[fasteddiecopeman]

Up early, I was ready to go by 0645 on Friday, the 12th of June. My wife took my pic, I waved and headed out.

Got to the end of the block, said "Oh sh*t!", then did a 180 and rode back to get my back-pack w/ my hydration and rain-gear, said "G'bye" to my wife AGAIN, then re-started.

I had put a "Heads-Up" LED battery monitor on early on the 9th, to monitor battery voltage from my NEW system - new stator, as well as a CompuFire R/R - and I was a LOT nonplussed to see it flashing red a half mile down the road! .... I figured "Whut-the-hell" - I'll keep heading N, and if the system IS going 'south', it should fail by Vernon, about 30 miles N, easy to get a tow back home....

Clouds started "closing-in" by half-way to Vernon, so over to the shoulder to put on rain gear, skies very threatening.

The rain w/ high winds continued to 100 Mile House, about 223 miles (360 kms) N. FINALLY sunny, rain-gear off, time for a lunch snack.

The plan was to visit a member of this forum, SilverFox09, at his place on a lake W of Prince George for 'burgers-n-beer', so it was nice being able to travel w/out being weather-proof! Got there at 1700, and Steve showed the way into his shop to park for the night. That was 754 kms (468 miles) for the day in 10 hours.

Steve even invited me to stay IN his house (I guess I ONLY spent 13 nights 'on-the-road' in my tent...:clap, and I soon had a dark, porter type beer in my hand. GREAT view from his deck.

Steve and his wife soon had the BBQ on, burgers cooking, salad out, and we tucked into a PDG supper (...and several more 'brewskis'...:thumb:...), then off to bed.

:thanx:

There WILL be more...!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

D2D day 2 - 13 June Steve's to Stewart, BC

Woke up early, had breakfast and coffee(s) w/ Steve, phoned my wife, put on rain-gear, then started the GREEN HORNET, heading W by 0705. An hour and a half later I was in Burns Lake removing that gear. Gassed-up, back on Hwy 16 (the "Highway of Tears", because of the number of women who've been murdered or gone missing while hitch-hiking along it!).

Soon after I was 'rolling' thru Houston when I noticed the information center had a mounted grizzly, so turned in, grabbing my camera. This is possibly the nicest live-mount of a grizz I have ever seen, but it's too bad that the glass windows are NOT non-reflective....:thumbdown:

Camera hung around my neck I rejoined BC 16, soon seeing mountains,

and some history.

My plan was to get a 'ways up' the Stewart-Cassiar Hwy, BC 37, but the 'hills' and rivers along 16 are pretty nice, too...!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Heading W the hills just get prettier....

The last time I rode up 37 they were putting up many high-tension power lines, and now I could start seeing the results.

At Meziadin Junction (now w/ a gas station!), I decided to turn W and head down the Glacier Hwy (37A) to Stewart, just because it is SUCH a beautiful road!

In places the glaciers come almost right down to the road....

In Stewart I stayed at the "Rainey Creek" Campground, aptly named, but getting 'long-in'the-tooth', so I don't really recommend it. LOTS of signs warning of bears, and during the night I heard a loud CRACK, which at first I thought was thunder, then decided it was probably a problem bear getting its walking-papers.

Picked up a couple of beers to go w/ my dinner of chili, then turned in.... Today added another 641 kms (397 miles) to the odometer.

:goodidea:

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Awesome!

 

[Gargo]

Thats just awesome!
If it were me, I wouldn't sleep a second knowing I was in bear territory

 

[AlaskaJeff]

waiting to hear how the "Green Hornet" ended up...........

 

[Arion]

Eddie,
Great photos. I'm envious about your adventure as well. Perhaps one day.

Two questions for you. Is that you at the picnic table? Nice to be able to put a face to a name. And, is the Energizer Bunny really green?

 

[unstable_rider]

Great write up Ed, awesome trip indeed. You are a pleasant looking fellow, these guys said you had fangs and a tail while you were gone.... :devil:

Curious about the bike's performance as well.

