Cache Creek, BC

This morning Fred and I separated. He is going east to Jasper and Banff while I am going south. Anyone watching his GPS tracker will not be following me.

I rode down 97 to Cache Creek. Mostly the road follows the Fraser River. This is an historic route that provided for the fur trade and then the gold rushes. There have been a few. There are towns along the way that are named after way stations on the wagon and stage roads. There was a way station or road house every ten or so miles and they had imaginative names such as ”Hundred Fifty Mile House”. Vilages built up around the stations, some of which are now towns. There is a dude ranch at 108 Mile House. The road is now measured in kilometers.

The Fraser River valley begins well treed and mountainous. Gradually it becomes arid. Here at Cache Creek the valley looks like the US Southwest. The slopes are covered with sage brush.

It is very dry here and there are over a hundred wildfires burning in the area right now. The air has been filled with smoke from about Williams Lake. I should mention that Route 37 was closed yesterday at the north end due to fires. We made it past the area with hours to spare.

97 is quite a bit busier than any of the roads I've been on recently. Perhaps ome of the traffic is due to Canada's three day weekend.

I do prefer to ride alone. Now that I am back in civilization it is safe enough.

I failed to mention that, when we stayed in Tok the second time we stayed at the Thompson Motorcycle Campground. For motorcycles only, it has a communal gas grill/stove and a sauna. No running water or electricity, though. It was the nicest campground that I stayed in. A dry, perfect night didn't hurt.

Prince George , BC (again)

Yesterday we rode from Teslin to Kinaskan Lake Park. The ride to the 37 turnoff has already been described. When we turned onto 37 the story changed dramatically. For the first two hundred klicks or so there was no center line, no edge lines, no shoulder, and the road was often about 25 feet wide. This was also an area rife with such critters as moose, sheep, bear, elk, etc. The trees and/or brush was up to the edge of the road. The drop-off was often as much as 50 feet. Very unforgiving. Great fun!

We camped at the park and awoke to 38 degrees. My forty degree bag with a liner was adequate, barely. The two women who managed the Provincial Park were most helpful and pleasant.

This morning we had a road with a centerline and edge-lines, but still only about 25 feet in width and no shoulders. This is still a critter zone. Great fun! We saw a small group of sheep and a moose. Route 37 has very few gas stops and almost no restaurants. We went 145 miles between fuel stops. Unsettling. I can skip nutrition but my bike can't.

The steams are crystal clear. The bridges are a mix of concrete, mesh and wood. There is road maintenance ongoing. Every blind curve hides a prize. All this and some serious mountains.

We turned east on 16 and things gradually became more routine. The mountains reduce their grandeur. The construction has been less. Sometimes there is a shoulder and often even a truck lane! I was ready to quit at Vanderhoof, but Fred wanted to make Prince George. We arrived at PG at about 1930 hours. We stayed at Economy Inn. The rates were better and the room was about as nice as the Ramada.

Teslin, YT

This morning it was 40 degrees when I got up. By the time I arrived in Teslin it was 80! Today was sunny and nice and uneventful. We changed oil in Whitehorse where the Hardley dealer wouldn't let us use a pan to change our oil even though we were going to put Hardley spooge in the beemers. What a jerk! So we went to Wally World and bought good oil and a plastic change pan. We went out to the edge of town and completed the job in about 15 minutes on an abandoned lot. We took the waste oil and pan to a local Canada Tire who took it off our hands.

The only motorcycle dealer in town is the Hardley guy. He doesn't want to help other marques. I will post this on IBMWR (Internet BMW Riders).

Fred wanted to camp and I did not. He went to the Provincial Park outside town. I got a motel room so I could shower and do laundry. I met some German tourists at the laundry. Nice folks.

The bridge here is the longest on the Alcan. It has a steel deck. As a child, we called a steel mesh decked bridge a "Singing Bridge". Why is there a sign before these warning about ice in freezing temperatures? How could a Singing Bridge freeze up? Even if the deck iced up, I would think the ice would pop off when a wheel rolled over it. It is fun to watch inexperienced riders cross such a bridge. The mesh seems to want to grab your front wheel and yank it back and forth. This phenomenon is called "Searching". The proper response is to relax your grip and let it wiggle a bit.

