Product review- Fly Trekker III jacket

Fly Trekker III Jacket

I bought this jacket for several different reasons that appealed to me. The jacket had a removable thermal liner, zip out, allowing for riding in cool and warm riding. It certainly kept me warm in all my riding conditions, and if it ever got chilly, a simple long sleeve took up and extra chill that crept in. It was also pretty waterproof, I would give it 80 or 90 percent waterproof rating. A particularly strong storm in Wyoming while I was crossing Big Horn Pass with snow, sleet, rain and hail still did not get through the jacket, and I was dry while my fellow riders were soaked to the bone. I think these two factors, combined with its great bargain-like price, were the jackets most outstanding features. I would say its pretty hard to find warm, waterproof riding jacket for less than 180$. Even the pockets were 100% waterproof, with lined walls, and zippers as well as over-flaps for each pocket. The enormous pocket on the lower back was very handy, and the fact that the jacket went past my waist was great and helped in both comfort, and weatherproofing. It certainly looks good too, the reflective piping is just enough to be visible but still look stylish.

The jacket fit me well, i am 6’ 2” 205 lbs, and I decided to get an XL so I could wear clothes underneath the jacket if neccessary. I have a more thing waist but broad shoulders and long arms, and the XL fit me excellent at the waist, arms and chest. There are multiple adjustment points on the arms and waist which really allowed me to perfect the fit, such as tightening my arms but loosening my waist to fit my riding pants. There are also multiple zip open/close spots on the back and shoulders which really worked well- when it was especially warm, you could open the shoulders and fresh wind would buffet down into your back and feel heavenly.

The downfall of this jacket, I believe, was the build quality. Alot of small features on the jacket wound up falling apart, which alone would not have been a big deal, but combined became annoying. The velco on the pockets and cuffs would begin to fray quite soon, and eventually start coming off the jacket on the backside where it was glued to the jacket. The main zipper head broke off and I had to attach a small carabiner to it so it could be operated, especially with gloves on. Multiple points of the thread came undone, mostly at the corners of the chest pockets. The included armor felt pretty cheap and small, and while I fortunately never got to test it out, I questioned its strength.

I have put approximately 4500 miles on this jacket, including a cross country trip from Vermont to Alaska. I would give it a 7 out of 10, mostly because for its price, its an great jacket that does keep you warm and dry, even in the craziest weather. The small details like stitching, velcro and zipper tabs didnt hold up for long, but the important details held up just fine. For 180$ jacket to get me to Alaska, I was pretty happy!

The ferry trip north

Today marks the 6th day that I have been aboard the Alaskan Marine highway ferry Kennicott. I boarded in Bellingham, Washington and will be disembarking in Whittier, Alaska. It has been an amazing trip, and much to my surprise, one an experience that I will not soon forget. I’ve met some amazing people from all over the world, witnessed amazing sights, and for the first time in a long time, been able to truly relax. The passage of beautiful snow capped mountains, snorting whales and playful dolphins has been magical, given the lack of worry and thought. It’s by far the most expensive thing I have done for myself that is “relaxing”, tho I only took this boat because it proved to be my only way to get the motorcycle and myself to Alaska.

Chris & I at 10,000ft on Mnt. Baker

I had been staying with my good friend, Chris, in Bellingham while i searched for a way to Alaska. The Canadian border crossing was proving difficult because of some issues with my passport. I spent three days tramping about the local docks, and even traveled to Seattle in search of a fishing boat or barge that could transport me and my bike to mainland Alaska. But everyone I talked to could not, whether it be because of no room, only traveling to the islands, or being worried about insurance issues. 

Strapped down in the belly of the ferry

Waiting for news of the ferry

I spent another day at the border, even applying for a temporary traveling visa, but that was to no avail as well. A day on the phone with the airlines told me that it would cost me 1100 dollars alone to ship my bike to Anchorage, and to do so I would have to drain it of all fluids; my personal ticket would be another $500. The local ferry system had not been open all week to try to figure out something with, and online everything said there was no trip to the mainland until September. Waiting until the day the ferry left, my only option, I talked with the officials and got my name on the waiting list, the best I could do because all spots were apparently booked. Luck finally came through for me, and I boarded the ferry 3 hours before departure. I was joyous beyond words, I had finally found a way to Alaska! While it was not cheap, at a total cost of about 1400$, it was well worth it, as it would soon prove. 

