Passionately Pink for the Cure, Komen Headquarters, Dallas TX

Well, that was a whirlwind trip. I flew out after work on Thursday night and arrived in Dallas TX. After finding my shuttle driver and a somewhat wild ride, I arrived at the hotel at 11 pm. Just in time to grab a bite to eat at the hotel restaurant before they closed. It was hard to sleep. With the travelling and the anticipation of Friday's events, I was up early Friday morning. I first met Stephanie, my ride to the shoot and "The Direct Marketing Coordinator"; she is basically the glue that holds the band together to help produce this marketing campaign.

Then I met the awesome Douglas GA crew. These ladies were the stars of the show. They were very excited to be there and stepped off the elevator in all pink, with feather boas, hats, and pink wigs. Pretty much all the pink accessories to scream Breast Cancer Awareness for the shoot. It was amazing.

We arrived at the studio, with a cast of other P.P. teams from around Texas. After a short tour of what's what's and who's who's, we hung out and waited our turn to go film and take still photos. It was all very Hollywood. We had a hair and makeup lady, who was very good and very nice. She made us all look good. Important, since the still photographer was shooting us with a Hasselblad H2 large format with a digital back. Basically a 40 million! pixel camera. It picks up everything.

I got scolded for not bringing my helmet and motorcycle jacket to Texas. They asked for a leather jacket. I think they think I ride a Harley? I don't. I then explained what a textile moto jacket is and that trying to transport my beat-up moto helmet could have caused a problem with security at the airport. (I got searched once without it.) I also told them I would have gladly ridden the bike to TX for the shoot. It's just under a 1000 miles. I can knock that off in a day. They looked at me like I was crazy and laughed.

The shoot.....
and the green screen.

The green screen -- I guess this is what the weather man uses? Not sure, but I was told they are going to superimpose Komen breast cancer awareness photos beind me and the others and edit all the video they shot and make us all sound literate. I read a bunch of lines and we did a short Q and A about the ride -- what I did with the ride and how I felt about it. They also asked me what the color pink meant to me. They asked what pink made me think of before Kris was diagnosed and what it meant to me after she was diagnosed. That was a hard question, but I told the interviewer the truth. Before my sister got cancer, pink was the color of Polo shirts worn by Frat guys up in Athens GA. I know it's a bit harsh and strange for me to say, but it's the truth. Now, pink is a color of hope for me. I've used it on the bike, and it definately stands out and makes people realize we are united together for a common goal, which is to find a cure for breast cancer.

A few things I came away with. One is the perception that since so many women have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is somehow easier to treat and 100% successful all the time. This is a huge myth. Breast cancer is still very, very difficult to treat. Not everyone just flies through it without any issues. This point was made at the shoot. Just because of the high rate of breast cancer diagnosis and the huge awarenss that so many folks bring to this disease, it is not a lesser cancer or easier to treat. It's hard to explain. Basically, it's not any less harsh or easy to deal with. It's a rough road and any survivor will tell you as much.
Another take-away is that all the money we raise benefits our local Komen affiliate here in Atlanta as well as national programs. I was given so much information that I almost forgot this -- between this year and last year, we have raised more than $11,000 so far. You should all feel very proud and take the time to consider that your generosity goes a long way in helping to provide others with information and help in seeking and getting treatment. It's a really big thing to give away money to help others. It can be looked at like an investment in the future for our friends and family. To help promote healthy living for everyone. No one should have to stop their life for a year or years to try and stay alive because of cancer. We can all help and so far we have made a difference.

So all in all, I had a great time and an awesome experience. The Komen folks were terrific, and I'm really proud to be a part of the Komen team. Stay tuned for more information about the campaign and upcoming events for our ride.

Things have been way more challenging this year. Getting started, getting all the new folks together and the logistics straight has been so very hard. Not having Brooke by my side and helping with all her great ideas is probably the biggest problem. She made things happen last year and it shows big time this year. I do have Broccoli dog with me 24/7 but he has no thumbs and can't write code for the website, so really he is just here for support. I have been given some great ideas from the new group this year and Curt has put together a good bunch of folks to do the ride. I'm going to be posting a new page about who is riding and what their reasons are very soon.

Some rather big news is Susan G. Komen has asked that I participate in a photo shoot with a group of other Passionately Pink supporters, including folks from a small town outside of Atlanta (have you heard of Douglas?) whose entire town went Passionately Pink. Talk about logistics. Maybe I should get their help!

The photo shoot should be very fun and give me a little morale boost and help me remember that we are all part of something very big. That what we as a group are doing in supporting this ride is to help save lives and give hope to our neighbors, friends and family who have been affected by Breast Cancer. And as before, this seems to be everyone I have talked to. From Atlanta all the way to the Arctic.

My motorbike is ready, sitting idle at the shop.

