AMW Trip Reports
Yukon & Alaska ~ R1200GS ADV

Who Bill Patterson ~ email ~ website
ProfessionIsotope Geochemist
Born Nationality US
Previous travel experienceMany countries, all continents
Previous bike travelsAll over Northern USA and Canada
This tripSaskatoon to Syracuse to Seward to Sioux Falls to Saskatoon
Departure dateJune, 2008
Number in group1-4
Trip duration40 days
Distance covered23,970km
Cost of trip (not incl. bike)~$20,000
Best dayLots of them
Worst/ hardest dayYellowknife to Fort Liard via the MacKenzie Highway and the Fort Liard Trail
Favourite placeYukon Alaska
Biggest headacheOne of the other bikes
Biggest mistakeEating the Big Daddy Ditty at Ditty's Doowah Cafe
Most pleasant surpriseFriendliness of the bears up north
Any illnessNone
Other trips plannedSaskatoon to Panama
One travel tipBring extra fuel in the NWT and Yukon, some stations are 600km apart
Bike ModelBMW R1200GS ADV
Age/ mileage on departure2,000km
ModificationsAdded fuel can in the Yukon
Mods you wish you'd doneI wish that I had the panniers that I ordered in February
Type of baggageNorth Face Expedition bags and Sea to Sky waterproof inserts
Tyres usedMetzler Tourance (road) and Continental TKC80 (dirt)
Number of puncturesNone
Bike's weak pointTop heavy in the silt and sand (we all know that though)
Bike's strong pointBig and quick on the highway
Bike problemsHeadlamp burned out
Number of accidentsNone, though I nearly hit a bison that fell on the road in front of me
Same bike again?Absolutely
One biking tipDon't hit bison!