[fasteddiecopeman]

I'm from ALBERTA, that's the SECOND last province on the left side of "Kanada".... :topsecret:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Not going into politics about the language used towards Canadians...though I have always heard it was not proper to call them Canucks or anything similar. Though the "stan" part on countries is actually a pure thing that shouldn't be confused. It means "homeland".

As a Canadian, I call MYSELF a Canuck, so it's FINE if you do too!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

EDIT: BTW, the proper pronunciation is 'con-uh-duh' with short 'u's. Not like you say 'can'. A lot of folks in the US pronounce it wrong.

There are SEVERAL ways to pronounce, and 'con-uh-duh' is NOT one of 'em! :huh:
Try "Canadjen", "Can-a-da", and if someone asks how to spell the country's name, it's C eh, N eh, D eh...!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

the language. although i'm told that francophones don't consider canadian french the real deal.

Interesting tid-bit on French: what Canadians speak is more true to the 'antique' French that was in use when their ancestors came here (from Normandy), while what the French speak has been 'bastardized' with English, etc, so it is no longer PURE. :huh:
(If there is SUCH a thing...?) :goodluck:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

... or like this, coming into the MacKenzie River and the ferry, about 60 miles south of Inuvik.... :thumb:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Being an Albertan with Banff and Jasper National Parks on my 'doorsteps', this'll come across as HERESY :nono: , but the Dempster Highway is probably the most scenic ride I've done! :thumb:
We were VERY lucky - 5 days before our ride it was covered in snow and rain - and snotty mud! :thumbdown:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

jdrocks -
Did you see the "Elephant" (I think at 221.3 km marker)? Read about it in a 'tourist brochure' but didn't see it going north, so we set up our GPS's on the south leg and found it right away. PRETTY COOL!
Here are 2 pics, one general, one tight. :goodidea:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

jdrocks,
When you talked about breathing in "lard" it brought back memories. Used to be married to a gal from Quebec. Invited to dinner at her Mom and Dad's. Vegetables in a pot on the top of the stove with a BIG piece of fat, and another large COVERED pot. :huh:
When the cover was removed I could see that there was a WHOLE chicken in there almost totally covered in melted fat 'rendered' out during the (2 hour?) cooking cycle. :badidea:
I was raised to eat whatever was put in front of me, and if I didn't like it - DON'T have seconds...!
This time I "choked" down as much as I could from the plate, just about barfing, and DEFINITELY did NOT have seconds! :forgetit:

In Canada there's a rumor that Quebecois cooking is "second to none"... but I bet that's with a DIFFERENT meaning...!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Turn south on 167 to Chibougamau, and the name of that town is one I have found a dozen inventive ways to pronounce....

I've always pronounced it Sha-BOO-ga-moo.
Great read!
Ed

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Hey jd -
When you were talking about the dust and then I saw the picture of the truck putting up a cloud, it reminded me of riding my KLR on the Forestry Trunk Road when it was uber-dusty like your trip. I could see the truck about 1/2 mile ahead whenever the road turned left so I was keeping position but waiting for a clear left-hander to pass him. In between I'd be zero vis in dust so I rode as close to the road center as I could, when, suddenly for SOME reason (lucky, I guess...) :goodluck: I went a BIT further left and suddenly there was the truck's left rear corner about 20 feet away - he'd slowed to make a left turn.
I was lucky and managed to go further left and by him while he was making the last 100 yards to the turn. Scared the sh*t out of me...!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

you know the road i'm talking about? 750km, known as the mini dempster in some circles. about half gravel. gorgeous route.

my schedule a little uncertain, but if i get above the border, i'll be riding through there.

Would that be the Cassiar/ Stewart Hwy? Or the Bella Coola Hwy over the Chilcotin Plateau? BOTH good roads! :clap:
Or the Canol...?

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

there's only one way to complete your evaluation. come out to Alberta for a test ride. ya wanted to spin the rear wheel roaring up that gravel road anyway.

So your "750 km" road IS in Alberta? I don't have those maps with me here in AZ, so would that be the road up the McKenzie River via Fort Simpson? :huh:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Just looked at MapQuest. Couldn't come up with anything. I know there's a way to ride to the four corners of Alberta, much of which is on dirt.
So, you got me...!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Just thought of another... would Fort Vermillion be on the route?

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

What I really like about the "gel" Loctite, is that you NEVER get that solid plug blocking the opening.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

jd,
I TOO would like to see a picture from the front showing that KLR rear fender.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

The other thing I've noticed from the reports of mayhem that I've heard of here, is that the targets were families with big RVs laden with toys, [read: obvious targets], so hopefully a lone rider on an aging Versys or custom built rat-bike will slip under the radar.

Miguelito,

Good luck, and God-Speed! :goodluck:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Where are you buying them? :huh:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

hide the Versys, Gramps is on the loose. i hope you got that out of your system way back when.

anyone who has turned a wrench can tell a story involving disaster, so in that vein, i could tell some interesting stories...and if i had a little bourbon to sip, eventually, i'd get around to the ones involving serious catastrophe.

jd - there IS some "Old Grandad 101" in my cabinet up in Alberta for when you ride thru this June. And, MAYBE, some Wild Turkey.... :exactly:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

now you have two Versysuses? Versii?, what is the plural of that anyway? tell me Alberta's not hoppin' with oil back above $100.

PROBABLY is... but I've been in AZ the last 5 months except for a short flight north then return.
Stay in touch when your plans start 'jelling'.
PS I don't know the plural, so I just refer to "Big Red" and "the Green Hornet" as the Versysysysysss.