Day 4: Hyder to Watson lake

mileage: @400 (didn't check it)

To start I left something out from yesterday. I had mounted a 3 foot CB antenna to the bike. I had to take it off to put the cover on.  No problem, I'd check it from time to time and it was always tight.  Well at one point yesterday I looked back and realized I had done my very best Jason impress and the antenna had jettisoned off the bike at some point.  I think there is a radio shack in TOK if not, I'll check in Fairbanks.

Day 4 started pretty early. I woke up 5 hours after I had "fallen" asleep.  I was surprised at how good I felt and started out on the day.  It was ofcourse raining heavily in Hyder. So my motivation waned.  The gas station in Stewart didn't open till 7:30.  Well I got to the gas station at 8:30 ish and filled my tank and my Primus bottles.  I then headed out.

The only difference in gear was I put my electric jacket on under my fleece.  My gloves had dried so I was hell bent on wearing them again.  So I head out in the pouring driving rain.  I stopped by the Bear glacier  again to get another picture and to look at it some more.  I found myself sitting on a cement barrier across the road just pondering.  It was the first real glacier I ever saw. 

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I continued up the Cassier Highway on my way to Bell 2 to get gas so I could make it to Dease Lake to get gas again so I could make it to Watson Lake (where I wanted to end up). I had hoped to just take it easy and enjoy the Cassier which I've heard  was a beautiful road. I couldn't see a thing. It just kept pouring and pouring.

At one point I saw a bird on the road and he when I got close he flew away. Or so I thought.  This happened to me once before on the Blue ridge parkway. Well, it turns out he didn't make it. I found him later stuck between my frame and foot peg.

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It was a yellow bird on a trip like this one, so I decided my bikes name must be tWEEty.

Eventually the gloves gave up the ghost and I pulled into a rest area to hide under an information sign. As soon as I got off the bike and ripped the gloves off I realized that I was 2 km away from Bell 2. Well I hung out there for about 5 minutes then headed off to the Bell 2 lodge.

I pulled in and parked the bike. I hadn't had anything to eat or drink and I was in desparate need of coffee.  I sat down, poured the coffee and then went to use the rest room.  I ordered some chicken fingers and grabbed a ginger ale. The Chicken fingers were actually good.

After my second cup of coffee I headed out  to get gas. There was a helicopter outfit that was hauling some building supplies to somewhere. I figured they would keep coming back but by the time I had my camera and was waiting they must have been done.  It was straight out of the HeliLogging show.

I gassed up and another bike pulled out. He was an ADV guy GStouring. He was a ways ahead of his group so we started taking and bike sniffing.  He had the biggest tool tube I have ever seen. (that didn't sound good)  He said 2 weeks ago he and his group had been turned around at the Brooks range because of snow and ice.

I put on my old go to Reima gloves and headed out.  Yes, it's raining the whole time.  I make it to Dease Lake, gas up and headed north.  Yes, still raining. By now the grip heaters are all the way up and the jacket is on 3/4.  Ohh yeah, it's also pretty  cold.  My boots leaked or the fleece pants that were sticking out the bottom of my Stich wicked the waterup to my socks and down the boots.  I can't be upset that anything leaked, it was pouring all day. The rest of me was dry though.

There were a few reprives from the rain, one was where the Cassier turns to dirt. not gravel, dirt.  There were a number of wooden planked bridges and metal bridges. This picture is from the Sitkana River.

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At one point on the Cassier the sun actually came out.  It was bright, sky blue. I was so excited I took a video.  I had been driveing for a long while without seeing another car or person. Something like 2 hours. I had the road all to myself.  Guess what it started raining again. It's like New England up here.

I was about 8 km from the end of the Cassier when I got stuck at a construction stop. 15 minutes later I was going again. I went to the front and asked the sign person if I could go first because of the dust. She obliged.   Not far after I hit the Yukon (new province for me)

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It was now not raining *woo hoo* as I hit the Alcan and travelled the 22 km to Watson Lake.  I've seen the pictures of the sign forest, but none of them do it justice. This thing is huge. I feel bad for not bringing a sign.

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I went inside to inquire about the weather and the women there laughed. It was supposed to storm all night.  They strongly suggested that I did not camp.  They said there were two options.

1. Head west towards Whitehorse which was supposed to be clear, but Whitehorse is 500 km away.

2. Get a room in town.  So I went to the place they suggested and they were full. They I went next door and they were full. They called a few other places and they too were full. Damn tour buses were in town and took all the rooms.  I smiled and thanked them, then they said wait a minute.  They had bought the motel 2 building down and were in the process of redoingit. They rented  alot of the rooms out to the highway workers but had a few they could set up.  They said, there was no TV or internet but it would be 50 dollars.  (normal rooms were 150.. thank god they didn't have them). I said sold.  I really didn't want to drive to Whitehorse as I wanted to ride the Cambell highway tomorrow.  Even more so now that they have all said that I would be crazy too and the road is rough.

So I said yes, got the room and then headed to the restaurant.  The burger was good although it was 10 dollars.  I added the pictures from yesterday and started on today's notes.

I then went over to the "hotel".  Its not open,  Stuff is everywhere, it's really not fit for occupation. I figured it was dry, cheap and had hot water so what else do I need.  There is a TV in the room but no cable.  rigged the cable wire to touch the lamp so I get the local CBC station :)  No TV my butt.  There is wifi around but they are all locked.  So I'll have to post this in the morning when I go to check out and grab a cup of coffee. 

While moving the bike I heard a giggling noise.  I started to inquire.  I also needed to lube the chain and do a spot check on the chain and sprocket and tires.  Well, the chain adjusters were loose. So loose that they were clanking along.  I could have sworn I tightened them when I did the tires, but both of them?  I also noticed that it was a bit off on alignment.  So I sat on the ground, pulled out the tools and set it right.  A highway worker offered me some chain lube, but I had a can already.

The chain wasn't stretched at all but the sprocket has some slight wear on it now. I'll have to keep a close eye on it.  I have sprockets with me just in case figuring I could pick up a 525 chain pretty much anywhere.  I then went out for a test ride and filled up the gas so I'm ready to go.

I'll have to make a judgement call on the Cambell highway in the morning. It will be a long day on the dirt/gravel and I'm probably going to run out of gas before I get to the station in the middle.  So I'll have to use some of the fuel I'm carrying.  Tomorrow's hopeful destination is Dawson City and hopefully a Toe shot.

Set the alarm for 6 am. Might move it to 5:30 to get out at 6 ish  The extra few hours will be helpful.

It's 10:30 and the sun is still up here... The more north I get, the less and less night there will be. Hopefully it won't rain much tomorrow and my boots dry.

*addendum: didn't raing last night. heading up the Campbell hwy