Suzukis Across The Globe

131 1102 Suzukis Across The Globe Suzuki Equator And Lake Shot

On the third leg of the Tokyo to L.A. the Hard Way Tour with Suzuki and Motor Trend magazine, we made our way from Anchorage down the Alaska Highway (Alcan) to Los Angeles.

The road trip was the final leg of a tour that started in Hamamatsu, Japan. The vehicles were driven across Japan and then ferried to Russia, where they undertook an arduous journey across Siberia. From there the vehicles were air freighted on a C130 cargo plane to Anchorage, where we took over and drove them home.

131 1102 Suzukis Across The Globe Bear And Human Footprints

We always exercise caution when jumping out of our vehicles in wilderness like this, since a person never knows what to expect. We found these grizzly tracks just off the highway at a small rest stop by a lake. We were told that just a a few minutes before we arrived, the bear had rambled down to the water and swum out to an island.

We always exercise caution when jumping out of our vehicles in wilderness like this, since

The journey was an exhilarating drive from our sparsely populated northernmost state to one of our most overcrowded metropolises! This part of the Suzuki world tour wasn't filled with off-road adventure like it was for Technical Editor Fred Williams during his epic journey across Russia and Siberia (to be featured next month), but it was an amazing road trip through thousands of miles of northern wilderness that anyone in a reliable vehicle could complete.

Our driving sabbatical from Anchorage to Los Angeles isn't out of reach of the average four-wheel and automotive enthusiast longing to drive long distances. It's a safe road trip we highly recommend to anyone, especially families with kids. It's an adventure kids will remember for the rest of their lives. Our journey down North America was just an extended version of what most Americans do for vacation: Load the truck up with the wife, kids, dog, shotgun, fishing poles, and camping gear, and drive. If there are a few trails and some off-roading along the way, it makes the trip all that much more exciting.

The last leg of the journey didn't involve dangerous river crossings or cliffhanging dirt roads, but it was a road trip though some of this continent's most spectacular country. As connoisseurs of everything automotive and four-wheel-drive, we were just happy to drive through parts of the Alaska and Canada some of us have never explored. The drive was easy. Our most imminent concern was running out of fuel or having a moose or buffalo come crashing through the windshield at night and kicking us to death.

131 1102 Suzukis Across The Globe Suzuki Kizashi And Double Rainbow

Driving east across Highway A1 from Anchorage is a breathtaking jaunt though Alaska's wilderness. The asphalt road was well maintained, or at least it was when we drove it. Our goal for the first day was to travel 427 miles from Anchorage to Beaver Creek, in Canada's Yukon Territory.

Driving east across Highway A1 from Anchorage is a breathtaking jaunt though Alaska's wild

We weren't too concerned about our vehicle's dependability since the crew from Motor Trend was driving the same Suzuki Kizashis that had already made it through Japan and across Russia without any problems. We were driving a brand-spanking-new Suzuki Equator with just a few miles on the odometer. Over the past few years we have tested, modified, and literally beat on a Suzuki Equator and had found them to be tough and reliable-that's why we crowned the truck our 2008 4x4 of the Year . We would drive an Equator anywhere, and that's just what we did.

Loading the Equator with our gear in Anchorage gave us an overwhelming sense of freedom, especially since we knew we would be driving for days through territory hostile to cell phone and Internet service. We grabbed what was perhaps our last good cup of hot coffee and a hefty innards-clearing bran muffin, and hit the road knowing that we had just under 4,000 miles of amazing territory to drive through before we landed in a place called home.

Once we reached the Canadian border and the Yukon Territory, the road conditions quickly deteriorated. The highway wasn't as bad as we heard it would be, but we hit a number of sections that were just compacted gravel. It's likely that a vehicle's windshield will need to be replaced after this road. Every windshield in our convoy had at least 10 chips and a few cracks.
Once we reached the Canadian border and the Yukon Territory, the road conditions quickly d
On our way through Alaska and Canada we found trails off the main highway that looked as if they went on for hundreds of miles. We were on a schedule, so we couldn't explore them as much as we wanted, but the two-track roads looked as if they trailed off to some exciting four-wheeling and intriguing places like massive lakes, rivers, and glacial ice floes.
On our way through Alaska and Canada we found trails off the main highway that looked as i
Some of the largest lakes and rivers in North America can be found in Alaska and Canada. The fishing is incredible. Getting to the best remote rivers and lakes requires four-wheel drive, but other incredible rivers and lakes can be found right off the highway.
Some of the largest lakes and rivers in North America can be found in Alaska and Canada. T

The end of summer is a great time to experience mild weather and light rain driving down the Alcan Highway. However, it's also a time when most businesses are already closed for the winter. Carrying extra fuel is a wise choice since there can be 100-200 miles between service areas. We almost ran out of fuel after stopping at a number of closed service stations. Luckily the Equator gets decent mileage.
The end of summer is a great time to experience mild weather and light rain driving down t
Wildlife is abundant along the highway. Driving down from Anchorage we spotted grizzly bears, eagles, buffalo, and mountain goats.
Wildlife is abundant along the highway. Driving down from Anchorage we spotted grizzly bea
Making the drive up here is a great way to experience nature firsthand while getting the family out from in front of the TV.
Making the drive up here is a great way to experience nature firsthand while getting the f

The Sign Post Forest at Watson Lake in British Columbia is a cool place to take a break. The forest was started in 1942 by a homesick U.S. Army soldier when the Alcan Highway was under construction. Just under 50,000 signs are tacked up here, and it's a great place to see where other people have traveled from.
The Sign Post Forest at Watson Lake in British Columbia is a cool place to take a break. T
This diesel pusher motor home didn't make the entire journey. Emergency services are very limited on the Alaskan Highway, so everyone should travel prepared for anything. Cellular phone service is also limited, so we carried a satellite phone and a SPOT Satellite Messenger for emergencies.
This diesel pusher motor home didn't make the entire journey. Emergency services are very
Along the highway are many interesting sights and attractions worth a stop. The food, however, isn't the greatest, with mostly small $9 hamburgers and other sandwiches, $5 fries, and $4 sodas. We assume that food is expensive due to the short tourist season! The drive from Anchorage to Vancouver, Canada, was just over 2,600 miles and went through some amazing territory. The Suzuki Equator was a reliable and efficient truck to make the drive in.
Along the highway are many interesting sights and attractions worth a stop. The food, howe