Well we couldn't do it, so we stayed and cleaned and laundered for another 11 units. John was very grateful. He asked if we’d like a float plane ride. Marty said no but I told John we would love to go on one if he could arrange it. So at 7pm us plus Ben and Jamie found ourselves down on the jetty waiting to board the plane.
We had an awesome flight. The weather was perfect. So perfect our pilot was able to fly over Mt. Edziza which is very rare as the weather is usually too cloudy or turbulent. We were very very lucky.
We also flew over Eva Cone an extinct volcano.
There was one very bumpy part which although didn't last long was not pleasant. The pilot must have seen me grab hold of the back of Marty's seat as he turned and said it's ok the plane can take it.We had a great 40 minute flight.
Got back to the restaurant and John had been very busy so we were all straight back into dishes and cleaning up but it was worth it. Finally got done about 11pm.
After having breaky and cleaning our room, we said our goodbyes and were on the road at our usual 9.30. I was feeling a bit tired and riding like a knob through the small sections of gravel so MJ took the lead. We stopped at Jade City for a stretch and a coffee. I felt much better after that and my riding improved. We saw a black bear and her cub and we think a small grizzley.
We arrived at Watson Lake and went straight to the signpost forest to hunt for Betty’s RV Park sign (we stayed there on 2007 when in Louisiana). It took us ages even though we had a picture that gave us a couple of clues. There are over 90 thousand signs so it was a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. MJ found it just as we were about to give up.
We booked into the old air force barracks for the night. Bit over priced but it's only one night.
Slept surprisingly well last night but a very noisy motorcyclist who was leaving at 6am decided to chat at full volume to another guest right outside our window. That was the end of any sleep so about 7 I got up had a shower and packed up ready to leave. We got on the way at 8.15 and decided to get a few kms under our belts before we stopped for breaky.
Saw a black bear but sadly it was road kill.
Pulled into Rancheros for breaky. Nothing there except for gas and a restaurant.. Got chatting to an older guy on a Harley. He is a physics teacher in North Carolina and spends his summer break riding his motorcycle. He was on his way to Fairbanks. He wants to come to NZ when he retires best year so I gave him our card and told him to come stay.
Back on the road. Temperature had dropped to 10.5 and not far up the road it started to rain so we stopped and put our wet weather gear on. Good move.
We stopped at Teslin for gas and a coffee. Chatted again with our Harley mate then headed off into the wet and cool.
Our next stop was Jacks Corner. Here we met Amilcar Barbat who is travelling from Uruguay. He is doing 15 countries and around 35000 miles in 4 months. He is on a F800gs.
By the time we left the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to come out. Temperature had increased to 16°.
Found our hotel in Whitehorse and went for a wee stroll around the local shops. Left my pjs in Watson Lake so will have to go shopping for new ones. May be another pair of moose ones.
Chilling out in our room. Got a days sight seeing in Whitehorse tomorrow.
Had a bit of a sleep in then did a scenic walk along the river, then into town. It is hard to believe this fast flowing river ices over in winter. Walked down to the hardware store to get some glue to reattach my helmet intercom. MJ spent some time doing it and it seems to have worked.
We visited the bike shop before we left to arrange a wee service on the bikes but the suxuki shop said they were 3 weeks behind in servicing so they wouldn't be able to do it, but gave us the number of a guy who might do, we will try him. Headed off to Beaver Creek today. Beautiful scenery.
Our accommodation isn't that flash but it's ok. Went to Buckshot Bettys for dinner. Shared a pizza. It was so huge we have bought half of it back for breaky.
Our accommodation isn't that flash but it's ok. Went to Buckshot Bettys for dinner. Shared a pizza. It was so huge we have bought half of it back for breaky.
Today was the day. We made an early start for us as the weather forecast said rain in Dawson after 2pm. We made good progress. Stopped at Tok for gas as there was nothing at the the Junction. Bit of roadworks along the way. They don't do it by halves over here. Some of it is 15km long and you gave to wait for a pilot vehicle escort.
Had a spot of breaky there and bought a new roll bag. Headed off for our Top of the World ride. Weather still good although a bit cool. Glad we had our thermals on. We were in Chicken in no time. Had a coffee and gassed up. Not many bikes there but truck loads of rv’s. The scenery was pretty nice but nothing we hadnt seen before. The gravel was pretty shitty in parts and ok in others so you had to keep your wits about you. There are truck loads of RV' s on the road flinging their mud and filth all over us. Only a handful of bikes. To be honest apart from us we only saw 3 other bikes. It's a real boys club ride. I haven't seen a female rider since we left Stewart and have seen a few surprised looks from people when I take my helmet off.
