Author Archives: Daisy

Civilization! We made it to Prince George

We have moved from the mountains to the open skies!

We have moved from the mountains to the open skies!

 

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A horse with a mountain backdrop.

The ride from the bottom of the Cassiar to Prince George has taken us through many small towns, increasing levels of agriculture, and a gradual transition from mountain scenery to plains. We have taken some very easy days, as few as 40 miles one day, and also one long long day of 84 miles! The road has gotten increasingly busy, and the shoulder has varied from excellent to non-existent. Our little bicycle mirrors, attached to our helmets, have been invaluable to us. We always know what is approaching from both behind and ahead, and we always are ready to “bail” if needed. We did so no less than four times today, as large cars came from both ahead and behind with no room for us. Don’t worry, readers, the roads will be better for us as we head south from here, at least for a while.

Since in our last post I forgot to include a shot of the rainbow at the end of the Cassiar, I include it now:

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A beautiful sight from camp.

Click to enlarge for reading!

Click to enlarge for reading!

In general, our days have been pleasant; the rain and headwinds now seem to be a distant memory. At first there were some decent hills, even with summit signs! Our favorite was called `Hungry Hill’, and it came with a neat story on local history. In summary, there was a giant grizzly bear in the area in the late 1990s that was feasting on cows. It evaded capture for four years, and when it was finally caught it broke the trap and was shot by panicked deputies. It weighed over 1000 pounds! A few years later in 2004, a relative of this ‘phantom bear’ again began to eat cows. This one was captured more quickly, and also weighed around 1000 pounds. That is a HUGE bear, and it is more than a little terrifying to think of bears that size prowling about!

Would a 1000 pound grizzly be this big??

Would a 1000 pound grizzly be this big??

 

So many flowers next to the road!

So many flowers next to the road!

We have seen some fun sights along this road, from huge fields of flowers, to a traffic back-up involving three touring cyclists, a tractor, and passing cars.

 

A traffic back-up - there was another touring cyclist ahead of the tractor!

A traffic back-up – there was another touring cyclist ahead of the tractor!

We have spent nights in a long string of funny RV parks, and one free municipal park in a small town. My parents continue to feed us mountains of vegetables and fresh food every night. One night we stayed at a golf course, and found great amusement watching golfers go by. One group was particularly hilarious, because they were five ‘bros’ in baggy pants and ball caps. Playing golf!

 

A night at the Par 3 and RV.  That is my bug suit!

A night at the Par 3 and RV. That is my bug suit!

This park had a lovely view.  We didn't even mind the trains going by next to lake!

This park had a lovely view. We didn’t even mind the trains going by next to lake!

 

Surely I should be doing something besides pleasure reading...

Surely I should be doing something besides pleasure reading…

I have been finishing a long series of books, so it’s been difficult to focus on much in the evenings besides my Kindle. Don’t worry, statisticians out there, my dissertation is still coming along, just… more slowly until I finish this novel. Oh! We also saw the tourist attraction of the world’s largest fly rod. How silly – it is 6 times larger than a normal fishing pole, and of course completely useless. We took the obligatory photos of course.

 

World's largest (but not most useful) fly rod.

World’s largest (but not most useful) fly rod.

A traffic light!  Panic!

A traffic light! Panic!

It is interesting to ride into a biggish city – Prince George has about 80,000 inhabitants, so the highways are busy busy, and also the only way in or out of this town. We hadn’t planned on arriving today, but a tailwind and the reduced Sunday traffic convinced us to ride later and arrive a day earlier than planned.  We made it despite the first flat tire of the trip.  Jason got a staple stuck in his tire.  A staple! It was easily fixed.

Originally, we were going to take a rest day here and then head leisurely south and to the coast to catch a ferry to Vancouver Island on the July 11th. We checked the ferry schedule though, and the service has been reduced greatly. Now our options are July 6 or July 12, and we’ve decided to press on to get ahead of schedule. Inland British Columbia has been a wonderful experience, but we are ready for a new adventure on Vancouver Island. Hopefully conditions are good, and we are able to make it in time to catch the ferry!

We love the detail on these signs.  Look at that hat!

We love the detail on these signs. Look at that hat!

We completed the Cassiar! And hit 2000 miles.

We have now ridden 2000 miles since Anchorage!

We have now ridden 2000 miles since Anchorage!

