A Rest Day and a Look Around Yellowknife

Before I forget, the other day when we gassed up at Enterprise - and then headed for Hay River - we saw a Lynx crossing the road. It was really cool to see that. When we were looking through the Yellowknife pamphlet today - their was a picture - and that prompted me to add this info. Laurance and I talked about Cougar and Bobcat - but the range and description did not match. As soon as I saw the picture of the Lynx - boom - we had a positive ID.

Spent the morning getting caught up on laundry, getting a bit of rest, and getting both vehicles washed. They are not auto show clean - but they are about 5,000% better - I think we each had several kilograms of bugs and mud to remove!

This afternoon, we just toured around the Yellowknife area - very pretty.

We started with a stop at the Bush Pilots Monument

Hey Kate - we need some help - core!

For Cousin Deb - at the Corner of Ragged Ass Road!

Cool looking country over by the Giant Mine.

I was using my 35mm as well as my phone - so photos are a bit out of order - back in time to when we were at the Bush Pilots Monument.

A possible retirement home? We hear they are nice with some issues you need to be prepared to deal with as the 2.5 m thick ice goes in, as it tries to crush your house, and again as it goes back out. Besides that, what do you think? Can we talk Kim and Lynn in to it?

Looking south down the North Arm - very pretty

Laurance giving me a good smile!

Somewhere in there - we stopped and had lunch at the  Dancing Moose Cafe. It was very good - give it a try.

We also had a beer at the  NWT Brewing Company - I had a really nice amber - Lawrence had something called a Kicksled which was just so-so -BUT - again -nice place - good people - worth going.

Down the Kam Lake Road - a view of Kam Lake.

Back into town and up the top of the hill where The Explorer Hotel is for a better view of the NT Legislative Assembly - such a cool building.

Back to Bullock's Bistro for another really great dinner. Yesterday, we both had the whitefish, today, we both went with the trout.I joked with Laurence that we should stay a couple of more days to try the rest of the menu. For sure the best food since St John's.

SO - up and at it in the morning - and do a long push down to High Level. We have gas stops all planned because of intelligence gathered on the way up. Plus - some good local advice - if you see an open gas station - stop and fill up. I think we will take that advice.

See you tomorrow.

Our First Territorial Capital - And Second Northern Point - Yellowknife

Wolk up in Hay River with drizzle coming down. So, put on all the rain gear, and headed the 3-4 km north to see Great Slave Lake from Hay River.

On the road and headed for Enterprise - we wanted to top off with gas at Enterprise - because - we have learned - gas stations on the map might not be there. That turned out to the case at Indian Cabins. Luckily - things were in good shape at Fort Providence - so we got gas there as well.  I would have been in trouble - I might have made Yellowknife - but it would have been close. SO - when we are southbound - gas at Fort Providence,and Enterprise - then a clean shot to High River. Good to know.

On the way to Enterprise - we could see big weather t the SW - but we made the turn and beat it! The way the weather has been this trip - I am giving the hour of drizzle a pass - and calling it a basically rain free day - with a fair amount of sun! I do need to admit that the drizzle and bugs made a horrible mess ofmy glasses and visor.

I realized after sleeping on it - I have been up this road before as a kid. Because I clearly remember Alexander Falls - but no clear memory of Peace River or much else in the middle.

A view of the mouth of the MacKenzie River at Fort Providence. Just north of this - you cross the MacKenzie on the magnificent Deh Cho Bridge built in 2012. Until then - it was a ferry in the summer and an ice bridge in the winter. Wow.

As well as wanting to see the view - the other reason we stopped here is that I had to wash my visor - it was such a buggy mess I could hardly see. So - down to the river to wash it. Worked well - had no cloth to dry - so a bit streaky - but way way better!

This picture will scream boring to a lot of you - BUT - it was not - fire damage, roses, other unrecognized flowering bushes like rose of sharon, tons of other flowers (no fireweed which I remember so well from when I was a kid), ravens, two golden eagles - and just magnificent distance. Long slow valleys - all down around 220 to 160m. I took this picture to show the long slow slope of the land

Took this picture at the Frank Channel Bridge - the northern point on Hw 3 -  the GPS on my phone says we were at 62° 47' 43" N - 115° 58' 37" W. Our Previous northern most point was in Newfoundland at 51.5957° N, 55.5334° W - so 11° further north - BUT - still not across the arctic circle - that will happen on the next leg!

