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Old 01-25-08 | 04:45 PM
  #5  
Muttsta
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Originally Posted by Leerafel
(averaging 75 miles per day)
Thats a a lot, it's possible, but you won't enjoy it, I would recommend less

Originally Posted by Leerafel
We will be completely self sustained, and will be camping as much of the time as possible. (Hostels and CouchSurfing when not possible to camp.)
For all of Alaska, Yukon, and most of BC you can 'stealth camp' for free. There is so much of nothing that belongs to noone. Granted, you will want to stay at campgrounds every few days since they have showers, laundry, electricity, etc. For a campsite you should budget roughly $10 to $15

Originally Posted by Leerafel
#1. How much money should I budget per day in Alaska and Canada?
That depends if you want to cook your own food or not, and if you do, you'll probably get sick of it soon, but I would say roughly $30 a day or so, which doesn't include bicycle parts or things like that

Originally Posted by Leerafel
#2. Is there a guidebook available for the Alaska to Vancouver section of the ride?
Not that I know of, there really isn't anything there. I would recommend getting very good maps and finding those guidebooks for RVs and things like that. There are towns on the map sometimes on which there isn't much. The Casiar highway is a good example, there was a stretch of about 400 km of 'nothingness', and where there was something it was closed for the season still

Originally Posted by Leerafel
#3. If there isn't a guidebook, would someone please share information about good places to camp, buy food, etc.
If you want to stay at a campground you can find a list of provincial/state campgrounds you can stay at, or if your on a tight budget just walk 100 ft off the side of the road
As for food, the only place your going to find anything is in the cities/towns, there isn't anything in between

Originally Posted by Leerafel
I am trying to plan my route and schedule, and I could really use some help here since I don't know the terrain. It is easy to look at "google maps" and say "hey, that looks like it is downhill! I think I'll ride 100 miles that day," but then be completely wrong and end up way behind schedule. Also, I know sometimes in certain areas North of the jet-stream that you can hit some pretty nasty head winds while heading South.
The winds were very, very bad in some places, I specifically remember a place called 'Destruction Bay'. Your goal of 75 miles per day is doable, but your going to hate life. The Casiar highway is a little slower for biking since the road conditions are poor and the road is gravel in some parts. Additionally, roads in the Yukon are terrible, full of pot holes etc.

Originally Posted by Leerafel
So basically, any info on route ideas and planning (and any other insight) would be very helpful!
In my journal I usually detailed if I had a rough day or if I came across nothing, my best advice for you is to get good maps
Couchsurfing won't be much help to you apart from the larger cities
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