http://www.livingyounger.org/alaska_trip.html



The soft hum of two motorcycles drifted down the Alaska Highway, entering the Arctic Circle. Green grass and soaring mountains surrounded the pale grey road. These men were a long way from Texas, but had just embarked on of the most memorable journey of their lifetime.

The familiar saying "Practice what you preach" comes to mind when thinking of Tyler, Texas physician, Dr. David Fletcher. With an office dedicated to helping patients live younger, 'Doc' Fletcher follows his own advice. In July of 2011, he, along with long-time friend, Tim King, embarked on an adventure of which most souls could only dream. A motorcycle ride across the states, ending at the beautiful Arctic Circle.

The men had pointed their bikes north out of East Texas on the sixth of July, traveling a total of two weeks toward the Arctic Circle. The men would not see the tall green pines of East Texas again until their return on the fifth of August.

Doc's passion for thrills started out at a young age while growing up in Waco. His father owned a Cushman dealership, quickly sparking the interest of the young boy in two-wheel locomotion.

"When I was little, my daddy owned a Cushman dealership; I cut my teeth on those things when I was just a kid," Doc said with a reminiscing tone. "I raced motocross for a number of years, then I quit when I was about 40."

His love for pushing the limit didn't stop there; he then took up long-distance running.

"About a year ago, I got to thinking," Doc said. "At my age, it would be fun to try to go to the Arctic Circle and back."

They did just that. Doc and his "long-time cowboy friend" Tim King took off on a 10,000-mile trip, traveling up through Colorado, Yellowstone and then up through Canada, passing through a number of national parks and forests. The bikes roared on up British Columbia and then through the Yukon Territory. The sights the men witnessed were breathtaking, and at times, terrifying.

The men's original plan was to camp out Gunsmoke cowboy style at night, but they quickly changed their minds.

"We were going to camp out, but by the time we got to Colorado where it was cool enough to camp, it started raining. It rained for the next seven days solid, and by that time we had seen so many darn bears, and there were all kinds of reports in the paper about these bears eating people. We decided that if our wives would keep on paying the visa bill, we'd try to find a place to stay that was on the inside," Doc laughingly said.

Bears wouldn't be the only things the men needed to keep a watchful eye for. During their first homeward bound day of traveling, Doc's BMW motorcycle skidded off a cliff. He and the bike went end over end down toward the Chilkoot River 500 feet below.

"Next thing I knew I was falling over and over and over. I never thought I would quit, and when I finally came to rest I was standing up against the side of a cliff, looking out and watching my bike bounce end over end until it finally stopped on a ledge below."

Fortunately, Doc landed on a grassy ledge, helping to break the painful fall. Doc escaped this accident with only cracked ribs; he explained he "had more protective gear on than you can shake a stick at."

After speaking with an Alaska State Trooper who arrived shortly after the incident, he learned a man went off the same cliff just two weeks prior and he was killed.

"The trooper said God was riding on my shoulders.And I said,'well I sure am glad, but I wish he would have reached down and grabbed a hold of those handlebars!'"

The trooper called in a wrecker, and he planned to drag the bike up the cliff to take to the wrecker's yard. He would also be taking Doc to see a doctor to ensure he was OK after taking such a leap. Doc's 'cowboy up' attitude showed through as he let the trooper know that neither of those things would be necessary.

"I said, 'I'm a doctor, and I've already checked myself out, and I'm OK, and you're not dragging my motorcycle up that cliff and tearing it up because I've got to ride it home!'"

The bike wasn't injured too badly, perhaps owing its survival to the amount of camping equipment strapped to it. The men were determined it would get them back to the Lone Star State, and their determination paid off-The bike would indeed make it back; it just needed a little assistance.

"We got bailing wire, duct tape, crazy glue and what have ya, and we glued, taped and wired that thing back together."

Near collisions with bears and falling off a cliff wouldn't be the only frightful events on this 10,000-mile trip. Crossing over from Montana into Wyoming, the traveling pair took a popular route known to avid bikers known as Bear Tooth Pass. Doc described the pass as "twisted roads at altitudes of 12000 feet with drop-offs like you wouldn't believe." Winding down the twists and turns, they were confronted with a pounding rainstorm, having to raise the visors and take their glasses off just to see while the rain pelted the brave men's faces.

"It was probably one of the scariest things of the whole trip, and here we were back in the United States."

The pair pulled into a log cabin restaurant for some coffee and to get relief from the downpour. After walking in, the waitress asked Doc, "Well, are you soaked through?"
And he said "Well, ma'am, I am wet on the inside, but I don't know whether it's from the rain or just being so scared I wet my britches!"

The Arctic Circle wasn't Doc's first journey.
He has competed in the Pikes Peak Marathon and has amazingly done a double crossing of the Grand Canyon within one day, which is 50 miles and two dips, Doc said.

Once in the blazing heat of an August day, Doc along with friend Dr. Don Smith, ran across Death Valley, starting at 2 p.m. and not finishing until 6:30 a.m. the following morning. Each man had to drink 25 quarts of electrolyte solution a piece to finish.

Whether Doc is competing with his cow horses in the World Show or running great distances across the desert, he is setting an example for what he is truly passionate about-Living younger.

Doc Fletcher's passion for living younger shows not only through his never-ending love for an adventure, but also through his anti-aging practices at East Texas Institute for Executive Health.

Doc doesn't plan on the Arctic Circle ride being his last great venture to conquer. When asked what was next on his list, his answer came without hesitation.

"I'm planning on passing the navy seal entry fitness test when I'm 80," Doc confidently said. "I'm 75, so I've got five years to train."