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Entry 14
Before I start on the report, a funny thing happened that I feel the need to share. We have another blog site (bugsonmyface.com) that our family checks pretty regularly. Two entries ago, we mentioned that we were sharing a room with a couple and we referred to the guy with his nickname, Johnny Big Lure (it's a fishing nickname, not referring to a certain appendage). Anyway, right after we posted, Kristen's dad sent this email, "What does Johnny Big Lure mean? It sounds like mafia. You didn't really share a room did you?" Kristen just about lost her mind laughing so hard because he was entirely serious. Anyway... We survived our night with the total strangers (who are now friends, for sure) and left them to head north through the park while they went to have breakfast. The morning started pretty rough - Kristen had a really strong allergic reaction to something and the glands in her eyes swelled to an unbelievable size, it was cold and raining, the traffic was pretty nutty and a serious disaster happened before we ate the worst burger of all time. Kristen was getting out of the sidecar and forgot that the camera was on her lap. She hoped out (it's a delicate move since there's so much stuff packed in there, not to mention the gas can strapped to the step) and the camera crashed to the ground. Busted. No more G9. So, she was really pissed about that when we walked up to Lake Louise. I have to say, even with the cloud cover, rain and people - it's very beautiful. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-10.jpg We each have 5 layers of clothes on - wow, we look thick. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_5294.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/8-9.jpg We left after looking around the hotel on the lake (which I'm sure is insanely expensive) and drove north to the Ice Fields Parkway. As we got to the gate, I stopped on the side of the road to fish my wallet out so I wouldn't hold up traffic when the girl in the booth started yelling and waving us over. We drove up, confused, and she exclaimed, "I've been waiting for you! Your friends passed this way about an hour ago. I'm so glad to see you guys!" We were understandably confused, but it turns out Kim and Johnny Big Lure had taken the same route and had chatted it up with this girl. We talked for a bit and then she said, "Best be on your way", with a wink before I could pay. We drove onto the parkway feeling a bit better about things. Let me tell you, the Ice Fields Parkway that connects Banff and Jasper is the most stunning drive I have ever been on. Jagged mountains are everywhere, glaciers and glacial lakes and rivers dot the scenery and the trees are unbelievably thick. I think Bow Lake was even more blue than Louise: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-10.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/4-9.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-10.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/5-10.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-10.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-10.jpg Kristen wanted me to mention she did not alter the blue of the lakes in these pictures. It ACTUALLY looks like that. Anyway, we crossed over Bow Pass when we hit our first bit of serious weather on this trip. We were driving along when all of a sudden a white wall seemed to form in front of us. We were engulfed in snow. Thankfully, we had heated clothing on and simply laughed at the situation. The snow lasted for about 20 minutes of driving then dissipated. A bit later we saw some wildlife climbing about: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-10.jpg The ravens are freaking enormous: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_5323.jpg We drove a bit farther and passed into Jasper National Park. We climbed into the Columbia Ice Field and were once again blown away by nature as we took a hike onto an actual glacier. We don't have any pics from the hike (the snow and wind was intense) but I do have these: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_0077.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_0078.jpg We then drove into Jasper for the night and slept soundly after fighting with the weather all day. |
Entry 15
Wow. I have a lot of report as we've had pretty horrible internet connections for the past few days. So here goes: Before we got to Jasper, we took time to climb up to a glacier and I made this: When we left Jasper, we immediately had two female wolves run right in front of us across the highway. Unfortunately, our little camera was broken so we missed a pic but it was great to see. But we decided to cough up more money at a Walmart for a new one (that's what credit cards are for, right?). Broken on the right, new and tiny on the left: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_0079.jpg After about 10 minutes on the road before leaving Jasper, however, a pretty stiff head wind picked up. We thought that it was possibly just coming off the mountains, but it continued to pick up throughout the day and by the time we reached Dawson Creek, I was pretty well fed up with it. It was probably the most frustrating day of driving on the trip. I think I'd take rainy and cold over windy any day. We did a lot of this due to the wind: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-11.jpg But the scenery wasn't half bad. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-11.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-11.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/10-8.jpg We eventually made it to the Alaska Highway: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/5-11.jpg And we felt pretty good about ourselves, to be honest. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-11.jpg We noticed very early on that the farther north you get, the more eccentric the gas stations become. This one featured Sasquatch. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/8-10.jpg After Dawson Creek, we made our way to Fort Nelson through much of the same scenery and more wind and rain. Fort Nelson turned out to be a pretty interesting experience, as it turns out, mainly because of a few people we met there. We were sitting out in the parking lot as the air filter dried when a trucker and helicopter pilot came up and starting chatting with us. The first thing we learned (after answering the normal questions, aka 'how old is the bike?', 'where was it made?', 'is the sidecar comfortable?') was that Fort Nelson was scheduled to grow in population from 2,000 to 80,000 over the next year! The biggest gas find in North America was just discovered very near the town and so there are business men everywhere trying to get a piece. Secondly, the trucker gave us our favorite quote of the trip thus far. In giving us advice about the road ahead, he said, "There are animals everywhere and they ain't afraid of the road, eh? It's $#&%*#$ Jurassic Park out there, eh?" Kristen couldn't help herself and laughed out loud and the guy was a real sport about it. And now, every time we see any wildlife, we sing the Jurassic Park theme song very loudly. Here's Kristen beating my pants off at gin in the parking lot. 10 games. Who knew my wife was such a card shark? http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-12.jpg The drive between Jasper and Fort Nelson was pretty uneventful scenery-wise, but it was gorgeous on the way to Watson Lake. Even though it rained nearly the entire time as we wound our way through the mountains, it was great. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/11-8.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-12.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/8-11.jpg To get a feel for this part of the country, you need to know that every gas station up here is multipurpose. They are also a restaurant, camp ground, tire repair station, store and private residence. I guess they have to be that way because services are hard to come by this far north. We're honestly excited every time we come to a place because they're all so unique. We had homemade beef and barely soup at one: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/4-11.jpg One boasted a huge collection of hats: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/9-11.jpg We also saw a ton of wildlife. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-12.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/10-9.jpg Oh, and the buffalo don't get out of the way for anybody. This guy stood in the middle of the road and just stared us down for 5 minutes. I was intimidated. After 10 hours of driving, we came flying into Watson Lake as it was getting dark and struggled to find accommodation: We woke up the next morning and spent a bit of time at the Sign Forest. It's odd and definitely worth the stop. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/14-5.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/17-2.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/12-5.jpg We then drove through a sea of trees that were all changing with the season. Really beautiful. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/15-4.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/16-2.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-12.jpg After a nice drive, we ended up in Whitehorse - the capital of Yukon. There are only 24,000 residents in the whole province and 18,500 live in Whitehorse. It's pretty modern and the good weather allowed me to do a quick fluid change before sleep. More in a bit... |
Entry 16
Wow. I have a lot of report to catch up on! Hang on, boys and girls, this is gonna be a long one and I'm certain it will be a precursor to our most exciting post... During our ride from Whitehorse to Dawson I remembered how important good weather is to a fun ride. It was absolutely perfect - sun shinning, no wind, pleasant temperature - after the past few days of variable conditions, it was a real treat. Speaking of treats, our first stop gave way to the revelation that they make enormous cinnamon rolls in the Yukon! This thing was bigger than my head and that is saying a lot: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-13.jpg The sea of yellow surrounding us as we drove north was breathtaking. The changing of the seasons here is very apparent and is a constant reminder that we shouldn't take our time or else we could be caught in some pretty nasty weather. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-13.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-13.jpg The traffic was definitely light this far north and I'm assuming it is because the summer season is nearly finished. Nonetheless, we made a few stops at various places Kristen had read about. Some were definitely a little reminiscent of a setting from movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - in all reality the people are all very, very nice and considerate. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/4-12.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-13.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-13.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/8-12.jpg We rolled into Dawson City just before dark and found it to be pretty charming. They've really sold out to recreating the days of the Gold Rush and we had a good time wandering around. In fact, due to waking up a bit too late and some heavy rain, we decided to stay an extra day before heading further north. We even had a few people buy us drinks due only to the Ural. Well done, bike. Well done. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/9-12.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tt43/10-10.jpg But the Dempster was waiting! http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...ymatt43/d1.jpg We woke up early a few days ago and put on our game face. I researched for a year to get the chance to ride the Dempster and I think I may have psyched myself out in doing so. I was a bit anxious as we filled up for the last time at the junction of the Klondike Highway and the Dempster and seeing as it was raining pretty steadily, I suppose I had the right to be nervous. For anyone that doesn't know (I'm sure most of you do) the Dempster is 417 miles of dirt, gravel and mud. It's an amazing feat of engineering that allows it to be driven through the entire year through some seriously extreme weather. Most importantly, it is an ever-changing road because of the weather and can shift from being dry and hard to wet and slushy in an instant. Anyway, we had been given a ton of advice from locals who all told us the number one thing to remember is to yield! Yield to everybody, especially the truckers. So after snapping a few pictures at mile 0, we headed north, unaware at how dirty we were about to become. We quickly learned that the Dempster gives you three types of mud: slick and bumpy where with bits of rock and gravel scattered about where the dirt is thin, huge puddles of wet mud that sprays you with grey and black, and (my favorite) deep and slushy mud that forces you to ski as you attempt a balance between control and chaos. I can definitely say that I was never bored. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d18.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...ymatt43/d2.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d17.jpg Although the road is a bit challenging, the scenery is unbelievable. The landscapes are constantly changing and there is wildlife everywhere. At times, Kristen and I really felt as if we were on another planet. It is unbelievable. We also noticed that the few cars we saw reacted even more than usual to our bike. We always get attention, but these people pumped their fists in the air and honked and waved in encouragement. At least I hope it was in encouragement...:wink: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d11.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d14.jpg My favorite: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...ymatt43/d4.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...ymatt43/d8.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d20.jpg We continued on through the day and received a good mix of sun and rain while the road continued to be muddy and slick (especially through the mountains). By the time we reached our first stop in Eagle Plains, I was pretty tired, to say the least. And dirty - so dirty. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...ymatt43/d6.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d23.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d22.jpg Eagle Plains is the first place to find services and is 215 miles from mile 0. Don’t get this place confused with a town. It’s really only a series of buildings that offers gas, tire repair, a restaurant and bar, and a ton of expensive rooms to sleep in for the night. It’s open all year round and features some of the unfriendliest and intimidating staff we’ve ever seen. Of course, Kristen’s charm can be resisted by none… It also is full of dogs (we’re guessing they belonged to the truckers that drive the Dempster) all of whom were extremely well behaved and joined us in the dining room. So after peeling away our nasty clothes and eating a quick dinner, we collapsed in our beds and slept soundly through the night. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d24.jpg To be continued... |
We woke up feeling rested, ate a quick breakfast and piled our dirty gear back on the mud-caked Ural. After filling up with gas we hit the road again found that we were immediately encompassed in a cloud. Eagle Plains is at a pretty high elevation and as we descended, we were thrust onto the movie set of Sleepy Hollow.
