Day 8

We start early today, 7:00. We cover about 630 miles. Most of this was through the Canadian Rockies. But, 100 of those miles were some of the most exhilarating and beautiful I've ever experienced. This is Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula only longer and you're inside instead of running along the edge. Pushing it to the limit on the twisties, I lost sight of Bruce a few times while exercising my "youthful exuberance" - that is, for most of the “good parts”. This road begs to be ridden at full throttle. Probably clogged with campers and trailers later in the season, today, we had it mostly to ourselves. It's a simple two lane highway, a little rough, but beautifully laid out along a series of lakes and rivers. It was difficult to decide whether to cruise along and drink in the views or crank it on and devourer the road. I chose the latter most of the time. But, at devour speeds, there is little time to look anywhere but at the road ahead and the next turn. That would be wrong. So, I dropped it down for pics and just to take it in. It is a fantastic place and a fantastic ride! It was the “perfect storm” of rides, at least, for our kind of heavy tourers. If there was ever any question about the performance of the darkside tires, I don't have any. There was more stop, more go, and more carve than with any conventional motorcycle tire.

On the stops, we saw mountains, eagles, ravens, bears, caribou, moose, marmot (big squirrels) and buffalo. Yup, buffalo! We saw 4 but there are about 1200 of thyem wandering about in the mountains. Go figure! Wild buffalo ... in the woods ... on mountains. Doesn't seem natural! But, the buffalo don't care. They like it.

But, no picture or sequence of pictures can do this road (Route 97 – The Alaska Highway) between Testa River Campground and Laird River Hot Springs justice. You have to see and be it. (BTW: Gas in BC is $1.599/liter. That's like ... per quart!! In the Yukon ... $1.099 looks like a bargain!!)

Hopefully, with fewer distractions tomorrow, we can burn the final 610 miles and spend the tomorrow night in Dawson City, the staging point for the assault on the dirt to Inuvik. The schedule would work out to be: arrive in Dawson City on June 1st, run to Eagle Plains on the 2nd. And, then, on the 3rd, the day the final ferry to Inuvik is put into service, make the final run across the Arctic Circle and the end of the road. Of course, stuff happens. So, once again, the Arctic Circle may elude me.

We'll see ...

Day 7

We are in Fort St. John, BC tonight, stopping at 5:00 our time but learning that we had crossed into another time zone and it was only 4:00 here. We've covered an additional 508 miles north. We could have pushed on but I still think we are ahead of the clock a little. But, we were ready to call it a day. And, an interesting one it was. Not the views, which were non-existent but, again, the weather.

It occurred to me that from Calgary to about 60 miles north of Edmonton must be the high chaparral, north is the low plains. So, we awoke to a gray, cold (32F) morning but no snow. The bike covers were frozen to the bikes and had to be pealed off, wrapped, ice and all, and stowed. I scooped a motel laundry bag to wrap mine to keep it from soaking everything else in the trunk. I packed up and headed for the breakfast room. Same bowl of cereal and a juice. They are not loosing money on me/us.

After suiting up, we headed out to hit the road and the snow had started again. Onward. A mix of snow and rain greeted every mile to just beyond Edmonton when the clouds hung low all around us but we were assaulted by only the occasional brief downpour. The temperature remained between 32-34. I had solved the wet hands problem in Shelby with the darling blue gloves. I solved the cold by inserting brown garden gloves as liners with a chemical hand warmer in each. By keeping the warmer in my palm, I could pull my fingers and thumb out of their "glove fingers" and hold the warmer to bring feeling back. It worked great! But, of course, I was driving one handed and couldn't possibly get to the clutch or front break lever in a hurry depending on which hand I was warming. But, heck, the roads a incredibly straight, there are very few people on them, especially on a Sunday mid-day and, any towns, construction, or stop lights are forewarned well in advance. So, I could slip my fingers back and work the leavers. The only real risk revolved around the possibility of an errant wolf or caribou/elk leaping out in front of me. Since the occasional road kill is seen, I suspect the chance was there but I felt the reward outweighed the small risk. Bruce had his heated grips and that solved his problem but his back gets cold. He solved that with numerous layers, which seems to have worked. We've figured out how to cope with the cold but don't look forward to repeating the last three days if we can avoid it.

I also learned that an enjoyable ride does not depend on the weather, the road, or the destination but, the absence of discomfort/pain. The ride takes care of the rest. So, with my continued yoga stretches, which minimize back and neck pain, the heaters and blue gloves to eliminate the pain of the cold on my hands and Bruce's many layers, we had a great day.

