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Published: August 13th 2018
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The Tres Amigo’s, String, Dave and Al got away early to start their Continental Divide Ride down to the border with Mexico, while we got away at 9.15am after waiting ages for Gerardo, who thought we were leaving at 9.30 but everyone was keen to get away.!
Radar, Nikki, Pete and Julie left the same time as us to head down into the USA.
We followed the truck out of the hotel but after Paul took us into a weigh station we parted company and reprogrammed our gps with Whistler and made our way through down town Vancouver to meet up with the chase truck again in Squamish.
We should have refueled at Squamish but took a punt. We made it to Lillooet on fumes only.
We arrived 7.00pm and had dinner in the pub next door. Laughing Loon Chowder and Pizza.
We are now in Prince George and heading to New Hazelton tomorrow.
Day 6. Prince George to New Hazelton, this is a great ride...here are some words from Bones, as she was riding with me today.....Prince George to New Hazelton.
436km.
Words by Bones.
Temperature was comfortable for riding, although we were reminded of the wildfire season by the
whiff of smoke in the air, haze in the sky and the presence of fire crews in the towns we passed through - the news says over 450 wildfires in British Columbia alone. Don't really want to see one close up.......
Had lunch Lake Burns at a great cafe on the right just past the gas station.
We arrived at Robbers Roost around 4.00pm.
Wonderful hospitality at Robbers Roost tonight - a return visit by some of Rosco's Rocky Road adventurers from 2015 and a unique experience for the rest of us!
Thank you Linda, Bill, LeeAnn and Darwin! for the fabulous fresh wild salmon for dinner.
A few words from Stretch....
Gday, well 400 sublime km today, Stewart to Lake Dease. 11.5c to 24c. Breakfast at q served by Beth was an experience to behold. Everything homemade and it was a sort of steampunk/antique shop setting inside. Trees , lakes,mountains and more trees. Road surface excellent - roller coaster with twisties , good fun at a $1.10 and 100km average .
Had a good break with Kel at Bell II Roadhouse with a $3 ‘drip’ coffee watching the humongous 5th wheelers fuel up. One guy told us he got
10 miles per gallon ! Lots of real ADV bikes everywhere all giving us the universal Biker wave.
Rode into the Northway Motor Inn in Dease Lake to shower, fuel up, enjoy a few 5.2% Steamworks Pale Ales pre Pizza night.
The photo below with fruit was our healthy lunch option to show we’re not eating Burger Chain Tucker.
We’ve discovered our post Coffee bladders have a shorter range than our fuel tanks ( read 100km ) big day tomorrow 600+ km to Whitehorse if we can get thru the big fires on Highway 37 where it’s apparently jumped the road. Pretty smoky outside.
Day 7.
New Hazelton to Stewart.
270km.
After having breakfast at Tasty Restaurant we checked out the swing Bridge and then headed outa town.
The last we saw of Wayne was when he missed the right hand turn and headed off to ? a 90 km extension to the day’s ride.
We arrived at Stewart and had a mission sorting the rooms, but we got there in the end.
We took the truck to Hyder, but not before having to come back so Melean could retrieve her passport!!
So between Wayne and her for spoon award.
Bones n Linda
This is where the Salmon come from We had a nice dinner at the King Edward Hotel after going to see the spawning salmon in Hyder, Alaska USA.
Back to the camp, a few cold tea’s and into bed at 11.15.
Day 8
Stewart to Dease Lake.
390km
We had a muffin for breakfast then around 8.30 headed up the hill to the gas station to wait for the truck, but they went for a sit down breakfast and finally arrived about 10.00 am.
We all gassed up and headed North.
We stopped a few times beside the lakes, but generally just made time.
We had 20 minutes at the stop and go for road work.
We arrived around 4.00pm.
We ordered 7x Pizzas for dinner at 7.30pm.
Day 10.
Whitehorse to Tok.
626km.
Fairly big day today leaving around 7.30am. Note to self - the gas station we need is about 5 kms out of town on the right.
We stopped for fuel and had breakfast at 9.30am at grumpy’s place but this Time with Mrs Grumpy. Refused to serve Paul, Melean and Erin. (Just because they came in at 9.30am when breakfast finished and room cleaning started! We did suggest she and Mr Grumpy sell
up and go have some fun.....)
Overcast weather all day with temperatures dropping as we headed North.
Rain came during the evening.
We had dinner across the road.
Day 11.
Tok to Fairbanks.
334km
Left Tok with Erin in drizzling rain and very cold.
A good run to Delta Junction for fuel and curly fries n coffee to thaw out. (Outside in a Drive In - temp about 4C!)
Overcast from here until Fairbanks.
We stopped at North Pole to catch up with Santa, then to our Super 8.
Went to the Harley/BMW dealer and got a couple of t shirts as you do.
We also caught up with Jerry at Thunder Motorcycles.
Meanwhile the girls went and sorted out food for the next few days.
Bones and I went to the Chinese for dinner, as did most of the group but we were the stragglers that night!
Day 12
Fairbanks to Wiseman.
467km. 520km total, that included a dinner ride to Coldfoot.
On the road by 9.00am, picking up the Dalton Highway, the old Haul Road of Ice Truckers tv fame.
The road is under construction in many places so progress was slow to start with.
The dual purpose
bikes handling the conditions with no problems, but the road was never a good option for the Harley. There were many sink holes that you couldn’t see and some huge potholes that would be disastrous if you hit one. Imagine lots of chiropractic sessions all rolled into one over a 6 hour ride! Loosened up our bones plus a few nuts and bolts!
We stopped for lunch at Yukon River Crossing Camp after around 260 kms.
We arrived at Coldfoot to fuel up around 4.00 pm, then rode the 22kms to Wiseman and our lodging there.
Most rode back to Coldfoot for a sumptuous dinner at the Truckers’ Cafe, some electing to stay at our lodgings and just chill......
As this was a two night stay for half the group, I shared with Gerardo as Paul, Melean, Erin and Bones were all in one cabin, for one night before leaving for Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse with Ian, Kel and Graham.
Into bed by 10.00pm.
Day 13.
Wiseman.
44km
The Adventures were all on the road around 8.25 am after a hearty breakfast the girls had organised and after they got another key from Heidi to get back into their cabin as
they had locked themselves out!!
The rest of us just had a nice lazy day at the camp.
Day 14.
Wiseman to Fairbanks.
We were to leave camp at 9.00am after a breakfast at 8.00am.
Wayne left about 6.30am and had breakfast at Coldfoot and continued on.
TL and his gang were ready to ride at 7.45 am, after their breakfast at the camp, leaving GOM and me some buns and ham for our breakfast.
We got away at 8.30am and made good time in fine but cold conditions.
We arrived at Yukon River Camp as TL’s team we’re leaving.
We got to Fairbanks around 4.00 pm and to the BMW shop to sort out the controller for Stretch’s heated vest.
When we got to the hotel we see Wayne’s Honda Goldwing with no mirrors and scratches both sides.
Turned out he lost control in the loose newly graded gravel and was high sided.
He is ok , but will feel a bit worse for wear tomorrow.
GOM and I walked miles to get him some drugs, then had dinner at Denny’s.
Day 15.
Fairbanks-Fairbanks
Day off to wash motorcycles and paper work. Sort out what to do with the
Yep gets cold up here.
Glacier on the way to Stewart. Goldwing and Wayne.
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