June 1st, 2007 I'm on the road

mattg · Post by **mattg** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:22 am

Sounds like a great trip so far. What will happen next in this epic journey - Im eagerly awaiting another update.

Velokid1 · Post by **Velokid1** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:50 am

Yeah, weekends, weekdays, it's all the same up there in the summer. Most people are working seasonal jobs and have wacky hours/workweeks. And most of the folks at Liard aren't from the Yukon or Skagway anyway... they're travellers, and most travellers up there have no idea what day of the week it is. Because it doesn't matter one damn bit.

Enjoy the rest of the trip. I'm in a cubicle right now.

77_Bus_Girl · Post by **77_Bus_Girl** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:26 am

Happy Summer Solstice! Way to go Barb! I hope the others made it!

sailorkh · Post by **sailorkh** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:13 pm

77_Bus_Girl wrote:Happy Summer Solstice! Way to go Barb! I hope the others made it!

I second that

I hope our intrepid travelers are having a joyous day. No matter how far you have made it, you have earned my respect.

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:28 pm

Ok can you guess where Elwood and I have been the last threee days?

YES we were at the Arctic Circle marker on the 21st. Have the picture to prove it I will use as my avitar when I get back to my daughters in Richmond. It was a bumpy ride but so worth it. Im back in Dawson City tonight staying at a historic hotel with 10.00 wifi the visitor center got me a really good rate on because of my sucsess at getting there on the Solstice. The Dempster is everything and much more than you can read about. The vastness of the land and nature up there is mind numbing. I bought a dvd of photos so I could remember all. I did receive a honerary chip in my windsheild about one hour into the road Kinda looks like the midnight sun. I have a picture as well as many of so much, the arctic ice flows you see about two hours into the road surprised me, I had read about them but to see them after leaving a very hot Dawson City at six in the eve. to avoid over heating Elwood (never ever happened =D> ) and to come past this huge area of blue ice about 8pm with the sun still so bright - well it was as good as the first bears I saw. There is so much more I will tell you from my notes, there was no internet at Eagle Plains , where I camped for two nites. Before I drove the approx 25 miles to the circle on the 21st, I was horrified at all the dust on my engine and loose screws abounded. I pulled out my trusty stool that is part of my needed tools, and sat my big bottom down with my blue shop towels and paint brushes and started cleaning, this was in the parking lot of a very busy truck area, work crew living, motel . restarunt, and yes a full swing bar, oldest in the Yukon, many people walked by me and said not a word, but about the time I had had enough of the mozzies, a older man came up and asked what I was doing , I replied that air-cooled engines did not like to be dirty and especcially fine-dusty and I had a long way to go. He informed me that he used to have a 72 Westy but blew 3 engines up so he sold it a long time ago. He laughed and said he never maintained and thought what I was doing was great. I told him my age and quest and that I wanted to do this to tll my grandsons about. He said he was 74 and flying one of many crew helicopeters on this oasis in the Yukon. I have met so many truly great people and will write about so very many stories when I get back to my real life, ya sure, as the Canadians say. Tommorrow I head to Skagway, Ak, going be taking Elwood on a little sea cruise to Bellingham, Wash. waited to see if there were any more buspilots at the Circle before making this plan. Will be back in Wash at 8am 7/29 fri , dont know how long it will take to Portland but will pict up my stuff Hambone, will give you a call when Im closer.

FYI Maxs' bus was a RED early one.

It is now 9:30 pm and the streets are packed with motor cycles for a famous rally, hoots and hollers and and staging for some sort of run. It is exciting to watch from my thrird floor room and Elwood looks really Happy to be parked with them. Very-Very dirty and PROUD

Love you people for giving me a space to share, B/E

Ryno · Post by **Ryno** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 5:22 am

Awesome, Thank you for the stories.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:28 am

Elwood wrote: YES we were at the Arctic Circle marker on the 21st.
Very-Very dirty and PROUD

Were skies clear enough to let you see the sun at midnight?
Colin
(hot damn =D> )

Velokid1 · Post by **Velokid1** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:48 am

You're going to love the ferry ride. It's a lot of fun. I guarantee you'll make a dozen new friends. And the scenery will rock your world.

I lived in Skagway and Haines a few years ago. Managed Sockeye Cycle Tours.

It's changed a lot since 2003. If you're laid over in Skagpatch and want a short, great hike... wait until the evening when the cruise ships pull out and the town is empty, then head up the trail right from the railroad tracks to Lower Dewey Lake. Gorgeous trail, great little lake. Excellent view of the little town. Takes about 30 minutes up if you cruise. I recommend taking more like 6 hours or so.

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:51 am

Yes Colin the skies were clear that night and you do see the sun go all the way around. I was very disorinated up there and even turned the wrong way out of compond to go to the circle. After driving about 10 min I passed some machine I had remembered seeing on the road in. Got my compass out and it is just weird up there - think about it! Just where is magnetic north at the top of the earth?

Thanks for the suggestion vidiokid and I see Sockeye Cycle has an ad in the tourist mag i have. Ive got the 400 or so miles to cover to get there before 3pm on the 25th and I will need to get my gear in order to stow Elwood away for the three days. It will be fun sleeping on deck in a chair. They say you can bring a small free standing tent and I have one with me , have you seen this done? The cost for the bus -fyi- is the same for a car under 15' I will have to take down the useless cb antenna, that makes El look like a Tela-Tubby, you can,t sit higher than 6'6" and may have to remove the rack also.

As far as gas prices, all over the place, the Shell here in Dawson is 1.526 per litre and you have little choice the least Ive paid was at Contact Creek at 1.219 litre. I have been carring 2 -5gal cans at every fuel stop and have used them many times to get to next station, sometimes at difficult pull offs. I need to check out of this place and go fuel up and hit the smooth road to White Horse, that is going to feel so strange. Gotta say that the Dempster is a tough one on a bus and you can,t hear the engine for the rattles at least in mine and the fine powdery dust is every where along with the oil they use to pack the gravel down. And it did rain for about 3 hours yesterday and when they say it gets slippery, I fished tailed alot and scarred myself too. I want to get back to the States to do a oil change and clean up.

And Colin you would love the land but what it would do to your beauty would make you cry. It is just too brutal for a perfectionist, plan a trip somewhere more can go and not beat up there bus.

mattg · Post by **mattg** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:56 am

Thanks for all the updates - it sure makes my days at work go by a little faster imagining your travels into the unknown.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:55 am

Thanks Barb. Be good seein ya again.

Velokid1 · Post by **Velokid1** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:26 pm

I have a feeling Colin would LOVE what those roads did to his bus, actually.

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:36 pm

your trek is inspiring. Hope to meet you on your way back through P-town.

-Stephan

bottomend · Post by **bottomend** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:49 pm

This has been an interested travelog. I was initally very skeptical as to the merit of using soooo much gas just to go view the sun. ( I guess I'm kinda glad it ended up being just one person). I/we dont know what happened to the others but elwood has been a terrific host for the duration. Thanks for the ride.

skin daddio · Post by **skin daddio** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 3:17 pm

i'm going to chime and agree. tastes great and less filling.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

June 1st, 2007 I'm on the road