Well, we Finally got going from Dawson City at about 4:30pm...
Thats how it is when there are four people. Someone goes off to do something and before they come back, someone else has to go do something else. Then the first person comes back but the second person is till away... and now, the third person is tired of waiting so they go off to do something else....etc.
You get the picture.
But, we finally hit the road and headed North.
And its really nice. Its way nicer than the first half of the Dalton Highway. Its smaller and winds more but is quite a bit more aesthetic. And the country side is more varied. I spent lots of time just stopping and starting and tacking lots of pictures.
The road runs up past the Tombstone range, and it becomes treeless tundra early on...very pretty.
I was even fortunate enough to have a Lynx cross the road in front of me (a real privilege to see any sort of wild feline anywhere in my book!) In the distance I first thought it was a Coyote (grey in colour and about the same size) but I quickly recognized it looked wrong... Legs are too thick... and then there was the give away of "no tail". I was braking once I saw it and when I rode past the spot where it left the road (at about 30Kmh), there he was, looking back at me with those tufted ears from about five metres off the side of the road in the woods...COOL :)))
Thats how it is when there are four people. Someone goes off to do something and before they come back, someone else has to go do something else. Then the first person comes back but the second person is till away... and now, the third person is tired of waiting so they go off to do something else....etc.
You get the picture.
But, we finally hit the road and headed North.
And its really nice. Its way nicer than the first half of the Dalton Highway. Its smaller and winds more but is quite a bit more aesthetic. And the country side is more varied. I spent lots of time just stopping and starting and tacking lots of pictures.
The road runs up past the Tombstone range, and it becomes treeless tundra early on...very pretty.
I was even fortunate enough to have a Lynx cross the road in front of me (a real privilege to see any sort of wild feline anywhere in my book!) In the distance I first thought it was a Coyote (grey in colour and about the same size) but I quickly recognized it looked wrong... Legs are too thick... and then there was the give away of "no tail". I was braking once I saw it and when I rode past the spot where it left the road (at about 30Kmh), there he was, looking back at me with those tufted ears from about five metres off the side of the road in the woods...COOL :)))
He didnt want to wait around for a photo session and he was off... so I rode on.
But the wind started to pick up and it was cold too (It had been nice and warm down in Dawson City). Pretty soon I was huddling behind a wooden sign board and waiting for the other bikes to catch up. Which they did (had been taking lots of pictures like me).
And by now, it was getting late again...
Its nearly 400Km up to the next fuel stop on this road (a long run) and it was now about 7:30pm. So we discussed the plan and agreed that we would aim to get to Eagle Plains for the night and we set off again.
This time I didnt stop much. The country side became treed again anyway and the views were less enticing. So I just put my head down and opened the throttle up and aimed to get where I was going.
The road actually was really nice. Really smooth and firm dirt, and I could get up to 110Kmh without too much trouble. It was getting darker now and cloudy and colder...I kept going.
I finally made it where I was going at about 9:30 and was glad to be there.
I set up tent and went to get warm in the hotel for a couple of hours.
I was expecting the others to turn up after an hour or so... but they didnt show.
So, I went to bed.
I have no idea what happened to them!
I slept with all my clothes I had on and was still cold.
In the morning I woke up to about 5cm of snow over everything!
I seem to have made a bit of a tactical error...
Now the beautiful ribbon of dirt road I came in on has turned into a treacherous slimy snake.
Im 400Km up this dirt road in the Arctic and still only half way to my destination.
Winter appears to be coming. (like now!)
I seem to have three immediate choice options.
Go North, Go South, Stay put.
I think Im gonna follow Dorothea Brande's advice...
"Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid."
I choose to press on Northward :)))
But the wind started to pick up and it was cold too (It had been nice and warm down in Dawson City). Pretty soon I was huddling behind a wooden sign board and waiting for the other bikes to catch up. Which they did (had been taking lots of pictures like me).
And by now, it was getting late again...
Its nearly 400Km up to the next fuel stop on this road (a long run) and it was now about 7:30pm. So we discussed the plan and agreed that we would aim to get to Eagle Plains for the night and we set off again.
This time I didnt stop much. The country side became treed again anyway and the views were less enticing. So I just put my head down and opened the throttle up and aimed to get where I was going.
The road actually was really nice. Really smooth and firm dirt, and I could get up to 110Kmh without too much trouble. It was getting darker now and cloudy and colder...I kept going.
I finally made it where I was going at about 9:30 and was glad to be there.
I set up tent and went to get warm in the hotel for a couple of hours.
I was expecting the others to turn up after an hour or so... but they didnt show.
So, I went to bed.
I have no idea what happened to them!
I slept with all my clothes I had on and was still cold.
In the morning I woke up to about 5cm of snow over everything!
I seem to have made a bit of a tactical error...
Now the beautiful ribbon of dirt road I came in on has turned into a treacherous slimy snake.
Im 400Km up this dirt road in the Arctic and still only half way to my destination.
Winter appears to be coming. (like now!)
I seem to have three immediate choice options.
Go North, Go South, Stay put.
I think Im gonna follow Dorothea Brande's advice...
"Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid."
I choose to press on Northward :)))