Little Known Fact

Let's for a day try to imagine a world without Susan G. Komen for the Cure, without the American Cancer Society (ACS), or the 5K runs or the 3 day walks, or without ATLtotheArctic. So, we would be left with doctors and patients. Well ok, so that's how it was in the past. There was less money, less people to support our loved ones, less research trying to find a cure or a drug or a treatment to help save lives.

Let's face it -- cancer is a disease that kills people. It is found in the likes of Lance Armstrong -- I mean he might as well be super man. It's also found in the likes of my sister -- a young, healthy, mother of five kids, with no family history of breast cancer. I hope you get my point: Cancer does not discriminate.

So, while my oddball motorcycle ride and this website might confuse some folks, to me it is a way to help fund research, to help give hope, and to provide a positive outreach for anyone affected by breast cancer, directly or indirectly. The ride is a tool to help raise more money, more hope, and more awareness about a disease that is almost taken for granted at this point. Maybe the ride will help to find a cure, or a less brutal treatment, or . . . Who knows?

I have a personal example to share. A little known fact about me, Daniel Palazzolo: I had two heart surgeries before I turned 18 months old. (I just turned 30 during last year's ride, and I'm feeling great.) Why heart surgery so young? I was born with a heart defect that prevented my heart from functioning properly. And in 1980, the fix for my heart defect was basically to re-plumb the way it worked using a synthetic shunt within the heart itself. But now, in the current day and age, the fix is an actual correction of the defect at birth, with no synthetic material; this allows the heart to develop normally. Why am I saying all of this to you? Well, because I recently met a friend who is on a cycling team that rides for -- of all things -- children with congenital heart defects! So, the money and awareness she is raising goes to helping children with heart defects at birth so that they can live more healthy and normal lives. After hearing her story, I realized my motorcycle ride to the Arctic doesn't sound so crazy after all.

I guess my point is that all the runs, walks, and rides -- whether in your neighborhood or to the Arctic -- raise money and awareness, as well as provide hope and a positive outlook for those who need it, and it really does make a difference.

Details Details

Well, it's been very busy here at the 2011 Ride HQ, also known as - My House. I've been on the phone with GoPro, and they are very excited about this year's ride. We are going to try something new this year and attempt a very cool time-lapsed photo album with GoPro. Basically, the plan is to set up a GoPro HD HERO to take a still shot every sixty seconds for the entire trip and then chop it up and make a really great photo album. The staff at GoPro are full of ideas and are very willing to help out.

We anticipate the arrival of the raffle GoPro very soon and will announce the next event once the camera is here. We hope to see a lot of motorbikers there! We are thinking about a weekend event, during the day. How does that sound for everyone?

Tomorrow night is the ADVrider bike night at Zuffy's Place. Curt and I will be there, and we hope that it is still going even though the attendance has been low. We know it's been a cold winter, but now is the time to dust off the bikes and get ready for the season.

As usual, the Donate Page is up and running. It is set up as a Komen Team Page this year. We have been working on recruiting more riders for all (or part) of the trip to help raise awareness and funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. So far the new approach is working. Once we confirm with the riders and answer all their questions, we will post up and have them tell us what inspired them to ride for a cure. It's been a slow start and the ride has become logistically demanding with new riders and a new agenda, but stay tuned as we will be getting more and more in the swing for this year's ride.
Also, check out the route page. The 2011 Route is up!

Thank you everyone, Daniel Palazzolo

2011 Preliminary Route....

This is the route as of right now. Its not finished but the road will continue all the way to Deadhorse. Once in Alaska there is only one road to focus on. The Dalton Hwy....
We are still going over this and are willing to change it if there are interested folks who would like to ride any portion of it with us. Please chime in as to the locations and if you are interested in helping the riders with a place to stop and rest we would love to hear from you. This year we are going to set the route up and keep to it. Hoping folks will come out and ride with Curt for any leg they desire. Stay tuned for the next gathering. We are still waiting on the GOPRO gear to show up. We are going to raffle off a GoPro HD HERO. This is the same awesome camera that shot the amazing photos from last years ride. It can mount to anything and shoots 1080 HD video and photos as well. If you have a motorbike please ride it to the next event. The more bikes the better!

First event til departure was a huge success...

More than 70 supporters came out to Eclipse Di Luna at Miami Circle last night to kick off the 2011 ATLtotheArctic trip. The great folks at Eclipse donated food, and we raised more than $1,000 for the Komen Foundation. We are looking forward to quite a few events in the months to come and will post them to this site. Hope you can join us . . .

While my sister, Kris, is recovering well, there are many more women that will benefit from the work of the Komen Foundation. We hope the awareness and funds that we raise will make a difference for some of these people.

Our lead rider this year will be Curt Coulombe, a friend of mine from the Adventure Riders meetup group. Curt is an experienced rider and is really enthusiastic about the challenge. Let's all give Curt lots of support.

Yes his bike is in fact Pink.
Stay tuned . . .

2011 ATLtotheArctic ride is happening!!

So, to get the ball rolling for the 2011 ride, we will host a meet and greet.

Our gathering will be at Eclipse Di Luna on Sunday, March 13th ( one week away!). Event begins at 6:30 p.m. and music and dancing starts at 7:30...

Located on Miami Circle, Eclipse di Luna has generoulsy offered up appetizers for our first fundraising evening! http://www.eclipsediluna.com/mc/index_mc.php
Come out for a good time and to help us raise money for a great cause! We plan to leave in August and will have monthly gatherings until we depart.

A donation at the door would be greatly appreciated. Or, you can make a donation right here; just click the DONATE link to go to our Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure site. It's easy; takes just a few moments, and is completely secure. [Last year's donations are still represented on the "dollar thermometer" on the site but will be deleted at the end of March. The thermometer will resest to Zero for our 2011 effort; your donations will appear there beginning April 1.]

This year, we would love to expand our efforts and accept help from everyone out there. If you know of a passionate motorcyclist or just a passionate person who has a story to tell or a personal reason to ride with us, please contact me and help us share all our stories to help find a cure for breast cancer.

2010 ride stats:
> Money raised - $9,100
> Miles ridden, in the thousands - more than 11,000
> Lives helped and inspired - countless

Please help us make the 2011 ride bigger and better, and let's help all our loved ones who are currently fighting breast cancer or are new and old servivors.

Thanks for your support!!

Daniel

Nashville Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

As I have mentioned before, the Greater Nashville Susan G. Komen affiliate was completely awesome throughout my trip - totally supportive and interested in what I was accomplishing.  I was fortunate enough to stop in to their office on my way home from the Arctic, and met the awesome girls working there -- Kaleigh, Stacey, Kathy, and Tina are so cool!  Needless to say, I was completely honored when they asked me to motorcycle marshal their 19th annual Race for the Cure on October 9, 2010. 

BK and I loaded up on Friday and headed to Nashville, where we attended the pre-race pasta dinner on Friday night and were extremely excited and grateful to be a part of the race on Saturday.  There were over 15,000 registered runners.... It was incredible!  The Tennessean interviewed me before the race and wrote a great article - check it out here.

Here are a few pics of the festivities from the race - pics from Brentwood Photography Group:

Kaleigh helped me marshal:

Getting ready to go:

 And we're off!

 See the guy in the pink on the left side? 

Yep, he won.

We had to "pink" up the bike a bit:

BK ran in honor of my sis:

Can you spy BK?

It was an incredible weekend and a true honor to be a part of this great group's biggest fund raiser.  It was amazing to see how much work went into each detail of the planning to pull off such a huge event.  A special thanks again to Kaleigh, Stacey, Tina, and Kathy for taking such good care of us. 

You can check out the Greater Nashville Susan G. Komen site here, or become a fan on their Facebook Page.

At long last... pics.

And finally... an album with most all of the pics I took on my journey.

ATL to the Arctic

 

The Final One.

What more can I write?  My ride may have ended, but my sister's battle continues.  In just two days, she will begin radiation that runs every day for 7 weeks, and restart the weekly chemo as well.  I rode and we all did our part - we raised $9,000 for Susan G.Komen.  Since all of the money raised was through the Passionately Pink for the Cure program, the money raised will stay in the area where the donation originated.   That being said, we have helped raise money for many Georgia and southeastern grants and programs supported by Komen dollars.

As for the ride, it was thought up, planned, and executed all in one summer.  Right when my sister and my family needed it most, we all had positive thoughts and and something to focus on during Kris's treatment.  It was a way for all of us to support her and the lives of folks we don't even know at the same time.

Before I left, many of my reasons for doing this ride were a sort of cross bond for my sister and me. Through a series of challenging and mentally draining events, we shared this summer together a bond to carry on through the tough times.  She did it and so did I, with the support of so many people.  I want to thank all of the people and the sponsors for their support and their roles in making this trip a successful and positive one.

We are going to have a get together on the 25th of Sept -- that's in two weeks.  We are planning on 5:00 PM until about 7:00 PM at Zuffy's off Buford Highway - the same spot we had the original fundraiser.  You can find directions here.  My sister and I want to invite anyone that wants to come down that evening and say hi and hang out for a bit.  It's going to be a very casual and relaxed.  I hope that some of you have time that day to swing by and catch up and check out my nearly 1000 pics that didn't get posted. 

One Week

I have been home one week. After spending so much time in remote areas and riding alone for the last 5 weeks, Atlanta seems very overwhelming.  I look back at the photos and they seem ancient!!  It wasn't that long ago that I was on the road, but it sure seems like it.  I guess we can get sucked into the easy city life so very easy and fast.  The one big thing is having a CAR!   Not having to ride the bike to get to every single place I want to go.  Not having to pack the bike so the weight is right and it rides ok, then suit up, and helmet up, and lastly, put on my gloves.
Or better yet, putting my gloves on, then my helmet, only to take my gloves right back off to get the chin strap done on the helmet, only to realize I have to take the helmet back off to put my ear plugs in, then put my helmet back on, then put my gloves on, then actually be ready to ride.  It was always an event to get ready.
Packing the bike was a big deal as well.  If I put too much weight on the back of the bike, it would "unload" the front wheel and the bike wouldn't handle well. I f I got the weight right on, it was like a dream and the bike would be fine.  Just getting that balance right had me constantly trying different ideas, and after a few days, I found what worked in making the ride comfy and not terrifying at all times.  I eventually got all my packing and suiting up down pretty well and I was very comfortable with the bike by the end of it all.

When I arrived in GA, I rode right to my sisters house to visit.  She was SOOOO happy to see me and I her.  It was great to catch up with her and the family.  I busted out the computer and began showing her the nearly 1,000 photos I had, explaining what was what and how things were.  I told her the whole big story about turning around in the Arctic, only to turn back around again and head north alone.  I told her about getting a flat my first day in Alaska, and how I tried so very hard to stay interesting in my blogging.  To write and post so she was able to read along and keep her mind busy.  She told me just how great the trip was and that it really did mean alot to her.  I was glad to hear that.
I spent the night that evening at her house then I was off to ride into Atlanta.  It was BKs birthday and I wasn't about to miss it.  I told her I'd be back in time, and sure enough I arrived on the day of... not a moment too late.  It was great to see her and of course Broccoli Dog, and show her all of my pics and videos and tell her the stories, too.

I'm glad to be home.  I fell back into my ATL life easily and I am happy for that.  I opened an automotive shop just before I left and while I was gone my business partner did great.  I arrived home to a shop full of cars!!  He and I have been busy all week bringing some really great antique cars back to life, as well as helping a few vintage racers see another lap around the track.  It's been great and I'm happy to do it.

As for the party, it's in the works and tentative for Saturday, September 18th.  So mark your calenders and when I can confirm, I will post up and let you know.

Start to Finish.

Well, I made it home.  I made it from Atlanta to the Arctic, back to Atlanta.  We raised money and awareness all along my route, starting in Atlanta and ending in Atlanta.  Covering new ground each day and taking a different route home than the one I took there.

From this - a completely clean and stripped bike:

To this:

 

A dirty, scratched, and road-weary bike that proved itself and never once faltered or stumbled along the way.  Not a single problem from this machine.  Through the heat, the rain, and the cold, up mountains, through mud and dirt, and back to highways, it never even balked at these changes.

From this muddy pass in the Brooks range of Alaska:

 To the big GA welcome center:

This was a welcome sign for me, even as a GA native.  I'm glad to be home and get back to helping Kris on the home front.  I rode straight to her house when I arrived home to GA.  She is currently in between chemo and starting radiation.  Her radiation treatment is everyday for 7 weeks (!!), AND she has opted to take the experimental chemo during her radiation treatments.  If that's not tough, then I don't know what is.  She is truly a tough cookie.

I rode the whole way.  There was something simple about it. I knew every day what I had to do.  I was riding for a cause and I had a purpose.  I achieved and overcame.  It was a great experience and I would not have changed a thing, except the reason for the ride.  My sister should not have to be dealing with her disease - no one should ever have to combat cancer.  I'm sure that the money raised for Komen will go to the right grants to help others, as well as research to try and find a cure for this disease.

I hope to have a welcome home party to thank everyone that was so supportive of this ride.  Once I have the details, I will post them up.  Thank you all and please keep checking back, as I will keep the site going as much as everyone would like.

Riding the interstate

So Monday - Idaho, Wyoming.... and that's it.  In the west you can ride all day and still be in the same state.  I rode all day and into the night a bit, and ended up in eastern Wyoming.  Camped and set my sight for eastern Nebraska yesterday (Tuesday).  I did that and a bit more.  From Cheyenne, WY,  if you ride 582 miles, you get to St. Joseph, Missouri.  Along the way I got many questions as to the bike, where I was going, and where I was coming from, but mainly folks asked where I was headed.  It was strange to say home.  All summer the answer has been, "I'm riding to the Arctic Circle in Alaska, to raise money for the Komen Foundation, it's a breast cancer charity..." The women I talk to tell me stories instantly about others they know who are survivors or talk of themselves and their personal stories without skipping a beat.  I mean, I'm a complete stranger.  But I guess since I seem sincere they open up right away and tell me how they made it through similar circumstances.