I can tell I am farther south than a few days ago. It is less bright at 1130 PM!
If you look at the detailed weather tables for here you will notice that there is no nautical twilight!

Haines Junction, YT, revisited

Yesterday we camped at Tok. I didn't want to go intop town just to use the internet so no post.

The ride from Seward began in the cold and rain. It rained for about 2 hours after which it was cold and sunny. That was yesterday. Today is sunny and getting warmer.

Fred's GPS ent us down an abandoned stretch of the Tok Cutoff. For the first two or three miles it was well maintained as there were houses nearby. The last mile was fine also. The part between was adventure! It also was a lesson on what happens to a paved road when left for a few years to the ravages of frost heave. There were whoopdidos that were ten feet deep. We did eight water crossings and three were deep enough to come over my boots. The road had heaved left to right as well as for and aft. There was one section where the road was gone and we needed to ford the creek that had washed it away. The pavement dates it to the fairly recent past as does the faded yellow center line. There werer trees growing through the pavement and we had to chop a fallen tree in order to move it as it was far too big.

The ride to Haines Junction was tiring. There were two sections of gravel that were deep and coarse. I had more trouble than any so far, including the dirt roads! ("Just stand on the pegs and let the bike dance") I know how to do it but it still is scarey. I'm using the free Wifi at the bakery ("Get your buns in here"). There is a German tour bus here. I must finish this and leave before I get another cookie. They are huge and very good.

Guten Aben!

Palmer, AK

After such a wonderful day yesterday, this was especially dreary. The day began dry at a comfortable temperature and went downhill from there. The mountains began to disappear and ultimately did so. The rain was cold and constant. We got a late start so Fred could send some fresh Halibut to a friend.

Palmer is only a few miles from Sarah Palin's home in Wasilla. I wanted to stop in and say, "Hello" to her neighbor Joe McGinnis. We didn't.

It is still raining.

Seward still

Today we had to check out of the Army Rec Center. They didn't have even a tent site for tonight. The Air Force Rec Center is just down the block and they had tent spaces. We'll be staying there.

I'm sure the Flyboys feel an affinity with mosquitoes, being as they both are aviators. That's no excuse for not fogging the campground.

We used my military benefits to get tickets on a Kenai Peninsula boat tour. We saw a bunch of fish and critters. The captain said we saw more humpbacked whales than he had seen in any of his five hundred cruises. We saw between ten and fifteen. We also saw them feeding in groups. This is unusual behavior for these parts. I have film of some of it. We also saw a glacier calving. I didn't get that on film. This was also the only sunny day in the recent history of the place. Tomorrow it will rain again.

This place is very popular. All the motels and RV parks are full for the weekend There are only a few tent spaces left. There is a cruise ship in the harbor and the train drops folks off here too. This is a very small town but there doesn't appear to be any poverty in this place. Prices are high but not extreme. I like it here! I'm trying to remember why I have to go home!

Seward, AK

Yesterday we camped at Anchorage. It rained all night and most of the ride here this morning. The clouds and fog blocked much of the scenery. Even so it was a pleasant if cold ride. Just how cold is a well digger's butt, anyway? Who determines these things?

Seward is a nice little town that seems prosperous compared to some of what I have passed. In fact, there are some impressive houses here. There are quite a few pleasure craft in the harbor mixed in with the working boats. Some may qualify as yachts.

There is really only one road into town. As we rode into Anchorage yesterday the traffic became heavy. The number of Mobile McMansions was significant. Getting one of those monstrosities up here is no inexpensive operation. Don't tell me there is no life in the American economy. That much money came from somewhere. The hotels in Anchorage were all full yesterday. The average price was about $200 a night. I checked.

