If you look at the bucket list of most Adventure Riders, you are likely to find an Alaska Adventure Tour listed near the top. Moto Journalist Ari Henning of Motorcyclist Magazine is no different. For years he had dreamed of an Alaska Adventure Tour, but the 3,500 mile journey from Los Angeles made it a difficult trip to fit into his busy schedule. When an opportunity arose for Ari to fly into Alaska to ride a loaner KLR650, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

It was MotoQuest’s “Industry Invitational Tour,” their last tour of the season before winter sets in. A 1,500 mile journey (one quarter of it on dirt) took the group through Denali, Wrangell‐St. Elias National Park, Anchorage, Paxson and Valdez Alaska. On their week-long tour, they encountered all the sites you would expect to see in Alaska including blue glaciers, caribou herds, salmon filled streams, abandoned mines, monolithic mountains and the rolling grasslands of the alpine tundra.

Nightly camping entertainment? Shooting bottle rockets at each other!

The invitation came with a disclaimer though: “This ride is not for wimps. Riders must be physically fit, mentally strong, and able to cope with adversity.” The group rode through remote areas of Alaska without cell coverage and camped in cold, drizzly weather. The rough, wet terrain took its toll on many of the bikes which would require nightly repairs. Many of the riders dropped their bikes during river crossings and had to go through a de-watering process to get them running again. The group seemed to have a great time on the tour though with impromptu hill climb challenges, potato canon demonstrations, bottle rocket wars and plenty of beer by the campfire.

The story vividly describes what a wild, lonesome and vast land Alaska truly is. Check out the full story “At Long Last…ALASKA!” on Motorcyclist Online. And if you are ready to check Alaska off your bucket list, take a look at the tours MotoQuest has to offer.

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.