ALASKA; Day 4; July 18, 2013

Today we are riding the famous Alaska Highway.  We are leaving from Dawson Creek, BC, which is milepost 0 (starting point) of the Alaska Highway.in Dawson Creek, BC

After our complimentary breakfast at the motel (which was very good), refueling the hogs and icing down the coolers we were on the Alaska Highway by 6:40.  It was 59 degrees and clear.  The first 50 to 100 miles of the Alaska Highway were totally unimpressive with development, industrial areas, and farming – not what I expected.  After that, however, we rode into forest land and mountains.  At about 145 miles we stopped for gas along the Alaska Highway.gas stop on the Alaska Highway

We gassed up again in Ft. Nelson, BC and then had lunch at the Triple G Hideaway campground restaurant.  The food was very good and the staff was excellent.  We also gassed up at the Toad River Lodge and the Coal River Lodge.

The ride was excellent with beautiful mountain scenery, wildflowers and wildlife viewing.  One of my goals this trip was to see a live wild bear.  I had 3 sightings and got one picture.  I also saw a moose lying in the grass along the highway, stone sheep in the road, bison, and caribou.

The only drawback were the numerous construction zones, gravel covered roads and a brief stint on a dirt road section.  Between this and the butt-load of bugs the bikes were extremely dirty.

We landed in Watson Lake, Yukon around 7:30, sprayed the worst off our bikes, had dinner at Andrea’s Restaurant (not recommended) and then checked into our lodging, the Air Force Lodge.  It is a remodeled former Air Force barracks (built in 1942) where you have private rooms but share shower and shitter facilities.  The showers and shitters did have stalls so it wasn’t too bad.  There are no Hampton Inns or anything similar in Watson Lake.lodging in Watson Lake, Yukon

I wish the pictures I took accurately reflected the amazing scenery along the Alaska Highway but, as usual, they don’t.  It was a good (and long) day of riding.  We rode 630 miles by my odometer (607 miles by Gary’s Garmin) and the high temperature was in the 70’s.  We did experience some very light rain but more serious rain was very close by.

More Alaska Highway tomorrow!

For more pictures from today click on the following link: https://plus.google.com/photos/104542123131082631220/albums/5902203680092240993?authkey=CK-Vv8ieoe2UiwE

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