Camping in griz country, alone....
no one else to serve up first as the appetizer to distract them for the getaway...

 

[saddlebag]

Heading W the hills just get prettier....

Indeed. Looks like fun. Keep em comin! :cheers:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

...Two questions for you. Is that you at the picnic table? Nice to be able to put a face to a name. And, is the Energizer Bunny really green?

YES to question #2, but I use a "body-double" for pics of "me"....

For me... think of a YOUNG Paul Newman, kinda 'crossed' w/ Brad Pitt....

Great write up Ed, awesome trip indeed. You are a pleasant looking fellow, these guys said you had fangs and a tail while you were gone.... :devil:

Curious about the bike's performance as well.

Camping in griz country, alone....
no one else to serve up first as the appetizer to distract them for the getaway...

GRIZZ country??? I EAT grizz' for breakfast...! :yeahsmile:

(Lots of kids in Stewart to attract the bears....)

Bike ran REALLY well for 7,652 kms (4,744 miles), but yesterday it took a ride on a flat-deck truck to the Kawi shop in West Kelowna....

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

waiting to hear how the "Green Hornet" ended up...........

Just keep "followin' along", Jeff....

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

14 June - day 3, Stewart to Watson Lake (+ 2 riding buddies...)

Up early, as usual, this time to the sound of rain.... Oh well.

Fired up my stove, water boiling as I shaved and brushed my teeth, then a "cup-of-noodles" and two cups of that flavored coffee from Internat'l Foods, THIS a 'french-vanilla', then time to break camp.

Just drizzling now, so the stuff went away fairly dry, the bike loaded, me in rain pants and my (waterproof...?) Kilimanjaro jacket, out of camp by 0800...

Went to the PetroCanada station for gas, only to read the sign; Sunday hours - 9AM to..., so I headed E on 37A. Rain started coming a bit harder, so I stopped just outside of town to add my rain-jacket, and a be-whiskered fellow on a BMW 1200GS stopped to ask if I was OK as his pal rolled by on an F800GS. I gave him a 'thumbs-up', he headed out, I finished dressing, then headed E too.

The humidity had entrails of fog lurking here-n-there and pretty soon I could see Metziadin Lake to my right, thru the trees

and my fingers were crossed that the NEW gas station I'd seen at the Metziadin Junction would ACTUALLY be open for business....:goodluck:

It was; I filled the GREEN HORNET; added a couple of liters to my spare-gas can; then headed N on the Cassiar (BC 37), tendrils of fog still evident.

but clearing quickly, tho' I stayed 'rain-suited' for awhile. NICE scenery on 37!

:type:

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

...STILL headed N on the Cassiar Hwy!

It was starting to dry a bit, so I put the rain-gear back into my pack, headed N, camera at the 'ready'...,

and time for a small history lesson -

and MORE scenery.

This being Dease Lake.

Stopped for a break, and AGAIN the 1200GS guy stopped to see if I needed help. "We're headed the same way - let's hook-up!", I said, and Paul (1200GS) and Pete (800GS) agreed, so we rode in "line-astern" (as it's called in formation flying).

We gassed at Dease Lake, then continued N, Watson Lake the destination. I'd mentioned the campground at the Junction of 37 and the Alcan, AND that we could head into Watson Lake for an ice-cream, and that seemed to 'strike-a-cord' w/ Paul and Pete, so we turned E for about 20 kms (of dust - the Yukon was doing a 'chip-seal' repair for a long way), but the ice-cream made it better, and we re-traced our route thru the dust and set camp at the Junction.

We all looked forward to showers (unfortunately NOT in service any longer), but were mollified by the news that we could do a "basin-wash" in the rest-rooms.

Soon three tents were up, and I had my stove going, heating a can of chili, as we all shared stories. Paul from Colorado (w/ a winter place just N of Phoenix), Pete from near San Francisco, but soon around 2200 we all headed over to wash-up, only to learn that the restrooms were LOCKED!!! :thumbdown:..., so into the tents for sleep, mostly a bit 'soiled'....

