Tuktoyaktuk June 2018 " Tenere Trio "

towboatcrisco

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June 15 2018 Three British Columbian Tenere Riders set out for Tuktoyaktuk ! All of us are from the Greater Vancouver Area and have know each other for several years . We're all in our late 40's and maybe one lucky guy just turned 50 :eek: . We met at a local dealership in Langley and our Adventure began.

The Bikes; Two 2012 Tenere's both owned from 2012 and One BMW convert on a 2017 Tenere! ( says he is loving it by the way .. except for the stock Yamaha panniers ) .

My Tenere weighed in at 440 Kg / 970 lbs that's all gear , rider , and fuel . ( I was also the one carrying all the tools )
 

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towboatcrisco

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• Hwy#1 through Fraser canyon to Cash Creek up Hwy# 97 to Quesnel stayed at Boucherie Lake for a Total of 650KM

• Boucherie lake to Smithers Hwy# 97 to Prince Gerorge then Hwy# 16 to Smithers , Stayed @Riverside RV and Camping along Bulkley River for a Total of 500KM

• Smithers to Stewart B.C. / Hyder, Alaska and the Salmon Glacier Hwy# 16 to Hwy# 37 @Kitwanga then Hwy# 37A @Meziadin Junction 330KM to Stewart and from Stewart 40KM one way to Salmon Glacier for a day Total of 490KM. Stayed @Bear River RV

• Stewart to Boya Lake Provincial Campground Hwy# 37A to Meziadin Junction then Hwy# 37 to Boya a Total of 550KM

• Boya Lake to Whitehorse Hwy# 37 to Junction 37 ( Boarder of BC and the Yukon ) Hwy# 1 Alaska Hwy Total of 505KM
 

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Cycledude

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Looks like a very nice group. Are any of you carrying extra gas ? We will start heading up there the 2nd week of August.
 

towboatcrisco

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Arrived in Whitehorse , stayed with some relatives of one of the "Trio". Along the way to Whitehorse stopped in at the Teslin Gazebo and made our mark ;)
Our Tourist day in Whitehorse included : the Transportation Museum , the Beringia Museum , The Klondike Steamer, Miles Canyon and a few other spots around town. I should give a shout out to " Yukon Yamaha " great bunch of guys there and very helpful .
This may be new to some of the past Adventurer's the Yukon is giving out passport booklets at tourist locations and info centers , with these you can collect specific stamps along your route at the more popular destination . ( in Dawson City at the N.W.T. tourist info they have a DEMPSTER Hwy Passport which is much the same collect stamps along the way on the Dempster . On your way back if you stop in you can pick up a certificate stating you survived the Dempster ! Be sure to say hello to Dawn )

• Tourist day Whitehorse

• Whitehorse to Dawson City Hwy#2 for a Total of 532KM , stayed across the Yukon River at Yukon River Campground just off Hwy# 9 , Hwy# 2 changes once you cross the river ( Hwy #9 is know as top of the world Hwy) Registered for Dust to Dawson

• Dust 2 Dawson
 

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towboatcrisco

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Always good to check the weather before heading out from Dawson City on the Dempster Hwy. The N.W.T. Tourist info center in Dawson will have the latest reports . The Card lock gas station at the start of the Dempster is always a good idea for fuel as it's 369Km's before Eagle Plains. We all packed Fuel of various portions one of us had a rotopax , a 2 gallon jerry can and a couple MSR fuel bottles . These after the fact were for piece of mind as we never really needed them on our whole 17.5 day trip .Actually come to think of it there were a few 2 gallon Jerry cans sitting just across from the Card lock Fuel station near the "Dempster Hwy" sign I suppose they were someone else's safety factor.

• Dawson to Eagle Plains 405KM . Klondike Hwy# 2 for 35KMs to the Junction of Hwy# 5 "The Dempster" Hwy then 370Km on Gravel to Eagle Plains. Stayed at Eagle Plains

• Eagle plains to Inuvik, 365 total Km with 2 ferry crossings first @ Peel River near Ft.McPherson and second on the Mackenzie River near Tsiigehtchic. Also you'll reach the Arctic Cirlce about 37Km north of Eagle Plains . Rock river is about 40Km north of the Arctic circle and this is where my **Off occurred** . Also Hwy# 5 changes to Hwy# 8 at the Yukon / N.W.T. boarder . Once in Inuvik stayed at Happy Valley Campground in Town .