Enjoying the view

A sunset on board

Among the next 6 days, I quickly got used to life on board, and I came to truly enjoy the relaxed nature, and came to make friends with several people from all over the world. A German man was backpacking from British Colombia to Juneau, then ferrying to Whittier and hiking all the way back down to Arizona. A Spaniard on a lifetime goal of visiting the last frontier told me of his many travels across the globe. A fisherman from Seattle was ditching the daily grind to explore Alaska in his truck. A married man from Georgia was hiking through the territories for his own soul searching. A biker was heading home to Fairbanks, Alaska and had many recommendations for the road ahead. A Venezuelan woman was working on the ferry system as a way to make money and explore the coast. 

Such a huge cultural range of people, communication and experience made the trip so much more then a simple ride to Alaska, and when coupled with the amazing views and variable wildlife, I was almost dreading the end of the trip. But another part of me was anxious and excited about what lay ahead- I was going to be exploring the great state of Alaska alone, on my bike, with no time restraints or worries. I felt truly freed from the strain of society, and at peace for the first time since I

had set out on my trip. I found myself smiling randomly while I sat on the deck, overlooking the massive ocean around me. A look at the GPS, showing me the thousands of miles I was from my small cabin in Vermont, never failed to bring one up again. I had finally made the dream I wanted for myself, a reality. 

Last sunset for a long time! (sun never sets in Alaska)

Across the USA on a KLR 650- done!

I left my Vermont home 11 days ago. Since then, I have driven thousands of miles on my awesome, trusty Kawasaki KLR 650. I've slept in abandoned parks, been held by border patrol, stared down by buffalo, laughed till I cried, met great new people and reunited with old friends. The best part is, this is merely the beginning of the adventure that I am shaping my life into. With only a week and half down, and so much amazing things experienced, I feel extremely happy with my decision to abandon my previous life, and live on the road.

When me and my two friends set off from Vermont, we could only guess at what lay ahead. We had a small group of friends there to say goodbye to us, each mentioning their own bits of advice and humor. With an official flag drop, we pulled out of the drive and set off. We had to address some issues with my driving license before the border, so we took a small detour to the state capitol, before making north to the Canadian border. We were held there for about 6 hours, before I was denied access because of two small scratches on my record that translated to a bigger deal in Canadian law. We decided to head west while I figured out my next step. 

We made our way across the top of Vermont into New York, down along western border and into Pennsylvania. The beautiful roads country side reminded us of home, but was a great experience as we got used to long distance on our bikes. We road across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and into Iowa- what we all considered the more boring part of the country. Long flats of farmlands, long hauls at high speeds and a sketchy experience in Canton, OH. Up into South Dakota and into Wyoming, we witnessed the first of the truly beautiful country, including Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, the Black Hills and Yellowstone National Park. Riding across the great plains that we had heard so much about, the trip finally began to seem legitimate. 

We wound our way through the hills of Montana and came to the deserted town outside the western entrance of Glacier National Park, where the group split up- Mike & Jeremy heading north for a direct entrance into Canada and straight shot for Alaska while I headed further west to find a boat to bring me to Alaska. I navigated myself though the southern route of Glacier Park, one of the most amazing rides of my life. I crossed Idaho into Washington state, ending up in the port town of Bellingham at an old friends house.

 I sit now in the beautiful town, listening to the sounds of a bustling but clean city, considering the next part of my trip. The challenge of finding a boat to the north would prove to be a challenge, as most fishing vessels had already set to sea, the local ferry was mostly booked, and most other possibilities required some sort of Canadian interaction. I'm not too concerned with what lies ahead, mostly because I know that no matter what, it will come together. If it was easy, it wouldn't be an adventure. I've found that traveling solo more suits me and what I am looking to experience, both on the road and in camp. I've gotten to meet new riders and chat with them, eat when and where I want, and explore areas alone. 

Julie has made it to the camp in Chickaloon, AK where she works as a glacier guide and says that its super cool, lowkey place. The two riders are somewhere along the Alaskan Highway now, hopefully they don't get eaten by bears or rabid squirrels. In the mean time, I'll hunt down a way to get north and continue exploring. Stay tuned, my friends!

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Cheers!