Today added 681 kms (422 miles) to the total.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Day 4 - 15 June, Watson Lk to N of Whitehorse...

Up early, so I walked over to try the restrooms, which WERE open, so I cleaned off some of the Cassiar dust. A truck had parked between our tent site and the washrooms sometime overnight.

Back to the tent, started the stove, shaved and brushed my teeth, then had my usual breakfast, Paul and Pete fast asleep.

Pretty soon they got up and began 'breaking-camp', breakfast planned at a cafe a mile W on the Alcan, so it was planned that I'd get sorted out, then ride to meet them there.

PDQ I had everything down, packed, then tied onto the GREEN HORNET, and I headed W to find the guys. Imagine my surprise to pull up, but NO sign of the two Beemers. I TRIED to get gas, but the pump kept giving me trouble, so I removed my card, then drove back E and filled at the service station where we'd camped. I brought up the fact that we'd gone to wash-up and found everything locked the night before. He said he thought that he'd told us it got locked at 2000hrs, but I replied that IF he had, not one of us heard it. He then offered to refund half the cost of our sites, which I took. Gassed up I was headed W, camera around my neck.

In an hour or so I came up to the service center at the Continental Divide, and, lo-and-behold - TWO familiar looking BMWs parked there. I went inside, joined the guys then gave them their refunds which QUITE surprised them. Seems they couldn't get food at the cafe near camp, so decided to just keep riding till they found one open, and here we all were!

Next major stop would be Teslin, where a lo-o-ong metal bridge goes across the Wolf River where it joins Teslin Lake, and a large number of adventure riders always seem to be stopped at the gas station at the W end of the bridge....

As you can see - it was 'rain-gear' time again. We got gas and a coffee, chatting about the various rides and riders there, especially two guys on GS1200s, but wearing half-helmets and H-D tee shirts along w/ KLIM outfits. Seems they'd decided to go N, bought Beemers and KLIM, but kept some of the H-D gear. Looked rather bizarre...!

I mentioned that we could go via Carcross (which neither had thought about, or planned), so they followed me onto YT 8 at Jakes Corner headed due W,

and we soon arrived at Carcross (shortened from CARibou CROSSing) at the end of Bennett Lake, where the gold-rush people arrived enroute to Dawson back in 1898.

Besides the historic general store, the downtown now has some native souvenir shops w/ traditional murals on them. That's Pete on the right, Paul left.

We then headed N, thru Whitehorse after stopping for some supplies, exiting onto the Klondike Hwy, YT 2, for a few 'clicks', then W for 10 more, to the Takhini Hot Springs Campground. NICE facility, and the hot springs REALLY remove aches and pains. Pete and I shared some beers, he had his first taste of poutine, then it was time for us all to SOAK! Then back to the tents for sleep...!

:thumb:

Today had added 498 kms (309 miles) to the total.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

16 June - touring Whitehorse, fitting tires....

After breakfast was done, we rode into town to 'check-out' several museums prior to Pete's 1400 appointment at the Yamaha dealer to install the pair of Shinko E-705s he'd been carrying since leaving SFO. Incidentally - the set on his F800GS had OVER 10,000 miles of use, and his third or fourth set. Despite my misgivings when I'd run them back in 2009 on a KLR, they've obviously fixed the problems, and I believe they'll be my NEXT set!

Here's a gratuitous "hero" pic....

Hanging in that Yamaha shop is a model of a 'motorcycle' built by art students at one of the Selkirk Colleges. It's pretty much life-size, and VERY neat!

Our first stop after confirming the tire appointment, was at the "Beringia Museum", about the times when mastodons roamed the area. Here's a display outside...

while these are on the inside. This, a skull from a 2,000 pound (!) short-faced bear

while this is a mastodon skeleton...

this an American lion (about 30% larger than the present day African ones)...

while this is the skeleton of a prehistoric bison....

There is also a display of Haida Indian art.

