Anyone thinking of this ride next summer? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Anyone thinking of this ride next summer?

jeff96

Well-known member
Shared route
From Woodville to Tuktoyaktuk via BC-97 N.

3 d 9 hr (6671*km)
3 d 9 hr in current traffic
Avoiding tolls


1. Head west on King St/Kawartha Lakes County Rd 9 toward Nappadale St/Kawartha Lakes County Rd 46

70. Slight right onto Beaufort Rd
71. Arrive at location: Tuktoyaktuk

For the best route in current traffic visit https://goo.gl/maps/tnFwrQa6X3A2
 
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59. Turn right
60. Turn right
68. Turn left
69. Slight right

....hmmm...precise directions there. Good luck with the ride.
 
59. Turn right
60. Turn right
68. Turn left
69. Slight right

....hmmm...precise directions there. Good luck with the ride.
Directions? I always figured I'd just point the bike west lol.

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The real point is that for the first time, we can ride to the Arctic ocean. The Inuvik to Tuktoyuktuk road just opened a couple of weeks ago

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I know that's awesome. Wasn't trying to be a jerk, just funny.
Reality is that with two young kids rides like that a few years away yet.

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I didn't think you were being a jerk, but I should have been more clear on what I was thinking. Both boys are away in July this year, so I'm thinking of going for it. Three weeks is probably a minimum needed to do it

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I wonder who will be the first ADV rider to do it? Current temperature in Inuvik is around -20, so I doubt anyone has done it yet!

It appears that there are some pretty long distances on the Dempster Highway (to Inuvik) without services.
 
I'm guessing the first to do that route from Woodville is going to be you
so there's no urgency :)
 
The only urgency for me would be completing the trip in the amount of time I'll be able to get off work.
It looks like I'll need a range of at least 400 kms plus a buffer for worsened mileage on gravel, winds, etc

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The only urgency for me would be completing the trip in the amount of time I'll be able to get off work.

Not sure how much time you have, but you could ship your bike to Calgary and skip the boring stuff in between to save some time. Then go up Banff and Columbia Icefields (which you are skipping on your map) to get some nice scenery and curvy roads in. And if you're in a crunch on the way back, ship from Calgary back to Ontario.
 
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Maybe its just me, but shipping the bike there kind of defeats the whole purpose of saying you did the ride. Take a shot at it. If you run out of time you can always ship it back. At least you can say you made it there. Nobody has to know you didn't make it back. :)
 
I've read a few stories of hardy souls that do rides into the far, far north like this and just don't get it.

inuvik.jpg


What's the attraction? Doesn't dusty, muddy, rocky, rough slogging over barren tundra get kinda boring?
 
That's actually a really good idea. My first impression was that this would be too expensive for me, but I came up with some estimates to see. Either way, the most time I can see getting off work is July 10 to Aug 1. Vacation booking for me is in February, so this is still a variable. Trucking or riding, I'd probably take the three weeks, so the food and accomodation costs would be roughly the same.

Ride: 14000Km round trip = ~560L of fuel at $1.25 = $700.
Truck: 7500Km round trip =300L or $375 in fuel. $1000 for truck and ~$600 round trip flight from Cheapoair (I didn't make that name up BTW)Total=$1975

Both trips are rounded up slightly for food, fuel, etc, but I would probably ride a lot more kilometres if I flew because I can. I would definitely use up more tire rubber riding, but again, I would riding more than the minimum 7500 km if I flew. Neither scenario is a complete estimate; I'm just trying to focus on the cost differential.

For me, the trucking/flying is a deal breaker financially. The real question now is not can it be done, but should I? It's under 10000 km round trip to Tofino or Cabo San Lucas. It's only 3000 km round trip to Chisasibi on James Bay. Perhaps, given my time and budget constraints, I can travel and experience more with a different destination in mind
 
I realize this is all very preliminary, but as an FYI, if fuel here is costing $1.25/L, then expect it to be more expensive everywhere else you travel in that northerly direction. In remote spots, I'd guess that it would be closer to $1.50-$1.75/L. Heading south is when it gets cheaper, the further you go away from Canada.

Also if you are riding on these trips, be realistic/honest with yourself about how much you ride per day and account for time spent stopping to smell the roses and even days off from riding to explore. Some riders account for 500-700km/day. I like to do over 1000km/day, but it means I'm riding all the time and not stopping much. Also if you were to ride out to Tofino or Baja, would you take the most direct interstate route to get there, or do you like to ride through interesting places or take scenic backroads? Personally, I would ride to Tofino during that time of year as the northern latitudes and higher elevations would be really comfortable. Riding in the deep south mid-summer could be a scorching hot ride.
 
Have you done long trips before? What bike are you taking?

Whatever average mileage per day you're calculating, that last 900km stretch of gravel on the Dempster is going to significantly lower it. One silver lining is that you'll never run out of daylight in the evenings...

Also, pray for no rain for that whole week before and during your attempt. Otherwise you'll be dealing with a lot of mud! :shock:

Bring a bug shirt (and hat) and lots of mozzie repellent.

Best of luck! Take lots of pictures and post them up on here!
 
Maybe its just me, but shipping the bike there kind of defeats the whole purpose of saying you did the ride.

It's just you. People ship and truck and fly bikes all over the world to enjoy the best regions in limited time.
Some here truck bikes to Deal's Gap for instance.
The phrase I've ridden Deal's Gap is the key - how you and the bike got there is irrelevant.

It was brilliant to get on a plane at 9am in Toronto and be riding up the Sea to Sky Highway at noon the same day in Vancouver.

There are a lot of positives as well since those long rides often mean a tire change - flying the bike 5,000 km can most often mean that issue is eliminated for the trip, let alone wear and tear on rider, bike and cost of fuel, food and accommodation for relatively uninteresting slab riding into the wind.
 
Maybe its just me, but shipping the bike there kind of defeats the whole purpose of saying you did the ride. Take a shot at it. If you run out of time you can always ship it back. At least you can say you made it there. Nobody has to know you didn't make it back. :)

If you only have x days of vacation, it would be a shame to only ride within x/2 day's radius around where your bike is garaged.
 
I understand what you are all saying but there is a huge difference between saying 'I rode there' and 'I rode all the way there'.

It all depends on the rider's goal.
 

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