24 hours

I’m sitting in the basement of my good friend Jeremy’s home. He’s upstairs, madly pawing through boxes, bags and containers of gear, working on sorting everything. My other great friend Mike is on his way here now, driving his KLR through the lightning, thunder and pouring rain. Our great friend Julie departed yesterday in her 1987 Chevy G20 van, leaking oil and guzzeling gas; the first of us to start on the road north. Because of the van’s characteristics, we decided to let it get a head start to Wyoming, where we will meet back up with it. In two days time, the three of us are leaving on our motorcycles for Alaska, and things are about as hectic as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest around here. I’m lucky enough to be the most prepared of us all, and decided to take this time to sit and write on my blog, listening to Jeremy’s frantic footsteps above my head. 

The last week, not to mention the last two days, have been an adventure in their own way. One of the most interesting part of this whole trip is everyone's unique story, and how it all combines together into this crazy, awesome adventure to explore life on the open road. 

Last night, all three of us did the “Doohickey’s” on our KlR’s, a part of the timing chain adjustment system. That within itself involved pulling apart three bikes motors, running out to get oil and filters when the ones we had were wrong, and figuring out what we were even supposed to be doing. Mike’s turned out to be already done, which saved an hour, but it still took all day between the three of us. Reusing the gaskets and bolting on last minute modifications like driving lights and air injection delete systems, we were calling it close. It was an even closer call when upon startup the next morning, Jeremy’s bike was emitting a constant whirring sound from the chaincase. After several hours of frantic research and phone calls to fellow KLRista’s, we discovered it was a slightly common thing and were going to go with it as is. One storm cloud passed. 

At the moment, the biggest issue lies in everyone organizing their gear and packing it on their bikes in the easiest, strongest and most balanced way possible. I’m still waiting for my new set of glasses, and the gear that ThermaRest is sending me as part of their support for my trip. Mike has spent all day organizing his gear, 90% of which he still hasn’t used. Something tells me Jeremy will be fretting long into the night and early into the morning about his gear setup. (He’s just now walked in, arms full of MRE’s and a look on his face like he doesn’t believe this is real)

Then there’s the van crew, which consists of Julie and two people whom she hardly knows, Dillan and Allsion, who are fellow employees at the glacial guiding camp where we are all heading to in Chickaloon, AK. Latest report from them, a quick message from Facebook, consisted of a list of factoids. The van was slowly but surely leaking oil, despite the 8 hour oil pan job I had done two days prior. Also, 60 MPH was the destined top speed because apparently it starts to overheat at any speed higher then that. However, Walmart was still our savior; Julie loaded up on oil for the trip. They had made it to Ohio. And Bob, the resident cat, had decided to show what he thought of the whole thing and defecat-ed all over the floor underneath the bed in the back.

The evening is drawing to a close, and soon I must ride up to my house and button it up for what most likely will several years of vacancy, interjected by brief visits from friends to make sure no bears had layed a nest in my bedroom, or the family of squirrels hadn’t moved back into the kitchen. There are three more motorcycles in the living room, one each belonging to Jeremy, Julie and I. For the first time in my life, I will be moving away from the place I had always called home, since I was a wee little baby. The full concept of what we were undertaking hadn’t really hit any of us yet, tho we would burst out with laughter ar random moments when the thought would strike our mind. However, with the fact that I would not be returning home for many years, while the other two riders would be coming back after about two months, I felt like I had more to realize than the others. I had always had a longing for life on the road, living with what was on my bike and enjoying the beauty around me. But as with any life-changing event that finally happens, the scale of it can sometimes surprise even the most prepared. 

So now I embark on the beginning of my new life, out into the great world that has remained hidden from me for so very long. While the idea of what I now face is enormous, nothing has ever excited me more. As Buzz Lightyear says- “ Into the great blue yonder!”

TDG

4 weeks out!

Time is boiling away. But there has been progress, I’m happy to say! Spring is now in full swing,  which gets me excited to think of the future to come, now that i wont be riding in 20 degree weather. Though the 50 mph sidewinds of spring do slow you down. Also I’ve been able to experience mud  driving with the bike, now that the whole state is a giant mud bog. Surprisingly easier then i thought it would be, the KLR is a beastly machine. I took it on the first solo camping trip this year to a lookout point over a beautiful lake down a small footpath, and its amazingly agile. 

