Day 9
34646 ended the day at Laird Hot Springs which makes 197 miles.
Thundering and howling through the Canadian wilderness.
bears and buffalo and long long roads,
I stopped and walked a few steps into the trees, silent, like properly silent like silence is a noise you can hear. And the sweet smell totally unlike the musty damp smell of the woods in England, it’s a smell you could be happy living in.
The northern rookies are very different to the southern, they would be better called the sandies, because they are!
So more rounded and a lot less Rocky.
Gas stations only do regular gas up here, no more premium for Best beloved and Dora, gotta pre pay everywhere too, apparently a gas station attendant was dragged and killed by someone trying to drive off without paying. Everyone so far has accepted cards, so you just go in, give them your card, then after filling go back in and settle up.
The sketchiest filling station yet was run by a little hitler type, he had a nice big display of knives under the counter and signs up telling you what not to do, like have a dog!
Also a beautiful huge log “cabin” hotel at the head of a magical lake, learnt that it was over 400ft deep by reading an account of the building of the Alaskan highway.
The hot springs camp site, when we got there, were protected by a sweet lady with a big can of bear spray and a very large handgun. The camp site was a gravel one, so Paul had problems with his pegs again.
I stripped the luggage from the Sprint and rode a few hundred meters to get some firewood. Unfortunately the retard selling firewood couldn’t do two things at once, ie run the shop and get my fire wood from the cabin next door, thankfully this gave me time to admire the old 1000cc gold wings parked up in front of the hotel, one had a generator strapped to the pillion seat!
The hot springs were just what my achy body needed after being abused by best beloved for a couple of thousand miles. Get in the river and work your way up, the closer you get to the hot spring the hotter it gets, and it got lobster boiling hot, one regular was heating up his soup!
It was like a very big hot tub, that stank of rotten eggs. I still felt a lot cleaner coming out than going in though.
We were going to visit the hanging gardens nurtured by the hot springs, but apparently there was a troublesome bear hanging out there!
After dinner, freeze dried chilli, lasagne and chicken curry, we waited until dark and wandered back down to the hot springs, meeting various oddities, the steam made viewing the sky difficult but on the way back over the boardwalk we turned round for a quick last look back and there were the northern lights, Pauls Birthday present.
Day 10
Boya lake
Beautiful sun and cloud shadows on the mountains, white marl in the water making it reflect the blue of the sky, light play on the trees, sound of coyotes and loons, very cold morning, I went back to bed.
Zen and the art of campsite maintenance, the woman who looks after the campsite is raking the gravel pitches with her double rake to keep the energy in, steak and mushroom bbq, hike in the morning to beaver dam, grey jay perched on my hand, (see Paul’s post) bear poo in the woods.
Silent woods and sweet smelling. (apart from the bear poo)
Old cyclist from Peru, sinuous road I nearly crashed on! Big burnt out areas. Highway 37 was a lot narrower than the Alaskan highway, fantastic curve carving motorcycle action, lean in and let Best Beloved carry you through the corner.
Paul’s leaky fork seal and deep fried pickles at the “pioneer” town of Watson lake.
Missed the turning onto the 37 at Junction 37, doh!
This post is a bit backwards, but so is life when you look back on it.
Day 11
35168 at Mezian lake. 302.6miles
More astounding beauty and bears down the 37, amazing vista down valley to lake and river, cannot remember where.
At least 4 bears, one in the middle of the road, which I rode around, much to Paul’s surprise.
Bought a knife in a lovely store that did everything.
Girl in gas station with pink hair, and forthright views on abducting baby bears.
Crowded camp site, rip off damp wood, crap sausages.
Met Dave on a gs1200, also had a k1200 and a k1300 and quite possibly several other bikes I want.
Night a bit warmer
Day 12
37 a down to Alaska.
Glacier on the way, a taste of what is to come.
Stewart in Canada then through the border to Hyder and the highlight of the trip so far, 30 odd k on a dodgy dirt road to the Salmon glacier overlook. Car hit a bear on 37a big mess of both.
Breakfast coffee in a cafe with writing on every available surface, Paul advertised “bruvs and bikes” and I left my mark. The lady had the “love of god in her”, dancing as the made coffee and sandwich’s, I think it was more likely to be meth amphetamine.
KTM adventure bike in the back of a truck coming down whilst I ride a totally inappropriate sports tourer up.
Visited Carolyn in the fudge selling gift shop on the way back to Canada.
Dinner at the bus, fried halibut and breaded oysters, giant things but no pearls.
Met Jack the Yellowstone tour guide, chatted volcanoes and ecosystems. Then bear watching at the river of dead fish, such an incredible stink! Big black grizzly bear came in and started crunching fish.
Then back for a few beers with Jack and Mike the gold driller with a big truck and a jet boat who hunted moose and panned for gold just for the colour, like catch and release fishing! Town whore, pretty little thing in super tight shorts took a liking to Paul, as usual. Back to hotel room, lots of creaky wooden stairs and all my dirty laundry drying in the shower.
Day 13
35516
Breakfast at the toaster, temptress of a waitress trying to make me eat delicious home made toast with delicious homemade jam.
Back to mezeaden junction and back onto the 37, getting busier and more built up, nasty dusty road resurfacing for several miles, through Smithers to Houston for another motel and Indian food for dinner. I went to the mall for beer and ibuprofen.
Day 14
After a bit of a lightweight day of only a couple of hundred miles yesterday today Paul was determined to pile on the miles, so he knocked my door at 5am, shame dawn wasn’t until 640, however at least I had time to drink lots of the excellent coffee provided in the room, and I needed it cos once on the road everywhere were watch out for this and beware of that signs, and through the half light being twitchy due to caffeine overload was a definite advantage.
Oncoming train dipped his headlights for us, that was a first.
A woman in Stewart reckoned there were more beware moose signs than moose’s, meece?
I was very glad of this by the time the sun came up and started warming my Icy bones.
200miles before breakfast at Prince George, a Salisbury steak, is it too dry the waitress asked? No idea, it’s the first one I’ve ever had.
Then push on for another 200 miles, occasional showers spice up the riding, sprinty goes where I look now, drop down a gear to overtake, in fact, because of frequent pain breaks we are overtaking the same vehicles several times, one VW Jetta got done at least three times. I hope he didn’t take it personally.
We reached 100 mile house and decided that was enough for one day. It has been fantastic riding though, like a track day without the repetition.
The red wagon inn is on its last legs, Gwynneth was busy polishing the glass when we pulled in, the whole place had been polished to within an inch of its life, unfortunately that couldn’t get rid of the smell.
Oh my, if there was ever a place ready for an “accidentally” dropped match it was the red wagon inn, the hot tub and pool are closed indefinitely, as is the restaurant, which has moved a mile up the road. Paul has to fix the leaking faucet (tap) himself, using my leatherman.
I want him to send them a Big Blue invoice, the mileage charge alone should pay for our motorcycle friends petrol.
I found a craft brewery! Tried a couple of brews whilst laundering stinky clothes.
Dinner at the restaurant that abandoned poor, soon to die a fiery death, Gwynneth.
Unfortunately the craft brewery shuts early so this is coming to you from the only other bar in town, Jake’s pub.
I’m not looking forward to returning to the inn of fiery death and large insurance payout, especially after following the foul smell down into the basement… with a torch….. AAAARGH.