Rock River , that particular section on June 24 was a wee bit wet :eek: :eek: not a good thing . I was lead bike and as I turned the easy left hand sweeping corner into a 5 to 6 degree downhill I seen the change in colour from that light grey to a chocolaty brown NOT GOOD I started scrubbing speed immediately and by the time I was in that greasy muck I was doing about 40Km-30Km the tires started to pack up ( Mitas E-07 ) and the hard ruts underneath were trying to dictate were the bike was going :'( :'( I was trying to keep 'er rubberside down and almost did... ::005:: almost Back tire caught a rut parallel to my track and out she went right side down ( throttle side) The actual " Off " itself was uneventful as I had rode it out long enough to scrub a lot of speed BUT the Yamaha OEM pannier didn't see it that way it pretty much disintegrated ! :eek: The other two of the Trio were far enough back that they had a little more time to prepare and kept there bike's upright with great difficulty . Once all the debris was picked up from my " Pannier Garage sale " it took all of us to right the bike as it would just keep sliding . While Re-organizing gear ( one pannier less ... the larger one to boot) we noticed another pannier in the ditch .. oh yeah looks like we found the pannier Graveyard here :mad:
We were off again in no time and as it turns out this was the biggest challenge our whole 17.5 days .

** To add to this we heard That many people went down in this exact location , some incurring injuries so we felt pretty fortunate when all was said and done **
 

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towboatcrisco

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June 25 2018 The weather was cooperating and we had our widow ! :) All the stories we had been hearing from Whitehorse all the way up " If it's wet forget about it " so many Riders abandoned there bikes , or there bikes would no longer move through that thick greasy soup!! We didn't see any injuries personally but when you hear the same stories over and over again about guys sustaining major injuries there has to be some merit to them . We had a group of friends that went up a week or so before us and they reported dry conditions but the remnants of the wet were all around in the motorcycle carnage left on the sides of the road . The theme from everyone was " if its dry no problem , if it's wet don't bother " . A positive is the road doesn't take long to dry and harden up .

• Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk and Back 140Km one way so 280Km for the day . Left out gear at the Campsite to lighten the bikes. Hwy was challenging but dry so it was as good as it gets. There are sections that can be pretty soft , I think someone nicknamed it the " Marshmallow Hwy " as a few section you wonder what the road builders were thinking .

Once in Tuktoyaktuk we as most drove right out onto the spit Two of our Trio stripped down to there skivvies and got " baptized Arctic style " ::003:: I had been to Tuktoyaktuk twice previously in 2006 and 2010 Via Tug Boat so I'd already been " Baptized " and didn't feel the need to Re-Visit that ;D . If you visit the Hamlet office for 5$ Canadian you receive a Tuk sticker, a pin, and a certificate saying you made it. !!
Once back in Inuvik we met up with several other riders for beverages ::003:: at the mad trapper !

• Inuvik to Dawson City Big day did the whole Dempster Hwy in one shot , weather was good so 790KM for the day . Stayed at the Westminster Hotel not a straight wall,door or stairwell in the place , ended up kissing the sour toe then off to Diamond tooth Gerties for the Can Can girls some food and much deserved beverages
 

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towboatcrisco

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• Dawson City to Whitehorse Total 532KM Hwy #2 Arrived late A fellow Tenere rider who we met on the way up in Whitehorse and who we kept running into took a money shot to the radiator top back corner had a leak so we offered our support as well as input . They ended up using "stop leak" and last I heard on July 4 they were still running on that rad , mind you they had a perfectly good used one as a back up which they acquired at " Yukon Yamaha "

• Stayed in Whitehorse at the Robert Service Campground while sorting out our gear Re-organizing and doing laundry ( we had previously left some gear behind at one of the Trio's relatives house now we had to make space)
This may be a HOT TIP for some ... a large cutting board with holes drilled in just the right spots accompanied by hefty zap straps will create a great spot for a dry bag pannier mount 8)