Yikes - has the Starship Enterprise landed? Nope - it is the NWT Legislative Assembly. What a cool building - and so very inviting. We had a great look around.

We checked in to the Quality Inn & Suites - and found out we needed to get a permit for street parking.Hmm - next time I am in Yellowknife I will stay someplace else - a bit of a PIA finding parking! The good news is - the folks at city hall were quick and efficient - and city hall is  a pretty building in a pretty location!

So - back to the hotel, drop everything off, and then off for a bit of a walkabout. We ended up finding a great pub just across the street called the Kilt and Castle - and had a cold one. Meet some real nice folks, and got some fantastic advice to hit Bullock's Bistro for dinner. So good! We both had pan fried whitefish - that I think was still swimming around the lake at breakfast time today! Best meal I have had since the great food in St.John's. Ya gotta eat here!

So - tomorrow - a day of rest - do laundry (Deb - I have washed the Hawaiian shirt that I wear a lot several times - will wash it again tomorrow- so expect it in more pictures - it is my favourite) - and see the sights. Quit frankly, I am looking forward to it! First break since Newfoundland, and I am getting a little bit saddle-sore!

Peace out all - will let you know how our rest day in Yellowknife goes tomorrow!

North of Sixty

Up and at it early this morning in Peace River. The rain was coming down fairly hard. But - an hour out of Peace - the rain had just about stopped. By this afternoon - the sun was out -and it was another great day

Lots of bugs:

You leave Peace river at about 500 m -and then climb - at a couple of places - we are over 700 m. You see all this nice high prairie style farmland and some bush - the further north - more bush and less farming. After you get past about High Level - you start to drop again - by the time we got to the NWT - we were back below 300m. Such a pretty drive - straight roads - it is not sporting - but really pretty. A combination of bush and farmland. Tons of poplar and birch - and then back into evergreens.

We stopped to celebrate crossing the 60th parallel.

We stopped to see Alexander Falls - very pretty

Hey - a wild rose -in NWT!

A great day - we are parked at Hay River - I think in the morning - we should go to the shore and have a look - and then off to Yellowknife!

PS- I had a great video from Alexander Falls - and I seem to have deleted it! Anybody got and good ideas for recovering deleted files on a Google Pixel? Best wishes all.

Up to Peace Country

Sorry - no video - and only one photo today. We started the day with a service break for both Laurence's Chev and my FJR1300. Laurence was very satisfied with South Fort Chev-and I had a great experience at E & S Motorcycles. The bad news was that the Battleax BT023s were done and I needed to get the E & S team to install the new Metzlers. Hey - I got 13K out of them - the new Metzeler Roadtec 01s should still be pretty fresh when we hit the mountains.

My thanks to the E & S team - their service department squeezed me in -and they did a great job. The specific names I got were Steve, Dennis, Dean, and Jared. Thanks a lot team - and thanks to the other team members whose names I did not catch.

Ohh - and Laurence and I got new dealer hats. Which reminds me - the bike trip tradition is that you need a picture of the guys hanging around parking lot at the hotel - or the gas station - eating beef jerky. It is just a bike trip tradition.Look for those hats to make another appearance in that picture!

Before taking the bike in for service - it was a nice sunny day - so I spent too much money at at do-it-yourself car wash place and got the FJR clean So - yes - you guest it - it was raining by the time we left E  & S. Not heavy - but rain.  Our route today was basically Hw 15,  37, 43,  49, and 2.  By the time we got to Gunn - it had stopped - but still looked threatening - so I took off the rain jacket - but left the rest of the gear on.

A hour later - we were headed back into rain. So - jacket back on. But - not heavy rain - so got to enjoy the ride - very very pretty. Key things:

• Somewhere around Whitecourt - you start to see large hills. We have been cruising along just over 500 m above sea level since Saskatoon. The next thing you know you are in hills up to 940 m.  Wow - so pretty.
• Yup- on the slab all day - so no opportunity to tell if the new Roadtecs handle well - BUT - they tour well - including in the rain
• I think we were still on 37 - before Gunn - one of those classic Alberta Valleys - a big tressell that seemed to go for kilometers to smooth out the valley for the big freight trains, a small  river, and just pretty pretty country
• I think it was the Smoky River - just before Valleyview - what a great view- so pretty - I wish there had been a safe place to stop at the top of the hill going down to the river -it would be a classic photo!
• So - after Valleyview - you are on the High Prairie-up at around 580 - 620 m - with drops own into valleys  - but mostly flat and up high - so cool - I had never been in this country before (unless Mom & Dad say  I was when I was a disinterested kid in the back seat).