We picked up the Chevy van from the shop that will be making the trip up to Alaska behind me, after having 1000$ worth of work done to it. Certainly an improvement in a few things about it. Of course when we got it back, the start froze up... But it's all part of the fun! The big behemoth doesn't like to go faster then about 65, so that will add some character to the trip. You can read more about Julie and her trip with her van Here

On the bike I’ve put on tool tubes, LED brake light, new top box, progressive front springs, subframe bolt upgrade kit, dash panel and extended shifter peg. Still have some things left to put on it including the doohickey, rear spring, power plug ins and driving lights. At least the list of things to buy is getting shorter.....

The part I needed to fix then sell my BMW motorcycle is on back-order from Germany so that most likely will not get sold before I leave. Not sure about this particular ordeal yet. I’ve sold the Kawasaki Ninja to a nice woman as her first bike, sold a few small things from home & started a GoFundMe page. If you’d like to make a donation, please go HERE

Because she needs to get to Chickaloon, AK by a certain date for her job, she will be making a beeline there. This is the route I will most likely be taking there, going with the van. Liable to change tho, if the highway proves too dreadful to take that long. Map Link

My good friend Jeremy also bought a KLR, and is considering whether to take the van or the bike up to Alaska. Could have a fellow biker with me! Which would be great, it’s harder to relate with someone driving a flying sofa across the country! Hard to say whether he’ll be coming or not due to some family responsibilities. 

I’ll be uploading a complete list of gear I’ll be bringing on the trip with pictures soon, once I’ve organized it enough. Fingers crossed for no major last minute problems!

Cheers for now

TDG

6 weeks out!

Time continues to creep down the calender. I do believe I am now feeling the pressure. 

For those of you that don't know me personally, I'm a list fanatic- always making lists of stuff to do, parts to get, etc etc. So I guess I'll start off the firs blog list, of general things to do:

• Order, receive and install new rear end on 2009 BMW G450X
• Sell the BMW, hopefully for $4200
• Sell 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, hopefully for $3000
• Sell odds & ends around house, to free up space and organize things
• Finish installing modifications to the KLR, including front & rear suspension, driving lights, LED brake lights, dash panel, tool tubes and power adapters
• Purchase riding boots, digital "tough" camera, riding pants 
• Insurance dropping class- 3 days before departing

Today I took the bike out for the first real ride of the year. Got a bit of everything- mud, snow, ice, dirt, rock. Spring in Vermont. I certainly can tell the bike will have some good weight to it with all the gear, and that the suspension upgrades will be necessary. This happened, from the bike tipping over so easily due to the suspension being bottomed out. I hadn't even adjusted the stock shock for the extra weight either.

Bikes have feelings too, right? Got excited when it smelled the fresh air. 

Anyways, there's plenty to do- research what spare tires to bring, organize music for the mp3 player (Taylor Swift already taken care of) and do something about the mail going to the house- junk mail has to go somewhere of course.

Well out for now. Bikes sitting outside getting covered in tonights' snow blizzard. Makes getting out and about interesting. Cheers!

 

8 weeks out!

Well spring is slowly making its way towards us up here in the very tip of Vermont. Down in the valleys, mud season is starting. Up in the mountains, the wind continues to whip and the clouds to snow. I got some work done on the KLR, with some aftermarket parts I would need for the trip, and had my friend record a quick video of me introducing them. 8 weeks now stand between now and the leaving date of May 9th. There's still much to do- i have a jeep, snowmobile and two other motorcycles to sell before then for general funding. A few choice pieces of gear are left to order, and I'm still working on wrapping up things at my home to be empty for an unknown amount of time.
Camping every weekend continues as well. Last night on Mount Hunger almost cost me my toes, but it was a great trip. Always bring extra socks, kiddos.
Good luck, for now!
Watch the video here!-
Introducing some of the KLR upgrades

First entry!

So this is the first entry onto my newly created blog. I'm pretty new to this type of setup, but hopefully I catch on quickly. At this stage, I'm ordering the very last of the gear needed for the trip, finishing up details at home before I leave, and continuing to add places to the already enormous list of places i plan to visit. It's looking like the first stop will be my long-lost brother in New York, after which i will head up towards the Great Lakes. Of course, with the crazy lifestyle comes the quickly changed schedule, but the initial date is setup for May 20th. To keep myself busy, I've been doing some great camping trips in the beautiful New England region- which has certainly led to some great memories, and cool pictures. Until next time!

cheers,

TDG

Photo- Camels Hump, Duxbury, Vt