Adding to the comfort was an dramatic change in the temperature about 130 miles north of Edmonton, when we dropped out of the high chaparral and back to the plains. Here the temps went as high as 66, the clouds lifted and eventually dissipated and the sun came out. The rest was easy riding but the plains are the plains, no views, really. One photo op that was gone before it was caught and that was it. The camera has not seen much action. Maybe some scenery will present itself as we approach Dawson City.

Day 6

The morning routine was our usual. After breakfast we head to the bikes for a diversion to Edmonton since bad weather makes touring Banff pointless. Hopefully, we can come back that way.

During the night it has snowed again and the bike covers are covered in a layer of wet heavy snow. Light snows continues but we are advised that further north, toward Edmonton, there is not even rain. We take to the road.

Within 30 miles the snow is heavy and we stop to ask the locals what the prognosis might be. A kindly plowman advises that just a bit further, there is both clearing and lodging should we feel it safer to hold up. The bikes can handle the weather fine, especially with the darkside all-season rear tire but people are afraid of the “crazies” on the road knocking us off and it becomes apparent that they are out there. The snow fall increases, though the temp has risen from 32 to 36. Cars, from the crazies, are off in the ditch everywhere. Three inches has now accumulated and the only steady going is to find a truck and ride tire tracks. Our plowman, offers to plow us a clear path out of our pull off and we continue towards Edmonton based on his radar readout on the iPhone. After Red Deer, it looks like the storm lets up.

By the time we get to Red Deer, only 80 plus miles north of Calgary, the snow is now 5 inches deep and the crazies in vans and SUV roar by sending up 10 foot waves of slush and grit, which not only contributes to the wet and cold but, renders us effectively blind until we can clear our shields of the slush. This begins to undermine even my crazy disregard for reason. Tomorrow is supposed to be a better day but, of course, today wasn't supposed to be a bad one. Only one inch of snow was predicted. So, tomorrow comes with no guarantee. I want to push on but Bruce has is not the risk taker I am and I am beginning to see his point of view. I ask a nice lady if she knows the weather forecast. She is heading north, too, and can give us no help as to how far before the snow turns to the expected rain. But, she is on her way to visit her sister in Edmonton and offers to call and see how things look there. The new is good, it's only light rain. But, before the conversation ends, the sister corrects herself and advises us that the rain has begun to switch to slush. Another 80 miles in worsening road conditions is not worth Bruce's life even if it is mine. Also, I am still to aware of the California incident to want to risk damage my bike in a mishap. We elect to check in to a local motel. It's 12:30; an embarrassingly short day but, fortunately, I had banked hours by pushing harder in the good weather and we are dangerously ahead of schedule. Dangerously, I say, because, if we arrive even a day early, there is “dead” time to be used in Dawson City because the last of the three ferry crossings to Inuvik does not start running until June 3rd. I'm afraid, we won't want to wait and will push on to Alaska promising to return on our way back … that is not always the way things work out.

Day 5

We saw Montana. We saw an Antelope play. We saw fallow fields, untended fences, and house upon house in squalid disrepair surrounded by generations of dead and rusting vehicles – right up to their front door. The clouds were dark and low when we departed at 7:50. It began to rain and the temperature dropped to 46. Our gloves failed and we road for 200 miles in the cold and wet. The rest of the gear held, mostly.

We stopped in a small byway for gas and there was a sign suggesting you count to 20 if the gas pumps slowly. I tried it but the pump speed was the same. I felt calmer though and praised the proprietress on her ingenuity and creativity. A little Zen goes a long way!!

In Shelby, we bought fleece lined polyurethane covered blue gloves. Where my expensive Joe Rocket “water proof” gloves failed to keep me dry or warm, these blue $12 darlings did the trick.

We crossed into Canada and instantly the look of health had returned, despite the weather. The fields were tended, the fences were repaired, farms were neat and painted. Admittedly, I saw two shanties surrounded with “Maine” lawn art. But, by and large, the Provence of Alberta looks tidy and prosperous. 80 miles from the border, the mountains to the west were snow covered. It should not be there. But, it's cold. Unusually cold. And, it's wet. Unusually wet.

60 miles later we saw in the distance huge fields of 350 acres covered on plastic. This seemed a major expense to prevent weeds, or birds from eating the seed or for whatever purpose was intended. But, when there is wealth, it is often worth extra investment to get the advantage. As we drew along side the fields we noticed it was not plastic but SNOW! Right down to the highway and a few inches thick!

Tomorrows weather calls for a low of below freezing and a high of about 39.

The good news? Bruce was right. There are no bugs!