The campground at Centennial Park was damp and had a pestiferous bear. Fred gassed it twice and it seemed mildly annoyed. It finally left us alone but I slept with bear spray at the ready. It came back this morning and raided a dumpster with a faulty catch. At this point we notified park staff. And left.

I think the permafrost doesn't come this far south. The permafrost produces some peculiar geomorphological phenomena (I just like the way that sounds) When I see the heaves and dips in the roadway I can't help but wonder how the railroad keeps its track straight and level.

Pondering the wonders of science and the universe, I remain;
Your correspondant

Denali

I am at Denali. It is raining. The ride down yesterday began very overcast but the sky gradually cleared. The views got better and better.

Camping in Healy, the rains began last night. It is still raining this morning. I can see about a mile. Not much to see.

The plan was to go to Anchorage today and base there to see the area.

I hate to pack up a wet tent. Almost as much as I dislike tenting in the rain. I did sleep well last night, though.

Fairbanks, AK

I got to Fairbanks yesterday. I met up with Fred. Today we set off for the Arctic Circle. I got about 20 miles up the Dalton Highway when timidity took over. It was raining and the road was mud. I was doing okay until the surface changed and became pudding. That, combined with a steep downhill and I said "enough!" Fred was in agreement with me when we were stopped at the side of the road and a couple went by two up on an R1150RT. Fred went on and I went back to Fairbanks. I just don't have the experience riding in mud. He got his picture standing beside the sign.

Speaking of pictures, here is one I got yesterday on the way to Fairbanks;




The mud on Inga was so bad I took her to a car wash. I'm going to have to use chemicals. The dirt is that bad. Tomorrow we go to Denali. It will probably be raining then too. More later.

North Pole, AK

I just had to stop at the McDonalds on Santa Claus Lane to send this. I'll be in Fairbanks soon and send more then.

Tok, AK

I am back in the USA.

I have another grudge against RV's. When they go through customs, they are clearing a whole house. Granted, the ten RV's in front of me did not take longer than other vehicles. It is curious because, if a smuggler used an RV, he could bring in tons of stuff!

The road to Tok was reported to be really bad. It wasn't. The Canadian side of the border was a bit ripply, but the only real roadwork was on the US side, About fifteen miles of dirt. I was able to keep up a good rate because the flagger let me go to the front. Otherwise I would have followed a row of mobile homes (RV's).

The scenery on the way to the border was quite nice. Just after the border it fell off abruptly. I was wondering if the Tsar had taken all the good mountains before he sold Alaska to us. There is good stuff a few miles in.

I'm using the public library's computer because my motel doesn't have Wifi. The library in Tok is about the size of my living room! It is a nice, clean town. Prices here are already lower than Yukon. This is still a remote town. I will probably have to reach Fairbanks before I can do the Big Mac index.

I'm not going to hog this , the only work station in the library. I'm off to dinner.

Haines Junction, YT

I am not riding with Fred today. His satellite locator beacon does not show my location. I stayed in a motel last night while he and Joe tented outside town. He left for Tok this morning and I decided to spend an extra day here. It should be sunny and dry tomorrow.

Yesterday we rode from Dawson City through Whitehorse to here. It was a long, cold day. It began to rain last night and was raining this morning. I extended my room today and will leave for Tok in the morning.

There are a bazillion RV's here this morning. There is some sort of RV convoy going through. Were it not for this crowd there would be almost no traffic on the highways up here. This is a mixed blessing. RV traffic is a nuisance but results in parks, campgrounds and paved roads. RVers spend money and require infrastructure but I never met such a bunch of uninformed folks. Not one in ten has any idea of the significance of "Call of the Wild" or "The Cremation of Sam McGee".

There are quite a few bicyclists on the road. Talk about adventure touring! This must be as strenuous as it gets, and the mosquitoes here are ravenous! I like bicycling but I draw the line well short of this.

Joe had a mechanical problem with his motorcycle and is going to Haines and catch the ferry to Washington State. Fred is getting a new rear tire installed in Fairbanks. I should meet up with Fred in a couple of days. Maybe.

I will try to keep this blog up. In the meantime, I am not being tracked by satellite. Fred is.

