Re: Canada & USA 2015
Copy of a post I just put on ADVrider. Just so you guys don't miss out....
Since the last update we have completed the Stewart Cassier Highway, staying at Dease Lake two nights and taking a diversion down to Telegraph Creek. Nice gravel road down to TC with a couple of somewhat challenging sections and associated spectacular views.
After Dease lake we stopped at Teslin on the Alaska highway after a rather long day as all the services and campgrounds on the Alaskan Highway were either shut or so grim we didn't fancy camping. The bike did 58mpg (UK gallon) on this stretch giving a theoretical range of 420+ miles, although at one time the countdown + trip added up to 470miles (750km) and we did Dease lake to Teslin on one tank. Nice spot to camp at the back of the services in Teslin just after the bridge but only if you look out to the lake and can close your ears to the road.
Next stop was the Robert Senior campground in Whitehorse. 3 nights here as we liked Whitehorse and the campground. The campground has a nice vibe and a good mix of travellers including several lunatics crossing Canada on bicycles. We see them on the road frequently. Completely insane the lot of them, meals on wheels for bears notwithstanding.
We are in Dawson City now, arriving late yesterday after a very wet final 100miles or so. I am sure the same thunderstorm just kept following us. We sheltered for a good hour along with some other bikers under the canopy at the filling station at Dempster Junction. The Klondike highway had a few nasty sections of roadworks. In the dry, fine; in the wet horribly slippy and the girl manning the stop/go sign at one of them was telling us of a couple of accidents involving bikes, gravel, mud and roadworks. Not what my wife wanted to hear, but all was fine except......in one of the early sections of gravel/works in the dry I took a line to avoid loose gravel but which pushed me into two big potholes close together. The suspension bottomed and the little quarter mudguard on the GS either moved and caught the wheel or caught the toolbox I have inside the pannier. Whatever it got snapped off its mounting, shearing a bolt and got wrapped up round the wheel. No lock ups or anything so drama free but if did picture allsorts of terminal problems in my mind before I got off to look. Once disentangled we were back on our way. While we sorted this out every passing vehicle, both ways, stopped to check we were ok. Nice
. I am going to chuck away the mangled mudguard as the bike was cleaner without it.
We are staying at "the bunkhouse" in DC to dry out and the weather forecast for Thursday is now looking good so we will be off to Alaska then and a loop round Fairbanks back to Haines for the ferry.
It's been good in Dawson City on Canada day too. Lots going on. Diamond Peggy's beckons tonight.
Only pics are off my phone so limited choice and quality as I use the camera proper more.
Bunkhouse
One for the uniform lover - my wife included.
Riverboat in the distance
Sent from my iPhone with a smile
Sent from my iPhone with a smile