Next door is the "Yukon Transportation Museum", fronted by a DC-3 on a 'pole'

while inside there are displays about the "Canol pipeline" from Norman Wells, started at the same time as the Alcan, but then abandoned when the Alcan was finished.

and outside, this HUGE truck used in building the Alaska Hwy.

We stopped for lunch before proceeding for tires, and again Pete tried something new when he had poutine (again!, but THIS time made w/ cheese curds), and a piece of saskatoon berry pie. A fellow (Tom) from New Brunswick arrived, also getting tires installed. He's a H-D rider who'd bought a 'wee-Strom' to ride from NB to the Dempster, and ended up at the same campground in Dawson as I did.

Once done, we headed N to the hot spring campground....

Today added a miniscule 98 kms (61 miles) tho' Pete rode MORE than that - he'd helped Tom w/ his bike, then NOT finished tightening his front caliper bolts properly, one having vibrated out, so he rode back into Whitehorse for a (generic) replacement.

 

[kawdog]

Your bike, yellow saddlebags stickers, and even your jump suit all blend in perfectly with the surroundings. Was that the intended effect you wanted? You are almost invisible!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

Your bike, yellow saddlebags stickers, and even your jump suit all blend in perfectly with the surroundings. Was that the intended effect you wanted? You are almost invisible!

That is where I CAMPED, NOT where I RODE!!!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

17th June - Takhini Hot Springs to Dawson City!

The weather started out nice as I ate breakfast, and WE broke camp, then we were loaded-up, headed N by about 0900,

but THAT soon deteriorated, and back into rain-gear....

We 'did' the obligatory stop at Braeburn Lodge where I shared a plate-sized $10 cinnamon-roll w/ Paul (who'd ALSO ordered ham'n'eggs, much to his chagrin - it was FAR too much!) - GREAT treat!

Headed N again, we soon were back into rain suits, thunderstorms in all quadrants, and we pulled in for gas at Carmacks, just as the skies OPENED w/ brilliant flashes c/w thundering-cracks from the storm over us. NO pics, as my camera was being kept out of the POURING rain!...:goodidea:

Within a couple of miles, as we rode UP and out of the river valley, the skies cleared. "Five Finger Rapids" there, were a treacherous obstacle for the 'Klondikers', and the only safe way thru was the right finger, closest to the camera.

As the Klondike Hwy took us further N we were into and out of showers, generally OK weather, but the road...?

For some reason the Yukon road crews will 'fix' a section of road by tearing-up the WHOLE damned thing (often for MILES......), then have each direction wait till a pilot truck comes from the OTHER direction (leading another group of vehicles...), then leads THAT line-up to their end. To keep the dust down, they have water trucks going up-and-down SOAKING the road, so it becomes mud! :thumbdown:

The ONLY good thing...? In the Yukon and NWT, motorcycles ride up to the FRONT of the line, so they don't have a line-of-vehicles to pass later....:exactly:

Then, to top THAT off, in several sections near the Dawson end they also poured OIL onto it, making it EXTREMELY slick....... It's up-on-the-pegs to ride thru this....

Later, while talking about it, the others stated that I must be incorrect - the gov't would NEVER do THAT - so I mentioned the SMELL of oil coming off my headers from all that junk being baked-on, and as they noticed the smell, agreed w/ me.

Some years back the gas station at the bottom of the Dempster (40 kms E of Dawson) burned down, so you needed to fill-up in Dawson, and make sure you had enough to 'make' Eagle Plains, 372 kms FURTHER (412 kms TOTAL), but now there's a "card-lock" station there, open 24 hrs/ day, where you go thru a bit of a 'process' registering your credit card, but then can fill-up fairly easily. (FWIW - there's ALSO gas available NOW at Fort McPherson, NWT 186 kms S of Inuvik...:thumb

The WORST section, mud and oil, started just W of the Dempster, but will probably be completed by now!