Day 4

A spectacular day. As usual we were on the road but 7:45 under bright blue, clear skies. This changed by noon with the arrival of overcast and occasional showers. The temperature plunged from 80 to 52. However, none of this could suppress the grandeur of North Dakota. It must be experienced. In the east are plains and as far as the eye can see, 15-20 miles, is agriculture. Ever inch of arable land is being utilized. This is good and bad. On the one hand, it suggest prosperity and growth. On the other, it suggest peak production. As demand for produce increases, as it must over the next 5 years, where will it come from? Nonetheless, it was uplifting to see America at work as it used to be. Activity and expansion everywhere.

In the west, the Black Hills, are show surprising oil and gas production activity. From Rt 2, I counted no less than 20 new wells being drilled. This was exciting as we have heard nothing on this activity at home. Each site consumes about 100 yards square. Picture two football fields “side by each”. The farming goes right up to this boundary. Within the site area, the topsoil has been removed, which has stored at a central site, and replaced with a red “clay , which either soaks up oil or repels it. Regardless of the actual process, the result is to permit quick, inexpensive and safe clean up of any spills. Wgen the bobbing bird head pump is finally installed, the clay is removed, the top soil replaced and the farmer works the field right up to the edge of the pump. No waste. Win-win. And, they haven't incurred the risk of pushing through 5000 feet of water to start drilling. It was inspiring and really uplifting just to see the activity and know that something is being no matter how small.

So, despite the flat straight road in the east, it was a wonderful site to see the many new grain silos and some of our old friends. I say that because as we drove through Duluth, Grand Rapids and Grand Forks to get to North Dakota, I remembered it all from 1957, when my mother drove my sister, my brother and I “out west”. The road is much improved and has been moved. The “upside” down bridge that was so fascinating in Duluth, because the steel “arch” had been cut in half and flipped over to form a peak in the middle of the span instead of the usual crescent, is still there but unused and seen only from a grand new, and quite attractive, conventional, steel bridge that dodges down town. Grand Rapids, which I remember as so large is smaller than Waterville, Maine but the paper mill is new and at least as big as all of the old Scott plant. I don't know if it is just that I was smaller and a farm boy or if parts of Grand Rapids have just been taken away.

Who would have though that 53 years later I would retrace the route to the only summer vacation we ever had and one I so fondly remember. More important, now I can appreciate what my mother tried to get a 13 year old to understand about this country. This may be your only chance to see it, she would say. Then, I remember, much of Route 2 was still dirt and poorly marked. More than once we ended up in somebody's tractor road running their corn field until we could be redirected to the “highway”. It is a tough ride today! Think of it with a thirty something mother and three young children. But it worked and I'm glad to be retracing some of that summer again.

Back in North Dakota, we stumbled upon the geographic center of North Ameriica, which figured prominently in a quirky but good book about how all the “gods” of the immigrants to America, like the pixies, gargoyles, faeries, Thor, the banshee, etc. were all dieing because nobody believed in them any more. The new gods of computers, X-Boxes, cell phones, etc. were drawing the people away. A great, last stand battle between the old and the new was staged at the geographic center of North America. And, what do you know, there it was. I took Bruce's picture there and he mine and then we beat the crap out of each other just for the sake of the story!!!

One can't help but be impressed with North Dakota. The speed limit on Route 2 is 70, which doens't hurt and there are few traffic lights but, lots or really funny looking vehicles for farm, oil or gas production.

We should make Shelby or further tomorrow!

Oh! we did have one delay but it was short, my key would not go in the bike. I used some Shaklee anti-aging face cream on the tip of the key and whacked the handlebars a couple of times, and it was as good as new. That stuff really works.

An update or two. My health is good. I do leak and have had to rely on Maxi pads. But they work. It's just too much for the AMS 800 (look it up) to handle all the seat shifting to keep my butt from getting too sore. The yoga has nearly eliminated all back and shoulder blade pain. Yahoo! But, the California incident has taken a greater toll on my left knee and shoulder that I thought. The knee cap has been damaged and lets me know about it if I hold it in one position too long. With luck, it is just a bruise under the cap and it will pass. My left collar bone was dislocated in the fall. But, during my high speed yoga, it generates a great deal of pain and snapping noises at the arm end and maybe I broke something. The temperature changes of today were excruciating!! I try to keep it stable and maybe that is all it needs.

The minimalist high tech “fitness” shirts and pants I got work great. They stay clean, can be rinsed out at night and keep me warm or cool depending on need. A good gamble that has paid off in saved gas and may pay for itself before the end of the trip. I get slightly better mileage, despite my greater person weight, because of the lightness of my “pack”.

