Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Day 1 and 2 - Fairbanks, AK to Junction 37

Day 1 - Fairbanks to Destruction Bay, YT -- My rain gear got a thorough workout as it rained almost continuously for the entire day. No issues at all crossing the border and since it was raining in Beaver Creek, I didn't bother looking for a campsite there. I kind of hoped that it'll clear up further down the road. It didn't. I camped at Cottonwood campground right on the shore of Kluane Lake. If it wasn't for the rain and wind it would've been a nice camp. The half cover for the bike was nice to have as I could store my riding gear under it instead of in the tent. By the next morning, the rain had stopped and the wind had dried the tent. No pictures of anything.

Day 2 - Destruction Bay to Junction 37 -- it started out pretty cold but at least it wasn't raining. By noon I was in Whitehorse, YT, where George F is attending the Ténéré rally but I knew that he was headed to Skagway, AK, to attend the fourth of July festivities so I tried to leave a message for him. The motel clerk could find his room so I just headed down the road. I am at the north end of The Cassiar Hwy at a campground called Nugget City. We have stayed here many times in the past and I was looking forward to dinner at the restaurant. Nice vegetable stir fry over rice. Way better than the freeze dried dinner I had yesterday. Tomorrow I head down the Cassiar Highway. I talked to some other riders at a rest stop and they said that it was beautiful and the road was in good condition. Only about a dozen gravel sections today with two of them about five miles long.

At the next campsite is a bicyclist riding south. He flew to Anchorage with his bike and is headed for Vancouver Island. He mentioned that the ferry from Prince Rupert to Vancouver Island really cuts out a lot of miles. Probably not since I am ahead of schedule. In the restaurant, I met two older couples from New Zealand who are on their way to Prudhoe Bay to start their trek down to Tierra Del Fuego two up on BMW R1200GS's. Pretty ambitious for anyone. I hope I have that much energy when I'm their age...

 

20 comments:

  1. A wet beginning but sounds like things are moving into a groove. We're going to need more pics though.......

    :)

    Dom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll try for more pics. I think I just start going and don't notice many picture opportunities.

      Delete
  2. Dom is right. No matter if it rains cats and dogs, we want pictures ;-)

    There should be better weather ahead of you now, forecast looks pretty good even for our neck of the woods.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Today was starting to feel warm. But it also is starting to get dark and it's only 9:30! What's up with that?

      Delete
  3. So now you have 3 people asking for pictures. Too bad it was raining at Cottonwood. Love Kluane Lake. So glad you have SPOT. Your mom wonders if you are still in Canada. We had a good Fourth at Pioneer Park. She got to see Cold Steel. I'll be geo-caching tomorrow. Love, Your Wife

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe it'll be better weather on the way back. I thought you would like the SPOT gadget...

      Delete
  4. Richard:

    I wasn't going to ask for photos, but then I didn't want to be the first one to not ask, so Where ARE the Photos ?

    Weather down here, southern BC is great. It's going to be HOT tomorrow. Summer is finally here. Bring sunscreen and your mesh

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This afternoon it was warm enough to finally dispense with the heated liner. We'll see how it it tomorrow morning...

      The pictures are waiting for you to take. When's your trip north?

      Delete
  5. Sounds like all is going well and you have been up to the weather challenges. I'm sure the photos are coming, so I won't add my voice to the chorus.

    Safe riding to you.
    ~Keith,
    Circle Blue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pictures will come slowly. On the first, rainy day, I had the camera in a dry bag and I was too lazy to dig it out.

      Delete
  6. enjoy the Cassiar; i loved it. No need to post pics. I can see them in my head (or flickr) ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thinking of just putting a link to your posts for those who want pictures. The Cassiar was great!

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hooray you are on your way - boo the first day was a gully washer.

    Hope you are riding today under sunny skies and smooth tarmac.


    * sorry - deleted the last comment due to a spelling mistake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Much nicer weather today but the roads were a lot rougher. And there was a surprise, four bridges with steel grate decking and asphalt turning into gravel in the middle of a curve!

      Delete
  9. YAY!!! I'm glad that all is well so far! Hopefully the rain first day means you won't see any more the rent of the trip. :)

    As for you guys and pics...he's probably still trying to perfect the system of getting them from the camera to the iPad or hosting site through the iPad. I know that is where my sticking ont is. :)

    Hi Mrs RicahrdM!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I'm just too lazy to stop and take pictures. The iPad thing works fine....

      Delete
    2. Lazy. :) that's me right now too. Have fun!

      Delete
  10. Oh ho ho! To Tierra del Fuego? God I would love that trip, it sounds absolutely amazing. If you ever wind up going, let me know. I might stop my life just to do it. My father-in-law might, too.

    As to the trip you're actually taking, well, you've got plenty of energy the way things look, after all that you've still got energy to write? Wow. The last time I got peed on like that my hands were black from my leather leaching out colors.

    Brady
    Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds like a pretty ambitious trip for anyone. They hope to be done by December...

      Delete