A good day. Got packed up and headed North. It is busy to Whistler. A nice road and a beautiful view ..... But Whistler is a s**thole, it was when I skied there over 40 years ago, and it still is .... as a matter of fact, they built Whistler Village on the old garbage dump ....if you into the mountains sure, skiing or summer stuff, but Whistler Village is one large outdoor mall. I went in last year. Waste of time.
Once you leave Pemberton 13% grades and 15 mile an hour corners. And it climbs over 4,000 ft from Sechelt. The road was a bit bumpy in places, but mostly good. A few sections of seal coating but it set up well and there is no loose gravel. You need to watch very carefully for loose rock coming of the mountains as they are right beside the road. No place to play Rocket Race Bike.
It got cool once I started to climb and I had my electrics on. A good downpour just south of 100 mile, but not enough for rain gear. It's a nice surprise how well the lowers keep the legs and boots dry.
Very twisty all the way, and it lightens up around Lilooett. Then once you get on 97, it's an undivided highway. Boring all the way to 100 mile house, but pretty.
99 is a bucket list road. If your in Vancouver, take it North.
We missed you by two days, would have been cool to run into you there. We came through on 99 yesterday (the 18th), beautiful road though the cloud cover obscured a lot of the scenery. We are on Vancouver Island for a few more days, leave here on the 23rd, and then will ride across the bottom of BC, Creston to Revelstoke, down to Radium, and then through the Jasper parkway on the way home to northern Alberta
Calling for rain tonight and quitting by about noon between Dease and Whitehorse. The Sun and clouds the next day and for a week in Alaska. Looks like I might get a nice weather break. I was talking to an ADV fellow this afternoon who is coming back from Prudho Bay. Said if it is dry, the Artic Circle is doable on my Glide. Said if it is wet it is even a chore on his ADV bike ..... so, it is unlikely I will be this way again, and I have never either crossed, or camped above 66 degrees N. ....hmmmm...
The Northland Hotel is a nice place to stay. Quiet, big rooms, coffe in the room, very friendly staff. The WIFI is weak and won't upload files, but that could be a Dease Lake thing. There is a pretty decent grocery store at the Gas Station, but closes early and doesn't open until 7, so fuel up when you get here.
I woke up at 4 and it was already light out. So I made some coffee and tried to upload a few picts with no one using bandwidth .... ain't happening.
Looks like it rained last night. I will drink some Coffee and then pack up. I still have a sandwich in my cooler so will eat that and then look for bacon & eggs on the road, although the receptionist said it is several hours North.
Life and times of a Northern Travler. The distances between things and the empty roads remind me of 93 in Nevada.
Time to pack and suit up. I will put my "dry" riding clothes in my bags and put on my cold weather (electric coat and down North Face jacket) and rain gear on for the morning. The Harley waterproof gloves are working out good. The rain jacket and new Harley overboots worked good yesterday, but the pants are beyond their best before date. I might look for a pair in Fairbanks, which is the next Harley dealer. There isn't one in the Yukon anymore, or so I was told anyway.
You can say what you want about fashion statements, but the Harley clothes ..... inner, outer and rain gear .... work. I see my cover tore a bit, I will keep an eye on that.
As to the '017 Electra Glide Low? The best fitting, most comfortable and most usable power I have ever had in a Motorcycle..... Ever.
150 miles to the intersection of 37 & the Alcan. Food & gas there. It you head east on the Alcan, toward Watson Lake, you'll see the Sign Post Forest .... worth the stop for pictures. Have a safe ride .... waiting for the pics.
Watson Lake will have more choices for food & gas.
Last edited by 14GuineaPig; 06-20-2017 at 09:18 AM.
7 hrs of rain and sprinkles today. And a bunch of 37 is seal coat. 9 Hrs total transit time from Dease to Whitehorse. So I am a bit tired. I will update with pictures and story's tomorrow as I am taking a rest day here. But here is a taste from Today .....
Painting Perfect. Yes, you must ride 37. This is just North of the old Cassiar road, and all New road to me.
"They crossed the Yukon river
and they found the bonanza gold"
Great pics and I really enjoy following your travel. I'm envious, I wish I could spend as much time on the road as you do.
I have been out about 3 weeks now, with some of that time at my daughters in Vancouver. I need a rest day so as I said staying in Whitehorse, wash the bike, do some laundry. By mostly a none road day.
Funny though, you get to a point where you think you are a "Traveler " then you get your comeuppance....
This guy is a few years older than me, and rides from Florida to Fairbanks every year. Marine Corp Vietnam veteran. He was there during Tet. Today he is running from Whitehorse to Fairbanks. Probably a 12 hour run. Not including stops and He wears an oxygen bottle....just plain tough.
These guys are from Brazil. On a 2 year world rounder. Wow.
I am staying at the Stratford Motel. Park right In Front of the door, coffee in the room, comfortable bed, and there is a Chinese Food Resturant a block away. Good food. There is also a Greek Restaurant there. Go there tonight. I was able to sit outside and have coffe this morning and if it is raining there is a walkway upstairs that affords some protection. The motel is a bit dated, but it was the cheapest place on Bookings.
06-19-2017, 11:43 PM
