DAY 29: 6/21/02 BELL II to WILLOW RIDGE / 66mi / 4160'  Elev gain / N57:26.4' W130:13'

There was frost on the tent this morning as we packed up for an early start to a big day. The sky was beautiful blue and Ken felt confident since his legs felt strong as we started attacking those unrelenting rolling, up and down hills. Rita's stomach, on the other hand was having it's own little crisis. Instead of oatmeal she opted for a peanut butter tortilla with her cocoa, hoping things would settle down. The ride was going very well as we saw a moose swim across the river and a wolf cross the road and disappear into the brush. By 11, Rita's appetite had returned enough for our usual lunch of cheese and tortillas so we pulled into a rest area. As we were chowing down at a picnic table and enjoying the magnificent views of the Skeena Mountains a car also pulled into the rest area. A Native woman and young man climbed out of the car obviously in awe of the scenery. The women reaches in the cars and brings out a brightly colored drum and starts beating a rhythm and singing. Rita asked the gentleman where they were headed and he replied, "Dawson City". We said that's where we were going too. Then the woman put the drum back in the car and came toward us carrying a bag of something that looked like french fries. Curiously, we asked and she said she had an Indian delicacy, sun dried herring roe on kelp. She offered each of us a piece and we politely accepted and ate it. Despite its interesting flavor, Ken later said he didn't expect it to become a regular part of his diet. He gratefully accepted a piece of Rita's hard pepermint candy. Rita was thankful her stomach remained settled. Val, a Carrier Indian from Prince George, was thoroughly enjoying her road trip as she took her nephew, Quinton, a Sim'Shi Indian to Dawson to spend the summer with his mother. We thought we were making good progress with 2 ups for every down and the miles were clicking off. Ken was calculating that we would break our old record elevation gain and Rita was hoping her butt would hold out for the last 15 miles of gravel when it occurred to us - we planned to camp on Willow "Ridge". Ridges are not valleys and that meant more climbing. Services are few and very limited along this stretch of road. The only phone service is with radio phone or with sattelite phone, which costs $4 per minute. Most electricity is produced by diesel generators. Thankfully, Ray at Willow Ridge can still provide hot showers.

DAY 30: 6/22/02 WILLOW RIDGE to ISKUT / 36mi / 1590 ' Elev gain / N57:51.7' W130:1.1'

Buck, Ray's German Shepard/Rotweiller mix, greeted us as we climbed out of the tent this morning. Ray said that Buck's job was to keep the bears and the wolves out of the campground. Knowing that, Ken became instant friends with Buck.
The view of Mt Edziza from the ridge was spectacular with the sparkle of the morning sun as we coasted down the hill to Willow Creek. Our next task was to negotiate our way through ten miles of seal-coat-preparation gravel. This gravel creates havoc for car and RV tires. Ken, the gifted, big hearted fix-it guy, has offered to help several motorists. The most interesting was a Jewish Rabbi from New York, driving a 1980 Cadallac. He was carrying 4 spare tires in his back seat on his way to Prudhoe Bay to see the midnight sun. We we able to catch glimpses of beautiful Kinaskin Lake through the dust thrown up by motorhomes and trucks. Ken is convinced that the motor vehicles travel in packs. The dust and flying rocks are much worse for them than for us. We enjoy long stretches of solitude, interspersed with groups of cars, trucks, and RV's stirring up clouds of dust. The vehicles never seem to escape the nasty stuff, but when the dust settles, we really get to soak up the sights, sounds, and smells of this wild country. Another moose was waiting for us at the bottom of a hill. She looked, Rita yelled, and Ken moved forward. Eventually, she got bored with us and ambled back into the bush. Ken was elated when he saw a real pay phone outside of the Tatogga Lake Resort. He was so anxious to get back in touch with the world, he wheeled in, dialed up the "pocketmail" number and after 3 days we were finally able to receive news from home. News from home provides a terrific attitude adjustment. After Tatogga Lake came 6 mile long Eddontenjon Lake; trailheads to the Satsizi Wilderness; Iskut, a Tahltan Native community and finally our destination, Kluachon Lake. Rita took a nap this afternoon to allow her rattled bones to quit vibrating. Short days are nice.

DAY 31: 6/23/02 ISKUT to DEASE LAKE-TANZILLA RIVER / 46mi / 3050' Elev gain / N58:22.1' W129:54.7'

There were cloudy skies and sprinkles on the tent this morning, but we could still see the glacial cirques and terminal moraines that formed the backdrop to Mountain Shadows Campground. The ride started with a long continuous climb so Rita decided to warm-up by pushing her bike a third of a mile up to the road. Ken didn't even revolt against Rita's coaching suggestion and agreed to push also. Maybe he just didn't want to make her walk alone. Once we made it to the road we climbed from 2400 ft to 3800 before we took the switchbacks back down to 2400 ft at the impressive Stikine River Crossing. The Stikine River provided the salmon for the Tahltan First Nations People and later became a major source of furs for the Hudson Bay Company. The Stikine flows into the Pacific near Wrangell, Alaska. After crossing the Stikine River we began another long climb up to the Stikine Plateau past Upper and Lower Gnat Lakes finally topping out at the Gnat Pass Summit at 4100 ft. We dodged rain clouds most of the day, but things got a little testy when Rita wanted to stop to take a picture of one of the Gnat Lakes. The rain caught up to us, Ken was getting wet and Rita was still trying to frame the picture. By the time the picture was taken and the and rain coats were on, the sun was shining. Ken wasn't very cheerful for the next few miles until the scenery once again provided an attitude adjustment. The road paralleled scars of a railroad grade that B.C.'s Railway tried to build from Dease Lake to Prince George in the 50's and 60's. The route was never completed and construction was halted in 1977 after spending millions of dollars. After a five mile coast down to the rustic and pretty Tanzilla River Campground we pitched the tent just in time to avoid another rain shower. We dove in the tent and Rita started snoring, louder than the rain hitting the tent. When the sun came out Ken immediately started cooking, but once again the rain came. We hunkered down under a tree while trying to gobble our beans and rice, scrambled to get the dishes put away and dove back into the tent to escape more rain, thunder and lightning.

DAY 32: 6/24/02 TANZILLA RIVER to DEASE RIVER CROSSING / 48mi / 1930' Elev gain / N58:56.9' W129:51.8'

Rita's fiddle factor got out of control this morning as she was trying to figure out how to keep the wet stuff from last night's big rain from the dry stuff. The task was so overwhelming to her that the tears were running as fast as the Tanzilla River. Ken's hot cocoa treatment and the sparkling sun dried up the tears and in no time she was able to make better sense of the situation. It was an easy but cold cruise into the town of Dease Lake where we stocked up on groceries and had a cup of coffee and cinnamon roll. While at the restaurant, a private pilot from Abbotsford, BC shared tales of his adventurous weekend flight to Dawson to celebrate the summer solstice and then on to Whitehorse and Skagway. He was trying to fly home to Abbotsford last night when he was forced to turn back to Dease Lake because of the storm. He didn't seem to mind that he couldn't make it back to work on Monday.
We followed the 30 mile long, narrow Dease Lake northbound. Robert Campbell established a Hudson Bay Post at Dease Lake in the early 1800's but it wasn't until the Cassiar Gold rush in 1872 that Dease Lake became a major supply and boat building center for the miners. There are still some active claims in the area, but the community has dubbed itself the jade capital of the world. Actually, it appears to us that fishing is the major activity of both the locals and the tourists. We stopped at the Rabid Grizzly Rest Area for lunch but the only Rabid Grizzly was Ken. His beard is totally white now and people wonder how such an old man can bicycle so far. We finally reached the north end of the lake and saw the beginning of the Cassiar Mountain Range and the source of the Dease River at the outlet. On the far side of the Lake near the outlet was the ghost town of Laketon, where the boat building took place.
Five days ago while sitting in the cafe at Meziadin Junction a gentleman came in, ordered some pie and coffee. We learned that 3 years ago he sold his dairy farm in Wisconsin and bought the Dease River Crossing Campgound, which had been closed for 10 years. Since then he and his wife have been cutting and milling the timber to build new cabins and washrooms. This work, somehow, doesn't seem any easier than milking cows, but both are definitely labors of love. He encouraged us to give his campground a try, so tonight we enjoyed the hospitality of Dennis and Lana Bieder at the Dease River Crossing Campground.

DAY 33: 6/25/02 DEASE RIVER CROSSING to BOYA LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK / 56mi / 2100' Elev gain / N59:22.4' W129:6.4'

Our departure from Dease River Crossing came early. We watched two beavers swimming lazily in the river near us as we enjoyed our usual breakfast. Rita thought they might be coming for some of our 7 grain cereal as it is beginning to taste like woodchips. While we see many beaver dams and lodges it was a real treat to actually see the beavers.
According to the Milepost guidebook we were entering the Cassiar Mountains and the first interesting mountain was pyramid shaped Needlenose Mountain. We were entirely surrounded by snowy peaks by the time we reached Jade City. The original town of Cassiar was here, but when the asbestos mine was closed in 1992, the town folded. Today's site of Jade City has 2 souvenir shops specializing in Jade rocks taken mostly from east of Dease Lake. Gary, who ran one of the shops, mined the rocks, cut and polished the rocks, sold the rocks, and educated the customers. Jade is asbestos that has gone through the geological processes of heat and compression to create the green rocks. There were also pink rocks. Gary was very emphatic that it was rhodenite and not pink jade. Since we don't like carrying rocks in our panniers, we only bought a buffalo burger. A RCMP Officer was also enjoying a burger. We chatted about his growing up in the Kootenays, about his brother, who lives in Spokane, and the road conditions of the highway and then continued on. About five miles down the road the officer caught up to us, slowed down and said, "I was beginning to worry about you. I couldn't imagine you would have made it so far." That buffalo burger must have really given us some "go power". After many stops to take pictures of scenery that can't be captured in photos and reading historical markers about the Cassiar Gold Rush and McDame's Hudson Bay Post we finally reached Good Hope Lake, a settlement with a small grocery, where we loaded up on cookies and milk. We have been staying well fed on this trip. After a discussion with the proprietor about the best place to camp, we opted for Boya Lake. We arrived just in time to get the tent set up and to get a photo of the Horse Ranch Mountains to the east before it started to rain. These rounded mountains date back to the Cambrian period and are the oldest in northern British Columbia.

DAY 34: 6/26/02 BOYA LAKE BC to WATSON LAKE YK / 70 mi / 2600' Elev gain
 

We knew we had to get an early start to reach the end of the Cassiar Highway, get through British Columbia, arrive in the Yukon, and restock with supplies. As soon as we left Boya Lake Park we knew we made the right choice as the roly-poly hills were the order of the day. Even though the Mile Post said we were on the Yukon Plateau, the undulating hills seemed endless. Finally, we saw the "You are leaving British Columbia" sign. We stopped for the photo at the "Welcome to the Yukon" sign on the 60th parallel and marveled at the fact that we have ridden not only the width of BC but the length as well. By noon we had 57 miles completed and arrived at the junction of the Cassiar Highway and the Alaskan Highway. We decided to share a burger at the Junction Cafe to fuel our motors for the last 13 miles to the campground at Watson Lake. The signs said the Downtown Campground was located next to the grocery store and across the street from the post office. This is going to be so easy. But not so fast. When we stopped at the visitor center to look at the 50,000+ signs travelers have left to tout their home towns, we were informed that tenters had to go another 3 miles down the road to camp. We thought, aw, they must have room for one little ol' tent and moseyed down to the campground only to be informed that tenters were not welcome - period. Bummer! @#$^^&* Well, after stocking up on enough groceries to last the night, we begrudgingly rode the 3 miles and set up for the night. One-long-day. After dinner, Ken went to one sink to wash the pots and Rita headed for another to rinse the cups. However, Rita got sidetracked by 2 couples sharing drinks and laughs outside their motor home. As she approached the faucet, one of the gentlemen asked if she was coming toward them to ask them to "hold it down". Rita said no, and that she loved to see people having a good time, especially after the inhospitable treatment in town. First thing you know, introductions were made, drinks were poured, and Ken and Rita were livin' the high-life with Yves and Jean from Ontario and Kas and Carmen from Edmonton. Kas brought out the boom-box to play "North to Alaska" Carmen brought out the sandwiches and "poor-man's cake," and after drinks Jean poured tea. When it started to rain, we went inside the motor home to watch video of their White Pass Rail Ride. In no time at all it was midnight, we said our farewells and headed for our tent knowing we could sleep in. Tomorrow is a day off in Watson Lake.

DAY 35: 6/27/02 WATSON LAKE to JUNCTION 37 / 16mi 1200' Elev gain / N60"1.6' W129:3.5

We were slow moving this morning after last night's party with the French couples. They helped us celebrate all we have accomplished on this trip. A forestry researcher was camped next to us, so during breakfast we had an opportunity to learn about Yukon Forests, which consist mostly of black pine, black spruce, white spruce, and aspen. The trees look quite scraggly and only grow to be about 30 feet tall. Since this timber is not very marketable the Alaska Highway cuts like a ribbon through great expanses of this forest.
After the laundry, Post Office, and Grocery we stopped back at the Visitor Center to watch a film on the construction of the Alaska Highway. The highway construction project was first proposed in 1930, but it got bogged down in red tape between the US and Canadian Governments. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the threat of a Japanese invasion on the Aleutian Islands, a land route through Canada to Alaska became a priority. Construction of the 1500 mile long pioneer road began in March 1942 and was completed just 8 months later when temperatures were dipping to 70 below zero. We pedaled back up the hill from Watson Lake to the Junction. When we arrived we met Tom and Adam, two young cyclists from the States who were cycling from Skagway to Seattle. They had taken the ferry to Skagway and were planning to go south on the Cassiar Highway. It was a good deal for both of us. They were going where we had been and we were going where they had been. It was a great opportunity to share information. These guys worked for an outfitter in Wyoming and carried enough food to feed a ranch crew. Thankfully, they shared some of their veggies, which made our cashew teriyaki rice taste all the better.

 

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