This is Lucy, submitting an entry for my travelling adventurer.
We talked on the phone last night, he is doing great, and ready to start biking very soon!
I won't get into any details, he'll do that himself in his next entry, but since he has no access to internet right now, I promised him I would write a few lines on his behalf.
Now that he is so close to the beginning of his actual bike-trip - he will be starting today from Valdez - he has decided that he would like to take the opportunity to make this trip into something a little more than a personal journey, and raise funds for a cause close to our hearts: Autism, of course.
If you would like to make a donation to "Autism Society Canada" , click on the link below.
In the box " In Honour of" type "Dick's Valdez to Prince George Bike Trip"
It is surprisingly easy to do on-line, by phone or mail, and tax receipts will be issued.
http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=93&lang=en
Donations in support of this very worthy cause will be immensely appreciated, any amount is welcome, it all adds up!
Thank you so much, I'll disappear into the shadows now and let Dick continue doing what he does so well!
Lucy
Friday, June 10, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Prince Rupert to Juneau
I am a bit nervous when heading for the ferry on Saturday morning on June 4. I have to clear customs and there is always the possibility that they will refuse me entry. The ferry is scheduled to leave at 9:15am. Cars have to be there by 6:00am but I was told to be there at 8:15am. I arrive a bit early and there is a long lineup of cars. I am allowed to jump the Q. The customs officer wants to know where I am going and what foods I am carrying. Halfway through the list of food stuff he stops me and tellls me it is all good and healthy, stamps my passport and wishes me a good trip. We are now in the USA!
The trip on the ferry is relaxing. That is good, we will be on this ferry for 26 hours.
The weather is a bit on the cool side and typical for the west coast. Low hanging clouds and scattered showers. Later in the day some blue patches appear now and then and we can see a bit more of the mountains. Several killer whales are spotted but I miss them. On the upper deck is a solarium with recliners where I make a bed with my thermarest and sleeping bag. There are radiant heaters on the ceiling. I have a good night's sleep on the recliner.
The next day we can see a bit more of the mountains. We are looking at the Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in North America according to the pamflet I am reading.
At one time we pass a small iceberg, a clear indication that glaciers are not far off.
The Matanuska (name of the ferry) arrives on time at 11:15 in Aukbay, about 20km from Juneau. I have a route in my GPS to get me to a State Park with campground, about 9km from the ferry terminal. Just before I turn into the park a good size black bear crosses the road in front of me, I can hear his claws on the pavement. Houses are nearby and I hear a lot of dogs barking. The camping fee for a senior is $5 per night and showers are free. This is the best bargain! My camping site is on Mendenhall lake and that lake is at the base of the glacier with the same name. There are chunks of ice floating in the lake. I will not go for a swim!
After making camp we explore Juneau. Great to be on the bike again. When I leave the campground it is 10degC and in downtown Juneau it is 22degC. That glacier keeps things quite cool.
Juneau is the state capital and the population is 31000. Although it is on the mainland, there is no road out. Downtown is very touristic, it is a cruise ship stop.
Back on the campground I hang my food in a tree ( not an easy task), have my free shower and have my first night in the tent. A few showers overnight. At 2:30 I wake up for a while and it is already getting light, the birds are already active.
It is 8 degC when I get up. Plan is the go to Juneau again today for a blog update and to buy stuff for the trip.
I already bought naphta for my whisperlight and a small airhorn to scare off a curious bear (thanks for suggesting that Bob!) On the way back to the campground I pick up bearspray, they have it at Walmart.
I am writing this update to the blog in the Juneau Public Library. Internet use is free but only available in blocks of 30 min. My time is almost up.
The trip on the ferry is relaxing. That is good, we will be on this ferry for 26 hours.
The weather is a bit on the cool side and typical for the west coast. Low hanging clouds and scattered showers. Later in the day some blue patches appear now and then and we can see a bit more of the mountains. Several killer whales are spotted but I miss them. On the upper deck is a solarium with recliners where I make a bed with my thermarest and sleeping bag. There are radiant heaters on the ceiling. I have a good night's sleep on the recliner.
The next day we can see a bit more of the mountains. We are looking at the Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in North America according to the pamflet I am reading.
At one time we pass a small iceberg, a clear indication that glaciers are not far off.
The Matanuska (name of the ferry) arrives on time at 11:15 in Aukbay, about 20km from Juneau. I have a route in my GPS to get me to a State Park with campground, about 9km from the ferry terminal. Just before I turn into the park a good size black bear crosses the road in front of me, I can hear his claws on the pavement. Houses are nearby and I hear a lot of dogs barking. The camping fee for a senior is $5 per night and showers are free. This is the best bargain! My camping site is on Mendenhall lake and that lake is at the base of the glacier with the same name. There are chunks of ice floating in the lake. I will not go for a swim!
