Haines / Skagway/Whitehorse/ to Watson Lake 3/08/2010

The ride from Burwash Landing to Haines was probably one of the best rides I have ever had (scenery wise , absolutely stunning ) . It was warm to start and got cold as we rose up the mountains and then down on to Haines , we stayed in a B&B for the first nite and a motel the next . We were only going to stay one nite in Haines but we could not get any accommodation in Skagway so another nite in Haines was our only alternative . The State Fair was in town so on Friday nite we went to a hoedown Bluegrass style it was great fun and a fun nite . I sat next to a guy from Mississippi , he told me that people thought he spoke funny (he was only a young guy )well they were right but I said that they said that about me too and he was happy with that . The next day it was raining all day, hence the song by Burl Ives , sorry because of the slow internets we have been getting, there will no singing from Burl Ives

We had to catch the ferry to Skagway as there is no road from Haines to Skagway (well there is but it is a long way round ), but the only problem was that it left at 8.30pm . We spent the whole day reading doing FA in the lobby of the motel that we stayed at .

We arrived in Skagway late and got up early to move on to Whitehorse ,Skagway is very very touristy little town and we were happy to move on . The weather cleared as we rode out of Skagway and has been great ever since . The brake problem started again as soon as the weather warmed up , so we had two days in Whitehorse and finally got the problem sorted by a young guy from a Yamaha Shop . The problem was aftermarket brake levers just not fitting properly . The ride to Whitehorse was another great ride over the Chilkoot Pass , for the old gold miners it was a near vertical climb and they done it summer and winter (winter being aroung 45below) .

Leaving Whitehorse for Watson Lake was going to be a really early start , we got packed and on the bike and bugger me we had no clutch well after a bit of pissing around I managed to get a bit of clutch and back to the Yamaha shop after an hours wait as we were early I got some brake fluid and bled the clutch and we were away for another great ride , great roads great weather . So all bike problems sported Hee haa (touch wood)

Watson Lake to Dease Lake 4/8/10- 250km , it was going to be another early start , up a 5.00am ready to go at 7.00am but there has been a big forest fire just out of Watson Lake and they had shut the road until 1.00pm so we spent all morning(5hrs) talking to all the folks that were waiting like us . We met some really nice people once again , they were interested in our trip and very friendly . It is nice riding until about 2.00pm then it really heats up (29 today hey but better than rain Ah!!) . The only problem I have now is that my rear bike tyre is getting very bald and we still have about 600km before I am able to get a new one ( there is always something to worry about ).

Tomorrow we are off to Stewart and Hyder and hopefully See some bears

Photos

1 , 2 , They are between Burwash Landing and Haines

3, Haines

4, Coming into Skagway

5, Smoko stop on the way to Watson Lake

6. The famous Sign Wall in Watson Lake , there are around 7000 signs , it started in 1945 by a Private in the Army that were building the road . We found 2 from NZers

As far as eating goes we carry all our own food and cook where ever we are , we have a pot and a little cooker and all our own knives ETC . So each day we make sandwiches for lunch and bickies for smokos and salads , cooked chicken/ or whatever we can find in the Supermarket for Dinner. Food is a killer ($wise) when you are travelling for a long time and you get so sick of Restaurant food (as we have experienced in the past). Tonight it is Baked Beans , Scrambled Eggs and Sausages (what a feed ) .

I must be in heaven , Riding my Bike everyday, a good women at my back and Baked Beans , Scrambled Eggs and Sausages for dinner . Bloody hard to believe !! but it is true folks , I'm a very luck man ( ah!! Lotto) .