• Whitehorse to Liard Hot Springs Total 650KM Hwy#1 till you cross B.C. Boarder then changes to Hwy# 97 Stayed at the lodge Campground Tons of Bears and Buffalo in this area

• Liard Hot Springs to Fort St.John Total for the day 690Km ( weather was horrible wet and cold ) stayed at a Super 8 just off the Alaska Hwy

• Fort St.John to Hixon Total for the day 500KM Hwy# 97 to Dawson Creek " Mile Zero" Alaskan Hwy

• Hixon to White Rock Total for the last day 700KM Long day again crappy weather Hwy# 97 to Cash Creek Hwy#1 to 264st Exit then 16Ave home

***** Total of 8405KMs My Super Tenere Wieght was 440Kg / 970lbs. Left of June 15 2018 Arrived home July 2 2018.*****
640$ for Fuel
770$ for food,drink,lodging
600$ for Misc. ( things you don't tell the wife you spent money on ::025:: )

This was the first big Adventure I've been on with My 2012 Super Tenere I learned a ton , especially what to and what not to pack . I've done a fair bit of Backpacking over the years to many countries but never have I lived off my Motorcycle for 17.5 days. Can't wait to start planning the next Trip .
Hope you found this somewhat helpful / entertaining . I dropped my bike a total of 4 times including my Rock Ridge incident , the other three times were mother earths gravitational ability and my short legs not touching Terra Firma .
No issues with any of our Tenere's but after the return trip Down the Dempster we all reported weird rear brakes do to dirt/mud . Once home I pulled the back brakes apart and my new pads still had lot's of meat on them but looked like moonscape with all the pitting .
 

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towboatcrisco

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Cycledude said:
Looks like a very nice group. Are any of you carrying extra gas ? We will start heading up there the 2nd week of August.
Like I mentioned we all were carrying fuel but really had no need for it . When we were in Whitehorse one of the group went to buy a small jerry can and he went to 2 stores , ended up with the last one ! Guess everyone had the same idea . Where the Dempster Hwy meets #2 by the "Dempster info sign" there were 3 of those exact jerry cans just sitting there empty .
 

eemsreno

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Great pictures and story.
Three Super Tenere's to Inuvik , That sounds familiar!
I'd like to make it to Tuk now.
 

gv550

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Great ride report, and photos! I was about a week ahead of you guys.
I left Ontario June 10 and rode 7028 kms to Tuk on June 17, did it solo, tent camped, got the sticker. I then returned to Dawson for the rally, then rode the Top of the World to Alaska, down to Tok then south east to Hyder to see the Salmon glacier, then home for Canada Day.
I also had a little get-off from the dempster near the Arctic Circle, slipped in a rut and went down the embankment, thru some scrub trees and ended up on my side in the tundra with the bike trapping my leg. I waited 10-15 minutes for a passing motorist and he helped get the bike off me, no injury and I thought the bike was fine but now that I'm home and cleaned the bike I found several scratches on the front fender, a cracked fairing side panel and gouge in the pannier.
It was very cold when I went, 4C in Inuvik, which I think worked to my advantage as the muck was near frozen and I could ride without sinking in much. It rained hard from Ft McPherson to Inuvik and that was the worst section for me, very slippery but since I had used up all of my luck the day before I rode slow and got through without incident. Hell of a ride!
 

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BWC

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Great report.
From some of the other reports I’ve read it seems that new section of road from Inuvik to Tuk has some sections that turns pretty soft when it’s wet. Hopefully it will have improved some by next year as 4 of us on Teneres, and one on a new GSA are planning on giving it another go in 19.
6 of us tried in 17 to make it to Inuvik but got to the Tombstone visitor center only to be informed the road was closed till further notice due to fires burning on both sides of the road at the 280 km point before Eagle plains.
 