Day 3

Just the facts, as very little of note happened today. Route 2 is like and Interstate with a town about every 30 miles containing 3-8 stop lights and a primary speed limit of 55 mph. Maddening. But, I did the research. There are three way to get to Inuvik. Two through Canada and one through the States. The States route offers many more services, IS less expensive (gas is $2.54), and our cell phones work. To give Route 2 it's due, the first 100 miles along Lake Michigan are very scenic. The lakes are big and look like the ocean.

After that, it's back to miles of woods and the occasional hill.

Two things of note for today though. We crossed the Mississippi River. I was about 25 yards wide and very clean. It had not yet acquired the great muddy Mississippi character, yet. That comes after the farm and industrial states. And, a dog, looking like a small deer but, in fact a Husky mutt with very long legs dashed across the road oblivious to the traffic, which mimics that of an Interstate, too. It came across two cars ahead of me and the driver was forced onto the shoulder to avoid it, where he continued to drive for several miles as his portly passenger urged him on not wanting to miss Wheel of Fortune, I suppose. I expect he was having a coronary but one must have their priorities.

No pics today, there is nothing here. Well, here's Bruce just so you know what he looks like. A little ocular filler.

Day 2

We awoke to a nice continental breakfast and a beautiful day. Again, we started out with vigor. The first 100 miles were smooth and easy. Then we hit the out skirts of Toronto. Without question Toronto bristles with prosperity. The beautiful and new fabricators, manufacturing and sales buildings overwhelm the skyline and by-ways which are clogged with late commuters rushing to work and huge, really huge - 38 wheelers, trucks bring all sorts of raw materials and fresh produce to the city whose surrounds contain one-tenth of the population of Canada. Every suburb sports a well maintained landscape “welcome” sign increasing in extravagance and sophistication depending on the wealth of the community. It wreaks of wealth and progress. It also promotes horrendous traffic problems. Traffic in Toronto makes LA traffic look like a minor inconvenience. It took at least a hour and a half to skirt the city – on the super highway. Once again, it didn't look like we could get 500 miles in on this day - our daily goal.

But, once past Toronto, the border crossing to Michigan was a breeze. From that point on, traffic was not a problem. Boredom was, however. The only factor that makes a drive up US 75, up the middle of Michigan, better than a drive up Maine on US 95 is … well, nothing. Miles and miles of trees and rolling hills with an occasional grassy knoll from which I began to wish I would be shot.

After the second tank refill, at 3:00 and still 200 miles to go to maintain our schedule, I was not optimistic. But with good weather and fast roads, now was our best opportunity to make progress. As we moved further north, the days would get longer in more ways than one.

We decided to make the effort to reach St. Ignace, an additional 244 miles. This could be painful as well as boring. But, starting with the first 10 minutes of driving, I used yoga shoulder and neck relaxation stretches and continued them all day long. It worked. It was still a tough ride but with much less neck and shoulder pain. In the end, by boosting our speed slightly and staying loose, we were able to cover 633 miles and reach the Mackinac Bridge, connecting Upper and Lower Michigan (pictured above), that dropped us in St Ignace and an affordable Super 8 motel. We dined at “The Truck Stop” next door on “white fish” freshly caught in “the lakes”. A bland fish but “local fare”, which is part of the adventure.

Tomorrow we start the long trek on Route 2. 700 miles?

Day 1

After a cloudy Saturday and Sunday, Monday dawned, I know because I was there, clear and dry. The temperature was in the 60s and the day was promising. Instead it was grueling.

The ride to Bruce's was complicated by Rhonda's (my GPS) inability to find his house. Probably operator error but compounded by a non-intuitive and non-forgiving set of software algorithms. Knowing the way, I was not inconvenienced. I had hoped to beat Bruce to his porch since he always waits for us to arrive. I was nearly a half hour early but he was up and out talking to a well wisher who had swung by at the last minute with envy in his heart and a certain amount of trepidation owing to the two hip and knee replacements he was facing. Were it not for those, he would have joined us. Seems understandable that he chose not to.

True to the rumors, the Lowrance will plot a grand tour of 52 waypoints but won't map them! However, by placing our destination just 20 waypoints away, Rhonda could digest the data and plot a course. Nonetheless, upon leaving Bruce's and heading to 101, Rhonda insisted on plotting a course that would return us to Bruce's! I assume she had missed the waypoint and was bound and determined to correct the oversight. By Manchester, she reluctantly surrendered and began to plot the course I had laboriously laid out – almost. Periodically, she'd decide that a short cut was in our best interest, which it probably would have been if gas and time were the only considerations, and a argument would ensue. There is no doubt she will get us to Inuvik but, once we are on unfamiliar turf, we'll just have to trust her decisions. And, she knows it!

Soon the temperature soared, ay least if one is wrapped in ballistic riding gear, and the glory or the New Hampshire and Vermont mountains were no more. The last beauty slipped behind us when we crossed the bridge and left Lake Champlain, with it's truly idyllic islands, wealthy homes, and cool air. Rhonda has done everything to keep us on US 89 but we had insisted and she relented. I expect we will pay for that. But, route 2, through the center of the vast lake is a great ride and we passed many motorcycles engaging in a complete circumnavigation. I'm not sure it alone is worth the ride but it would be a great long weekend just before or after “the season, like now. The only drawback was that today was the end of a long weekend for Canadians and from Lake Champlain on, the roads were crowded with campers, trailers, trucks, vans, kids and dogs all rushing home to start the short week. We should have done a bit more research on our departure date. The wait to cross the boarder, over the lovely International Seaway Bridge, with it's tremendous views up and down the St. Lawrence, took over an hour! There was no shade and there was no breeze. The remainder of the day was miles and miles of nothing to write here or home about except for one place of note that was, literally, a forest of windmills that ran for, at least 4 miles on both sides of the road and off from the highway as far as one could see – not to far as there was the occasional hill. But, still, hundreds of functioning windmills. Of all, only was still. I wondered if the investment was paying off or was the Canadian taxpayer subsidizing it. The evidence suggests the payback isn't there but, perhaps, with so many, it might be viable. To me they were gorgeous and fascinating and it was difficult to stay on the road and gaze at these miles of huge whirling blades.

We pushed on longer then optimal since we had lost some time in Lake Champlain with the tourists and an hour or more at the border. But, I thought I better get the miles in while the conditions permitted despite the pain and heat. We left at a quarter to eight, made no stops except for gas, and arrived in Bellevue, ON at 5:45 PM. We had covered just over 522 miles. And, we must try to keep this up for 10 more days. Whether it is the Goldwings or our age, we both had to deal with sharp pain between our shoulder blades and cramps in our legs. The legs may be our heart medications. The shoulder blade pain comes from the seating on these and many other bikes over long runs. There are bikes that do not produce this or, because of their small gas tanks, force more frequent stops, which may combat the symptom. We will try stops every 100 miles for a stretch, provided we can keep our 500 mile per day pace. This isn't vacation. It's a challenge and we want the bragging rights! When I return I'll test other bikes, custom seats, raised bars, etc., too! Can't hurt.

Tomorrow will be another day.

Programming The GPS

I ran a simulator test of how well the mapping done on my laptop with MS Street & Trip was accepted by my Lowrance iWay 500c GPS and my worst fears were realized.

Not surprisingly, but disappointing nonetheless, the conversion of the routes from MS Street & Trip to the GPS passed only the waypoints but not the routes connecting them.  Each system applies its own algorithm to plot the routes taken to get between waypoints so, they are not the same. Therefore, it is best to do your route planning first on the "big" screen and then again, manually, on the GPS itself.

Thus, for 7 hours yesterday, which was fun actually, I learned better and faster ways to manually plot longer and longer sections that forced the GPS to recognize my preferred routes.

After floundering some, it turns out, I can select a waypoint from the map by tapping the touch sensitive screen.  so, I can zoom in and tap the screen at my house. A little arrow pops up with a note that displays my address and I press "Add to route". I zoom out to a 9 mile view, and trace the road, by sweeping my finger along the screen, to the first turn and zoom in and tap the screen just after the intersection and another arrow with a note displaying the house number and street at that point pops up. I press “Add to route". After the machine does some thinking, I have a green line marking the first “leg” of my journey. This has forced the GPS to make the turn to a new road that I wanted. And, then, it's on to the next “turn” and the next ...

But, here's the best part, if I'm plotting on a divided highway, the GPS tells me whether I tapped the south,north, west or east bound lane. That's a great help since, if you are headed north and accidentally "added" a south lane, the GPS would, not knowing any better, dutifully take you to the next exit and loop you back. That is not good tour strategy. To avoid this, I can zoom in closer and re-tap the screen until the arrow note reads something like “US 15 N” and I know I'm in the correct lane, so, after adding it to the route, bingo, my green tracer line has me on the correct highway headed north. With the touch sensitive screen, I can zoom way in and way out. This lets me speed through the countryside with just a swipe of my finger across the screen.  It took a while to figure out the technicalities but, now I could plot a cross country tour, with side trips and all, very quickly.

It helps if you have a good detailed paper map or mapping software on a computer. I'm using a laptop, which I will bring with us instead of a bag of paper maps. The larger laptop screen gives a big picture view, which helps when the GPS is zoomed in to 400 ft. to trace a complex cloverleaf. The big view on the laptop lets me see the general direction so I know how to exit out of the spaghetti and on with the adventure. But, I could do it, easily, all on the GPS alone.  Regardless, we, now, have a good GPS controlled route that will put us on the roads we want and those we expect to be, either, quick or scenic. 

Another handy feature: If I didn't know the best path between a group of side trips, each destination can be added to the GPS individually by tapping the destination as above and then the GPS can sort the waypoints. It will place them in the most efficient order to visit. This is nice for showing off your piece of the world to visiting relatives and might come in handy for us when we plan our assault on Alaska after we have conquered Inuvik. All that will be done on the road, "love". Getting us routed to Inuvik has been my total focus, to date. After Inuvik, we have no plan!

It looks like the iWay thinks it is over 5200 miles to Inuvik, the “first stop” of our tour. Oddly, it took 52 waypoints to get us there. Coincidence? Not likely!!  But, the distance changes depending on the source.  MS Street & Trip sets the distance it at 5141.0 miles and uses the exact same route selection, (I think). Maybe the town moves.

I just uploaded my efforts to Bruce's system, which is also an iWay 500c, thankfully, so we are totally in sync. This is important not because we won't be within 50 feet of each other the whole way but, because it's very reassuring to see your progress steadily moving along a calm green path in which you have confidence. I didn't want Bruce to miss the Zen of all those moments as they pass.

THE ROUTE

There are three primary routes to Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada, our first destination. One uses mostly Canada highways but stays south until after the great lakes. One uses mostly US border highways and crosses into Canada at Sault Ste. Marie making a diagonal across the western Canadian Provinces and up into the Yukon. The third sticks to the US border all the way to Shelby, Montana and then strikes straight north past Calgary, White Horse, and on to Dawson City. It is this last route that we have tentatively accepted. The reason? I'm too frugal to pay Canada lodging/gas prices with the dollar near or below parity and there are more services in the lower 48. Also, there is nothing, nothing at all, along the diagonal, and shorter, route. Fields of young wheat and grain silos offer more opportunities for my new camera, which is disheartening in itself.

So, in a nut shell, we'll cross New Hampshire on 101 to 93 North to connect with 89 to Burlington Vermont where we'll split (I hope) Lake Champlain on Rt 2 picking up 11 West to Cromwell, NY and cross into Canada to take 401 south to re-enter the US at Port Huron, Michigan. Then west to Flint and straight north splitting Michigan and crossing between the narrows between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan where we begin the long and nearly straight run on Route 2 all the way to Shelby, Montana. Here, we head north on US 15 and enter Canada on a bee line to Calgary which we will dodge to the left to make in a ride through Banff. Leaving Banff we hook up with the Alaska Highway and work our way through the northern tip of British Columbia and into the Yukon where we connect with the old Klondike Highway at White Horse that takes us to Dawson City just 20 miles past “The Junction” to Inuvik. A night in Dawson City and an early start back to The Junction puts us on the Dempster Highway, assuming the road is open and passable, to our only gas stop, Eagle Plains. It's only 230 miles but they could be hard slow miles so, we may hold up for the night. Inuvik is just another 220 miles beyond. The Arctic Circle is at mile 252, a mere 32 miles north of Eagle Plains.

The following link is a Google map that approximates our path but, things change. I'll try to keep you posted.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Ipswich,+Massachusetts&daddr=Concession+Road+1%2FKenyon+Concession+Road+1+to:Chalmers+Line+to:45.336702,-84.814453+to:US-2+W+to:Unknown+road+to:Inuvik,+NT,+Canada&geocode=Fdw7iwIdtwzH-ynPa7M1uRjjiTEZ7AfiW8Wjiw%3BFY_ZsgIdZmON-w%3BFa0-iwId34Aj-w%3B%3BFYgG4gIdopQ5-Q%3BFd6XIgMdPuwO-Q%3BFa69EgQd7U0J-CnRlvmVP5IUUTGEt683opEjUg&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=4&via=1,2,3,4,5&sll=56.072035,-100.371094&sspn=36.153959,74.179688&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=4

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The dirt road to Inuvik, known as The Dempster Highway, is about 420-450 miles long, depending on the source of your information, and is the reason for the Darkside (car) tire mounted on the rear. It provides better handling and a more secure ride on dirt. On asphalt, I can detect no handling issues and easily recognize the greater traction for both take-off and stopping. Handling IS impacted in that turns are neutral – the bike neither falls into nor out of corners. This means that the rider must counter steer through the entire turn. I'm inclined to do this anyway so, I don't mind. Since Darkside tires are not recommended by any bike manufacturer, each rider will have to come to their own conclusions. But, with three time the wear, superior traction, softer ride and one-third the cost, it's hard not to give one a try.