After making camp we explore Juneau. Great to be on the bike again. When I leave the campground it is 10degC and in downtown Juneau it is 22degC. That glacier keeps things quite cool.
Juneau is the state capital and the population is 31000. Although it is on the mainland, there is no road out. Downtown is very touristic, it is a cruise ship stop.
Back on the campground I hang my food in a tree ( not an easy task), have my free shower and have my first night in the tent. A few showers overnight. At 2:30 I wake up for a while and it is already getting light, the birds are already active.
It is 8 degC when I get up. Plan is the go to Juneau again today for a blog update and to buy stuff for the trip.
I already bought naphta for my whisperlight and a small airhorn to scare off a curious bear (thanks for suggesting that Bob!) On the way back to the campground I pick up bearspray, they have it at Walmart.
I am writing this update to the blog in the Juneau Public Library. Internet use is free but only available in blocks of 30 min. My time is almost up.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Jasper to Prince Rupert
I arrive at the ViaRail station about one hour before departure on June 1 and they are already on the lookout for me. Easy to spot a biker if you are wearing a helmet. There is bad news and good news. The bad news is that this train has no baggage car and it cannot take my bike. The trailer and Bobby bag are OK, they can come along as carry on. The good news is that the Greyhound bus depot is in the same building and they can transport my bike from Jasper to Prince Rupert, at my own expense. ViaRail assists me to get the bike box over to the depot and all is arranged in about 15 minutes. That was a close call. Initially I am pretty upset about this and plan to send
a letter of complaint to ViaRail but later when I check the e-booking confirmation I received from ViaRail when I booked this trip it clearly states that checked baggage service is not offered on the Jasper to Prince Rupert train. The ViaRail folks in Winnipeg were not aware of this either, they accepted my stuff and marked it as checked baggage straight through to Prince Rupert.
The train trip from Jasper to Prince Rupert is 1100km and takes 2 days. It used to be known as the Skeena but ViaRail dropped all names for the different routes with the exception of the Ocean (Halifax to Montreal) and the Canadian (Toronto to Vancouver).
This train is only 2 cars long, the first has the regular seating arrangement and the second is a combination dome/entertainment car.
The Skeena departs on schedule at 12:45pm. The first part is through the Rocky Mountains with fantastic views of many snowcapped mountains. Gradually the valley widens and slowly the mountains disappear and are replaced by a landscape of rolling hills with woods, farms, rivers and lakes. I spotted 4 black bears this first day on the train. The train arrives in Prince George on schedule around 7:10pm and will stay put for the night. Bob and the Bobby bag can stay on the train. I booked a motel in Prince George a long time ago. It is a 20 min walk to get from the station to the motel. A quick bite to eat and to bed, I am tired.
The next day the Skeena is supposed to depart at 8:00am but when I arrive at the station the travelers are informed that a freight train is coming in and is going to sit on the tracks for an hour or so. Nobody knows the reason for this. ViaRail is leasing the tracks from CN and freight has priority, we just have to wait. We depart at 9:15am and are now scheduled to arrive in Prince Rupert at 9:30pm, that is if there are no further delays. This is going to be a long day. The landscape past Prince George is the same as before, rolling hills etc. It is after the small town of Houston that things become interesting again. We are now going through the coastal mountain range and follow the Skeena river to the coast. We cross a few very high bridges, see gorges and waterfalls, a great trip.
We arrive in Prince Rupert shortly after 9:30pm and I have a bit of a problem. I have a trailer, Bobby bag, four paniers but no bike. There are taxis waiting at the station and the first one I try can take all my stuff. The bus depot is closed, the bike will have to wait until tomorrow. I ask the driver to drop me off at a motel close to the bus depot. After checking in I walk over to the depot and see a bike box with ViaRail tape all over it through the window. Yes, my bike is here!
Today is Friday June 3 and I write this update at the public library in Prince Rupert. I have wheels again and they are in good shape. Picked up the tickets for the ferry this morning and also bought some food but only the stuff that won't get me in trouble when going through USA customs tomorrow morning. There is always the chance that they won't let me in. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. The ferry for Juneau is scheduled to depart at 9:15am. I am not willing to give up comfort just yet and will have another night in the motel.
a letter of complaint to ViaRail but later when I check the e-booking confirmation I received from ViaRail when I booked this trip it clearly states that checked baggage service is not offered on the Jasper to Prince Rupert train. The ViaRail folks in Winnipeg were not aware of this either, they accepted my stuff and marked it as checked baggage straight through to Prince Rupert.
