Tar Pits, Bears, and Broken Down on the Alcan

The day started out pretty slow. We got a late start from the Kluane B and B (rustic) on account that the owner doesn’t serve breakfast until 8am. The weather was marginal this morning so we didn’t do the fly over the Kluane Glacier. The morning was a little nippy, and I had to stop and add an extra layer. The road conditions gradually declined until they became downright dicey, even frightening.

We passed a couple up from Colorado, they were both on BMWs – 1200s, which surprised me…. It’s rare to see a woman on a 1200. She was a little frightened about the road. It was dicey in Canada, but when you crossed the US border it got right into “Oh My God” moments several times.  There were large areas that came up quickly where the asphalt was pulverized… it was like someone had laid down a sandbox of loose gravel asphalt but never rolled or pressed it down. Because it was the same color as the rest of the road, you didn’t see it until you were right on top of it.  The day was tiring because you had to pay extra attention for these tar pits.

We also passed a series of “hover-ers.” Hoverers are outhouse along the road that you have to use… or the mosquitos bite your ass… but they are in such poor condition that you don’t want to actually sit on them.. so you hover.  Wow! Talk about some nasty potties… I opted to actual tangle with the bugs in one case. I gave it the “Nastiest Bathroom on this Trip” award. Just outside of Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada.

 Nasty bathroom of this trip..

We saw bears today. Although we have seen moose, squirrels, rabbits, marmots, and beavers, we have only seen lots of bear poop (I renamed the Haines Highway the Chillskat Road). I have been riding with my Go Pro (movie camera) on for about 4 hours a day… to play with film when I get back home.  I happened to catch them on the side of the road today. They were black bear, a mom and her cub. I passed by so fast, they will probably be specks.

Barbie is sporting a new “do” she also has been nailed a few times on her breasts and arms with bugs..  she seems to be enjoying the ride.

Barbie, after 1800 miles tied to my motorcycle!

I broke down on the side of the road somewhere in Canada.  We stopped at the Nastiest Bathroom, and we noted that the Canadians have covered many of their road and regulation signs with black garbage signs. We pondered when a sign no longer says anything important. It sort of falls into the same place of how much does the road have to be falling apart before you call it a gravel road versus… a paved road with bad spots? I mean when is bad.. bad enough? When does road sign not have meaning? At any rate, Jaz wanted a picture of the non-signs… so we stopped.  I shut my bike off… it wouldn’t start again. At first I thought I hit the kill switch, but no. Then I thought I blew a fuse, so I checked it, and it was fine, but when I seated the fuse back, I had power... so I thought it must have come loose (The road was bumpy and filled with tar pits remember). Then it wouldn't start again.. no power. So I figured it was the battery. It took me 1 minute to tighten the loose cable, but 29 minutes to unpack the saddle bags, take them off, take off both side guards, and the seat... to get to the cable, (and then put it all back together again... ). I got 3 sets of men stop and ask if I needed help, and most were surprised when I waved them on.  But my favorite was when two fellow dual sport riders with Northwestern Territory license plates stopped to see what the problem was and if they could help me with it. I explained that I figured it out and repaired it and was putting the bike back together again. He smiled and said… “Alaskan women are jewels”… waved off and headed down the road.  Grinning sheepishly… I’m a jewel.