[Nelsress]

Hopefully this isn't considered "highjacking the thread", if it is and anyone has suggestions/comments, feel free to message me privately.

Well, after realizing that it's too difficult to depend on guys my age being able to take (or even want to take) a ride like PA to AK, and even if they commit, things just seem to have come up to prevent it from happening. So, I decided to check the places I want to visit the most for lodging availability. After I did, I realized I could still take the ride this year, talked it over briefly with my wife, who agreed, and my Alaska ride will commence on June 24!!

One of my old Air Force buddies who lives in CA is interested in joining me for at least part of the trip but he's about 5 years younger than me and still working full time so he wasn't sure how much time he could get off. At least I'm hoping to have a riding partner some of the way but, if I he can't get enough time, it will be an amazing adventure, even solo!

That said, I've got 10 or so motel/log cabin reservations thus far and have been lucky enough to get them all with a couple beds, in case my friend can swing the entire ride. Now I need to get some Medivac medical insurance, a good tire repair kit (do I want a mini compressor?), add a couple USB ports up front for Go-Pros and my phone, a set of tires and maybe a pair of Forma Adventure low boots.

 

[mikeyk101]

Not sure if this came up before but you mention getting Medivac insurance. Probably not a bad idea but just so you are aware, these aren't usually for being flown from the scene of an accident to a hospital. That is supposed to be taken care of by your primary insurance. Primary insurance would even be responsible for transporting you from one hospital that isn't properly prepared for your level of injuries to another better equipped one. I had an experience with this one time about 6 years ago and my insurance covered the $29,000 bill completely but not right away and not without a fight with the medivac company and my insurance.

But the Medical insurance will cover getting you from Alaska back closer to home to a hospital for further treatment. Your primary insurance would probably not cover that.

And make sure to read all the fine print. I had previously gotten the one sponsored by NRA and had another incident about 7 years ago several states from home. I had a spiral fracture to my right tibia and was taken by friends to a local hospital. The hospital wanted to admit me this Fri nite to do emergency surgery on Mon morning. I had a regular orthopedic doctor back home that I wanted to take care of the surgery and contacted that particular medical flight company to get me back home. But... I got caught in a catch 22. The medical flight company would only cover the flight if I had been admitted to the hospital. However, the hospital was only going to admit me if I agreed to let them do the surgery on Mon morning which I didn't want them to do. It would have also been out of network and been tremendously more expensive. The hospital ended up putting and securing a temporary splint on my leg and releasing me. So I had to contact family to travel down, pick me up, and take me back north. I had the surgery a couple days later back home and now have a permanent rod in that leg. So the moral of the story is to be fully aware of the terms with the Medivac insurance.

 

[Nelsress]

Not sure if this came up before but you mention getting Medivac insurance. Probably not a bad idea but just so you are aware, these aren't usually for being flown from the scene of an accident to a hospital. That is supposed to be taken care of by your primary insurance. Primary insurance would even be responsible for transporting you from one hospital that isn't properly prepared for your level of injuries to another better equipped one. I had an experience with this one time about 6 years ago and my insurance covered the $29,000 bill completely but not right away and not without a fight with the medivac company and my insurance.

But the Medical insurance will cover getting you from Alaska back closer to home to a hospital for further treatment. Your primary insurance would probably not cover that.

And make sure to read all the fine print. I had previously gotten the one sponsored by NRA and had another incident about 7 years ago several states from home. I had a spiral fracture to my right tibia and was taken by friends to a local hospital. The hospital wanted to admit me this Fri nite to do emergency surgery on Mon morning. I had a regular orthopedic doctor back home that I wanted to take care of the surgery and contacted that particular medical flight company to get me back home. But... I got caught in a catch 22. The medical flight company would only cover the flight if I had been admitted to the hospital. However, the hospital was only going to admit me if I agreed to let them do the surgery on Mon morning which I didn't want them to do. It would have also been out of network and been tremendously more expensive. The hospital ended up putting and securing a temporary splint on my leg and releasing me. So I had to contact family to travel down, pick me up, and take me back north. I had the surgery a couple days later back home and now have a permanent rod in that leg. So the moral of the story is to be fully aware of the terms with the Medivac insurance.

From my reading, I gathered that the issue might be while I'm in Canada, should something happen. I was led to believe that my medical insurance covered me in the US/Alaska. That said, I'll have to check into this further, thank you for your insights.

 

[Afghanpilot]

As stated above is correct with reference to having to be admitted to the hospital first before being flown home. I fly for AirMed International and we frequently fly patients from anywhere in the world who use their own insurance, or who’ve purchased the AirMed plan which is fairly cheap. In fact, you could just purchase a plan that covers you during the slice of time you’ll be away saving even more. I personally purchased one for my mother who was traveling with me to Ireland a few years ago but just for a two-week period. If I remember correctly, that was only about $125. An individual plan is only $265/year.
Here’s the website and phone number:
205-443-4343:AirMed International - Air Ambulance | Medical Air Transport | Global Coverage | 24x7x365

-Ollie

p.s. I hope never to meet you under such circumstances.