http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d25.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d26.jpg After coming down onto the plains, we reached a pivotal point on our trip. After 25 days and a little over 4500 miles, we crossed into the Arctic Circle! A nice woman from NY, who had driven the Dempster just to get a shot of the sign with a rubber chicken, took our picture and then turned back south after telling us that there was nothing to see farther north. We hoped on the bike and headed onwards anyway and had not been driving for more than 5 minutes when we stumbled upon the most exciting part of our entire trip. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d28.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d29.jpg It takes a special woman to go on a trip like this... http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d30.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d31.jpg Kristen had just sent an email to her mom that morning about how disappointed she was that she hadn’t seen a bear. We had been told, and warned, about how we were heading into the most densely populated area of Grizzly’s in the world. So, we had expected to see them everywhere but were disappointed day after day. This day, however, turned out to be quite different. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d33.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d44.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d45.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d43.jpg We were driving along an especially open and flat area when Kristen spotted something in the distance. “Matt, what is that?”, she asked me while pointing to the right of the road. As we got closer we realized that we were 100 yards away from a Grizzly! I stopped the bike and Kristen snapped a few pictures with our small point-and-shoot as the bear lazily wandered in our general direction. As he got a closer, Kristen got a bit more nervous (and rightly so) and tensely pulled out her bigger camera with a zoom lens. About that time, a construction worker with his wife pulled up in their truck. They both hopped out with a camera and I took that as a cue to jump off the bike and take the camera from Kristen to get a better angle of the bear (who was now behind us on the road). The bear continued to get closer and as Kristen got out of the sidecar, the man turned to us and said, “Umm, I think it’s about time that you folks get in my truck…”. Upon hearing that, our eyes got a bit larger and we sprinted for the door as the bear trotted up the road. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-14.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-14.jpg I then realized that getting off the bike was a horrible idea. The bear ran up to the bike and immediately started sniffing around. The man and his wife rolled down their windows and started yelling and honking the horn but the bear wouldn’t take a hint. Eventually, the man basically shoved the bear away from our faithful steed (who smiled through the whole affair) with his truck and after some tense moments the bear finally walked a ways down the road. Seeing that it was far enough away, Kristen and I jumped out of the truck and quickly put our gear back on while the truck waiting for us, just in case. After thanking our saviors, we sped away to the north and decided to leave the bike running every time we stopped in the future. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/4-13.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-14.jpg The rest of the day was filled with more mud, blue skies, and a mysterious snack. On the way north, you have to cross two rives on two separate ferries. We shared one of them with a nice woman who offered us a treat while we waited. Kristen loved it. We’re not totally sure what is was but it was definitely fishy. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d37.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d38.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d39.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d40.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d36.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d34.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d32.jpg And so, at about 8:30 pm yesterday evening we reached our final destination. The town of Inuvik is as far north as you can drive (without aid of the ice road in the winter) and is end of the Dempster Highway. We’re now staying at a chalet that raises sled dogs (huskies everywhere!). More on that tomorrow before we head south once again! Off to an evening hike and pancake dinner! http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d42.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...matt43/d41.jpg |
Entry 18
Inuvik, like all the communities of the north, is a phenomenon of fortitude. To live here, you have to expect extremes in everything. The weather can be brutally cold and is constantly changing, in the summer months the sun never sets and in the dead of winter it never rises, the bugs are unbearably persistent, the cost of goods are tremendous and services are hard to come by. All in all, this is a rugged place and the people have to match the land in intensity or move away. And though many that live here are short of tongue and quite a few have turned to alcohol for comfort, we were constantly amazed by how willing everyone was to lend help or advice. Because of this, we met a ton of folks who we will never forget. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-15.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-15.jpg We chose a place called The Arctic Chalet to stay mainly because they raise sled dogs for tours and races in the winter. There were so many and we were shocked at how well they were trained. The only time we ever heard them bark was when they were being fed or walked. We are definitely interested in coming back during the winter. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-15.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/4-14.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tt43/10-11.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/9-14.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/8-13.jpg We decided to stay for a couple of days as we were interested in getting a flight to Tuktoyaktuk. There is no road to this community on the Arctic Ocean except in winter when the rivers freeze over. But after going to the airport and seeing the price tag on such a flight ($800!!), we decided that Inuvik would be our final destination on this trip. We would have loved to see a community that is so isolated and marvel at how they are able to survive in the harshest of conditions, but another trip will be needed for that purpose. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-14.jpg So, after touring the town, taking a hike, cleaning the air filter (I'm pretty sure we captured half the Dempster in the filter), playing with the pups, sharing the chalet with a kind Japanese family and French girl, and resting we decided to head south for the first time in 3 weeks. It was a bit bittersweet, to be honest. And as we got back on the Dempster the amazing reality of going all the way back home set in. Wow. We have to go all the way back. Ouch. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_4059.jpg On our way to our first stop at Fort McPherson, we saw a moose on the road, which absolutely shocked us with its size. Those things are huge! http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/13-6.jpg After our first ferry, we headed into town and filed up with gas after eating a quick lunch. As we were standing outside, preparing to leave, a couple of native boys came and became very interested in the bike. In fact, they were ready to trade their bikes for our Ural when a minivan pulled up and a familiar camera appeared. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_6823.jpg Out popped a woman named Rita Leistner, a Canadian photojournalist who is working on a project focusing on native communities of the north for the 2010 Olympics. After snapping a few pics of us, she happily invited us to tag along while she went to visit some of her new friends at a fish camp down by the next ferry. We followed her to an area of town we would have never seen otherwise and subsequently met two of the funniest, sharpest old women we've ever encountered. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/19-2.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/21-1.jpg These 2 sisters were 94 and 96 and have never lived in the city. "Inuvik makes me dizzy because of the traffic", on told us. (Mind you, Inuvik only has a population of 3500). They were both friendly and needed no encouragement to tell us stories of their life in the north. These communities survive primarily off the land without modern amenities. It's a tough way to live and we were really moved by both of them. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/17-3.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/18-2.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/20-1.jpg Before we could leave they both walked out to the street to see Elga (which was no simple task). "Be careful! This thing is dangerous!" they both said, in a fashion only a grandmother could. And so we left the fish camp and Rita and took away another amazing experience to add to our adventure. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_6824.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_6827.jpg The rest of the day was painful. We had clear skies up until the second ferry but were greeted with freezing rain, thick fog, and muddy roads all the way to Eagle Plains. We were both soaked (my hands and feet especially - I need riding boots) and couldn't believe we would have to endure another full day on the Dempster before reaching Dawson. After persuading the staff to feed us (which was no easy task) we went to bed, sore and tired. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/16-3.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/14-6.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/23-1.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/24-1.jpg |
Entry 20
And now, back to a proper report: When we finally did get off the Dempster, we headed into Dawson for the night - covered in mud. The next morning, we woke up early and headed to Whitehorse. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-16.jpg We were once again warned to watch out for the wildlife, because a motorcyclist had been killed by hitting a buffalo just a few days earlier. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/4-15.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/5-14.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-15.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-16.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/17-4.jpg On the way, however, we started hearing a horrible, grinding noise coming from the front wheel. Seeing as the bike was still partially covered in mud (even though I had sprayed it off a bit), I just figured that a bit of dirt had become lodged in between the brake pads. When we got to Whitehorse, I was greeted with a horrible realization. What pads? http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/18-4.jpg (to clarify, this picture was taken a couple days later after sitting on the floor of the sidecar in the rain) So, I phoned up Heindl Engineering, who has turned out to be my most trusted source for parts on this trip. He had some new pads shipped quickly and after a couple of days we were back on the road again. I do need to point out that Whitehorse is home to one of the shadiest institutions I've seen in awhile. This hotel was down the street from where we were staying and I was offered some "services" while Kristen and I walked past one evening. I mean, my wife was right there! Stay away from this place: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-16.jpg We then drove through Watson Lake, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek again with some pretty nasty weather along the way. Cold! http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/15-5.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/14-7.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/16-4.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/13-7.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/11-9.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tt43/10-12.jpg On the way from Watson Lake to Fort Nelson (which is the best stretch of that highway IMO) we did almost have an accident. We have a communications system (autocom - no longer in business apparently) and were listening to a podcast called Stuff You Should Know (which is really great for road trips, if you're interested) when all of a sudden the loudest, most shrill, hellish sound came screaming through our headphones. I literally saw white spots and almost wrecked the bike while trying to get off the road to unplug myself. I don't know what happened, but we both ripped the comm stuff out of our helmets right then and there. On the way to Dawson Creek, we met an extraordinary guy named Ed Gold. It has been a long time since we've been enraptured by any person. Ed is a Bristish documentary photographer who encapsulates the description "adventurer". Check out his stuff at www.edgold.co.uk. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...3/IMG_4212.jpg Anyway, after Dawson Creek, we made the decision to go back through Jasper and Banff as it seemed like the most direct (and scenic) route to get back to Montana as we wanted to see my aunt and uncle again. So, we headed into the mountains... |
Entry 21
First, I need to say that we have made it safely back to our home in San Antonio, TX. We really laid off of the reports during our final couple of weeks - it's hard work to keep up with these things! Anyway, we made our way into Jasper after getting our brake pad situation settled in Whitehorse. The weather was absolutely perfect as we rolled in and because it was so late in the season, there were very few people. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/4-16.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-17.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/21-2.jpg On the way into town, there was a sizable crowd on the side of the road - each with their cameras pointed toward a river on the left. So, being the good tourists we are, we hopped off the bike, and after getting our pictures taken by several people, we saw these guys nearly within touching distance. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/5-15.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-16.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-17.jpg We then headed through town to check out some small cabins we had noticed on our way north. It turns out that they were only $110 - which is extraordinarily cheap for Jasper (like I said before, it was there down season). Good for us. We pulled up to our wooden accommodations and saw this from our back porch: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/17-5.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/18-3.jpg In response, I did this with a beer in hand: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/19-3.jpg So, seeing as the weather was perfect and because the forecast looked clear, we decided to stay for a few nights. Besides, we had been hearing a horrible grinding sound coming from somewhere on the bike as we were riding and I wanted to check it out. After checking out a few things, I remembered hearing about a few people who had broken springs off their brake shoes. Bingo. I found this in my pusher hub: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/25-1.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/24-2.jpg How mine looked: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/22-2.jpg How it's supposed to look: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/23-2.jpg One of the springs had broken and had caused a considerable amount of damage inside the hub. I'm assuming it's because the wheel is made of aluminum and the spring is made of kryptonite. Either way, I took the spare and put it on my pusher and stole one of the springs from my hack to put in the pusher. It seemed reasonable to think that the pusher brake was a bit more important. I then rode into town, hoping to find some sort of replacement and noticed that the noise was still there. In fact, it seemed worse. I thankfully found a replacement - it wasn't perfect but it would make due until I could get a proper spring for the hack. Seeing as there weren't many bike shops or auto shops in town, we decided to take in the sights even though the bike sounded pretty awful. We rode up a gondola and after a bit of a hike, we were delighted to find some pretty fantastic views. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/16-5.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/12-8.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/15-6.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/14-8.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/13-8.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tt43/11-10.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tt43/10-13.jpg We then headed down and spent the afternoon doing some maintenance and relaxing... We woke up the next morning to learn that the weather had turned. Several of the passes that we needed to cross were enveloped in snow and it was raining in Jasper. Not only that, but now both of Kristen's heated gloves had ceased to work. Perfect. We headed onward. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/27-1.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/26-1.jpg Let me tell you - those passes were cold! And riding in the snow is pretty difficult, honestly. Okay, maybe not difficult but at least kind of annoying. My mask fogged the entire time and so seeing was a bit of a problem. Kristen was a complete trouper - I looked over at one point and saw that she was completely covered in white. I tapped her on the shoulder to see if she was okay and she gave me two, enthusiastic thumbs up! i love this woman.... Here's a quick video of us (yes, again hiding in a porta-potty from the weather) then heading into the snow. I know there are some of you that ride all winter long through tons of horrible weather, and I know that the snow hadn't stuck to the ground here, but I'm telling you it was cold! Especially for a couple of Texans: T2T - snow on Vimeo We made our way through the park with minimal pictures as it was pretty nasty weather the whole way through. We headed through the glacier parkway and into Banff, then west through Kootenay. We continued on until night fell and ended up in Cranbrook. It was a long day and we were definitely happy to fall into bed. |
FINAL ENTRY
We finally crossed back into the US and headed into Montana, back to my Aunt and Uncle's place in Bigfork. I immediately noticed how much cheaper gas had become and suddenly realized that we had spent a fortune and fuel. Wow, I still don't want to look at my credit card bill. While staying with family, I took the time to do some much needed maintenance and made some disturbing discoveries. At some point, it's hard to say when, my Ural lost the final drive dipstick. For those of you that don't know, the piece I speak of is vented and screws into the final drive. Because of that, I have concluded that I must have checked the level at some point, and then forgot to screw it back in. Either way, a solution was to be had (thanks to some that are smarter than me). http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-19.jpg a vent was made through the cork with a long screw. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tymatt43/a.jpg it fits! Unfortunately, that was not my only problem. I hadn't really noticed until I reached the town of big fork, but my braking on the rig had become very odd. As I was checking things out, I found that the brake rod from the the pedal to the rear wheel was missing. Not good. I don't have a picture but a cotter pin must have broke or just come loose and released the rod and assembly to the pavement. Again, something that probably could have been avoided had I known to look there. sigh... At this point, a decision had to be made. Would we throw in the towel or just continue on without a pusher brake (the sidecar still worked). Onward! we decided. We've come this far... So we headed into freezing Idaho. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/5-17.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/9-17.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/6-17.jpg We don't get this white stuff in San Antonio... http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/7-18.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...tt43/10-14.jpg We eventually made into warmer temperatures as we crossed into Utah. It was a relief, to be honest. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/1-20.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/2-20.jpg Then, without warning, a breaking point occurred. We had been forced to take major highways for our entire time in Utah and as we became lodged in traffic, I threw in the towel. For days, a persistent, friction-type noise had been coming from the sidecar wheel. I had checked it out as best as I knew how, but couldn't seem to make any difference. This time, however, I exited the highway and stopped in a big parking lot to take one, final look. I got the sidecar jacked up and found that the wheel wasn't even turning freely anymore. As best as I can tell, a wheel bearing has gone bad or (more likely) I have done something that resulted in a wheel bearing going bad. Either way, I refuse to put my wife in danger (if the sidecar wheel locked up on the highway...yikes) so after much deliberation I called it quits. Mind you, it was not my proudest moment. At about that same time, I got a phone call from my dad. He and my mom were on a roadtrip to Yellowstone and just randomly were headed into Utah. I told him what was going on and they both got very excited. "We're coming to get you!" they exclaimed. I have to say that I am not proud that I was rescued by my parents, but it worked out. And plus, we got to spend some quality time with them. (that's what I keep telling myself...) We headed to some places that Kristen and I had wanted to go on our way back home while our beloved Ural rode close behind. http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/13-9.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/3-20.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/5-18.jpg http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/8-17.jpg And so, our trip ends quite anticlimactically. I would have loved to have finished the last 1000 miles or so, but I will not intentionally put my wife in danger just for the sake of pride. I can say, however, that we did unload the bike 20 miles from my house and ride her home. It seemed only fair to our Ural. Kristen's reaction to arriving back home: http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...att43/14-9.jpg Our trip ended as thus: Miles Traveled: 9,378 Days Traveled: 52 Average Fuel Economy (based on random calculations throughout): 28 mpg Worst Problem with Ural: busted valve guide which resulted in the need for a new head Worst Gear Problem: busted Gerbing Gloves Best Gear Purchase: Gerbing Heated Jackets -or- tinted visors Lessons Learned: 1. pack less 2. need lighter camping gear 3. need lockable cases for gear on bike besides trunk 4. straps bought from WalMart are worthless 5. air filter loves to be clean and will throw a fit if dirty 6. riding boots that are not waterproof are worthless 7. my wife is hardcore 8. Rev'it Gear is worth the money 9. being prepared for everything is worth the hassle 10. experience = healthy bike more trips = more experience = happy matt Thanks for reading! |
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A very interesting read, sounds like you had a great trip and brilliant photos.
:scooter: |
Great trip and amazing pictures. I think i ran into you guys somewhere on Alaska Highway. If it was you, it would have been sometimes late september at Rancheria lodge about 100 miles from Teslin Lake.I was leaving as a Ural Just like yours with a girl and a guy pulled into the parking lot of the lodge and restaurant. (I was riding this if you remember)
I enjoyed your post very much and glad to see you made it back safe. Cheers, Chris |
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enjoyed looking through your site! |
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