We're back with enthusiasm! Yesterday, there was no internet connection at Toad River Lodge in British Columbia. That day, we drove 560 miles mostly in rain from Haines Junction. When we left, I took a picture of the setting moon over the mountains which received a fresh coating of snow that night.
What a lovely view from our room at Alcan Motor Inn at Haines Junction! The moon setting over the mountains.
Because of the rain, we saw some most gorgeous rainbows. If you hold your hand out in front of you, the top of the rainbow is just the width of your hand ... it look exactly like an arch over the Alaska Highway.
We didn't stop early enough to take a picture of the whole thing. Here, you can see Robb and David taking pictures.
The temperature when we left Haines Junction was 39 degrees and it warmed up to around 50 degrees. So refreshing!!!
Over our Toad River Lodge's room door, I saw some structures that looked like a huge mud dauber nest. David told me it was a swallow nest.
When we left Toad River this morning at 7:30 a.m., we eased onto a deserted Alaska Highway and cruised Southeast. En route, we saw two herds of bison, several bears, some moose, Dall sheep. One elk sprinted in front of us and ran about 500 yards before it veered off into the forest. Unfortunately, because of the rain, I didn't have a chance to tape that friendly elk guiding us.
We love crossing steel grate bridges!
Later on, the sun came out and it was so pleasant by the time we arrived at our initial destination we decided to keep on going to Grande Prairie, Alberta. The wind was behind us, the warm sun blessed us as we sped East South East at 110 KM/HR with the thermometer encouraging us at 76 degrees!
We decided to cross the Kiskatinaw River Bridge, which is a 531 foot long original timber bridge. To access this bridge, we drove on the original Alaska Highway.
At the end of Alaska Highway, we posed for our touristy photos at Milepost Zero at Dawson Creek in British Columbia.
A note to other bikers considering a trip to Alaska.
1. Please invest in serious rain clothes, water proof gloves and motorcycle boots. With these items, rain was no problem at all.
2. Please NEVER drive on the Alaska Highway at night. Even in the daytime, those behemoth bisons ambled across the highway, even with traffic approaching. They would be invisible at night. Bears, caribou, elk, moose and other critters may want to amble on the warm asphalt.
Antother thing is that the "asphalt" is really chip sealed gravel and many time there is no center lane or side line markings. When it is dawn, dusk or night, it would be too easy for you to drift off the road onto loose gravel. In many places, there is only one meter or less between the hard road surface and a drop off into a raging river or creek or cliff or forest. The DVD that you will have a chance to purchase (link on website later) will be a two hour DVD of the whole trip.
Katie, if you are reading this, you are welcome to join your daddy next year on one condition: Have enough cash to buy a one way plane ticket back home <g> because you got to really love motorcycling to endure over 10,000 miles of this adventure!
Here are some more updates concerning other bikers:
Chuck Claybaugh dropped his bike down an embankment on Alaska Highway and the other bikers told me he was taken to the hospital for treatment for non life-threatening injuries. His family is already en route from Michigan with a truck to pick him and his bike up as he isn't able to ride his bike.
David Stufflebeam, Robb and I will be staying together, going to Logan, Utah. David will stay with Robb ane me until Kansas City.
The other two bikers from Michigan .. Lee Geronime and Bob Baldassari are with us here in Grande Prairie and will be going home to Michigan. Tomorrow morning might be the last time we see them.
Larry Brown ... the group told me he had problems with his Harley Davidson ... blown head gasket? I hope to get updates from him or his family.
Travis and Dean and David Mountcastle are en route to Sturgis, South Dakota.
Jerry and Lou were driving together in British Columbia. Apparently Lou stopped to take off some clothe layers and never did catch up with Jerry as he did in the past. By the time Jerry emailed me and I checked my email and gave him Lou's phone number and Jerry called Lou, he was already 400 miles away in Seattle.
Here is Jerry's update:
About 7pm last night (Saturday) we were heading South on highway 97 and I lost Lou. He was behind me and then he wasn't, this had happened a few times during the day but I'd stop and he would always catch up. He'd mentioned at a gas station that he was going to stop if it got warm and take off some apparel, but I didn't see him signal me that he was going to stop, and the temperature had gone up about 10 - 15 degrees earlier in evening. We were almost to a small town (it was the first good size town North of Williams Lake, about 60-75 miles north) so I stopped at a gas station to fill up and wait for him. About 30 minutes later I headed back up the road looking for him. I'm sure I went further than where I'd seen him behind me last and no sign of him in trouble. So I assumed that he missed me at the gas station and headed toward our intented destination for the evening Willimas Lake. I got to Williams Lake and checked as many of the hotels/motels as I could but no sign of his bike. I called my Mom to have here give me Lou's cell number off the Alaskabikerun.com web site, but apparently he didn't post a phone/cell number. I asked her to send him an e-mail telling him I was in Williams Lake and to give me a call, but my phone battery was going low, so I also had her e-mail him with her phone number and said if he called to let him know where I was.
About 10pm I figured I'd better get a room for the night and checked into the Sandman Hotel in Williams Lake. I called my mom and gave here the number there in case Lou called. I also logged on and sent Lou a couple of e-mails myself telling him where I was and giving him my contact information. It's a little after 2am and he hasn't called or e-mailed me as of yet. While I'm certain he's OK (there was lots of traffic on the road and if something had happened someone would have seen it), I'm starting to get a bit worried.
Do you have Lou's cell number, an alternate e-mail address that he might be using, or the emergency information he provided ?? If so, could I impose upon you to send it to me so I can check first thing tomorrow to make sure he's OK. We were headed to his relative's house in Seattle.
My feeling is that his GPS took him another way around the city we were going through and he didn't pass me at the gas station. He probably figured I was just ahead of him and that he needed to catch up as he'd been doing throughout the day. I'm a bit troubled that I didn't find him in Williams Lake, and he hasn't contacted me yet, and so far he's always loged into the Internet for information and to read his e-mail when he gets settled into his hotel room for the night. If he contacts you because by e-mail or one of the other guys by phone because he can't get through to me, please let me know. Thanks for your help on this.
Here is another update after I sent Jerry Lou's phone number:
Thanks for the information. I believe Lou is going to have his bike fully serviced (get all the litte things fixed that are not working (heated seat, power plug, etc) in Seattle. I could probably has used the oil change. I'm very glad I used a full synthetic oil at the last service. Not really sure what to do at this point, go on or wait to hear from Lou? I'll probably give it a few more hours then head toward Seattle as we planned hopefully he's in route and safe. Jerry
Here is the final update from Jerry:
Hi Mike, According to his wife Sally, when we got seperated Lou came to Williams Lakes and apparently looked for me and when he couldn't find me just took off toward Seattle. I just spoke wih her and she said he was already in the States, which means he's about 400 miles ahead of me. So he must have driven for another several hours that's why I didn't hear from him. So he's safe somewhere in the US. Guess I can head out at this point. Thanks for your help on this. Jerry
Here is an update from Larry Brehany July 21:
Mike, This is the first time I have had access to a computer, but I did tell Travis Hicks that I was leaving on Friday the 18th. Sorry if I put you guys out. I am in fort Nelson and will leave tomorrow for Valleyview with the intent to go to Calgary and points south, which is the way I think you guys were going but a day early. I probably will not have access to a computer again before reaching the USA and will be making my way back the long way around. You folks still have my cell number but as of now I don't have cell service.
Have a nice day unless you have other plans
Larry
Ok .. bikers and bikers' families ... my email is DrASL@aol.com so please keep sending me updates.
We didn't stop early enough to take a picture of the whole thing. Here, you can see Robb and David taking pictures.