Dawson YT

Yukon! Reminds me of Sergeant Preston. The roads here are sorta like those in remote areas of Southern Ohio. The pavement is called Chip Seal. If you were to take a gravel road and Chip and Seal it as we do in Ohio over pavement you would get the same result. The surface is firm but only an inch thick or so. Takes very little to break through it.

We are staying in Dawson City an extra day because our progress is blocked by flooding on the other side of the Yukon River. The road is so badly washed out that it will take days to repair it. Dawson is a bad place to be stranded. There are no rooms to be had at any price and normal prices are astronomical. Martha Stewart has been here. I'm sure of it. There are doilies on everything.

To catch up; we stayed in Watson Lake and Whitehorse prior to here.
The Rockies are quite impressive.
The road is desolate.
There are probably more RV's than trucks.
There are frequent sections under repair but, once you get the hang of riding the gravel, it is fun. Dusty or muddy though, depending on whether they are trying to keep down the dust.
We've seen moose, bison, goats and both black and grizzly bears.
The rivers and lakes are wide, fast and clear.
There are many areas of burnt out forest with signs telling the year of the fire. Some as old as 1953.
Trees grow slow up here.

"Adventure is disaster that doesn't kill you." (Dick McGurk) This is an adventure. If I don't make it back it will have been a disaster. I'll be back a little later than I expected. Going is slow and there is a lot to see.

Road repair here is a constant thing. The road from Whitehorse to Beaver Creek was reported to be muddy so we took the Klondike Highway. Now we will backtrack and take the Alcan again. It was a fun ride to Dawson, though.

I may want to do this again.

Fort Nelson, BC

At long last we are on the Alcan Highway. Here it is known as the Alaska Highway.

British Columbia has bugs!

You know you are in a small town when the Welcome to Hudson's Hope sign is painted with the same message front and back!

The first 80 mile of the Alcan were somewhat less scenic than the last few days. It was nice to take a break from the superlative views. I did get a picture of a bear. He was so busy eating that he didn't look up until I had put the camera up and was about to ride away. Alas!

We met a mechanic at at the campground who told us his wage. He gets 160.00CD per hour. That 'splains a lot! Of course he is a self employed oil field mechanic so he should be well paid. He also explained that the prices here reflect the fact that this is oil country and the wells are producing gangbusters. I think I will ride back part of the trip through Canada and see if eastern areas are as expensive. "It's only money"

Gas up here is only a buck more a gallon that in WA. Since my bike gets 4.2 L/CKM (liters per 100 kilometers) I'm not concerned about the transportation cost. Fred likes to camp so "lodging" is cheap. We can fit two tents onto one tent site. Meals are the only unavoidable expense. "Ya gotta eat" but I won't eat at a Rallys type places.

Canada has no one or two dollar bills. The one dollar coin is known as the "Loonie" and the two dollar coin the "Toonie". Does that mean that the Canucks are Loonie Toons? They are very hospitable despite my vocal disdain for the Canada Goose.

Hudson's Hope, BC

I must amend my assessment of Prince George. Yesterday I had only been to the city center from the east side. We rode out via BC97 north this morning. It still looks like a sick city but the north side is nicer.

The ride today was as scenic as ever. Lots of alpine lakes, indescribable views. At times when I rounded a bend or crested a rise the scene before me was enough to make me catch my breath.

Fred saw one bear that I missed. It was just a pup, he said, and it scampered back into the woods as he slowed to get a picture.

We are camping in a municipal campground and the folks here are wonderful. There is hot water and flush toilets at the camp. We pitched two tents on one site for one fee. Fred has cellphone coverage but I don't.

Tomorrow we join the Alcan Highway at Fort Saint John. It is still about 1200 miles to the end.

I'm going to save my battery as there is no AC nearby

Prince George, BC

Yesterday we rode from Kelowna to the campground at North Thompson River Provincial Park. It is a cold water vault toilet campground. (No shower).

