25 miles from Deadhorse. So I made the decision to continue up to Deadhorse on my flat, and they followed me at about 15 miles per hour all the way up to Deadhorse. No one in Deadhorse could/would fix the flat so I had to ship my bike back to Fairbanks and fly back the next day. BMW Roadside paid for the whole thing so it all worked out.
Jonathan: For me I think it was knowing when to push to get a few more miles in, and when it's time to call it a day. The focus of our mission … and our egos … kept pushing us. One of the biggest challenges was also the change in weather! From 112 degrees in the badlands to nearly freezing in Yellowstone and the Beartooth Pass. We were constantly adding or removing clothing. And the advance planning was pretty tough. We both did a lot of preplanning. It’s a fine line between smart precautions and overkill, from tool kits to first aid kits to clothing. We never used the first aid kit (fortunately).
ML: I have had some great trips in the past that turned into minor nightmares because of my choice in a travel partner. Then some pretty awful trips that resulted in a friend for life because we bonded through the rough times. Any advice on how to pick a good travel partner?
Jonathan: This is a good question! First off, finding another BMW rider was key! After that, it was alignment on the distance we traveled each day, the level of roughing it - we camped about half the time and stayed in motels the other half, and of course the route. Beyond that, it's about making compromises and speaking up when you want or need something.
Brad: Jonathan and I knew each other and had been friends for a few years and even worked together on a project for a common client, but we had never spent more than about half a day riding together. While we both love fairly aggressive riding, we had somewhat different styles of travel. I like to get up early and get riding, while he preferred to wake up, enjoy the morning, and make some oatmeal over the fire, etc. My advice for picking a travel partner is to travel with someone you know well and have spent a lot of time with. If that’s not your plan, then definitely share the type of experience you’re each looking for and share your expectations about how you see your days going and the trip as a whole. Do you want everything planned out or just go with the flow of the day? If it’s planned out, are you flexible enough to go off-plan if something drives you that way? What if you disagree on something? Do you each do your own thing and meet up later? Will that be okay for you both?
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