The men I meet say, "Oh really.  That's a long way," and then ask about the bike.  Fuel mileage, comfort, why in the name of all things holy am I carrying a second set of tires that are dedicated dirt tires.  Then I have to explain about Alaska and Canada and how the roads are not as wonderfully paved as they are down in the lower 48. I tell them of the Dalton Hwy and how I'm on my third set of tires.

Some folks, guys and girls, have even asked, "Isn't it frozen?"  The first time I got that question, I had to take a second and compose my answer as to not sound like a jerk.  I wanted to make them feel okay for asking me this question.  There is a major misconception as to the Arctic, and since the Discovery Channel tv show "Ice Road Truckers", people think the Haul Road is in a perpetual state of frozen chaos with crazy truck driver drag racing up to Prudhoe Bay to get that oil!!  It's kinda funny.  But everyone that I've met has been very, very nice.  The whole trip I have found that the most curious people have the best stories.

Anyhow, I've rambled enough and I'm headed east and south at a rate of 70 to 80 miles an hour, depending.
See you guys soon.

Good news...

My sister had her final Chemo treatment last week and today marks the first Monday in weeks that she gets to sleep in. She is a trooper and did a great job keeping herself healthy and as happy as she could be. I know the wonderful comments everyone made mean a lot to her and I appreciate all the support.

Back in the Lower 48

Thursday, I rode right into the interstate rush hour just north of Seattle.  As soon as I could, I turned left, making my easterly heading toward Wenatchee, Washington.  My brother Matt's Forest Service base is in Wenatchee, and also where his helicopter is stationed.  I missed Matt by 2 days (as he was off work and back home in Idaho), but I was able to stay with his buddy Chuck, who pilots the machine when Matt is on his off days.  They switch shifts - 12 days on and 12 days off. 

Me out in front of the big Bell super 205:

I rode out of the traffic and into the forest, up and over Stephens Pass, then down into the "Apple Capital of the World" (according to the sign).  

Top of the pass:

I stayed the night there with my sights set on Superior, Montana for Friday morning.  Superior is a small town just west of Missoula, Montana, where I have a good buddy that's a smoke jumper. He and his wife (who is an ex-jumper herself) set me up to stay with them my second night back in the lower US. 

After a pretty uneventful ride from Washington, through Idaho, and into Montana, I arrived here:

This is my buddy's house.  He and his wife, in true Montana spirit, hand build this home.  It's a timber framed house, meaning that the frame of this house is made out of large timber without a single nail or screw holding the frame together.  All wood dowels and very complicated joints.  It's a very cool place.

The inside of their house:

I hope they don't mind. It's just very cool and impressive.  I spent some time up here years back, helping do a few things on this house and also working on one of their old Toyota LandCruisers. I knew then that this place would turn out awesome.

So my first days back have been great.  I'm now at my brother's house in Idaho and I'm going to take a rest day tomorrow.  Then the plan is to head for the south Monday morning.  BKs birthday is Friday and I'm hoping to make it home for that.  So far, so good...  A lot of the excitement has rubbed off for a lot of the folks out there.  For me, I'm just tired.  I still have to make it home and get back to work!!

I really hope that the awareness and money we have raised does some good.  When I found out about my sister, I knew right away that I wanted to do something special for her and try to make a difference somehow.  Not only in her life, but in the lives of all everyone with cancer.  There are people out there that are willing to fight for and with their love ones affected by cancer- the donations and support prove this tenfold.  I thank everyone that has done either for me and my family, as well as anyone who needs the support of a loved one.  The positive attitude and kind words that many of you have written on this blog are a testament of the spirit and desire to help one another.

Headed home!

Well I rode all day after leaving Tok. I rode the section of the Alcan that I missed when riding the Top of The World Highway. It was a rough section, with much of it gravel, but I rode and I rode and finally I reached Watson Lake at the 37 Junction.  I arrived about 10:00 PM, just as it was getting dark.  I fueled up the bike and found a spot to camp.  Did the usual  - unpack the bike, cook, eat, clean, sleep.  The next morning was the same, I woke up at 6:00 AM because I didn't want to miss the pilot car.  Apparently they were only shuttling folks through the fire twice a day.  I was the first in line after cutting off the 60 or so cars and RV's that had already formed a line for their turn to get through on the Cassair Highway.  This is normal, by the way - the cutting in line.  All motorbikes go first in construction in Canada because the dust is so bad.  I like this system.  About 8:00 or so, a few more bikes pulled up.  We all introduced ourselves and I'm not sure what the deal was, but we were all named Daniel.  Yep - 4 Daniels riding south.  All to different places and riding different bikes, but with the same name and in the same line.  The youngest Daniel was riding a Hyabusa (this is a seriously high horsepower bike!) and doing some serious spot touring.  He and I rode together for the day.  The other guys were taking their time, meaning they were slower than us.  We didn't get going till 11:30 or so and we didn't make it through till 12:30.  My day was shot for making any miles, so I decided to ride with  " Busa Daniel" to the city of Stewart.  This is where the bear walk up river and gorge themselves on salmon.  It was worth it... the ride was great and the side trip was only about 38 miles or so.