I am suffering from sticker shock. Even with a slightly favorable exchange rate and high Canadian sales tax, there is no anticipating the prices. I think a more realistic exchange rate would be 1.50 CD to 1 USD. I say this after a rather unscientific survey that found Subway 5 dollar footlongs selling here for 6 to 8 CD. The Wendy's dollar menu was 1.39 to 1.99.

My vocabulary is insufficient to describe the scenery seen yesterday and today. I do now understand why this is such a popular trip.

Today we rode from the campground to Prince George, BC.

Prince George is the first depressed city I have seen in BC. There are two pawn shops and/or check cashers on each block. The first dingy looking motels I've seen in Canada are here. The Ramada is pretty nice but is very expensive.

Here is a sight that was two miles down a dirt road but worth the diversion:



This is Little Hells Gate Regional Park.

When a sign says "Moose next 8 km" expect to see moose. We saw one with velvet still on it's horns about 20 feet from the road right after such a sign. He wouldn't stick around to be photographed, though. A couple of miles further on a small bear was in the culvert. Fred got a picture of it.

The problem with trying to get a good photo of the scenery is that "I ain't no Ansel Adams!" All of my scenery shots look feeble compared with what I saw.

Internet is sometimes not convenient so I may go a few days between posts. Our progress is slow as there are lots of things to see. I've a long way to go yet.

Kelowna British Columbia

I am in Kelowna, BC. We came north from Spokane via WA395 into Canada, BC3, a section of fire road and BC33 to Kelowna.

Here is a tame section of the fire road. If adventure is disaster that doesn't kill you, then today was an adventure. I showed Fred how to tweek his GPS so that it avoids freeways. I left in unpaved roads. In BC that may have been a mistake. We took a route that included about 20 miles of dirt roads. I really don't care to ride downhill on a steep, rutted dirt road with rounded gravel on a heavily loaded motorcycle. The first six miles was deceptively easy. The excitement level got progressively higher. When we got to this campground The GPS was changed to avoid unpaved roads.




The scenery here is quite acceptable. We followed the Columbia River until it ran out. We are presently in foothills. Mountains will soon start again.

There are certainly a lot of French Canadians in this campground. Some of them like to listen to rap. Go figure!

Li'l red wagon

When I was small I had a little red wagon. It always seemed big to me. Maybe it was bigger even than I remember!

Map tracking

I have joined up with Mr. Ed. He is being tracked by satelite.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0zWcKlBgaaXxJg5EXRKyxdTYz0JdJhg5U

Hopefully this is useful information.

Spokane is a very bicycle friendly city.

Spokane, WA

Here I am, a day earlier than intended. Two side trips turned out to be undoable so I got way ahead of schedule. Hence the trip to St. Louis and the layover at East Glacier.

I am located walking distance from the Steam Plant. Perhaps the best restaurant in Spokane.

The ride through west Montana and Idaho was quite scenic. By the time I got to Washington, the scenery was getting kinda ordinary. The mountains in West Virginia are as scenic. There was a little that was photogenic and I took a few photos. I will post some of them later.

I am waiting here for a travel mate. Fred Fogle is actually responsible for this trip. I wouldn't be nuts enough to do this on my own. He is due here tomorrow from New Jersey.

Libby, MT

I rode through the rain again today to get this far. I suppose I could have remained in East Glacier another day but it was raining there too and there is precious little entertainment in a hostel.

Yesterday I walked to Upper 2 Medicine Lake, a round trip of ten miles. I threw in another six tenths of a mile to see twin falls. Upper is interesting as it is a cirque lake. Okay, it is interesting to me, maybe to no one else. This walk looked easier because it only showed an altitude change of 425 feet. The path was undulating, though and I suspect I climbed a lot more than that.

I had a buffalo burger for supper. They are very lean and tasty. Salad is an essential part of the food chain. Animals eat salad. People eat animals.

I'm still going to get into Spokane a day early. Ah well! I'm certainly not hurrying. I did really enjoy the stay in Glacier NP. I have lots of pictures but not the inclination to pick some out for here.