Paul and Pete were staying in a cabin at the host hotel (Triple J Hotel), while I planned to TRY to get a spot at the 'Gold Rush Campground' where I'd stayed in '13. I rode in, checked w/ the office. They gave me a spot, but said I'd have to change the next day to another, and I settled in.

Here's the whole campground, and as you can see - clouds were 'rolling-in' again.... That slide, ancient, is known as the "Moose Pelt".

Tent up, gear stowed, I walked down to the Triple J, and sat down to a beer and the one-and-a-half-pound chicken wing special, to feel a tap on my shoulder - Pete and Paul were there too, so we had beers and chatted for several hours, then back to turn in.

Today was about 8 hours, covering 524 kms (325 miles), and D2D starts on the 18th!

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

18 & 19 June - tramping around Dawson City!

Woke up early, as usual, and took this pic of the Gold Rush Campground BEFORE it filled w/ 'adventure' riders.

I went for a long walk, enjoying the contrast between 'modern' homes, and some that are NOT so modern....

Came back to my tent to find a note on the windshield from the owners, that I could stay in the same site rather than have to move - YIPPEE!

I stopped at the Yukon Information building on Main Street, picked up three coupons for various tours, then walked over to the S.S.Keno, a decommissioned paddle wheeler, w/ a great view of the Yukon River, and the ferry coming across.

After a one hour tour (including a video of the Keno's last trip, down the Yukon from Whitehorse to its present spot beside the river)

I walked back to the campground to meet again, Jeremy, notorious from D2D 2013 (he got the "Hard Luck Award", because he'd come into a corner on the Robert Campbell Hwy between Watson Lake and Carmacks, a "trifle" HOT, then sailed off the road and into a swamp, the bike landing upside down but still running... the ONLY damage being a chip broken out of the cover over his F800GS's speedo!

Nice to meet up again!

Then I joined another walking-tour, this one featuring various 'landmarks', this one a bar

and this one the rear of the local undertaker.

Some neat stories come out at these tours! From there I walked over to the "Triple J" where I had some beers w/ Paul and Pete, then back to the campground, now FULL of ADV bikes, including another Versys, this an '08 from Alaska right next to mine.

The 'party' continued till 0200, so I was VERY TIRED in the morning, but quite a view..., this red V being one I'd seen in 2013.

EVEN an ADV Harley wearing dual-sport rubber amongst the rest!

I walked downtown the two blocks to the Triple J where a tent was up, welcoming us,

bikes lining the courtyard

including a 125 Honda that a fellow had ridden up from Argentina (!!!), (AND if you look REALLY close, you just might see a green '09 Versys 'behind' his seat....)

plus a BMW 1200GS that had NOT fared well on the Top of the World Hwy from Chicken. The rider, a woman, had only suffered bruises, :goodluck:..., and she got the 2015 "Hard Luck Award" at the dinner.

Also a '74 Yamaha RT360 was there

getting ready to leave on the "Poker Run".

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

more 19th June D2D stuff!

I went for a walk up 8th Avenue which features cabins used by Jack London, Pierre Berton (a Canadian writer, born there, who's written many books about the Yukon!), ending at the Robert Service cabin (wrote the "Cremation of Sam McGee" among others), where I waited for a tour, the guide giving some of Service's lesser known stories, as well as anecdotes.

Here's the interior of his cabin -

and the rear door,

as well as some of the front.

D2D features a VG steak supper at 1800 hosted by the local volunteer fire department, and at $30 a ticket - fully supported! here's a shot of Dick, THE organizer, picking MY table to be first in line!

Here's a view of the cooks

and some steaks!

After dinner, and door-prizes, the games begin! That's a Kawi W800 w/ the yellow tank

and shots of SOME of the bikes.

By 2230 I was starting to fall asleep watching the 'games', so I said goodbye to Dick, the organizer, and rode back to the campground - we were planning to head up the Dempster the next morning - and put ear-plugs in and went to sleep.

:goodidea:

I failed to mention that one of our site sponsors - TWISTED THROTTLE - supplied about a zillion SUPER t-shirts so that everyone got one.

:thanx: