Old and Alone, A Solo Motorcycle Trip to Alaska | Part 8

For my big trip of 2024, I decided to return to Alaska by Motorcycle. I had ridden there in 2017 with a couple of friends, but this time I would make the trip alone. This video covers days 38 - 42 of this 12,000 mile adventure as I rode from Spokane, WA to Rapid City, SD.
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Thank you for watching and ride safe! --Craig Ripley

[@1100_Rebels_PH]

The accident and the sliding truck... as if it was a message that things are not always in our hands. Yet another fantastic travel "report", making me being glued to the screen up to the very last minute.

[@NedRochford]

Craig, without a doubt, this is my favorite video in your series. Back in '12, I, along with three friends, spent some time in Billings, Red Lodge, Yellowstone and of course riding the Beartooth and Chief Joseph Hwy. Have always wanted to go back, but this time with my wifey-poo who would be on her Spyder. Best scenery and weather! Bring 'er on home, Craig! Ned in SC

[@bigmike4962]

Gently........just so you know, Kooskia is actually pronounced Koos-kee. Lolo pass is one of my favorites. I've ridden it 3 times, twice east to west and once west to east. Fantastic ride. I was fortunate that I had no "incidents" like you did. Loved the video. Thanks

[@bigmike4962]

Really glad you were able to do Chief Joseph Scenic Bwy and Beartooth pass. Done that ride each direction once. Agree that any traveling motorcyclist should have it on their bucket list imo.

[@prospector14]

I’ve driven Chief Joseph/Beartooth Pass three times, and ridden it twice. Each time I remain speechless at the beauty you pass through.

[@brucem8129]

My wife and i did this some of this trip 2022. The roads had reopened except North Yellowstone. Chief Joseph was definitely the hidden jewel. We stayed in Cody, did several loops, one in Yellowstone NP. It was a great time.

[@richardmourdock2719]

Just say it Craig... "Route 12 is THE BEST ROAD IN THE UNITED STATES for motorcyclists" And I would add history buffs get the double dose of motorcycle joy and reliving the Lewis and Clark journey. Both absolutely remarkable. No matter how many times you ride that road.

[@shawnfloyd6542]

I'm much happier when I can spend some time seeing the world through your camera lens keep up with the great content information and conversions !

[@craigschroeder1733]

Thanks for great content again Craig. You do a great job of editing your videos. Nice music along with great film footage. Thank You.

[@24juan68]

I feel exactly the same way about walking on the right. What gets me is the exiting on the left at Walmart

[@reinmansmith]

We’ve all had those ‘sliding truck’ moments while riding our bikes…… but as a rider of slightly older age than you, I’m a believer in a) our 50+yrs of motorcycling experience giving us the best chance of pre-empting such moments by being at the right position and speed to avoid such incidents and b) being a believer in fate, and if it’s your time then at least you go from this mortal coil doing what we love!….. so keep on rolling while you can as I know you do 👍

[@LTVoyager]

The Cody museum is fantastic. We visited there and stayed in Cody as our launch point for our ride through Yellowstone. The former curator of the firearms museum, Ashley Hlebinsky, used to have an active KZbin channel that was quite interesting, but she moved on shortly after our visit in 2020.

[@mmcguire5687]

I’ve done all those roads in the west down there, some several times. In Columbus, literally a couple hundred yards from the McD’s where you had coffee, is Montana Silversmiths. I usually stop in there and pick up a nice little trinket for my bride. As they say, happy wife, happy life!

[@johnpiegzik1947]

Hi Craig. I am enjoying your trip. I have watched from day one. Thank you for sharing. Regards John from Gold Coast Australia. I ride a 1800 Suzuki cruiser.

[@Joeysgonerogue]

Nice video today. At 62 and exploring solo on a motorcycle in the Philippines, I truly relate to your experiences. I believe our reverence for life grows as we age. Best regards, Joe.

[@1100_Rebels_PH]

Regards from Batangas...

[@jamesbonner5989]

I have done Bear Tooth but not Chief Joseph and Lolo Pass, need to put them on my bucket list. Great riding video, thanks.

[@SophisticatedBob]

A lot of us have been there my friend. I've unfortunately seen two deaths on motorcycles during my riding lifetime, and it can be startling. In one incident it was very, very clear what happened. A guy tried to pass a big line of cars, and did, until the road took a sharp curve at the end of the line, and he high sided it into a guardrail. It was not pretty. Glad you bounced back.

[@bigg2768]

Been really enjoying this series. Has given me a new perspective. Probably due to a number of factors but I’d say mostly type-a personality….have always been a ‘mile pounder’. 8-10 hour days have been the norm and I’ve loved it! But, at 55, find myself shying away from trips ‘cause I don’t really feel like doing those hours anymore. Gonna try the shorter days here shortly on a trip I’d normally take 2 days to do but gonna do it in 3 cutting daily seat time down to 4 hours. Normally, I’d pound out 8 hours the first day, seat time, and shoot back home in 4 on the second. 🤞

[@marktcoleman]

Love these videos and enjoy watching them every Sunday am with my coffee. I'm almost 59 and looking to retire in 10 months and am looking forward to some riding.

