ways to carry extra gas
 

I'm planning a trip to Alaska this july, and I'm wondering how to carry that extra gas to get through the long stretches on the Cassiar Hwy. Gas cans, collapsable tanks, etc? What has worked well for all you out there?

------------------
Eric Wager
ewager@widmer.com

Hi there,

there are two ways that I'd recomment: get a bigger tank or carry jerry cans. You can either build a rack for the metal jerry cans and mount them there, or buy plastic ones and put them in your aluminium boxes. On my transafrica trip I both had a 43l fuel tank and some plastic cans in my cases. Empty the plastic cans soon and burn them or give them to the locals.

Cheers,
Krid

------------------

You may not need extra gas. My worst gas milage has been 30 mpg. My tank is 6 gal.
If you can get at least 30 mpg and have a
3 gal tank you should not need extra gas.
The Cassiar is 446 mi. The gas station are under 90 mi apart. Get a copy of the Milepost. Go to www.themilepost.com

Your experience doesn't fit with mine.

I rode down the Cassiar back in 1995: at that time there was no fuel available between Watson Lake and Dease Lake - about 150 miles (250 KM).
There was one small native village called Good Hope Lake with no services available then, not even gasoline.

Have some new gas stations opened up since then?

The longest stretches of the Alaska with no fuel are about 90 miles.

As for carrying extra fuel, camping good stores carry metal bottles that can hold maybe a quart or two of fuel - but that won't help you much. I think if you have a limited range you'll need to pack along a jerry can.

------------------
Bruce Clarke
brclarke@islandnet.com
www.islandnet.com/~brclarke

BTW the advice to get a copy of the MILEPOST is excellent: this is a book about the size of an inch-thick phone book.

It has a mile-by-mile breakdown of all the major roads in Alaska/Yukon/NWT/northern BC, including descriptions of where to find fuel, motels, campgrounds, etc.

------------------
Bruce Clarke
brclarke@islandnet.com
www.islandnet.com/~brclarke

Actual "Experience" I never thought of that.
I was just looking at the 2000 Milepost. for my trip in June on the Alaska Highway.
For the Cassiar Highway it lists Dease Lake at mile 300.9 then Jade City at 371.1 "fuel available". Then Junction 37 Services at 446.1 Now that you mention it the "fuel available" is diferent than the usual "gas" listing.
We don't know what bike is going and it's range.

The 'Iron Butt Association' website (IBA) has a link to a company that will provide details on how to build/mount extra fuel cells. I don't have the web address on me right now, but shouldn't be hard to find through any US based search engine. These guys are serious endurance riders (try 11000 miles, yes..miles, in 11 days. So I'd assume that any gear they recommend or provide a 'link' to would be seriously good. Hope that helps,

------------------
Stay Upright,

Andy D.

Eric, I don't know what size gas tank you will be using on your bike, but I rode a BMW R1200C with just a 4.5 gallon gas tank and I made it the length of the Cassiar in one day last July without supplemental cans or rigs as I simply filled up my regular tank at three spots (I was coming down from the north):1. I gassed up at the intersection of the Cassiar and the Al-Can to the west of Watson Lake, 2.Iskut, and 3.Bell Lodge II Lodge. If you get the Milepost, they are all listed on the Cassiar map. There is also a gas station (the Meziadin Juntion Esso) at the intersection of the Cassiar and the road to Steward and Hyder (37A). I started early in the morning at Watson Lake and finished late in the evening in New Hazelton. I saw so many bears at around 8:00 to 10:00 in the evening (in between Meziadan Lake and Kitwanga)that I thought I was living Night of the Living Dead. Lots of construction on the Cassiar as well, which made the ride as challenging as I hoped it would be. It was part of my Phila, PA to the Arctic Circle and back ride. I also recommend Dr. Gregory W. Frazier's book, "Alaska by Motorcycle" (ISBN 0-935151-47-8). In conjunction with The Milepost, both really helped me plan my month-long trip. I went up the Al-Can and came down the Cassiar. Good luck to you, and I hope you have the trip of your dreams!