Well, we have now ridden all of the Cassiar, and we are well on our way to our next ‘wiggle’ that takes us East, South, and West (in that order).   Finishing the Cassiar is a big deal for us – for so long it has seemed a highway of mystery, mountains, and above all bears.  It took us 8 riding days and was certainly a challenge, despite having lightened loads thanks to our parents.   Here are a few things that made it a challenge:

1.  Headwinds.  We had headwinds for 7 of the 8 days we spent riding.  This affected both speed and morale, because it is quite dispiriting to have to pedal hard while going downhill, just to keep above 8 miles per hour!

2. RAIN.  It rained every day but the first!  The mountains poked out occasionally, but were more often shrouded in low clouds.  At night, thunderstorms often rolled through camp and we got used to packing up a soaked tent.  The damp also prevented us from doing laundry in any serious sort of way.

3. Bears.  Ok, so seeing bears along the side of road is amazing, and thrilling, and scary!  I (Daisy) would get a serious adrenaline jump at the sight of a black spot ahead.  In all, we saw 13 bears on this road.  This includes cubs, mommas, and singletons.  Some we saw very close to us, within ten feet.

Another day, another bear sighting...

Another day, another bear sighting…

Despite of, or perhaps because of these things, we feel very satisfied to have ridden the Cassiar Highway in its entirety.  It’s a big checkmark on our bucket list now.  And, of course, when it wasn’t pouring rain it was lovely!

At the end of the Cassia, we started to see houses, including some very old ones.

At the end of the Cassia, we started to see houses, including some very old ones.

Let me share a few highlights from our miscellaneous adventures since our last update.

We took a rest day to visit the tiny little towns of Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK.  They are both at the head of a 90 mile fjord in from the Pacific and are surrounded by mountains.  We drove in on a spur road with my parents.  The road went right by Bear Glacier:

A pretty phenomenal roadside attraction.

A pretty phenomenal roadside attraction.

  And through a tight, steep canyon along a river:

On the road to Stewart.

On the road to Stewart.

Climbing down to rescue the dog.

Climbing down to rescue the dog.

The most remarkable part of our visit to Stewart was our stroll along the estuary boardwalk with my parents and their German shepherd, Citrus.  It was a lovely, peaceful walk until we met another group of walkers.  They had a small dog running along beneath the boardwalk who barked up at us.  In a moment of confusion, Citrus stepped backward and off the side.  She fell more than six feet!  Luckily, the ground was soft and she miraculously landed without injury.  I am not sure who was more surprised: Citrus, who learned suddenly that she cannot fly, or the small dog who saw a German shepherd fall from the sky.  My dad and I climbed down and managed to lift her back to safety.  We all agree to never take Citrus on another boardwalk!

Walking along the surprisingly treacherous path.

Walking along the surprisingly treacherous path.

We stayed a night at a miniature campground on the miniature Bonus Lake.  There were three campsites! The lake held unexpected fun for us too.  I tried to retrieve water for washing, but retreated when some leech-looking creature got too close to my leg.  We kept seeing lots of fish jumping all over the lake, and decided to lure them closer by tossing bits of bread in.  It was so fun to see them swimming up for a little snack!  The party didn’t last long, however, before a powerful thunderstorm blew in and sent us all scurrying for shelter.  Drat!

A complicated attempt to retrieve clear water from a very muddy lake-pond.

A complicated attempt to retrieve clear water from a very muddy lake-pond.

A sneak peek into Jason's snack-filled handlebar bag!

A sneak peek into Jason’s snack-filled handlebar bag!

Our last day on the Cassiar was super super full of adventures.  We saw an ore truck that had driven off the road in the storm.  Workers were busily shoving ore back into giant sacks next to the overturned semi.  Soon after that, we saw a momma bear with three cubs eating dandelions right next to us on the road.  Later that afternoon, we also saw a juvenile bear who seemed interested in approaching us, until I used our bear deterrent: a whistle.  At the first blow, he put his ears back in distaste, and at the second he ran away!  Phew, what a relief.

When the clouds cleared, there was blue sky, and so many wildflowers.

When the clouds cleared, there was blue sky, and so many wildflowers.

A sentry at the entrance.

A sentry at the entrance.

In the evening, we took a side trip to historic Old Hazelton, crossing a high suspension bridge and viewing first nation totems and artwork.  That night we stayed in a Provincial park campground with world’s tiniest swimming area.  I used it to gather water, and discovered a wealth of tadpoles.  When the inevitable rain came that night in the form of a thunderstorm, we were gifted a beautiful double rainbow over the mountains.  Wow.

