Tuesday, 14 August 2012

Long roads and nothing to see!


Setting off from Toad River was a strange start!
Over the last few weeks the routine of unpacking and re-packing the bike had gone from a frantic crushing every item into the panniers or roll bag in the first few days, to unhurried well organised packing! It takes about 30 minutes to sort everything out from the first initial sigh! To pushing the bike starter button..

Today for some reason packing took that little bit more effort.
Probably some tiredness setting in!
Why didn’t the bike pack well this morning! ? I don’t know!
The lads have now started to set off at different times now, differing from the official start times that are quietly acknowledge the briefing the night before,  7.30 am was the time for today!
A few of us decided that 9-9.30 would be a nice easy start, a bit of a lie in and take a steady pace to the destination.
So today we are going to take it easy, no hurrying! No one looking at you as you as you struggle with that bungee strap, or the pannier lid that will not for the life of it close!!!

As I pull out of the car park a light aircraft lands on the airstrip adjacent to the road I’m pulling out onto! The pilot gives me a wave!! How cool is that? Not busy enough landing a plane he gives me a wave! I couldn’t believe it!

We set off on the road to Dawson Creek 405 miles travelling along the Alcan Highway again..
Arriving at Dawson Creek will mark the end of that highway which is the main arterial link to the outer territories of the Canadian Yukon Some 2000 miles long and I will have travelled the length of it in its entirety when I arrive.

At first we have wonderful sweeping roads lovely mountainous views and the sun is shining! The brief is to have breakfast in Fort Nelson around 100 miles away..

Really great views from up here!
But the Alcan is a hard road to travel and within 30 miles it changes from smooth surface to gravel to broken tarmac, Compacted soil to dusty…dust!!! Lorries travelling at 80mph up hills, The road shimmering in the sun. We arrive at Fort Nelson at around midday.
Hot and bothered we chat about the breakfast or having a bite to eat, The general opinion is to get food later and carry on until the next fuel stop!
About 30 miles south of Fort Nelson we are stopped by road control, There has been an accident where a lorry has over turned and the emergency services were clearing the road.  We now have to wait until the pilot car comes to escort us through the traffic work!
While I’m waiting I ask the traffic control girl what mileage is it until the next gas station?  With a look that could kill she replied with a degree of botherance. “may be 30-40 minutes the first station. Then an hour for the next one after that!”. Thanks  I replied.. you see, The Canadians don’t give distance in terms of mileage they tend to give it in terms of time. Canada is huge.. so that’s just their way of advising distances compared to us Brits!
She starts to walk off to the vehicle behind and then says ”Oh the first one sometimes is closed!”
Damn….
Two of the lads then pull up and I ask what mileage they have in their tanks?
Both had filled up In Fort Nelson but as they were riding GS1200’s their tank ranges where only 220 at best,  my tank was showing 217 range..
Ok I thought no problem I’ll fill up at the next station so to carry me through to Dawson Creek 235 miles away..

I set off at steady pace riding the ribbon of tarmac before me.
The two lads who were with me at the traffic stop, had cracked on at a pace and left me way behind! Happy for some space of my own I plodded on, Maybe 10 miles later I flick through the bikes computer and it shows 150 miles range and its dropping fast! It seems for every mile I travel its using 5 miles of fuel!!
This freaks me a bit!
I’m probably 20 miles from the next station …I way up the scenario another 20 miles until gas.  But if it’s closed I could push to the next one 60-70 miles later! But what if that’s closed? Then I’m 120 miles away from Fort Nelson and 115 to 120 from Dawson Creek!! Out of fuel, And on my Jack Jones!!

I make the decision to carry on until the first one! The sat nav is showing fuel is available 145 miles ahead or 39 miles back at Fort Nelson.. I arrive at the first gas station and guess what?

Its closed…A note on the door.. Sorry out of Gas and diesel..

For the first time this trip I was really angry with myself! I knew I should have filled in Fort Nelson , but I took a flyer,  a chance hoping Gas wouldn’t be far off..

I had to seriously force myself to turn around a head back to Fort Nelson, Though the voice in my mind screaming at me to ride until the next one telling me to go for it! But instead I listened to sense!
Its now engrained in my mind Fuel 59.7 miles…
It doesn’t seem far,  but imagine leaving home and travelling nearly 60 miles to fill your car up! That for me is like travelling from Balsall Common to Nottingham or Oxford to fill up to return home!!


Pushing on a few hours on I stop at Buckingham gas station and top up with fuel again, this turns out to be the “next one” the girl had earlier mentioned to me! 230 miles out from Nelson! The right decision to turn around was made thankfully

A good lesson was had today!

I ride through a couple of towns one where of them is called Wonowon I’m really tired, With still some way to ride,  I look onwards.. “Oh god no more please not today” At 600 yards the longest steel grated bridge I have had the pleasure of riding.. I brace myself to get over it pulls and pushes the bikes steering, terrible!
With nerves shredded I carry on to Dawson Creek where I find and arrive at the Comfy Inn Motel.
I have ridden 512miles today, 405 of them without seeing other member of the group.
 

I get into my room deflated and Mark my room mate tells me he has lost his wallet at the Buckingham Fuel Station, He was talking to two people on bikes heading in the other direction, He had placed his wallet on the back seat while filling his bike and explaining our journey to one of the bikers! He thinks the other biker had it away while he was chatting !!
Everything gone cash, credit cards, driving licence,  I thought I had a bad day!!

On the lighter side of things
The town of Wonowon is so called as its 101 miles from mile 0(zero) of the Alcan Highway at Dawson Creek.. We have come across this type of town naming before when travelling north some weeks ago!
There was 100 mile house and 150 mile house.
Stemming back to the old prospectors when travelling on the old trails, which are now modern highways! These “mileage marker” houses or old Inn’s finally grew in to large sized towns but the names remained!

And Alcan Highway… you can keep it mate!



So there you go every days a school day!

PGxxx






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