Companionship & Adventure

Sunday July 18, 2010


I left the hotel and the town of Teslin on my way to the town of Fort Nelson beginning my ride around 9am, across the first of several grated bridges into the bright morning sun, extremely beautiful scenery for this portion of the trip. The sights were incredibly spectacular.

I came upon a herd of buffalo standing in the road and one sitting in the dirt off the road in the afternoon sun. I took incredible photos of the roadway showing a ribbon of asphalt winding into the mountains.

I pass over and road by hundreds of lakes, rivers and creeks that dot the roadway throughout the day. The Yukon is filled with hundreds of recreational vehicles owners who stop at designated areas along the roadway and camp.

Many bicyclists peddle along the Alaskan highway and actually camp on the side of the road. I passed one such bicyclist on my way towards the town of Burwash the day before and they had a tent for themselves and one for his bicycle.

As I passed his location a tractor hauling two gas tankers drove past me in the opposite direction and I immediately thought of the bicyclist in the tent and the noise that truck generates as he passes, man talk about waking up to a nightmare sound.

All along the way from beginning to end I encountered and interacted with many of travelers either on bicycle, motorcycles and recreational vehicle owners and we all had one agenda in common, traveling the Alaskan Highway and viewing the incredible sights.

There was a shared sense of companionship and adventure. Although everyone complained of the condition of the road, it was still an adventure that will be savored for a life time to tell their families and friends for a lift time.

Fort Nelson was a welcome sight and a familiar one. I stayed at this hotel on the way up, and even the young hotel clerk Emma recognized me and asked about the trip.

(282 miles)