I am sure Laurence is already getting a good kick out of me and my gadgets. BUT - next trip - I wonder - a helmet-cam?

So - on up 49 we go. The rain was steady but not too bad until about 40 km out of Peace River - and then the sky opened up and it came booming down. So - I  had to watch out for 5 cm deep water in the wheel ruts.

No drama - safely into the Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre - nice dinner - nice room- and then off to Enterprise tomorrow!

Made it to Edmonton - Alberta Bound No More!

Well, we made it to Alberta
Weathers good here so far
Had two days of sun to dry the clothes, so I'm not wet
But we must be moving on,
So tomorrow, north were bound
Got some mile to do before we're done this trip!

OK - so I am not Ian Tyson - or for that matter - Gordon Lightfoot - but -  I had Four Strong Winds and Alberta Bound on my mind all day - so I had to riff on Four Strong Winds a bit - forgive me.

We had a magnificent day! I love the prairie - it is so amazing. Pictures do not do it justice. Flat,then rolling, then river valleys, then some old machinery, then a broken down house, then a magnificent looking town that is obviously doing well - it has got it all. And you can see for miles. So pretty. You need to come see it. You really do. Those of you who live out here - try to see it with the eyes of someone who has not seen it for awhile - or ever before in Laurence's case - it is fantastic!

Somewhere around Davidson, we stopped for gas,and I stuck on the stickers for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

We drove past a ton of pretty places on 16 - I wish I had stopped to take picture of a few. Particularly this one place south of Graik, and the other south of Davidson where you have a great view down on to a long narrow lake.I am guessing they are both dams - maybe on the same river - very pretty.

The other cool thing -my Mom and Dad will remember -I always got confused about the name for a Magpie.Well - the only place I have even see them is Alberta - and I saw two of them today - that was cool!


At Innisfree - we stopped for gas. We meet these two guys - who are on bicycles. They meet each other on the road. The guy on the right is from Quebec City - and headed for vancouver. The guy on the left is from Switzerland - and is going around the world -and has been on the road for two years! Wow - it leaves me feeling like a half miler!

So - off to Edmonton - and a few adventures with my half-witted  GPS and Edmonton rush hour traffic - and boom - we saw the legislature. Again -a fantastic building very pretty - and designed to be accessible to the public. I have to confess - I messed up getting us there (I am blaming the Garmin GPS) - we came  in from the south I guess - 16- 216 - Baseline - then  across the 97th Av / 98th Av Bridge - and I missed the left in to the Legislature, so took the next left - and boom - we are on the High Level bridge and  back across the river. Did a loop-de-loop - and came back across the river  on what I think is the old Low Level Bridge on a 105th street - and this time I figured it out. Very pretty, well done people of Alberta.

Then - back out to Fort Saskatchewan - and check into the Best Western..  Grabbed an Ok dinner and a pint in the roadhouse in the same plaza.

Tomorrow morning is a maintenance morning. I have a dealer lined up for the bike, and Laurence has a dealer lined up for the Chev, and we we will get scheduled maintenance addressed.

Tomorrow afternoon -off we go for Slave Lake!

Cheers!

Road Warriors in Winnipeg; Pleasant Prairie Passage to Regina

Yesterday, the hotel wanted $15 for internet. I think that is a gouge.  SO - today you get two days for the price of one!

Yesterday morning started really well. The sun was shining, and it was in the high teens for temperature.  We hooked up with Lawrence's buddy Phil for coffee, and then hit the road. I even put on the sunglasses.  About two hours out on Hw 17  -  we could see we were going to get rained on. BUT - no place to pull over. The sky open up and it started to just piss down. About 15 - 20 minutes later - found a safe pull over in a "check your load". I was already pretty wet - but pulled on the rain gloves, rain pants, and rain coat. I passed on the rain boot covers - because they are a real pain if no chair. My reward for that decision was I got to ride in wet boots all day today. Mind you my riding suit was still damp as well - it just rained and rained all the way to Winnipeg. Sometimes it nearly stopped - or even stopped - then back in to drizzle, rain, and downpour - over and over again all day.

BUT - the bright side - some very pretty shield country. Rocks, rivers,and little valleys, I wish I had the pictures - because I can not do it justice - pretty stuff.

