Day 8 and what a day it was.

Here I sit in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada and I have a million things rambling through my mind. I’ve put down 3,869 miles in 8 days and it has almost been without issue. I’ve had some technical problems but I overcame them all and those that I didn’t, I will have checked out in Anchorage. They will not stop me, because they are small. Tomorrow is the day I make the crossing into Alaska and I’m sitting just 298 miles from the border. Seems like like such a small distance considering what I traveled so far, but the mission will be completed. It’s a different kind of closure and it is one I’m proud of and it’s been a great experience to date. Someone must be shinning on me because if I had a dial in my hand and picked my own weather, I could not have wished for better less those 2 days early in the ride. Really it was only half of the ride each day that was bad, so I’ve been lucky. Tomorrow’s weather forecast is to be sunny with temperatures ranging from 41-72. Can’t ask for much more than that.

Today’s adventure was made more pleasant because I rode an extra 118 miles the day before so I didn’t have to push today. The weather was sunny and brisk the first part of the morning, but by 9am I was taking gear off. I never even plugged the heated gear up because it was that warm. Wild life? It seemed like I was stopping ever 4 to 5 miles taking photo’s of wild life. Sheep and or Ram, Bears, Moose, Caribou, and Buffalo. Eventually I just started driving past them because they were everywhere.

My Buffalo story is the best so I will tell you that one. So in the distance I could see what looked more like herd then just a couple of Buffalo. So I started slowing and sure enough, I would estimate 30 or more walking on both sides of the road and some in the middle. I stopped far enough back to take pictures and what I felt was good enough distance for a escape u-turn if needed. I figured my reliable ride could out run them. Inside this herd were calf and we all know how protective mothers can be with their young in the wild. Around the corner comes a very large truck and slowly proceeds to drive through them and they parted to allow him through. Sure, not even a Buffalo going to mess with a 20 ton truck. As the truck passed me, I put my camera away, put my ride in gear and slowly started heading for the herd. I’m moving along at 5-10 mph, riding the clutch, rear brake, and I figured if anyone of them charge me, I would open her up and see whose faster. As I approached one mother and calf, she, the mother, slightly turned toward me, 10-15 feet away, stiffened up, and snorted. Yes, I could hear it clearly and I knew it meant, intruder you are to close. Mark applied and little more throttle and got my little butt through all that Buffalo meat. What struck me is when in the United States, they pretty much make sure none of us dumb Americans get anywhere near these animals, but here in the Yukon, use your best judgment. Let me just say this. I was close enough to tell you they have beady eyes and lot’s of mass everywhere else.

Scenery? Wow, I could sit here and tell you what I saw but it would be better if you just click the picture link and see for yourself. All the lakes are still cover with 80% ice. Here is something I have never experienced before. Coming around the corner or mountains edge, I could see the lake in the distance. The temperature was 68-70. As I approached the lake on the same elevation the temperature started to drop. What would you expect, 5 or 10 degrees? Nope, more like 30. When I got to the waters edge, about 15 feet away, the temp drop to 41 degrees according to the bike. Damn that was a pretty sight and one that must be seen in person to take in the size and colors.

I did have a little issue with my GPS today in that it just locked up. I could not turn it off and the screen was not responsive. Easy to fix when you got help, so I let the Redhead remove the battery pack and we were all good again. I’m also finding it hard to believe that no one has suggested a name for the Redhead. Shortcake doesn’t work for me.

The two pictures above I feel I need to explain just a little bit. It basically all began with someone accidently knocking over a post and being ordered to fix it. Then he did a little custom work and it’s has been snowballing since. Click this to read more.

Tomorrow is going to a short ride by the standards I have set so far. 386 miles to reach Tok, Alaska and like I said, the border is 298. So for you East Coasters, I would estimate a border crossing between 3-4pm your time. I may not have cell service so notification might have to wait till I reach civilization. My Spot Tracker should be able to show when that happens also if you must know.

Pictures of the Day