Alaska, me too?

The next morning waking up in Stewart I felt great about the ride, satiated. Still I didn’t just come out here to ride on the Cassiar, I came to ride it. A third trip on the Alaska Highway would be good too.
So I rode to Dease Lake, 246 miles.
Riding the Cassiar Highway, is like riding through the scenery, through the forest with some turns, and then out into areas with great views.
But I only took one picture.
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Dease Lake to Liard River Hot Springs.
246 miles.
The middle of today’s ride was the loop around point towards home.
The last couple really long rides there has been a change in how I feel about heading home. In the past there was a momentary let down. Not quenching that desire to explore more. Crossing into the Yukon tugged on that string just bit but one big thing is different since my ride in 2011 where the Top of the World Highway was the loop back point. I have the best wife friend to head home to. To have the freedom to be sitting at a rest stop eating, 3000 miles from home after riding roughly 4000 miles and have a sweetheart, wow!, that feels incredible.
As for that tug to go further, that got tempered given the road conditions. Plan B Yellowknife, was completely burned up. So this became a trip to backfill what I rode past fast during the previous trips. More stops, more deep breaths, more reading park info signs.
Especially a soak at Liard Hot Springs. This would be my 5th time riding by the springs amongst 3 trips up this way. The hot soak was great.
I am looking forward to the next one.

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Liard River Hot Springs to Pink Mountain. 337 miles.
This area of the Alaska Highway really is spectacular. The road is more like flying over the landscape. It seems to sit higher and the vegetation is cut in a wider path, this and the lay of the land sets up for long views, very gentle long curves and straight aways that make for constant panoramic views. Even when the road is low through a valley the view is big.
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I once rode through a herd of buffalo. I rode, paddled my way 12” off the bumper of a pickup That was nudging it way through about 30 buffalo spread across the pavement. There was an RV just a few feet behind me. To have my face 4’ away from a buffalo’s face was a one time thing to get away with.
This time they were at least off the pavement but some were right on the shoulder.
I tell a small RV driver when you go through, I will be right with you.
Ok? “OK”
I ride on his left, on the center line to split between an oncoming suv.
The way it worked out, or didn’t, he stopped in the midst of the gathering. Now they want to walk in front of us and there’s another that looked to be coming around the back, 30’ up on the left side one gets interested and moves towards us. My best move is turn around now. Ugh.

Next try. When things look a little better, after a sex show, and nearly a fight about that.
Pickup truck. Me, I want to go through with you, are you going to stop. Driver, I am not stopping. Aka, not a tourist seeing buffalo the first time.
We go through, me on centerline with a couple oncoming vehicles covering my left. All between 5 and 10mph.

My next encounter was with a bear.
I stopped about 600 feet short.
It starts walking towards me down to 500’ then goes off the road to pop up and continue walking towards me down to 400’ and it looks like I am the center of attention. It seems to move away when a car comes by but I must be different.
So I turn around to back off a couple hundred feet then follow a car keeping the car between me and the bear. Then you can guess what happens, car stops right next to the bear. It’s cool though because there aren’t 10 other bears standing all over the place. I keep going.
Great day.
 
Willsmotorcycle said:
Are you still soaking at the springs?
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That would be nice but it reminded me to get home, do some tasks and refill the hot tub.

My last post ran from the hot springs to Pink Mountain.
The next day was Pink Mountain to Dawson Creek.
410 miles. What? How?

Chat with a new ST1300 owner at Chevron station after fueling.
Forget that I set my phone down to have a snack.
Ride 135 miles.
Discover phone is not with me.
Borrow phone, call smart wife.
Smart wife had enabled phone location. Oh, that’s right.
Smart wife says smart phone is at Chevron in Dawson Creek.
Phone not there. Now up the street at another gas station. I don’t see it. Dang.

She texts map pic to RCMP officer helping me out. He pulls up satellite image and says if her pic is accurate that should put the phone next to the lot of recycling bins.
Hmmm, homeless couple there.
Me “My wife and the RCMP says my phone is right here”, pointing at her bag, “we have it”. Wow!
They didn’t want anything but out of disposable cash the guy and I walk over to the dollar store where he picks $7 dollars of stuff on a $20 offer and says that’s all they need.
Good people just down on their luck for the moment.

I then rode back out the 135 miles and called it good for the day.

The rest of the ride was about 300- 350 days on a direct path home. Pretty much a 2200 mile commute home from the ride.

The last few miles home my mind kind of reviewed the whole trip, scenery, people, the luck of a half hour of rain over the whole ride, five minutes of scary wind and hail, wildlife, and the beauty of arriving home and safely over 7000 miles later.

Hope you all enjoyed the ride.

Oh my, I managed to sneak in the house, all the way to the living room.
The dogs went crazy.
Smart wife smiling.
Home sweet home.
 
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