The road in and out of Stewart:

                                                   

Crazy glacier water falls in lakes and river all along the road:

.

Dan's Busa:

It has close to 200hp.  That's more horsepower than most people have in their cars!  It's brand new as well. Most folks don't ride these bikes for more than a few hours at a time, but Dan has been on the road for over a week.

When we left Stewart, Daniel and I rode all the way to Prince George - 480 miles.  It was windy and there were two more large fires burning en route.  It was a good day.  Daneil headed west to his home town in Canada and I am riding south on Canada 97.  I hope to be back in the USA tomorrow.

British Columbia is nice though, and I will miss it here.  Alaska as well.  It was all really cool.  Everyone should get up here just once.

Breaktime is over now... time to go ride a few more hours before the day is done.  480 miles and counting.

Back in Canada riding south.

Well I left Valdez and rode up to Tok, AK yesterday.  It's not that far of a ride, maybe less than 300 miles.  I don't remember exactly.  It was too late to "make" it any where in Canada yesterday, so I stayed in Tok for my last night in Alaska.  I went ahead and got a little room with its own shower, which was nice after the night in Valdez we barley found a spot to camp.  I woke up early and I'm now on the road again.  I stopped in Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada, and found a local bakery to take a break.  I'm 1.5 hours from Whitehorse and about 4.5 after that to Watson Lake.  I'm still unsure if I will be able to make it down the Cassier Highway due to the wildfire that was burning on my way up.  It is still burning and apparently it's still winning.  I figure those guys are chasing spot - continuous timber and no real fuel breaks, which makes it very hard to suppress.  I will find out in the morning whether I can get through.  I plan on riding just west of Watson Lake today.

So here are a few pics from the riding in and out of Valdez.  Kevin said it was the best riding we had done.  I'm still torn as to what was the best riding day I've had so far.

Petty much every mountain surrounding Valdez has a glacier on it.  It's pretty impressive.

Us leaving Fairbanks, noticing the mountains with snow covering them.  This is the first snow I had seen since I arrived in Alaska.  Up in the Arctic there was no snow and it was a bit warmer.  All of the southern mountains had snow.

Pretty sure they call this Bridal Veil falls.  It's in Keystone Canyon when you ride into Valdez.  This was a very narrow canyon with waterfalls and a substantial river flowing toward the coast.

And finally, my birthday drink.  It was actually the night before my b-day (Saturday), but we celebrated early since Kevin was to leave the next morning for his iceberg tour.   Lucky.

So I will keep riding and keep writing as well.  I'm sure we will have a "welcome back home" party.  Any excuse for a big party, right?

I hope that all the folks following this blog have passed it along.  I do believe we are still shy of $9,000 raised for Komen.  I'm unsure if we will reach the "BIG" goal, but every dollar raised for research and support for cancer patients is worth it.  I've given out all of my ATLtotheArctic postcards along the road, so it's up to all of us to make this happen and finish strong.

Thank you.

08/15/1980 - My birthday

Thats right folks, I'm 30.  Might as well turn 30 in front of the world.  Kevin woke early this morning to catch his ferry right back to Anchorage from Valdez.  Me, I slept in.  I was tired.  I crawled out of the tent on my big 30th and was alone again.  Time to do some riding.  Right after I hang out in Valdez for the morning and check out the harbor, eat some breakfast, and relax a bit.  This is a very cool place.  The mountains surround this small town.  The Harbor and water are engulfed by the green mountains that jut straight up from the water.  It's a nice place.  I'm jealous of Kevin to get a boat ride and see the coast line of Alaska, but for me it would have been a 5 hour ferry ride and add another 310 miles to back track.  I was content to stay and relax then start my journey home from here.

So this is where I am and that's what I'm going to do.  I will head south soon.  I hope the Cassier Highway is open in Canada and that wildfire isn't still shutting the road down.

We will see...

Please READ this entire post. Don't just skim and look at photos!!!!

I was doing a lot of thinking after Kevin headed south.  I was thinking about my sister. How when we are kids we always have one toy that we cherish.  Just the one, and because we only have just one of that certain toy, we cherish it the most.  When we grow older and understand whats important in life, those same emotions manifest themselves towards the people in our life.  For myself and my two brothers, those emotions are for our sister.  She is our only sister and we love her without a doubt and cherish our time with her like no other.