Bruce has been convinced of the value of the Darkside tire and fitted one on his bike, too. Neither of us has burst into flames as soon as we hit the pavement so, at least, that much of the myth has been busted. Older riders will remember that Harley used to fit their motorcycles with “square” (car type) tires back in the day. The controversy continues but with comfort, safety, and durability on our side, the Darkside tires are the least of my worries and, possibly, the best of our preparations.

The Dempster is famous for puncturing tires. Instead of extra spares, we are taking a high tech repair kit and a mini electric air pump. We hope to patch tires if necessary. In fact, we hope to avoid the need to patch tires at all. I don't know what the Dempster is made of but shale and/or crushed stone can be very sharp. I hope the relative light weight of a motorcycle fitted with a car tire will spare us the need for repairs on the rear. Each tire on a fully loaded car can be required to carry up to and beyond 1000 pounds. On the bikes, the tires might carry 500 pounds. If the rear tire is shredded beyond repair, it will be easily replaced with another car tire. The front tire may be a problem. You can not fit a motorcycle with a car tire on the front … but maybe we'll bust that myth too!!

Both Bruce and I have affixed “belly pans” to our machines. These aluminum or stainless steel pans extend from the front of the exposed underside of the motorcycle back to where the center stand begins, just under the rider's seat. The primary purpose is to protect the oil filter and radiator reservoir from sand and stones kicked up from the gravel road. The GL1800 is not made for dirt and these two crucial and delicate components, the reservoir is a plastic milk jug arrangement, ride just 6 inches above the road surface. A puncture, or just the constant grinding effect of flying sand, will incapacitate the whole machine very quickly.

To minimize the necessity of constant oil changes, I'll be using a synthetic motorcycle oil. I know these oils make shifting more difficult – the GL1800 shares it's clutch and crank case oil so the slipperier synthetic oil interferes with the operation of the clutch, which makes shifting a bit clunky – but the extra miles between oil changes (every 10,000 miles instead of every 3000) make it a worthwhile trade off.

We may have to take additional gas for the last leg of the journey to Inuvik and back. Our range, under the best of circumstances, may be just shy of the longest interval between gas stations on The Dempster Highway, the only road to Inuvik. It's 230 miles of rough going to the first gas station and another 220 to the next. I usually get about 42 mpg but, tough riding and weight can impact that. Speed can, too. But, I don't think we'll be pushing it too hard on the unknown in the middle of the nowhere. With a 6.6 gallon tank and ignoring the Mr. Gaspump warning light, I should be able to get 277 miles from a tank of gas, an easy ride to the first and last stations. My mileage would have to drop to 35 mpg to make extra gas a necessity. You can bet I'll be monitoring it at every fill up to be prepared for the final push. There is a general store at “The Junction” of the old Klondike Highway and The Dempster that will rent travelers a gas can but, I'd hate to spend the money if I don't have to. It's not just that I'm Scottish. It's no fun rumbling down a dangerous dirt road with a couple gallons of gas strapped to the seat where a beautiful babe is supposed to be, either!

Other than those small adjustments and considerations, it's just a normal ride in the country albeit, a long one . Of course, well have the maps, GPS, medical kit, repair manuals and communications that we always carry plus “The Spot” (the “I've fallen and I can't get up” emergency device). I'll pack my laptop to keep this site updated and give us access to digital maps and e-mail. That will be new and either an horrendous pain or a delight. And, of course, I'll be taking a good rugged camera with a quality lens to try to bring it all to life for you.

It's -11C in Inuvik today but the weekend is supposed to reach +11C. That's an OK day in Newfoundland, in which we are very used to riding, so, if the trend continues, the riding should be fine, maybe even warm!

INUVIK FAQ:

“Where exactly is Inuvik located?”
Inuvik is located at 68º 18´N, 133º 29´W. Inuvik is located along the East Channel of the Mackenzie River Delta and is 97 km south of the Beaufort Sea. Inuvik is 10 degrees further west than Vancouver and 2 degrees above the Arctic Circle.

“What is the population of Inuvik”?
The population of Inuvik is 3,451 according to GNWT Bureau of Statistics (2000).