A couple of road warrior stories. We are on 17, just past Dryden, and the pavement eater has been at work, so we ride on that for 15 km in the pouring rain. Then - without any sign to warn you - you drop 5 cm down on to the worst gravel mess I have seen in a long time. We are talking ruts full of water, pot holes full of water, grader gravel lines, soft gravel, washboard - the whole 9 yards -  a total CF - and this is highway 17! We ride on this for about 10 or 15 km - and I am white knuckling it on the bike - and Laurence is having no fun in the car. A complete mess. Whoever is running that project for the Ontario MOT should be fired - no - they should have their ass kicked - and then be fired. What a total mess.

So, we get out of that mess, and it is still raining. We are in a line of traffic behind a slow moving pickup. Being Ontario, not many places to pass. We finally get queued up behind this pickup - and his driving is alarming - up and down from 10 kph below the speed limit to 10 kph above the speed limit, nearly on to the soft gravel shoulder a few times, and every left hander - well over the center line - just trying to create a head on collision. SO- we drop back - to avoid the shrapnel - if he gets in to a crash - and just follow for about 20  km before the next passing zone - and I drop it from 6th to 4th - and I am gone - so that Laurence can get by as well. After that - it was just rain.

It all ends happily though. We checked into the Fairmont Winnipeg - which is a great location - right at Portage and Main and the room was nice. So - if you can but up with being charged for internet, and for parking - you can think about it - because the location is great.

So - off we go for dinner - and of course a picture of the most famous Prairie Town corner -at least it was not 15 below!

Over to Bailey's for a good dinner - but a bit pricey. The fun part was - after dinner - we walked back across the street to Hy's Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar for one more beer - and ended up drinking whisky with the crowd at the bar. We had fun - and got the bartender to make us a Mimico Manhattan - or pretty close - he did not have Dark Horse. We had a good time!

This morning, up and at it early! Well, fairly early :-)  First, off to see the Manitoba Legislative Building. Very nice.

Then,back on to Highway 1 - and off we go for Regina. This is a perfect place to mention - they build great highways out here - divided highway, and two lanes each direction almost the whole way. Wide paved shoulders for the bicycles - just really well done. Sunny day - a few broken clouds - some fairly strong wind at times - just a great drive. Rolling prairie, some trees, tons of agriculture -a very pretty drive.  On really nicely built roads.

SO - we arrive at Regina - and I think this is the nicest of the legislature building I have seen so far. very pretty, nice park - plus - a statue of Liz!

BTW - if you go back and look - you will notice that so far - Ontario is the only place where I could not get public access to the front of the building for a quick photo. The accessibility to the public here in Regina is exceptional.

So - tomorrow - off to Edmonton - an 800 km day. We are going to make some phone calls tomorrow morning - because both vehicles need a service break. We hope we can set something up!

A Superior Day

Left Wawa this morning in heavy fog - so heavy I almost counted it as rain. But - an hour later (09:00) - I was out of the fog - the sun came out - and it was a very pretty morning!

Just north of White River - things started to really look up - the ride had been pretty but not exciting until then.

Once I got north of Marathon - the riding was excellent - as long as you were patient with the construction! Such pretty country - lots of elevation changes, corners, and views of the lake. And all in the sun - with a few clouds - and a bit of a threatening looking system to the north west -more on that later.

 Just north of  Marathon, I had to stop at Prisoner Cove in Neys Provincial Park - wow - very pretty.

My next stop was at Terrance Bay Beach for a view of the beach and  Lower Aguasabon Falls

Then - of course I had to stop and see  Aguasabon Falls and Gorge from the top

Then -a very pretty creek and a cliff - the creek drains in to Fire Hill Bay - but I do not  know its name

So - between Fire Hill Bay and North Bay - a few rain showers. The last one -about 40 KM out of Thunder Bay -was heavy enough that I stopped and but on all the gear. Those ominous clouds to the West were scaring me.

By the time I got to the Terry Fox memorial - it was sunny and hot agin -which just made it a better idea to stop and pay tribute and see Lake Superior

So -I picked the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel.Turns out to be a good choice. Check out the harbour view from the room's window!

Laurence arrived - and after a good dinner - off we went for a walk around the harbour front!

 Hmm - who took this picture of both of us?

These people! They are coming to Winnipeg with us tomorrow (just kidding).

So - a really great day - and a fine fine evening! Off to Winnipeg in the morning!