I am starting this new blog for our 2024 journey to Alaska. I first did this trip with my first blog in 2010. I bought a new 2009 BMW R1200GS in the Spring of 2010 for that trip. You can see that trip and some other trips on my original blog, fabiusrider.blogspot.com .The last trip on there is partially on my latest blog before this one at fabiusrider2017.blogspot.com . Last year we did Newfoundland and that can be found on that blog. If you are going to visit those blogs keep in mind the latest post is the first post you will see, so it reads backwards. I haven't found a way to reverse that. We can be tracked live on the blog by visiting or clicking on a link I will have on the blog page.

For the 2024 trip, I purchased a new/used 2023 BMW R1250 GS Adventure Rally Edition. It was used with 179 miles on it. I have had it in for it's break in service, and I have added a bunch of things to it. One challenge I am having is getting all the bluetooth items running together at the same time. Another challenge is mapping the routes. In the past I have tried Garmin Basecamp and frankly, the developers should be kicked off the planet. I have a few other programs but they all just load the start and end points and the GPS calculates what it wants to route instead of what I have routed. I am trying a program called Tyre 2 Navigate and it does load all my waypoints and appears to use voice commands. My test with it was brief but I hope to complete a better test in a few days. The problem with the software is it is buggy and glitchy, freezing up often, and scrolling the map is a painful endeavor. The program has great potential, but for me it is a challenge working with it. I have loaded into my GPS 36 routes. I will add some fun rides that we will do while at the rallies.

Here are some facts or projections on this trip:

Total Days Planned : 56

Days Traveling: 36

Days for exploring and rides: 20

Travel Miles (excluding exploring and errand miles): 11418

Average miles a day on travel days: 317

High mileage day: 488

Low Mileage Day: 115 (note that Homer to Seward was not GPS and that mileage could be close)

Estimated fuel usage (excluding exploring and errand miles) at 42 MPG is: 271.8 gallons

Fill ups at 5 gallons a time results in 55 fuel stops for 36 days of travel, excluding exploration and errand usage.

Where we have the opportunity, we are staying at hotel/motels that offer free breakfast. We will make PBJ sandwiches for lunch and have modest dinners whenever possible. This will save on two meals a day and require just purchasing fluids and dinner.