sort the bikes out.

I use a small family run company who are a joy to work with. Nothing is too much trouble and the bikes are top notch. They have just moved into new premises and due to a delay in them signing the lease, they could only get the bikes out of storage and into the warehouse on Wednesday so it's all go. The bikes were all serviced before going into storage last October so it was a matter of a full and comprehensive check all over, fit panniers etc and generally sort any minor issues as we are the first group out.





We decided to change the chain and sprockets on the 850's as the factory ones are made of cheese as we found out last year. so Bill set out about that job.



Everything got done and all we were left to do is road test all the bikes which can wait until tomorrow as we had to get back to Colditz to pick the guys up to end the day at an excellent little Mexican restaurant. These trips are tough I tell you.........

 

[tjmouse]

Should have ditched the holiday budget and booked for this year. Oh well, will enjoy the trip report instead.

 

[Aidan1150]

Beware the Welshist Chris, that's all I'm saying and keep in mind that he'll be in Leenaun too.

Have a great trip lads.

 

[Orinoco]

Have a great trip, looking forward to the updates.

In Caleb's, the signage in the gun department was 'Benelli', same company as makes the bikes?

(ignore, just Googled to find it's also Italian, so assume the same)

 

[Wapping]

And bods wonder how and why so many people get murdered by guns in America.

Great to watch the trip unfold.

 

[Arsey]

Gus Fring is alive !!

 

[SBD]

And bods wonder how and why so many people get murdered by guns in America.

Great to watch the trip unfold.

yeah, but when there are polar bears about, I think I’d want a gun too. There’s one in the museum in Dover and it’s HUGE.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I'm keeping a close eye out Aidan

 

[Kritou]

yeah, but when there are polar bears about, I think I’d want a gun too. There’s one in the museum in Dover and it’s HUGE.

The Canadians I worked with told me they carried a side arm when flying F18s way up north. If forced down and threatened by a polar bear you had the option to shoot yourself before it ate you alive … mind you they spent a lot of time pissed!

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Excellent. Have a great trip Chris and everyone.
Thanks for taking the time to post the pics.
Stay safe Comrades.

 

[Jon]

I always think it's a good idea to arrive a few days early to get over the long flight and generally chill out and have a look round. Everyone has arrived at the AirB&B by 23.00 and all settled in. It's the first time I've used Air B&B on a trip and booking rooms in Anchorage is a fecking nightmare and the shower of shit running the Holiday Inn group let me down yet again!! I'm sure one of the guys will be along at some point to give an opinion of whether using air B&B is a success or not.

No adventures at the Motel 6 OK Corral this year then? I doubt the AirB&B could be worse .

Glad the Condor route still as good Definitely recommend it to anyone going to Anchorage.

Wish I was there again - next year

 

[Sgt Bilco]

It's always a bit fraught before teh start of the trip for me anyway double checking all the details and even test riding all the bikes but for teh guys of course they are just chilling out.

We had a BBQ at Bills and found some rather interesting local beer ti drink which could become a favourite,



Bill got his gun collection out and nothing more dangerous than a tosser with an AR15!





So Sunday morning dawns and we head up to the rental office and collect the bikes. Considering they only moved in on Wednesday they have done a brilliant job and everything was all lined up ready to go. Marcus and Michelle are among the worlds nicest people and just want everything to be right.

Paperwork signed and bikes loaded and we got away about 10.

 

[The Other PaulG]

Thanks for writing this up.

I sometimes think these pre-trip moments - getting to know your new buddies, prepping the bikes, buying last minute stuff - are one of the most exciting bits. The anticipation is tangible!