The thunderclouds moved in past the tall totems.

The thunderclouds moved in past the tall totems.

Now, we are on the Yellowhead Highway, and suddenly in the land of services, grocery stores, and (gasp!) agriculture.  Today, we even saw cows!  We will head west to Prince George, then south again for a bit.  The highway is busier, but the shoulder is better, so it should still be a pleasant ride.

Overlooking "world's smallest swim area".

Overlooking “world’s smallest swim area”.

Finally riding south: The isolated Cassiar Highway.

Last time we updated, we were in Watson Lake: home of the signpost forest. At this point, nearly 80,000 folks have passed through here and left a sign to mark their journey. During our rest day, we joined them and created our own sign!

Our contribution to the signpost forest.

Our contribution to the signpost forest.

It was a blast to paint the sign and chat with other groups of people doing the same thing. I may be partial, but I think our sign was the best. We also went to the Northern Lights Center that day to watch shows on black holes and on the northern lights. It was a pretty neat planetarium location, and also surprising to find it so far north.

A little bold to call your province "The best place on Earth"!

A bit bold to call the province “The best place on Earth”!

Finally on Monday we started out on the Cassiar Hwy and into British Columbia. This is the only overland alternative to the Alaska Highway, and is both less populated and more remote. There are very few services, making my parent’s help in hauling supplies and food for us even more appreciated. The scenery is supposedly stunning, but we have had quite a string of storms and rain to limit visibility. So far, we have seen eight black bears, and two foxes.

Most of the riding has been in the rain, but we don't take too many photos of it.

Most of the riding has been in the rain, but we don’t take too many photos of it.

See the fox in the background carrying a meal?

See the fox in the background carrying a meal?

One of the many butterflies along the road.

One of the many butterflies along the road.

Our first day on the Cassiar was very nice though, with sun and fluffy clouds. We rode through recently burned areas, and stopped for lunch next to a lake populated by butterflies and dragonflies.

Evidence of a 2011 fire alongside our lunch stop.

Evidence of a 2011 fire alongside our lunch stop.

We are much faster on the road when my parents carry our heavy supplies, allowing us more time in camp to relax and have family time. It also helps that we have stayed in some beautiful campgrounds. Somehow, it usually seems to clear in the evenings – even on the days that we spend hours in the rain to get there!

The view at a stunning campsite on Boya Lake.

The view at a stunning campsite on Boya Lake.

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My dad has been fishing sometimes, mostly unsuccessfully, but he did catch a tree once! Jason and I had to climb up and unhook the tree, since it was a catch and release type of situation…

Our only picture of a bear - there is usually no time!

Our only picture of a bear – there is usually no time!

The days run together on a road like this. There was only one town in six days of riding, and the road is narrow with the forest close on either side. The rain and clouds make it difficult to see, but we are constantly scanning and searching for bears ahead. Our first bear was snoozing right next to the road, and our surprised shout of “That’s a bear!” woke it up to stare at us. We have surprised other bears browsing next to the road, invisible in the dense brush. Jason got a good look at a cute little baby bear, and luckily we didn’t see momma. We have bear spray, and carry a whistle to scare them off with sound, but it can still be stressful to know there are bears all around!

A summit that we didn't notice climbing to.

A summit that we didn’t notice climbing to.

There have been a few summit signs on this highway, which is always very exciting for us. Two of these summits were so easy we barely thought we deserved a summit sign!

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Mainly, we are happy to be accompanied along this road, and are enjoying the long evenings of family time. Evenings are fun, and include chats, stories, and endless brushing of the dog.

A common evening activity is removing dog hair from the german shepherd.

A common evening activity is removing dog hair from the german shepherd.

Washing dishes, a chore that never goes away.

Washing dishes, a chore that never goes away.

What we do when we arrive in camp: EAT!

What we do when we arrive in camp: EAT!

 

A moment without rain, finally!

A moment without rain, finally!

Of course, there have been moments when the clouds lifted enough for excellent vistas. I’ll provide some photos of these too!  Even as I write this though, the rain is hitting the tent.  Yes, there is wifi in a provincial park.  Wild! As a side note – it is actually getting dark at night now, which is ironic since it is the first day of summer.

A clear moment to display Jason's silly riding outfit.

A clear moment to display Jason’s silly riding outfit.

The mountains peak out from behind the thunderclouds.