That thought kept me rolling all morning.  It's 240 miles from Coldfoot to Deadhorse.  I had plenty of time to think about my sister and what I was riding for.  To know that I was trying to do what I could for the cause in a way that would challenge me and inspire others to do the same.  We are all in a very unique situation to help others through this website.  I hope that everyone that reads this will donate and then pass this along to a new person in their life and spread the word.  I hope that my ride has been an entertaining and inspiring event.

As for the ride, it was hard.  The Dalton is a very special highway, no doubt.  The road surface is terrible, the truck traffic is dangerous, the weather was completely awful.  The first day up to the Arctic Circle was ok, cold, windy, and a bit of rain.  By the time we reached Coldfoot, it was very cold and raining steady.  It rained all night and all morning in to Wednesday.  Our first attempt was rough to say the least.  You all saw the photos.  By the time we reached the Chandalar Shelf, it was raining hard and even the locals were not liking the weather and road conditions.  I had many people say they didn't know how we were making it through such awful conditions.  When Kevin told me he was ready to turn back, I was torn.  I knew that was the smart thing to do.  60 miles in 3 hours is not normal.  We were risking too much.

Thursday morning I was starting out alone.  I raced north to cover that 60 miles I had already ridden the day before.  The road was in better condition, a little dryer.  I rode to the top of the Shelf in a bit of rain.  About 8 miles further is Atigun Pass.  The road was one lane only and under construction.  It was also very wet and muddy.  I rode to the top and worked my way down the north slope.  When I reached Happy Valley I knew I would make it.  The weather had improved and the road was dry.  The road surface however, was terrible.  Pot holes everywhere.  It was slow going through this section.  I rode a ways and the valley opened up to huge expanses of tundra.  No trees, no shrubs, nothing but hard - very hard  - cross wind.  The road narrows here and the truck traffic was increasing.  Every obstacle you read about was there.  Poor road surface, wind, trucks.  Also construction and a ton of mud associated with it.  It was a difficult ride.  Many obstacles and just plain hard riding.  I will say it was some of the hardest motorcycling I have done to date.
 I did make it through.  I rode hard, stayed the course, and made it to Deadhorse.  It smelled different up there, it was cold and windy and you can see storms coming from miles out.  I looked back on the day's riding and knew I would have to ride right back through it all to get to Fairbanks.  I was tired and alone.

My sister has cancer and every week she has to go to chemo.  Much like what I had just ridden, she faces her own obstacles and hardships not just once, but every week!!!  Ask me if I'd ride the Dalton once a week and I'd laugh in your face.  There is the difference.  I have a choice.  For Kris and many others there is no choice to the road they have to travel every week.  They have to do it.  The only thing that makes it easier for her and anyone is her situation is the support from others.  The ones that cherish her.  For the comments on this post I want you folks to let Kris know that we are here to support her during her own battle.  That's what I'm asking of you today.

This photo is for my sister.

After making it up, I snapped these few photos and rode right back to where I started, another 240 miles that very same day.  Partly to push myself.  But mainly I just wanted to be heading towards home.

480 miles on the Dalton in one day.  Remember it never gets dark, I just kept riding until I reached that camp area.

I camped my final night on the Dalton at a BLM camp area.  I rode in very late, cooked up some dinner, set my tent, and layed down without any regrets or worries of rain or mud.  For if the weather worsened again, it didn't matter, at least I was headed home.

I arrived to Fairbanks today.  My work was not done.  I still had to swap tires again and clean my bike.  So back to Adventure Cycleworks to see Dan.   He is now one of my favorite people.  The guy is just plain nice and very informative on all things cool.

Dan went the extra mile.  He sold me a new set of tires for a deal and installed them for free.  Since my original set were no good to reuse, it was a very outstanding thing to do.  I now have my knobby set sitting in my hotel room awaiting shipment back home.  Believe it or not, they are still good.  Just not any good for regular highway use. Just "special" highways like the Dalton.

He simply stated, "For the cause, man."   He and his wife were very generous to do this for me and I appreciate it very much.

From this muddy mess...

to this clean machine...

Thank you, Dan.

His info for any ADV riders heading north for some adventure and excitement.  Go see Dan and Shawn. It's a great place and wonderful service.

Adventure Cyleworks

Dan 907-457-4259

info@advcycleworks.com

http://www.advcycleworks.com/

Remember what I said....

Arctic Circle....