towboatcrisco

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gv550 said:
Great ride report, and photos! I was about a week ahead of you guys.
I left Ontario June 10 and rode 7028 kms to Tuk on June 17, did it solo, tent camped, got the sticker. I then returned to Dawson for the rally, then rode the Top of the World to Alaska, down to Tok then south east to Hyder to see the Salmon glacier, then home for Canada Day.
I also had a little get-off from the dempster near the Arctic Circle, slipped in a rut and went down the embankment, thru some scrub trees and ended up on my side in the tundra with the bike trapping my leg. I waited 10-15 minutes for a passing motorist and he helped get the bike off me, no injury and I thought the bike was fine but now that I'm home and cleaned the bike I found several scratches on the front fender, a cracked fairing side panel and gouge in the pannier.
It was very cold when I went, 4C in Inuvik, which I think worked to my advantage as the muck was near frozen and I could ride without sinking in much. It rained hard from Ft McPherson to Inuvik and that was the worst section for me, very slippery but since I had used up all of my luck the day before I rode slow and got through without incident. Hell of a ride!
::003:: What a great story and HUGE ride !! and solo ! that Dempster I tell ya I'm glad your all good as for the bike piece's can be replaced . The other side of that the bike got you there and back ! before you noticed some discrepancies . What a machine !
I mentioned a rider that had a rad problem on his Tenere he picked that up somewhere he didn't know .. when he rolled into Dawson City late that night I seen him and we chatted I noticed that the side of his bike was covered in that greeny type baked on coolant , pointed it out . As it was a little less light out we both dismissed it to some kind of road grime but the next morning everyone knew that wasn't the case . He said after that he noticed the Temp of the bike was higher than normal but it didn't raise an alarm with him , who knows how long he had no coolant in his rad for but the bike made it to his destination where he was able to apply a repair.

As we rode south between the Ferries there was a lot of construction on the road ( as always I'm sure ) this made certain sections more challenging that would normally be the case !!

Glad you made the round trip !! Nice job Capt. Solo 8) ;)
 

towboatcrisco

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BWC said:
Great report.
From some of the other reports I’ve read it seems that new section of road from Inuvik to Tuk has some sections that turns pretty soft when it’s wet. Hopefully it will have improved some by next year as 4 of us on Teneres, and one on a new GSA are planning on giving it another go in 19.
6 of us tried in 17 to make it to Inuvik but got to the Tombstone visitor center only to be informed the road was closed till further notice due to fires burning on both sides of the road at the 280 km point before Eagle plains.
You'll Be Right Bernie !! who knows maybe i'll tag along pick up a few things from you long term cagey riders :).

As for the road your absolutely correct , leaving Inuvik in the dry your thinking what's all the fuss about then about 20 or so Km's out you are now riding on Marshmallows its a real soft dirt like just after you rototilled the garden and there's waves so the bike tends to wander around a fair bit partially plowing and sinking . Standing up , right gear selection and NO ::005:: Slowing or stopping did the trick for us ::26:: . then again about 20 or so Km's from Tuk the road turns to that rutted hard surface , like concrete really but when wet you can see how passage there would be next to impossible .
One more thing we noticed and other riders pointed out along the way both the Dempster and the new Hwy to Tuk are ever changing and spots I've mentioned may be fine the very next day . Where I had my off when we were south bound , it didn't even look like the same place except for the direction of the road ( plus someone had come along and cleared all the pannier debris :mad: curses as I forgot to grab my lock out of the destroyed pannier )
 

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escapefjrtist

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Thanks for the pics and RR! Great information for future planning purposes.

Heck of a trip y'all did, sounds like timing is everything when heading north to Tuk.

~G
 

gv550

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Yes indeed, I was lucky to land in the soft tundra rather than the gravel surface. My leg was twisted and foot stuck under the frame but I was wearing heavy motocross boots which likely prevented injury. As you found out, plastic doesn't play well with gravel, as did this fellow rider from Ontario. I don't know the rider but the talk at Eagle Plain was that he suffered a broken leg.
 

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gv550

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Here's a pic of road surface heading south from Tuk. Loose gravel, wet and very slippery. I couldn't get off the bike, my boots just sunk into the muck when I put weight on them.
 

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skoron

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Great report. You did a great job of capturing the trip.

Your experience on Rock River reminds me why I have been told over and over to not use hard bags when riding in offroad or tough conditions. Soft side bags make sense now.

Thanks for taking us along on your trip.

Skoron
 
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