We enjoyed a
nice breakfast at Eagle Plains this morning and got ready to depart for Dawson
City, some 228 miles to the south. As we were about to leave, Ron Wilkerson and his wife Wendy
pulled into the parking lot. They made an early morning run up to the Arctic
Circle and back about twenty miles to the north. We said our goodbyes as they headed for breakfast and we rode south.
The southern half of the Dempster Highway is much easier to negotiate than the
gravel-strewn northern portion, providing that it’s dry. And, this morning it
was dry. Apparently, our prayers are holding.
Aside from a
few campgrounds, rest areas and First Nation villages there are really no towns
between Eagle Plains and the start of the Dempster Highway. So, we agreed to
stop about every 75 to 100 miles to hydrate, address the call of nature and take some photos.
During one
of our rest stops, a rider on a KLR stopped and introduced himself as Richard
from Las Vegas. He said he bought the bike in Texas and was riding it up the
Dempster to Inuvik. He inquired about the road ahead. We told him what he was
in for. He was undeterred, thanked us and rode on, apparently not interested in
the D2D event in Dawson City.
Looking to
the south we could see afternoon thunderstorms beginning
to build. A short two miles later we were riding through a downpour and fighting
a strong crosswind. Five minutes later it was over as fast as it started.
Although
there is not as much gravel on this portion of the highway, it’s just as dusty,
and today was a banner day for semi-trucks, campers, motor homes, cars, trucks
and motorcycles, all going north. We were constantly going through dust clouds,
oftentimes having to come to a complete stop before proceeding. In one section,
four semi-trucks passed us in a row leaving us in a dust cloud for several
minutes. Did I mention I hate dust?
Two hundred
and twenty eight miles later we arrived at the end of the Dempster Highway and
pulled into the Klondike River Lodge for gas, high fives and a very necessary
wash job on two mud-caked Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycles.
Twenty miles
later we pulled into Dawson City and checked into the Downtown Hotel,
headquarters and central point for the Dust to Dawson event, along with 250 of
our newest adventure motorcycle riding friends.
In Dawson
City we met up with Ron Wilkerson and his wife Wendy and enjoyed an excellent
combination plate (definition: too much food) Greek supper. Good food with nice friends. After supper we all went for ice cream and a stroll along the Klondike River where we saw the paddle wheeler steamer Keno is prominently displayed on Front Street offering daily tours of life on the Klondike River in a bygone era.
About our
only disappointment thus far has been the lack of wild animal sightings. So, we
give thanks to Ron and Wendy for their great shot of Momma Moose and her young
calf, as the Wilkerson's came down the Dempster. Somehow we missed thatTomorrow
will be our first day of not riding.
We’re looking forward to it after more than 3,000 miles of motorcycle
riding without a break.
Here are a few photos from today ride. We hope you enjoy them.
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