Had a spot of breaky there and bought a new roll bag. Headed off for our Top of the World ride. Weather still good although a bit cool. Glad we had our thermals on. We were in Chicken in no time. Had a coffee and gassed up. Not many bikes there but truck loads of rv’s. The scenery was pretty nice but nothing we hadnt seen before. The gravel was pretty shitty in parts and ok in others so you had to keep your wits about you. There are truck loads of RV' s on the road flinging their mud and filth all over us. Only a handful of bikes. To be honest apart from us we only saw 3 other bikes. It's a real boys club ride. I haven't seen a female rider since we left Stewart and have seen a few surprised looks from people when I take my helmet off.
We were lucky enough to come across a small herd of Caribou or reindeer. I turned the video on my phone on, and coasted down the hill filming them. It was awesome, only when I checked the footage tonight there was nothing. In my blindness I hadn't started the video. I am really pissed about it. Soon after we crossed back into Canada the temperature dropped to 5.5 and the rain arrived. No good for taking photos.
That made the last 90kms of gravel very miserable. We arrived at the little ferry a little wet and dirty.
Thought accommodation would be easy in Dawson but for some unknown reason town was full and the only accommodation we could get was in the very old and decrepid Westminster Hotel. It's very cheap but there us a reason for that. The whole place is in need of an awful lot of TCL and it is all on a lean.
You naturally lean when sitting on the loo and the bed slopes downhill. Oh well it's a bed. We went to the Jack London grill for tea. Was ok. We then spent quite a while walking and looking around town. The old falling down buildings were great. Mainly due to the Perma frost.
You naturally lean when sitting on the loo and the bed slopes downhill. Oh well it's a bed. We went to the Jack London grill for tea. Was ok. We then spent quite a while walking and looking around town. The old falling down buildings were great. Mainly due to the Perma frost.
There was a whole flock of Armish folk in town.
Moosehide slide a famous "slip" in Indian folklore.
Had a drink in the bar, chatted to a local who had obviously had quite a few, then retired.
Sleep is not looking that good. An awful lot of noise from a bar behind us. Oh well we will try.
Well that was the worst sleep, in the worst bed in the worst hotel. There was no way I felt up to a 500 odd km run to Whitehorse so I booked us a cabin at Carmacks. That is about 360km away. We had breaky then went to the Jack London Museum.
That was a little disappointing. They had lots of info on the walls around the museum but they were running a film of one of his books so I didn't feel right going to read it while there were people watching the film. Marty managed to read some of it by sitting in the front row.
That was a little disappointing. They had lots of info on the walls around the museum but they were running a film of one of his books so I didn't feel right going to read it while there were people watching the film. Marty managed to read some of it by sitting in the front row.
Left gassed up and hit the road. A mangled Harley and It's slightly battered rider arrived via tow truck as we were leaving. Guess he will gave to take the stage coach out of town.
First stop was Stewart Crossing. A few kms before there we came across a black bear in the middle of the road. He even stood up for a few seconds to study us then disappeared into bushes. There is a small manned tourist info room at the crossing. Got talking to the guy who made me a cup of coffee. He was in the process of making Marty one when another couple came in asking questions and he forgot about Marty's coffee so we took our leave and headed off to Pelly Crossing where we gassed up.
First stop was Stewart Crossing. A few kms before there we came across a black bear in the middle of the road. He even stood up for a few seconds to study us then disappeared into bushes. There is a small manned tourist info room at the crossing. Got talking to the guy who made me a cup of coffee. He was in the process of making Marty one when another couple came in asking questions and he forgot about Marty's coffee so we took our leave and headed off to Pelly Crossing where we gassed up.
We arrived in Carmacks about 4.30. Our cabin is lovely and right across the road from the Yukon River. So much nicer and quieter than last night.
We walked up to the general store and got some more glue and bits and pieces to have another go at attaching my intercom. Funny how quickly we have adjusted to having them.
We are now back in Whitehorse. A cold wet miserable ride. It was so cold I had to turn on my handgrip heaters. They worked perfectly and thawed my fingers out. I had a close encounter with a tree. The tree fellas were busy felling saplings on the side of ths road and one rather long one came down just as I went past. The top of it brushed the bike but not hard enough to do any harm. On the plus side we did get to see a mountain lion casually walking across the road. Cool.
The plan is to give the bikes a service and keep heading south. Hopefully the rain will go away and the temperature will rise.
We are now back in Whitehorse. A cold wet miserable ride. It was so cold I had to turn on my handgrip heaters. They worked perfectly and thawed my fingers out. I had a close encounter with a tree. The tree fellas were busy felling saplings on the side of ths road and one rather long one came down just as I went past. The top of it brushed the bike but not hard enough to do any harm. On the plus side we did get to see a mountain lion casually walking across the road. Cool.
The plan is to give the bikes a service and keep heading south. Hopefully the rain will go away and the temperature will rise.
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