Sunday Aug 4
Today was all about getting to the next destination. First city we hit was Dawson Creek, BC. Not particularly memorable other than it is Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway upon which we will travel much of the way to Alaska with a couple diversions here and there, and we were all cold. We all added a few layers and carried on.
Shortly after we left Dawson Creek, the rain came on hard so we stopped to put on rain gear, but we met two ladies who owned/operated the motel/restaurant/gas station. They were delightful! They welcomed us in to warm up and let us use the dining room for coffee and pastries, although it was closed. We’ve met so many people already. Some local but others from Montreal, New Jersey, Vancouver and Argentina, all of whom had experiences of their own about where they had been (often globally) and where they still dreamed of going. Had I considered washing my hands of this motorcycle at the end of this journey, I would definitely not do it now, I have other places to experience.
We knew that gas stations may be few and far between, but we found out the limits of our tanks today. We gassed up at the owned/operated motel/restaurant/gas station and there were no gas stations until Fort Nelson, British Columbia. I almost ran out of gas and David had about 20 km left in his tank, but we made it. From now on we check in advance where the stations are to ensure that we have enough stops, otherwise we’ll have to take a small container of gas with us. Total today was 600 km and other than cold and wet, we all survived.
Monday Aug 5
We entered the Northern Rocky Mountains and this is where the views began. While a little hazy in spots, probably due to distant wildland fires, the skies were mostly bright blue and the weather was gorgeous.
David had been to this area of BC before and showed us the fabulously turquoise blue Muncho Lake. A site that one doesn’t expect to see outside of the Caribbean. Throughout the day I was stuck by the expanses of forest - it’s hard to get your head around. There was evidence of old wildland fires, but nothing burning. I think that I may have smelled some smoke, but it was faint.
We’ve agreed to get on the road each day at 8:00, generally after breakfast and once we hit the road, we stop every hour and a half or so to take a picture and stretch out legs. Getting on and off the Goldwing is a bit of gymnastic feat for Dad, but he gets better every day. We arrived in Watson Lake, Yukon without any accommodations as will be the case most days since we don’t really know how far we’ll travel so can pre-plan. There was almost nothing available and since this town is the only spot for a very long way, they can charge whatever they want. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t going to take a shower in our $160/night room. Prices for food and gas (I paid $2.70/L at one station) are also very inflated which is very common across the north due at least in part to the distance that everything has to be shipped to get here.
Tuesday August 6, 2024
Despite the very “rustic” rooms, we all slept very well. We were ready to hit the road a bit early at 7:30. I have little to report about today other than WOW. If I was impressed by British Columbia, I am in love and in awe with the Yukon. The mountains are more majestic, the undulating hills more awe inspiring and the peaks more rugged. I kept having to tell David (we have communications in our helmets) that I was stopping to take a picture, but I was always disappointed with the results. One just cannot capture the size and scale of the landscape. Experiencing it on a motorcycle is unique in that you feel truly immersed. It is all around you. Surprisingly, I can turn around and look behind me for brief moments. The colour of the water that we saw yesterday continues all across the Yukon. It is the most spectacular rich turquoise blue and its everywhere. I found out the reason is that the water from glaciers flowing into the lakes contains silt and the sun reflects of these particles creating the blue and green colour that we see.
The other very surprising thing is that there are so few vehicles on the road. You can go several kilometres without anyone passing in the other direction. When I was talking to dad about how long it would take us to get to Whitehorse, he was shocked to hear the speed that we have been travelling (I won’t write the actual numbers, but it was definitely over 100km/h). He didn’t believe it, thank the Goldwing for the smooth and aerodynamic ride.
Wildlife: Over the past few days, we saw a bear and many Dall sheep in BC and then we saw several large herds of wild bison (about 100 total across multiple locations) in the Yukon.
Tonight, again in an effort to keep the costs down, we are staying at the 98 Hotel and Bar in Whitehorse. An ancient, but recently renovated establishment. David was at first reluctant due to the fact that we have to share 2 bathrooms with the other 8 rooms, but he pulled up his big boy pants and agreed since everything else was so expensive. I expected the live entertainment to keep Dad up, but he’s sleeping like a baby. They promised that the bar closes at 11:00, we will see. Oh, and it’s still pretty light outside even though its after 10:00 pm.
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Comments
This is great Heather! I'm so grateful that you are sharing your adventures with us all. Other than not getting bugs in my teeth, I feel like I'm riding along with you. Enjoy every inch of this epic journey my friend and please keep up with the wonderful entries in this journal. Be safe!
Chuffed to see the weather has improved! Stunning scenery!
Looks beautiful guys. Hope you didn't eat too many flies.
What a blast. Enjoy every view!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the photos. Beautiful country. Great fun and hard work!