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I arrived to the start of the Canol early afternoon and rode the extra few kilometers past the fork to Johnson’s Crossing to gas up and get some info on the road conditions. Word had it due to the wet spring the road had washboarded out early this year and had also developed more potholing than usual. She also said bear activity along the road was at a high level so be prepared for that. I do have my bear spray and airhorn riding with me in the tank bag for quick access if I were to encounter an overly aggressive bear out in the road while riding. I also keep them with me in the tent while sleeping. I hope I never have to use either.

My plan was to ride up to and cross the Campbell Highway to Ross River (start of the North Canol which leads to the NWT border), gas up and ride back down camping somewhere in the middle. There is a mandatory ferry at Ross River to get across the Pelly River. The North Canol is less maintained and more remote. I really would like to ride this road too, but a little nervous to do it by myself. The South Canol is about 140 miles so that makes 280 round trip. I set off at about 2pm with clouds building in the north – right were I was heading. The road started out cut through thick forest with mild bends and sometimes sharp undulations making the riding interesting. The washboards started right away so I had to find the right speed to cause the least vibrations. I had started out with earplugs off so I could hear a little better (if something were to be growling and coming at me from behind!), but soon stopped and put the plugs back in. My motorcycle rattles so much it sounds like it’s coming apart and I can’t stand to listen to it. Makes me too nervous that it’s going to break down or fall apart and I start getting into my own head too much. I was already nervous just doing this by by myself as it was. I passed a car coming the other way in the first couple of miles but then didn’t see another until about 50 miles in. There was a road crew doing some work on the road so I stopped and chatted with them for a bit. They said they saw two grizzlies that morning and to keep aware. This added to my nervousness going on inside my head. When you’re riding alone there is nothing to do except enjoy the space and think random thoughts. I really prefer trying to keep the thoughts positive but sometimes, like I said, you get inside your own head and start thinking nonsense. I eventually stopped the music and put in my coffee break Spanish podcast lessons. It helped me to concentrate on something besides the road and stop thinking terrible thoughts like what if the motorcycle breaks down or what if I drop it and can’t get it back up again.

It was not too much later that I did the latter….I dropped the bike. I was stopping for a picture and while flicking the kickstand up with my left foot it slipped in the gravel and I started tipping left. I initially tried to save it but once the beast starts going over with a (relatively) full tank of gas it is almost impossible to stop. I made one attempt to heave it up from the ground still loaded and felt a tweak in my back so instantly stopped. I would have to unload everything. I still hadn’t seen another vehicle since the first couple of miles and the crew I had stopped to talk to said they were heading south when they finished up so couldn’t count on them coming by to help.

The bags and right side box were easy to get off but the left box was pinned by the bike laying on its side. I gave another heave ho and again felt the tweak in the back. I was starting to get a bit worried and looked around to see camping options. The area was thick with high brush so not my first choice for camping. No way to see any bears approaching. I found a log and was able to lift the bike enough to get it under the cylinder which gave me some room to remove the left box. Now the bike was as light as it was going to be without taking off the gas tank (which I was prepared to do if I had to). I decided I was going to have to risk my back and just give it my best shot. The more times you try the harder it is each time as you lose strength and energy with each attempt. I tried a technique I saw on line once which involves getting on my knees and pushing up from the lower frame of the bike. I let out a scream and gave it everything I had pushing upward. And then I damn near pushed it all the way over to drop it on the other side. I grabbed the handlebar to keep it from going over and just did save it – but at the expense of my back. I felt that familiar feeling and knew I had thrown it out. I gingerly reloaded the bike and with each item I lifted, it resulted in sharp pain. Throwing a leg over the seat also was difficult and painful, I decided to just get to the government campground that was about 30 miles north and just call it a night. The ride to the campground was a bit painful but I could ride and function well enough from a safety standpoint so all was good.

Bending, stooping, setting up camp and getting in and out of my tent was also painful but doable. I took 4 Tylenol and made some noodle soup for dinner and stayed up to watch the sun set over the range to the west. It wasn’t fully dark until almost 11:15pm. I woke up a couple of times and thought I heard rustling in the bush but wasn’t sure if it was my mind planing tricks on me or an actual animal. I had my bear spray about 6 inches from my head just in case.