[@painsrides]

I enjoy the way you do these vids. I really get a sense of what you're going through in the moment as well as an overall feel for what your long-distance motorcycle trip is like. Maybe some day when I stop bombing through the woods, I'll plan a tour around the county, but current I don't love roading enough to be motived for such a trip.

[@michaeldevoe9235]

A great strory telling video…really into the “Dino” history as well, so nice to see another museum on the journey. There is really great dinosaur and even old mining history area Northeast of Calgary, AB…Drumheller…if you are ever back that way! Nice work on this video.

[@ElderGenXer]

I am SO with you on the “walking on the right” thing. I don’t need to be on a trip for this to get on my last nerve. People do that crap in the grocery store or even driving around in a parking lot. WTF people? We ride right in the whole of the Americas!

[@putrantoutomo5410]

Cheers from Indonesia

[@scotpleski5534]

Riding Idaho 12 in June and was nearly taken out by a Ford F250 pulling a trailer, thinking it was smart to pass on a curve (99 miles of curves) moments before a semi passed in the other direction

[@markboudette8380]

Once again, nice vid. Thx. I'm assuming you've ridden, in past trips, all the roads just south of Rapid City, meaning Iron mountain, Custer State Park, etc., If not, perhaps add them to your route, if you ever pass through there again. It's nice stuff. Oh, and that crazy traffic pattern is called a Diverging Diamond. If you look it up, you'll see that it actually makes some sense. How do I know about it; there building one here, near Burlington, VT, at one of our busiest interchanges.

[@joecody195]

Diverging Diamond there building them all over in Florida...I'm thinking you must have been to the Black Hills before since you didn't ride them while in the area but I think it is one of the best areas for riding a MC, The Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway Custer State park which I believe to be the nicest State Park in the country. Of corse there is Mount Rushmore Memorial and Chief Crazy Horse Memorial. I'm enjoying your ride and reliving my adventures on most of those same roads.

[@LivingOffTheSlab]

Yes been there a few times, my first DDI though...

[@joeharley87]

Good video. Is that a phone you have on your chest all the time? and noticed you did not have it in the last part of video.

[@LivingOffTheSlab]

It is an inReach tracker, SOS.

[@paullee6663]

I have no concept of how long it must take to edit that amount of footage. It takes me forever to edit 3-4 hours of footage at 1080p 🙁 Total respect how you can do 350-400 mile days back to back like that. I know our roads in the UK are (generally speaking) slower and more 'technical' but there is no way after doing 350 miles I could do it again the day after. (Admittedly my bike is no where near as comfortable as your Triumph or as fast) It must have been gutting to ride all that way only the find the Dinali National Park was closed. I did a tour of Spain to visit a Cathedral in Santiago de Compostella, only to find when I got there the interior was literally a building site 🙁 Revisiting places you have been before with a loved one, when you are travelling alone is never a good thing for your wellbeing in my experience. Awesome scenery, fantastic series of videos. I'll be sad to see it end.

[@dbostrander]

you didn't pass the bikers on the right!? good job lol

[@motohelibungee]

😅😅😅 MOVE MAN!

[@scottny1416]

great set of videos. i really enjoy them. i like ur rearview mirrors. they look sturdy. what’s the brand??

[@LivingOffTheSlab]

Stock Triumph

[@DavidNewmanDr]

Strange walking on the same side as driving. On country roads in the UK, we walk on the right, facing the traffic, but drive on the left. On the London Underground we stand on the right on escalators, overtake walking on the left. Perhaps the guy you met in Wyoming was used to walking on country roads.

[@3goldfinger]

One of the first rules we learn as kids in Denmark when walking on open roads, is walking facing the traffic so you can see what's coming towards you. Been trying to teach this in Australia without much luck. Too many young people get killed every year, run down from behind. 😢

[@dadadit]

I'd like to see you give up the cigars along with alcohol. My Grandfather smoked cigars and he did not end well.

[@milolabrett6549]

Strangely the Canadian man who was killed on US12 July 17th was a very accomplished rider and also rode a Triumph Adventure Bike, on his way back home in Victoria BC. Those shoulders are very unforgiving.

[@LivingOffTheSlab]

That is a little strange...very sad

[@milolabrett6549]

@@LivingOffTheSlab From an Idaho web site they gave the brand of motorcycle in each fatal accident this season in this case it stated Triumph Bike. From Victoria Times Colonist obituary, tt states that he was into dirt biking and riding motorcycles, so I made an assumption that the Triumph that he was on was an adventure bike.

[@exc911ence_channel]

I'm not a Rally guy either... I enjoy the company of fellow riders, but bikers I can do without.