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Route Planning Where to go, when, what are the interesting places to see
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 15 Aug 2009
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prudhoe to tdf or tdf to prudhoe
hello, i am doing this trip next year with a friend both on 650 v-stroms, and was wondering which way round is best considering we only have 3months to do it in, im not sure which way round will give us the best compremise with the seasons?
we would like to leave the uk around may-aug time of year.

the route i have planned for south america is mainly west coast apart from seeing the iguazu falls. and we have no preferance to which way round we do the trip.

any help would be most appreciated

thanks
chris
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  #2  
Old 16 Aug 2009
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I've just finished Panama to tdf. Went down the Pacific side, back up the Atlantic. Given your timing, I would suggest the Pacific. Much more of interest on that side. The east coast of Argentina is particularly boring (ie, Patagonia). Iguasu is worth a side trip.
The direction, north/south or south/north depends on the time of year. Try to arrive in tdf in the summer (dec to feb). It's cold enough then... winter would not be doable.
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  #3  
Old 16 Aug 2009
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Go North to South from prudhoe to TDF and watch out for the road surface on the Alsaska Highway, we've just come back bits of the road are cr*p (stop at Fast Eddies in Tok, best food for miles and say hello to Shandy in the bar at Beaver Creek in the Yukon). A side trip to Haines is worth it just for the road as is the road to Skagway. Vancouver Island is worth it. Once you get into the US of A you'll be on the right side of the road for the good views, the Oregon Coastline is superb, a side trip to Crater Lake National Park is a must as are the Parks in California (get a yearly pass for the National Parks in the USA it's worth it). Visit 'See America.Org' for details and do your homework. Not done much of SA but Peru and Chile have good coast roads and plenty to see on the way (Machu Pichu, San Pedro de Atacama etc.). Have fun.
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Old 16 Aug 2009
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thanks very much for the replys, its looking like starting in alaska sometime in sept which will bring us south for november. does this sound right???


i have the route ready planned and there is sooooooo much to see and i know with such a tight time schedule that we wont be able to see half as much as we would like but it should be pretty good anyhow. we intend on going down through yellowstone then carry on down to saltlake and onto grand canyon/vegas/hoover. so think we will miss the coast in the usa which is a shame but i fully intend going back for a seperate tour through the states another time.

chris
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Old 17 Aug 2009
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Hi Chris, being a pommy you are probably more used to the cold, but I am not sure you realise how cold it gets up north.

I just completed the run to Deadhorse a few weeks ago and am now getting the heck away from the cold. It was cold then, it is getting worse now and it is mid August. I have Gerbings heated gloves, jacket, pants and socks and without them, for me, I could not have done it. As it was, the road was dry and dusty and fast but still very cold. In September I think you may hit rain and snow and the Atigun Pass will be extremely cold.

I know you only have 3 months, I would try and stretch that to 4 and get the north done earlier in the season.

That said, there are bikes heading that way now, so what does an Aussie know about the cold eh!

Cheers
TS
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Old 17 Aug 2009
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3 months to get from Alaska to Patagonia? wow, you will be pushing it. I took 3 months to just travel from Buenos Aires down to TDF and then back up the Chile side to Santiago and back to BA.

I would suggest forgetting about Canada and the US and starting either with central America or straight to South America. Colombia down to TFD in 3 months is still not long enough.
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Old 17 Aug 2009
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There has been lots of discussion here recently about time allotments for the Alaska to Ushuaia trip. Three months is not unheard of, at least in the planning stages, but I don't remember hearing from anyone who's actually done it that quickly. I wonder if they really exist. Anyone care to chime in?

To me, it doesn't sound at all impossible---merely difficult at times, awkward, uncomfortable and probably quite frustrating. But then, that's been true no matter how much time I've got for whatever trip I'm taking. The OP would certainly have a better chance on his DL than I on my KLR.

And for whatever it might be worth, perception of cold sure varies. I happen to think early September a wondrous time in the far north, and I don't use heated gear (or a fairing or giant windshield). I do get cold from time to time, and sometimes I question my own sanity and penchant for self-abuse. But that all fades once I warm up again.

enjoy,

Mark
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  #8  
Old 18 Aug 2009
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fair enough, i would rather spend more time doing the trip but i can not so i will do it in 12weeks. obviously barring a majour breakdown or such!.
as for weather anyone has actually done this trip in 3 months then yes..... kev and julie saunders i belive did it in 30 days or something like that! that means i have 3times more time to do it than they did. i dont want to cut the trip short. it would ruin it i did that i recon
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  #9  
Old 18 Aug 2009
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Chris
There are two ways to look at travel (nether is right or wrong), one way is to see as much as you can for what may be a once in a life time opportunity. the second is to take it slow and and take the time to "feel" as well as see. Most of what I have done has been in the first category but I am pushing to do some in the second. That said I would suggest mid August start in the north, much in to September and places start shutting down and I found the to be the best time to miss the blood sucking insects. But that may put you getting into TDF early. My wife and I did Alaska and back to Washington (6000) miles in two weeks, two months would have been better but we only had two weeks and it was still great.

Traveling fast you need to plan on it costing more per day as you will not have the time to find the best spots to stay and you will be buying a lot of fuel.

The way life seems to work is you have the time an no money or the money and no time.

If you go trough Western Washington I always have a camp site and a shop to fix what you broken.

Bob
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  #10  
Old 18 Aug 2009
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thanks bob, ill bare that in mind.
i think my mate and i would rather put up with things cold than put up with mozzys!
have to give it some more thought.
cheers
chris
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Old 3 Sep 2009
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Prudhow /TDF
Hi Chris.3months fine thats the way i like to travell,but my partner Denise she likes the slower way so we come to an agrement and have to hang around a bit,check out coxmorganoverland.co.uk we did it in 5 1/2 months with the hanging around bit included.
Have a great trip you will love it John Cox
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  #12  
Old 7 Sep 2009
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thanks John, ill take a peek at your site.

iv been struggling to get rough distances for south america, could anyone tell me how far ushuaia and buenos aires are apart?

cheers
chris reid
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