I woke up with the sun about 4:30am, made some coffee, broke camp and loaded the bike. After yesterday’s episode I am now super careful and aware of my footing when mounting and dismounting on and off the bike. I made it to Ross River for gas without any drama passing several beautiful lakes along the way. Quiet Lake was especially good as the sky was blue reflecting off the lake. Five hours after gassing up at Ross I was back to Johnson’s Crossing making it up and back without getting eaten by a bear or crashing the bike. I saw lots of bear skat on the road but didn’t see a single bear. I did see 4 moose in the distance drinking at one of the lakes. Glad I brought my good camera with zoom lens to get some shots of the moose!

I made my way to Whitehorse and got a room at the Canada’s Best Value Inn – a super dive motel but one of the cheapest in expensive Whitehorse. I stayed there last time up here and knew they had a nice dirt lot in the back of the property to do bike maintenance. I was due to change my fluids so rode to Walmart and Canadian Tire to get oil and supplies. Got the fluids changed fairly quickly (considering my back is still a bit screwed up) and then went out for a celebratory pizza down the street – veggie pizza of course! The next morning I stopped by The Deli (fantastic European style sandwich/shop and grabbed a Thai noodle salad and some Perigees to go and packed them away for lunch on the road.

This morning I am in Beaver Creek just east of the Alaska border and also the most westerly town in Canada. My back is still hurting – but I’ve experienced much worse and function somewhat normally. I just get that sharp pain when bending or twisting the wrong way – which is pretty much any way I bend or twist! I’m debating on taking a short day and camping in Tok. Eagle Claw Motorcycle Campground is a really cool spot I camped at last year. I plan to stop at Fast Eddy’s in Tok for lunch and will make the call from there. Fast Eddy’s is a must stop in Tok – the food is fantastic and they have really fast free wifi!

The first part of the Alaskan Highway from Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson is fairly a fairly boring stretch on straight, flat roads through mostly farmland. The day started out sunny but ended with rain as I pulled into Fort Nelson. Cheap hotels were abundant so I grabbed a bed for the night (I really don’t like camping in the rain when there is an alternative) at a motel that doubled as a gas station and convenience store. While I was unloading the bike three Harley’s pulled up to the room next door. They were three ladies from Vancouver on a 3 week ride looping up the Alcan and then back down the Cassiar. None of them had been up this far north before. I shared some highlights for them to check out on the Cassiar, but honestly the best location I visited last summer was a side road off the Cassiar that required riding hundreds of miles of dirt – not exactly in the Harley’s wheelhouse. Harley’s seem to be the bike of choice for many Canadians in my limited observations riding here over the past year or so. I do run into a good amount of Canadian plated adventure and dual sport bikes as well but not nearly as many as the Harley’s. Probably see more adventure bikes as I make my way north.

The next morning it looked bleak so I geared up for a day of rain. I wasn’t sure where I was going to end up at the end of day but definitely planned to stop at Liard Hot Springs. I think it’s the second largest hot springs in Canada and a must stop along the Alcan. The ladies turned me on to a lunch spot they had researched called Toad River Lodge. It was just before noon when I was passing Toad River so stopped for a quick bite. The lodge itself had historic value as an outpost for the original builders of the Alcan and dates back to the 40’s. The restaurant’s schtick was all the donated hats lining the ceiling of the restaurant. Patrons donate (and sometimes sign) ball caps that were then affixed to the ceiling. I had a mediocre veggie bean burger and salad for lunch and moved on.

It had been raining on and off all morning but nothing really heavy to that point. I arrived at Liard Hot Springs and there was a giant blue sky hole surrounding the area. I pulled up to the gate to pay my $5 CAD to enter the springs chatting it up a bit with the ranger. She said it almost always is raining there but had been sunny since mid-morning on this day. I was debating camping there and she said there were still 5 sites available for the night. I decided to hit the hot springs first and then decide whether to stay or not. The hot springs were pretty nice. There were two sections with one much hotter than the other. I spent too much time in the hot section and got a bit light headed after about 20 minutes so had to get out and walk around. After a brief recovery period I tried the less hot section which I was able to stay in a bit longer. It wasn’t too crowded with only a dozen or so people coming and going while I was there. Unfortunately the trail to the source was closed due to bear activity so couldn’t hike up there for a look.