 

[Nelsress]

As stated above is correct with reference to having to be admitted to the hospital first before being flown home. I fly for AirMed International and we frequently fly patients from anywhere in the world who use their own insurance, or who’ve purchased the AirMed plan which is fairly cheap. In fact, you could just purchase a plan that covers you during the slice of time you’ll be away saving even more. I personally purchased one for my mother who was traveling with me to Ireland a few years ago but just for a two-week period. If I remember correctly, that was only about $125. An individual plan is only $265/year.
Here’s the website and phone number:
205-443-4343:AirMed International - Air Ambulance | Medical Air Transport | Global Coverage | 24x7x365

-Ollie

p.s. I hope never to meet you under such circumstances.

Thanks Ollie, I appreciate the info! I'd like to meet you but, preferrably, when were both upright!

Nelson

 

[Fireball1800]

Hopefully this isn't considered "highjacking the thread", if it is and anyone has suggestions/comments, feel free to message me privately.

Well, after realizing that it's too difficult to depend on guys my age being able to take (or even want to take) a ride like PA to AK, and even if they commit, things just seem to have come up to prevent it from happening. So, I decided to check the places I want to visit the most for lodging availability. After I did, I realized I could still take the ride this year, talked it over briefly with my wife, who agreed, and my Alaska ride will commence on June 24!!

One of my old Air Force buddies who lives in CA is interested in joining me for at least part of the trip but he's about 5 years younger than me and still working full time so he wasn't sure how much time he could get off. At least I'm hoping to have a riding partner some of the way but, if I he can't get enough time, it will be an amazing adventure, even solo!

That said, I've got 10 or so motel/log cabin reservations thus far and have been lucky enough to get them all with a couple beds, in case my friend can swing the entire ride. Now I need to get some Medivac medical insurance, a good tire repair kit (do I want a mini compressor?), add a couple USB ports up front for Go-Pros and my phone, a set of tires and maybe a pair of Forma Adventure low boots.

Have a good/safe trip, wish I could ride along with you, however, my plans to go to AK is for the 2024 season. Besides weekend camping trips for us, were going to do a practice trip down the Natchez Trace this summer. That will be a 1,427 mile loop for us. I've almost got the bike outfitted and ready to go. Post your adventure, USAF, ret..

 

[Nelsress]

UPDATE!!
I just received a call from my USAF buddy from California and it looks like he's trying to make the entire trip from Montana to Alaska and back to Montana!! What a pleasant surprise!! He still has a couple of work related things to finalize but is very optimistic that he can do it! It will be great to share this adventure with him, should he be able to make it, as we shared in some cool adventures while stationed in Spain together in '77!

 

[DelusionalM]

My wife and I toured Alaska two up in 2015. We had 26 days in June/July.

We did not take any extra fuel with us. My fuel strategy was 'see fuel, buy fuel'. There are gas stations fairly rhythmically every 100Km or so. Exceptions are top of the world highway, The dalton north of Fairbanks, and Cassiar south of Whitehorse but all were within fuel range. Note that we did not go past the arctic circle due to time constraints.

We strictly moteled it. We brought no camping gear. We did not make any reservations. Yukon Junction was the only motel/camp that had no vacancy due to his crew being a day early and the old had not left yet. He said the 'Hot Spot' will have rooms and they did. Be advised that Dawson city has a yearly music festival that will occupy all rooms and campgrounds for the 3 or 4 days.

How are your gravel road skills? Construction zones can be 40Km long. As the frost heaves wreck the pavement it gets torn up and is gravel for a while. Lots of unpaved roads. Also watch out for frost heaves! We were airborne, I landed with one cheek on the seat!

We like to do a picnic lunch when we travel and did not seem to have any problems finding a camp site to stop at.

We also found that it was hard on tires.

Our plan was to intentionally omit the Denali and anchorage areas due to time constraints and we still ran short on time. If you can swing it I would recommend more time.
The list of things to see and do along the way is absolutely endless.

Being a highway truck mechanic I spent some time questioning my customers who have actually been there. The most consistent answer was 'Motels can be sketchy in the winter because the ice roads are open, everything is on the move and nobody wants to sleep in the truck when its -40.' We had no issues getting a room and traffic was light. It seemed to be the land of motorhomes and motorcycles. I found a lot misinformation on the subject.

Always be nice to the people you meet along the way as you will run across them again and again. I recall mentioning to my wife " Ahh yes, this is motorhome with the Garfield in the back window, he always flashes his right signal light 3 times when its clear ahead." I always waved when I went by and he always waved back.

It was a great tour! My wife still says that she wants to go back and continue where we left off. Maybe when we retire it will happen.

Have a great trip!!!