AFTER OUR RIDE OUT OF TELEGRAPH CREEK WE CONTINUED ON ANOTHER 230 MILES TO WATSON LAKE YUKON.  WHAT A RELIEF TO BE WARM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL DAYS. WE MET DOZENS OF OTHER RIDERS ALL HEADING UP THE ALASKA HI-WAY. WE SPENT THE NIGHT ENJOYING THE WARM WEATHER AND AGAIN MET MARCEL AND MARY ANN.

THE NEXT DAY WE RODE ONTO WHITEHORSE YUKON WHERE WE AGAIN FOUND VERY COLD WEATHER. WE CAMPED OUT AND WOKE TO 37 DEGREE TEMPERATURES AND IT REMAINED COLD ALL THE WAY TO DAWSON  CITY.

MY ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO RIDE THROUGH TO FAIRBANKS AND MOUNT MY OFF-ROAD TIRES, HOWEVER BILL WANTED TO RIDE THE DEMPSTER HI-WAY TO INUVIK. WHEN WE GOT TO DAWSON CITY I DISCOVERED I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIRE TREAD LEFT TO RIDE ANOTHER 1000 MILES OF GRAVEL ROAD AND THEN GET TO FAIRBANKS FOR MY OTHER TIRES. THEREFORE BILL WENT ON TO INUVIK AND I AM ON MY WAY TO FAIRBANKS. WE WILL ATTEMPT TO RECONNECT IN FAIRBANKS FOR THE RIDE TO DEADHORSE.

THE DEMPSTER HI WAY IS 475 MILES OF GRAVEL AND ONE OF THE PRETTIEST HI-WAYS IN THE AREA.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF RAIN AND IT IS REPORTED AS WET AND MUDDY.

MY RIDE FROM DAWSON CITY TO TOK ALASKA WAS VIA THE “ TOP OF THE WORLD HI-WAY. SO CALLED BECAUSE THE ROAD IS BUILT ON THE RIDGELINE OF A MOUNTAIN RANGE STRETCHING SOME 180 MILES AND AT TIMES SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE IN-DEED “ ON TOP OF THE WORLD “. WELL TODAY IT WAS RAINING THE ENTIRE WAY AND THE 105 MILES OF GRAVEL WAS VERY SLIPPERY INDEED, AND AGAIN VERY COLD AT 38 DEGREES AND A COLD RAIN.

I HAVE RIDDEN THIS ROAD 4 TIMES. TWO TIMES WERE DURING THE CLINTON YEARS. IT WAS WARM, SUNNY, DRY AND THE BIRDS WERE CHIRPING. BOTH TIMES DURING THE BUSH YEARS IT HAS BEEN COLD, RAINY AND CLOUDY. I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS SITUATION SO I E-MAILED AL GORE. HE RETURNED MY MAIL AND CONFIRMED 2 THINGS. HE INDEED HAD DISCOVERED THE INTERNET AND THAT GEORGE BUSH ALONE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GLOBAL WARMING AND MY MISERABLE RIDE.

I AM HOPING CONDITIONS WERE BETTER FOR BILL ON THE DEMPSTER. I HAVE RIDDEN THE DEMPSTER WHEN IT WAS MUDDY AND RON AND I HAD ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING AND ENJOYABLE RIDES EVER.

TOMORROW I WILL RIDE TO WASILLA AND VISIT MY FRIEND SCOTT AGENBROADE BEFORE GOING TO FAIRBANKS.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLEN!