Alaska
and West Canada
July 2005
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Friday,
July 1, 2005 - Day 04
From Burnes Lake to Dease Lake
Today's stats:
Miles rode = 555 - Average moving = 55MPH - Average day = 53MPH
Stop for gas = 3 times. See map for G12 - G14
Moving time = 10:00h - Total time = 13:0H
Average MPH = 42
Today's total cost = $144
Major roads today: Canada TC16 W, Canada 37 N, Canada 37a S, Canada 37 N
Today, we departed around 6:50AM. That was the first camp night that we really
slept well.
We had our breakfast at Tim Horton's in Smithers.
At Bulkley River we saw a local trying to fish with a long dart. No luck
when we were there, but we took some great pictures.
A few miles later, we visited New Hazelton and an Indian Village, with our
first metal paved bridge. Kind of scary at the beginning, but that was only
the first one from many others to come.
At Meziadin, we took a side trip to Stweart and Haines. These two cities
are Canadian and USA respectively and they are located very reclusive with
only one road in and out (or by ferry).
In Haines we tried to find the famous Blue Bus Restaurant but I guess it
went out of business...
The high point on this side trip was Bear Glacier. That was the first time
we saw blue ice coming down from the top of the mountain and slowly melting
down into the river.
Back to Skagway (we need to the immigration only once, re-entering Canada.
At the US point nobody was there. I guess there is no immigration to enter
Haines.
We had lunch at a local hotel-restaurant and head back to Meziadin Lake Junction
and Canada Highway 37
After Haines, we started to experience the first gravel on road. From Meziadin
up north on Cassier Highway, there were 4 stretches with about 20 to 30 miles
each with really bad gravel or construction dusty roads.
Also, in Meziadin was the first time I had to get gas 85 (the lady swore
to me that her Esso pump was delivering 89, but my K1200 new better). Any
hills after that gas and the engine would start complaining. Also if I'd
push the gas a little, the same would start happening.
I changed the engine map with the famous brown wire on the K1200LT, so this
is the price to pay ... I have to use 91. At least 89 mixed. So, if you need
89 or higher octane, don't use gas there.
We had planned 2 gravel roads for today, and 2 tomorrow, but when we got
to Iskut, it was raining, and I didn't want to pitch the tent on the rain.
The hotel was $69, and was really a bad one, so we decided to keep going.
After all, the sunset was after 10:30PM
We did one more gravel, now under light rain, and an hour and half later
we were at Dease Lake.
We stayed at Motor Inn Motel, were the lady gave us a really good discount.
There we met a Texan guy in a KRS who was in the road for 30 days and had
rode 10K miles. Those guys don't have to work.
Good night of sleep and I was glad we stayed at the motel. The rain was on
and off all night. Did I say night? Well, never got dark. We didn't have
sun from 10:30PM to 4:30AM, but was always clear.
The temperature today was 45F to 70F.
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Next
morning we rode up to Smithers for our break fast
|
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at
Tim Horton's |
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Some
nice side roads on Canada. |
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Bulkley
River, famous for the men who fish there |
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Today
was only one guy there, we we could not take his picture.
They stand next to the rim |
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and
trou a long stick to the fishes |
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Cabin
by the river |
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Small
towns next to the road are nice break stops |
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New
Hazelton |
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New
Hazelton indian totem |
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New
Hazelton, b.c. |
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Some
nice mountains. |
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Even
to was overcast, we didn't get any rain today. |
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Now
we are going to Alaska! |
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Eliane
practicing taking picture using the mirror. |
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Hyder,
Alaska - Junction (it still Canada) |
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Bear
Glacier.
That was the first glacier we saw in Canada
|
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The ice is really blue here. |
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Entering Alaska by Hyder. The only way to get there
is my BC37 or by ship. There is no other roads |
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Mountains around Hyder,AK |
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This is the border. Or the lack of it.
There is no duty here to enter or leave U.S. |
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There is also no pavement on the roads here. |
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Back to Canada, after just a hour in Hyder, we got
more gravel roads |
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And something even worst: Metal bridges. The tires
keep bouncing left and right when you are over this bridges. |
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and we had many of this kind of metal bridges |
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Dease Lake |
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Northway
Motor Inn Motel in Dease Lake |
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