The mountains peak out from behind the thunderclouds.

Tomorrow we are taking a side trip to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK. These twin towns are at the head of the Portland Canal, which stretches 90 miles inland from the ocean. It will be an exciting day to visit the grocery store!

Skagway, AK to Watson Lake, YK – Stunning scenery, then the Alaska Highway.

 

Riding up and away from Skagway.  It was beautiful!
Riding up and away from Skagway. It was beautiful!

It was five and a half days of riding between Skagway and Watson Lake. We loved the first two days of riding! Skagway is right at sea level, so the first order of business was climbing straight up and over the 3,292′ pass. The climb was only 12 miles long! Luckily for us, it was a breeze – literally. A very strong tailwind pushed us up and over the pass in less than three hours. I will speak a bit about the climb and the summit, since they were truly the highlights of this section.

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The railroad winds through Skagway and over White Pass.

As we climbed, we stopped often to enjoy the stunning scenery. The White Pass and Yukon Route railroad winds along across the river from the highway, and we enjoyed stopping to watch locomotives pulling passengers up the mountains. I think we saw three trains, each pulling a dozen cars of tourists! That is hundreds of people. WOW! Once I (Daisy) stopped my bicycle too quickly and Jason ran right into it and fell down. Yikes – he skinned his knee but was otherwise unharmed. I think I was a lot more shook up than he was.

The train chugging up the pass.

The train chugging up the pass.

Also while climbing we paused at an overlook… and were immediately overrun with tourists unloading from two buses. This turned out to be a blessing though, as we happened to meet a woman from State College. Small world.

We made it!

We made it!

We reached the summit, took the obligatory photo, and descended a small bit into a magical land of moonscape. That sounds dramatic, but the scenery was so different from the lushness of the coast. I will let the pictures speak:

Bicycles. Moonscape.

Bicycles. Moonscape.

 

A lake just past the summit.  It was cold here!

A lake just past the summit. It was cold here!

DSC00121The customs guy was friendly as we re-entered Canada, and we settled down for the night at a boat launch on a lovely lake. I am not sure if you (reader) know this, but I rode from Skagway to Montana by myself four years ago. This was before I met Jason. This Skagway to Watson Lake section is something I already rode, then, so it was really fun to camp exactly where I camped before. It was much much better with Jason with me this time around!

The following day we visited the historic town of Carcross.  We ate delicious date bars, drank extra helpings of the free coffee, and began a caffeinated ride out of town. We went a bit out of our way to see the Carcross Desert. It is not a real desert, but actually a small area of sandy dunes left behind by an ancient glacial lake. How neat!

The worlds smallest not-quite-a-desert.

The worlds smallest not-quite-a-desert.

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We went past the tiny town of Tagish, ate dinner at a beautiful spot on Tagish Lake, and rode toward the Alaska Highway.

Wow, the Alaska highway. For so many, this road encapsulates adventure, wilderness, etc. etc. To us, it is a parade of RV’s, campers, and semi-trucks. Don’t get me wrong, the scenery is very pleasant, but it’s not breathtaking like the Glenn Highway, the Haines Highway, or the road from Skagway. We spent a long few days ticking off the miles, watching the trees pass. We saw two bull moose, two black bears, and had a nesting pair of swallows try to scare us away from their nest.

Making dinner at a rest area before finding a 'wild camp' spot down the road.

Making dinner at a rest area before finding a ‘wild camp’ spot down the road.

The outhouse at our wild camp... we were not interested in using it!

The outhouse at our wild camp… we were not interested in using it!

The best interlude on the road was a chance meeting with another cyclist, Paul, at the grocery store in Teslin. He invited us to camp in his yard, and we spent a wonderful evening chatting with him. What a treat to have a place to camp, a shower to get clean, and to make a new friend.

On the fifth day out of Skagway we finally made it to Watson Lake!, home of the infamous signpost forest. More importantly, we met my parents!!

Reunited in the signpost forest!  We even painted a sign the next day.
Reunited in the signpost forest! We even painted a sign the next day. Photo to be included in the next post!

My parents drove up here from Bellingham, WA and will be our companions for the next two weeks while we head south along the isolated Cassiar Highway. Yes, they will carry our heavy things for us during the day, and meet us in camp each night for dinner and fun. This is so exciting for us, and we can’t wait to finally start heading south in earnest.

Internet sites are few and far between in this area, so it may be a while before we can update. Be patient our friends!