Jeff's Alaskan Bike Trip 2010

Day Two of the big long rides out of Canada. If you can't tell I'm doing two days in one writing setting. We had no time when we got to Burwash Landing nor when we got up because we had to go. I also have no cell service.

The roads on the list say unpaved roads. They are paved, but its mostly chip and tar. I can feel the vibrations from the road up through my feet. It can't possibly be good on your tires either. We have our stop destinations planned and away we go.

We got to experience cross winds. The glaciers paved out huge expanses of flat land between the mountains. The winds come from everywhere. When riding around Lake Kluane, you feel these winds at different times.

The mountains in this part are made of sandstone. They don't seem as tall. They also seem to have more slide areas marked along the roads.

Out of Destruction Bay we discussed stopping in Haines Junction to fill up. You know best laid plans must always be subject to change. They had gas, but no electric. Lots of Europeans were pretty pissed with their RV's and campers. It was a 170 mile trip, but we were trying to be smart. Thank goodness Otter Creek, the next city had gas and electric. We got to meet our first rude Canadian there. We left our bikes at the pump to go in to pay. It must have been taking too long because he came in to ask us to move. They also pump your gas for you still in Canada if you are driving something other than a bike.

We stopped in Whitehorse so John could get a t-shirt from the Harley dealer. Yeah, they were closed. We ate lunch and got back on the road. You could see rain in the air. We ran into some spotty rain. We were ahead of the heavy stuff and making good time. We stopped to get gas and a drink and we got overrun by a shower. We waited out the brief rain. Wet, we got going again to immediately be presented with a metal bridge. Going slowly and on pace, I held on and prayed for the other side to appear quickly. It did. Yet another first for me on my new bike.

We rode some tough roads under construction. When they lay down rocks for the traffic to mash down into a road, it can be tough. I saw John enter a stretch of gravel about 400 yards long going down hill. His path took him lef to center. My path had the back of my bike moving, but it did not come out from underneath me. It might have been the one time overpacking helped.

We got to Watson Lake late at night. We found a camp site for $10 canadian. We pitched our tents and hustled to the only diner open. John tried to order a chicken pot pie and the waiter just shook his head no because there was no time to make it!

I had to ask John for a reprieve from the 400+ mile rides for a day. My feet and arms are tired from the roads we have ridden. Tomorrow is the posting of our sign at Watson Lake.