It was only about 3pm when I got back to the bike so decided to gear up and roll on. Watson Lake was about 200k to the north where I knew there was camping and a few motels but unsure what was available along the way. In retrospect, I screwed up and should have camped at Liard. First, I took off without getting fuel. I realized my mistake after about 15 minutes and decided not to risk it and turned back to fuel up at the Lodge that was near the hot springs campground. I almost took that as a sign and considered going back to the campground to see if any of the 5 previously available sites were still up for grabs. I didn’t, headed north again and almost instantly got crushed with heavy rain. It rained on and off for the next two hours into Watson Lake. Since I was now wet and cold, I was looking for a motel instead of a campground. With only 3 motel options in Watson Lake I had to fork over $145 CAD ($110US) for a mediocre room. Should have camped at Liard! The only positive was the amount of wildlife I passed and got to see up close between Liard and Watson Lake. 4 black bears, 2 elk, half a dozen deer and several herds and plus lone buffalo. In the spirit of protecting my budget, I skipped buying dinner in a restaurant and snacked on my bag of trail mix to try to even out the finances a bit.

Today I’m planning to tackle the South Canol Road. Built decades ago for the oil industry, it is still somewhat maintained by the government. It’s all dirt but supposedly graded each spring. The guidebooks advise this is definitely not a tourist road so preparing for a pretty remote experience. It’s about 140 miles connecting the Alcan with the Campbell Highway to the north. I’ve talked to other riders that have tackled this road and they all say the scenery and wildlife is outstanding. If I go dark after this, send someone to come find me on the South Canol!

Last year when riding through Jasper and Banff the ongoing fires had closed Hwy 93 leading through Kootenay National Park to Radium Hot Springs. It’s said to be a terrific stretch of road so was disappointed that I had missed it. So after crossing into Canada, I made my way north towards Radium. It was a beautiful day to be out riding with mild temperatures and lots of sunshine. After several stops to take pics along the route (Columbia Lake area was especially pretty and the featured pic in this post), I arrived in Radium Hot Springs early afternoon and found a fantastic independently owned motel for a very reasonable price. These small independently owned roadside motels are all over Canada and generally much nicer that what you would find in the US. The owners of these places are most often the operator, use their family as staff workers, and almost always have a story to tell of how they arrived where there were. This owner was no exception – an electrician by trade from Calgary who had left because of the poor economy, and risked it all purchasing a roadside motel business. He was actually doing very well and said business was even better that expected – and what the previous owner had indicated to him on what to expect. We chatted about the improvements he had completed and ones he also had planned for the future. It was a really nice cute place at a gateway to 4 of Canada’s National Parks. The Sunset Motel – I highly recommend it for a decent economical place to stay around the western entrance to Kootenay/Banff National Parks in Radium Hot Springs

With my early afternoon arrival and so much of the beautiful day left, I walked to the edge of town and found a maintained hiking trail through the local park. It followed a creek downhill through a heavily wooded area. For 90% of the hike I was the only sole around. It wasn’t until I came around the tail end of the loop that I ran into any people. It was good to get out and stretch the legs a bit – this was my first real hike since finding a little trail to explore in North Carolina while camping off the Parkway almost 2 weeks ago. I really needed to stretch my legs and get some much needed exercise. I have been stretching and doing some Pilates every few days so haven’t been completely dormant but it’s not quite the same as getting some vert and distance on a good hike.

I woke up Wednesday morning around 4am to very loud thunderstorms overhead. I quickly checked the forecast and saw that I was surrounded by storms and they would likely last all day. I geared up and hit the road wanting to take 93 up through Kootenay National Park and then back down to Golden through Yoho. I rode through Yoho last year but it was bumper to bumper traffic due to a terrible accident that had resulted in two deaths and had closing off sections of highway. Traffic was all coming from the other way this time so it was a good ride all the way down to Golden. I didn’t hit any real rain until just before Golden but it was a full on downpour. I considered punting for the day and stopping to stay in the same Kicking Horse Hostel I stayed in last year – but at the last minute decided to continue on towards Glacier Nation Park (yes, Canada has one too) and Revelstoke. Just as last year it was cold and wet through Revelstoke. And just as last year I needed my heated jacket to stay warm. I hear the mountains around Revelstoke are pretty dramatic, but now twice I have not been able to see them through the low clouds and fog. It was like deja vu from last year – slow going due to the traffic and rain, and unable to see any of the mountains and scenery. Oh well, what can you do. Have to take the good days and the bad when it comes to weather on a long trip.

I arrived in Kamloops early evening and found a not so great roadside motel, but it served my limited needs and the rooms were huge. In fact I had a full kitchen – just that nothing in the way of cookware, plates or silverware were provided, so also somewhat useless. I had noticed a motorcycle shop across the highway from my motel and checked google to see if they were still open, but they had closed at 6pm. I wondered if they had a good stock of tires as I am definitely now getting to the point where these are making me nervous. The tires I have on now are almost 5 years old and have almost 12,000 miles on them. I was hoping to make it a bit longer before changing tires but these are starting to go bad quickly. My plan was to check in the morning and see what they have in stock and maybe get it done on this stop if it works out. I had stopped at Tim Hortons (the are everywhere in Canada) for a salad a few hours earlier so wasn’t really hungry, was tired and wet, and went to bed early while it was still light outside.

Early to bed usually means early to rise and Friday morning was no exception. I was wide awake at 4am. After a coffee and few hours of free wifi at another Timmy’s (one of my favorite Canadian chains and most are open 24/7!), I walked over to the moto shop as they opened and checked out the tire situation. Turns out they had a great selection in stock and could do the swap for me that day. It was at that point I decided to take a layover day and stay another night. The motel had a coin washer/dryer so I could also take care of laundry. I realized that I have now been on the road two weeks and haven’t taken a full day off the bike yet. Today would be that day. Not the most epic spot for a layover, but I could be productive and get some chores done so it worked out just fine. I also found a Japanese/Korean restaurant down the street for lunch and it was delicious. I’m may go back again tonight for dinner as it’s one of the only non-chain restaurant within walking distance of me. I’m surrounded by Burger King, Dairy Queen, Arby’s, Wendy’s and McDonalds. There is a also a diner called Harolds nearby that gets good reviews on google – I might try that but it’s tough to pass on a sure good thing.

Both laundry and the bike were finished just after lunch so decided to tear down the bike and do a safety check on everything. My bike has all kinds of rattles, clicking, ticking, shakes, etc. so its hard to tell from a sound standpoint if anything is getting loose. It’s good to check all your bolts every once in a while so something you need doesn’t suddenly fall off the bike. I did find a bolt on one of the front disc brakes was starting to back out so dabbed on some loctite blue and tightened it back down. Everything else seemed good to go for the time being.

It’s only 4pm here and I’ve now completed all my chores + a post to the blog. Might be a good time to take a nap – I feel like I earned it!

After a few stops in small central Montana towns I arrive at the east entrance to Glacier National Park in St Mary around mid-morning. Temps were in the high forties when I started out for the day so I had dressed warm. In hindsight I should have shedded gear when gassing up in St Mary because the long slow ride over Going to the Sun Road was HOT. Typical NP bumper to bumper traffic – mostly in first and second gear over the 60 or so miles over the pass. I’m not a fan of Disneyland style crowds but to see Glacier you have to put up with masses. The views along the road were definitely worth it. I missed Glacier on the ride last summer as the wildfires had closed the park when I was in the area. So far this season has been much wetter so fire dangers are currently at low to moderate in the area.

I arrived in Whitefish late afternoon after doing a short loop ride on Camas and N. Fork Roads adjacent to the park. There was almost no one but me and just a few other cars and motorbikes on the route which was half dirt. I’m not really equipped with the proper tires for dirt but they have performed decently in the small amounts of gravel roads I have encountered so far. I want to swap out at some point before I get on anything too rough as these tires are almost 5 years old and just hit 10,000 miles. I got them put on in Milan during the RTW trip with Ken in 2014.

Anyway, I made the stop in Whitefish for a purpose – to see a friend and co-worker, Diane, from Vail, Colorado. She left the Vail Valley in 2005 to move to Whitefish. I haven’t seen her since so was excited to be able to catch-up. She has a cool little lock-off overlooking Whitefish Lake and the ski mountain. Good little spot! We grabbed some dinner at a Latin themed restaurant in Downtown Whitefish and then stopped for a beer at a bar with a nice outdoor patio to enjoy the pleasant evening. Although it was a bit hot during the day it cools off nicely by evening in Whitefish – much like the mountains of Colorado. It was great to see Diane and I am glad she is doing well and enjoying her life in Whitefish!

I’m starting to settle into life on the road and beginning to enjoy the new places and faces I encounter each day. Yesterday in St Mary I met a gentleman from Canada that had come down to ride the Going to the Sun Road. He had recently sold his farm and was enjoying his early retirement. We chatted at the gas station for 20 minutes or so and again at one of the turn-outs along the road where we both ended up at one point during the ride. Then, back at the little motel I chose for the night, I got to meet the couple from California that had just bought the motel 10 weeks ago and were in the process of procuring much needed updates to the property. They were so excited to be a part of the Whitefish community and improve what was pretty much a dive motel. It’s still one of the cheapest options in Whitefish (Whitefish is expensive!), but I could see what they had done and listened with interest with their plans for the future. I think I have a secret dream to own and operate a little roadside motel somewhere that caters to overland travelers so was really interested in their story.

I’m leaving Whitefish this morning. Where will I be at the end of today? Not quite sure yet but can’t wait to get there!

Thursday was a layover day of sorts. I rode 250 or so miles but only only ended up in Deadwood, 30 or so miles up the road from Rapid City, by the end of the day. The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally doesn’t attract a half a million riders to this area for nothing. The riding in Black Hills National Forest is simply amazing. I was lucky to catch it on a bluebird day – albeit a bit hot from midday on. Needles Highway through Custer State Park and on down 87 to Hot Springs, Vanoker Canyon, Hwy 16A past Mount Rushmore…it was all so good! Today I plan to go through Spearfish Canyon which is often argued as being the gem of the area.

I really need to stop more often and take some more pictures on this trip. I have two cameras and a videocamera besides my phone and came the the realization this morning that I have less that 20 pics and videos so far. I even brought my drone and haven’t had it out at all. Stop and smell the roses!

I got an early start in the morning hoping to bet the heat, but by 7:30am it was already 80 couple degrees. I headed out of Rapid City towards Rushmore. The roads are twisty and nice. The first hour or so was out ahead of the crowds but by 9:00 it started to get congested. Custer State Park and Needles Highway was a unique road built in the 30’s. It was super smooth and appeared to be freshly paved but so narrow and curvy that you never get out of second gear. I did stop near the top of the heavily spired mountain to snap the photo above. As you can see it was a perfect day! I did get myself into a bit of a sketchy situation on my way down to Hot Springs on low half of Hwy 87. As I came around a corner the cars had stopped for a herd of buffalo that had spread across the road. Buffalo can be dangerous and there were signs all along the roads warning people not to approach the buffalo. While I hung back waiting for the herd to move and snapping a few pictures from a distance, I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw that the herd was much bigger that originally appeared. They were coming onto the road behind me as well. I didn’t want to be isolated in the herd by myself so rode up to car up ahead of me and got up close to the bumper to try to blend in with the car. As we inched forward Buffalo were rubbing their heads and bodies up against some of the cars with a force that would surely knock me off the bike. I started to get more and more worried. The car in front of me got a little more aggressive that I would have liked pushing through so I decide to hang back and let the class C RV behind me move up in front. I basically attached myself to the right back corner of the RV for the next hour as we inched through the herd. The temps were in the mid 90’s at that point and I was sweating profusely. My air cooled motorcycle was also overheating for lack of air flow so on the flat and downhill sections I shut down the engine and just foot paddled. I was very relieved when we finally got to the front of the herd and I was able to ride off unscathed. I later read that Custer State Park is home to 1,500 buffalo, one of the largest public held herds in the world.

The rest of the ride on 87 was awesome! Because there were no cars in front of me I could ride at my own pace. I popped out on 395 and continued south to Hot Springs for lunch. What looked like a good restaurant from the outside ended up being mediocre at best. I check the GPS and found I was two hours from my intended destination for the night and headed north to Deadwood and the Hickok House Hotel for a much needed shower. The room was probable one of the best I’ve stayed in so far but was also the most expensive at $98. I’m vowing to never pay more than $100 for a bed on this trip. In some places that will mean camping only due to popularity of the areas I end up and high summer demand.

I’m definitely a biker minority in this area that is dominated by Harleys. Probably at least 10 to 1 Harley vs. any other bike brand – lots of Harley trikes too. At the Hickok house here there are 7 other motorcycles in the lot besides mine and they are all Harleys. In two weeks this town and the whole area will be a zoo with the rally coming in. I plan to stop by Sturgis this morning as I’m only about 15 miles from there. Maybe check out the motorcycle museum there if it’s not too pricey to get in. I think the heat wave hitting the US is finally getting east of me as the highs today are only expected to be in the 80’s. So far it’s a cloudless blue sky so should be another good day to ride!