I'm goin over der! Loaded some crap on the bike and hit the road. I never took any photos in Ontario or Manitoba really, I wanted to get across the prairies and then throttle back a bit.I pulled in to visit Bernhard and he let me try out his trials bike.This was a lot of fun monkeying around on it. We also did a nice evening ride in the valley near his home and I was suprised to see such a great riding area considering he is in the prairies.Sorry we both forgot to bring cameras but I rode the 950 for about half the time, and the rest was on the Sherco.
These are being preserved as a historic place , as they no longer utilize them much.They are located a short ways from Tnt's place.I was fed a great meal and "camped out" with Bernhard and his family.The next day I stopped at the elevators seen above and then began my long ride across Saskatchewan.... I was hammering along mostly backroads and kicking up the dust.I saw this cool church and pulled over for a break. Peanut butter on crackers and tea.Eatin cheap,and trying to keep the costs down, and hoping to camp all the way.....
I rode through Prince Albert northwest and camped out behind some haybales near the highway.I was an hour or 2 from the Alberta border, and this woulda been my 3rd night on the road now I stopped in at Cold Lake for a short break and motored onwards... Perfect weather...now up north here the gps was sayin sunset was gonna be at 11:00 pm or so....getting up there...
I darted up to Ft Mc$misery or Ft Mc money? whichever you choose to call it....and stopped in at some freinds place.Last time they were back home I gave them a couple tires, and said I would swing by and grab them on my way to the Arctic. Now the bike is loaded in a sad way.It was really difficult to park it and not have it fall over.I stayed one night in the boom town and hit the road.I took the mainroad going down but had arrived there on the backroad 881. Big stuff going up.They had to stop traffic for this rig to go by. I pulled into a Provincial Park and did an oil change on the bike.Tried out some fishing in Lesser Slave Lake. Carrying these tires along was a real pain......but it was cheap.As I already had 5 tires sitting at home why buy more? It worked out ok...
Moving right along..... OK, now when you have never been up here before and you arrive at mile 0 the anticipation for the ride you are about to embark on is quite high.... This was the real beginning of the journey....it just took a few days to get here!
Hey Cary (how DO you spell your name???)! Good to see that you are alive and well. Looking forward to your pictures from Dawson, the Dempster, etc. Andy
The actual mile zero location.The first couple hundred KM's where not too scenic,at some point I diverted onto the "old roadway" and I crossed this cool curved wooden bridge.After Fort Nelson the landscape began to really deliver, with wildlife and really great riding. I stopped at Muncho lake.I met a group of 4 KLR riders from California along this section of road. Now I had arrived at the HotSprings! All the campsites were full.The guy at the office told me to go over to the overflow area and see if I can find a decent place to set up my tent. I told him I will see what I can do.The rain was about to start and I pulled in under the pole building.A big RV just left and forgot some firewood near where they had been parked.I scrounged up some dry twigs. I set up my tent under the shelter of the roof.The concrete was hard, but at least I would be dry, and have a nice hot fire going in the stove.Oh, and there was some pools up the trail to go soak in.After riding the 650 trailbike all this way it was time to take a break.I would stay here 2 nights and relax, work on the bike, and get organized and maybe plan the next segment of my journey.
These hot springs are perfect! They do not have a strong sulphur odor and are a nice hot temperture. A short walk brings you to the upper pool. On the second day another rider showed up and some other campers joined in by the fire.The campers from the campgound would walk by in the rain and look at the area I was in nice and dry.The KLR battery was acting up.It would loose juice and I would stop every week and refill it.I hoped it would not fail. Finally it cleared up the next morning and it was time to continue onwards..
Kari (finlander) ! Yea was'nt that good for a bark ! 140 or so of us in Dawson, great meeting you on the Dempster! wait'll you see where I went after D2D !
It sure is far to go up there! I finally am in the Yukon.It was threating rain and the next few days I would get my fair amount. Whitehorse is a fairly good sized place.I really liked it here.It rained the whole time I was here, and I stayed 3 days.I stopped at Superstore and stocked up on supplies for good eating on the campstove.A few other travellers were doing likewise. I stayed at the Robert Service Campground.In Whitehorse there is the huge Olympic Canada Games Complex.For $7 I was able to go do a workout, sauna, steamroom hot tub etc.It really fixed me up.Taking a few days of not riding, resting up and getting some exercise.I walked down the pathway looking for a good fishin spot.I saw the locals on the opposite side casting. I fired up the bike and rode around, over the bridge to where they were.I fished a bit, and then one of them offered me to use a hot lure of his.I started nailing them right away. Arctic Grayling for supper! I had planned on taking the Campbell Hwy up to Ross River and then riding the south Canol road to get here, but the lady at the Tourist Info Center said the South Canol was closed.I had to be flexible and change my route and plans.Maybe I could ride the Campbell Hwy on my way back down,when I no longer am carrying the extra tires.
It was in Whitehorse that I met a KLR rider with a NWT licence plate.Where the hell are you going? Dempster ! Ya me too! We agreed to meet in Dawson and then ride up to Inuvik as a team, kinda looking out for one another. Sounds good, see you in Dawson. A kayaker tries out the current near the fishing hole. So it was time to keep going north.
I stop at the turnoff for the Dempster. I can feel the vibes....I wanna go up it right now, but I need to swap out my tires and meet up with Squonker. I am psyched! I head into Dawson and take the ferry across the river to the campground.I begin the process of changing both tires.I wash the wheels in the river prior to taking the tires off the rims.I just get the second one done when Squonker shows up.The bead is not properly seated on either wheel but the new tires are installed.I have a luke warm shower with the bag shower I have been carrying along.You can see it laying there on the right.
We both decide to walk to the ferry and leave the bikes at the campground.We deliver the used good tires to Downtown Dick.I spot a strange fish trap on the way. Checking out the sourtoe action.There was a big line-up for it!The toe... Gotta go see DTG 's place....
It was the 3rd show and the ticket booth had closed after the show started so I got in free. Later I walked around under the midnight sun(partly obscured by cloud).It was about a week prior to soltice and we were well below the Arctic Circle but it was strange being so late..... We discussed the Dempster and agreed that if the weather looks good we should go for it right away.I thought I would need an extra day in Dawson to do my tires but arriving early, and a smooth installation,they are on so we decide to stop at the Dempster info building, get a forecast and go for it, in the morning.Just need to find a high pressure air supply to seat the beads better.
Awesome report! Great pics. I really like seeing the Liard Hot Springs without snow. Neat to see pics of places I've been long ago, and seeing how they've changed or not! John