“How cold can it get in the winter and how warm does it get in the summer?”
The extreme minimum temperature is -56.7 degrees Celsius (-70.06 degrees Fahrenheit). The extreme maximum temperature is +31.7 degrees Celsius (89.06 degrees Fahrenheit).

“I would like to go and dip my toe in the Arctic Ocean. Can I drive there from Inuvik?"
In order to access the Beaufort Sea via Tuktoyaktuk. The only time you can travel by road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk is during the winter months (i.e. January to April approximately) on the temporary ice road on the Mackenzie River. The ice road allows for road travel to both Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk from Inuvik. During the rest of the year, road travel is not possible. Scheduled flights and chartered flights are available to Tuktoyaktuk and other communities in the Beaufort Delta. In the summer, some adventurers travel the Mackenzie River via boat.


“I am planning on embarking the Dempster Highway and driving to Inuvik. Do you have any travel tips for me along this route?”
The Dempster is a beautiful drive with spectacular scenery along the way. It is also important to note that it is a gravel road that is regularly maintained. Having said that, the road does have some rough areas along the way and it is not uncommon to acquire a flat tire. Be sure to have a couple spare tires with you and ensure that your vehicle has gone through a pre-trip inspection. It is also a good idea to pack an extra can of gasoline just in case as the service stations along the way are not as prevalent as on major highways down south. It is also important to note that driving the Dempster to Inuvik consists of crossing two bodies of water (the Peel River and the Mackenzie at Tsiigehtchic). During the winter months these become two ice crossings and in the summer, ferry crossings. During ice break-up and freeze up times, these crossings are closed.

“How is the bug season in your area?”
Being an area surrounded by many bodies of water, the mosquitoes and black flies do come out in full force mainly in late June and July. Be sure to pack bug spray. Bug jackets, pants, hats, etc. are another idea and these items are available to purchase in town.

My Health, You Ask?

I think I am better. My shoulder motion is limited, and the crash in California took a serious toll, but it feels stronger.  Fortunately, stuff in front of me and below shoulder hight (where my handle bars are) seems easy to handle.  I can't do anything quick, which is a worry but doesn't seem to have contributed to the California mess so I'm not uneasy, yet.  Long distances, even in a car, are painful but can, usually, be managed.  I'm hoping the same is true for the motorcycle, not the painful part but the manageable part.  Of course, I know that just like the cancer and the heart I'm trying to squeeze too much life into a small window with the result that capacity is diminished.  Dad always took care of things right away.  And, look, he's 100 plus and still able to move about and hold up his end of a good conversation.  I wait, fearing the incapacity, and feeling 100 with little to talk about.

Right now the the most annoying thing is a very small case of Poison Ivy on my hands.  I should wear gloves in the garden around here especially if I use "town" mulch.  Dare I say, god's wrath may be subsiding a little.  Wonder what I did ... (my life maybe?)

Funny, we leave for Alaska exactly two years after my prostate surgery and I'm finally dry.  I'm not me, or anybody else, any more (the subsequent treatment for heart failure and stroke have take their own toll, too!) but, it looks like the physical pain, frustration and incapacity are manageable unless, of course, I still retain the bravado and confidence of my former self while the resultant weakness, uncertainty, and incapacity have removed the ability to dodge the now inevitable bullets.   That is, I may not have learned to live whomever I have become.  The highway is the test and California was not reassuring although mechanical failure may have played a roll - the classic cop-out.

I truly hope that this adventure will return a bit of me to me but that may be asking too much and it assumes I know who me really was, which I don't.  Joel lived the fantasy Joel when he got back out on the road and it was scary for the onlookers.  He's more himself now - three years later.  I will try to learn from that and start as a newborn.  Newborns don't care about much and that is not where I want to be but, unfortunately, I have little choice.  With luck and a open mind, I'll mature on the highway and build some confidence that will mature into a person even if it's one who is no fun and nobody recognizes. Or ... I won't. And, The Last Great Adventure will be just that.

Of myselves, Percy may have finally won out.  He's boring and a bore.  Butchy really hurt us and the group has lost faith in him.  Dino doesn't trust him any more.  And, without sex, what is poor, sweet Lily to do?  Time.  That may bring the little family back together.  Then I'll be me again.  Wouldn't that be grand?  HA! Maybe a new me would be better for my friends.  I'm really quite afraid of being the nobody I probably always have been.  I haven't seen the world change much no matter how hard I tried.  A new me may have better results.  The Archimedian lever may work but it still doesn't move the earth very far when you're dangling just 237lb off the other end.  I need a longer stick!!  Or is that schtick??