Well we rode most of the day Tuesday in fairly good conditions. The Dalton Highway doesn't start until a good ways north of Fairbanks. But when it starts- it starts.  The sign reads "Dalton Highway" and 10 feet later, it is dirt.  No messing around -  the paved road ends and this gem of the north begins.  My first encounter with a truck was about 500 yards into it.  The road, sorry -  "highway" -  goes uphill slightly and hits a somewhat hard left turn.  For the truck, it was downhill and to the right.  We met in his favor.  It startled me, but I continued on and it was a nice ride.  No rain, not too much traffic.  A few big trucks, but nothing crazy.  I think Kevin was getting used to to his rental.  It's a G650GS.  This means it's a 650cc single cylinder motorbike.  It is tall, has very little power, and was somewhat loaded down.  All that combined meant he was not keeping up with the 1200.  I was fine with that and I took it easy and just rode the ride, happy to be exploring.  We finally made it to the Arctic Circle.  The pull off and the sign were the give away of course.  Otherwise, unless you had a GPS fix and just knew exactly what and where the Arctic Circle is, you would never know you'd hit it.  We lined the bikes up and got a few shots together.  I was happy to have fulfilled the "Arctic" part of ATLtotheArctic.

Kevin and I smiling away:

After the hooray of achieving this goal, we rode north to the Yukon River.  The bridge that crosses this river is cool.  It's long, downhill, and has a wood plank surface.  We fueled up there and headed to Coldfoot, and as we did, the rain began.  It did not stop until an hour ago.  I'm writing this the day after Yukon, meaning it rained for more than 12 hours straight.  Needless to say, Kevin was more than happy to pay for our tiny room at the Coldfoot camp.  It was a basic crew quarters for workers and travelers - small and basic.  The GoPro captured the whole place in one shot:

This morning we woke up and it was still raining.  It looked something like this:

for many, many miles.  I was into it. I told myself,  this is it, this is how it is and nothing I can do about it. The road was slick.  Like ice slick.  I'm not saying it was frozen, but so slick that it was hard to ride on.  With no end in sight to the rain.  We were cold.  Kevin was having a harder time than me.  I've gotten used to the big GS and he was relearning a new bike in the worst possible conditions.

We stopped and I decided that we would ride a bit more and stop again and eat.  We still had not eaten breakfast at this point.  Kevin was ok with it and we pushed on.  We made it the the Chandalar Shelf, about 63 miles north of Coldfoot.  It was raining harder than ever and cold.  I pulled off the road and shut the bike off.  This far north, the industrial traffic had picked up.  Kevin arrived a few minutes later and he got off his bike.  He said he was inclined to turn around, that he had just almost wrecked his bike and he had enough of all this.  I thought to myself...We have only ridden 63 miles in 3 hours... at this rate, it would make for a long day all the way to Deadhorse.  I wasn't going north alone in this weather and I didn't want Kevin riding alone to the south since it was was no better.  I told him I'd ride to the top of "the Shelf" and see what was what on the other side.  He stayed behind and waited.

I raced up the hill.  Third or fourth gear maybe.  I wanted out of the rain and if Kevin was to keep riding north, so did he.  I rode to the top and beyond a ways.  It was a bit dryer on the other side and it flattened out some.  I knew he wasn't in for any more of this.  At least not another 180 miles of it.  So I snapped a few pics and rode back down.

Accepting defeat for today.  At the time I was convinced that I'd lost my chance to get up to Deadhorse and back.  When was I ever going to be up here again?  Next year?  I just couldn't be certain and I was feeling pretty low.  We rode back to Coldfoot.  Logistically, we had a problem.  If Kevin wanted to head back to Fairbanks, and I wanted to finish the out the ride, he would have to stay in Coldfoot tonight.  There was not enough time in the "day" for him to make it back down alone.  If he left, I'd have to go with him, since I had all the camping gear.  It was a dilemma.  I had a heartfelt talk with myself on the ride back into Coldfoot, not knowing what to do.

We ended up eating and taking a minute and getting a plan together.  Tomorrow, I will ride north to Deadhorse.  Kevin will ride south to Fairbanks.  This gives each of us a full day to not feel rushed and make it to where we each want to be.  I will meet back up with him on Friday.  I will camp tomorrow night in the Arctic someplace, and then ride back to Fairbanks on Friday.

I was relieved to have made a deal.  One that works for us both.  He doesn't have to fight his motorbike all the way up to Deadhorse and I can finish the leg of the trip, knowing that even through all the diverse ups and downs I've had that I stuck to my goal and stayed strong.  I won't lie though, it was pretty miserable riding.  Raining, cold, slick.  It was just a mess.  The trucks were even having a hard time.  We were just risking too much at that point with so much rain and the road was straight up a mud pit.  I'm ok with heading up tomorrow alone and getting it done.  I'm glad Kevin has remained positive and he even stated he was having a great time despite all the weather and poor road conditions.  If he had felt more comfortable and it was not raining so bad we would have no problems, but considering what we were dealt, I understand his notion to not want to risk it and wreck the bike or himself.

Tomorrow I will head north, SPOT turned on, make it the Deadhorse and then south a ways. 

 David, I will look for the keychain.  I have not forgotten.

Tonight we are in Wiseman, 12 miles north of Coldfoot.