The train trip from Jasper to Prince Rupert is 1100km and takes 2 days. It used to be known as the Skeena but ViaRail dropped all names for the different routes with the exception of the Ocean (Halifax to Montreal) and the Canadian (Toronto to Vancouver).
This train is only 2 cars long, the first has the regular seating arrangement and the second is a combination dome/entertainment car.
The Skeena departs on schedule at 12:45pm. The first part is through the Rocky Mountains with fantastic views of many snowcapped mountains. Gradually the valley widens and slowly the mountains disappear and are replaced by a landscape of rolling hills with woods, farms, rivers and lakes. I spotted 4 black bears this first day on the train. The train arrives in Prince George on schedule around 7:10pm and will stay put for the night. Bob and the Bobby bag can stay on the train. I booked a motel in Prince George a long time ago. It is a 20 min walk to get from the station to the motel. A quick bite to eat and to bed, I am tired.
The next day the Skeena is supposed to depart at 8:00am but when I arrive at the station the travelers are informed that a freight train is coming in and is going to sit on the tracks for an hour or so. Nobody knows the reason for this. ViaRail is leasing the tracks from CN and freight has priority, we just have to wait. We depart at 9:15am and are now scheduled to arrive in Prince Rupert at 9:30pm, that is if there are no further delays. This is going to be a long day. The landscape past Prince George is the same as before, rolling hills etc. It is after the small town of Houston that things become interesting again. We are now going through the coastal mountain range and follow the Skeena river to the coast. We cross a few very high bridges, see gorges and waterfalls, a great trip.
We arrive in Prince Rupert shortly after 9:30pm and I have a bit of a problem. I have a trailer, Bobby bag, four paniers but no bike. There are taxis waiting at the station and the first one I try can take all my stuff. The bus depot is closed, the bike will have to wait until tomorrow. I ask the driver to drop me off at a motel close to the bus depot. After checking in I walk over to the depot and see a bike box with ViaRail tape all over it through the window. Yes, my bike is here!
Today is Friday June 3 and I write this update at the public library in Prince Rupert. I have wheels again and they are in good shape. Picked up the tickets for the ferry this morning and also bought some food but only the stuff that won't get me in trouble when going through USA customs tomorrow morning. There is always the chance that they won't let me in. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. The ferry for Juneau is scheduled to depart at 9:15am. I am not willing to give up comfort just yet and will have another night in the motel.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Winnipeg
We board the train for Winnipeg around 9:30pm, it is a long one estimated at about 500m. We have booked 2 lower berths and we are near the end of the train. Lucy is in car # 121 and I am in the next one. Two cars over is the end of the train with the combination dome car, bar and entertainment room. At the end of that car you look straight at the tracks, really neat. Via rail is serving complementary Canadian champagne and we have a few glasses. The beds are made already and close to midnight we move into our individual berth. I really like sleeping on the train, it rocks you to sleep and Lucy is happy to report that the train does not make her seasick. She takes a shower and tells me that it is great so the next morning I try it myself. We are 2 nights on this train and have 2 breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner. Also coffee, tea, fresh fruit and snacks are available all day long. All included in the price.
By the next morning we are in Northern Ontario, nothing but trees streams and lakes and no cellphone reception. Lucy has sent a text message to the family in Winnipeg to get the phone number of a massage therapy clinic, I want to try to get a few more treatments for that shoulder. The train stops for 30 minutes in Hornpayne and there is reception there. I manage to get through to the clinic and get an appointment for Thursday, the day we arrive in Winnipeg.
We arrive in Winnipeg one hour ahead of schedule and have to stay on the train until the station is manned. We deboard around 7:45 and the luggage is there in no time. Lucy had already contacted Leanne and she is on her way, with the 3 kids, to pick up Nana. Grandpa has to assemble his bike and hook up the trailer before hitting the road. It is only 4.5km from the train station to get to their home. Leanne and Leif have been building their dream home on Wellington Crescent for the last 2 years and very recently moved in. When Grandpa arrives the whole family is waiting and there are lots of hugs and kisses and I meet our latest grandchild Jack for the first time and what a good baby boy he is. He smiles a lot and only cries when hungry.
By the next morning we are in Northern Ontario, nothing but trees streams and lakes and no cellphone reception. Lucy has sent a text message to the family in Winnipeg to get the phone number of a massage therapy clinic, I want to try to get a few more treatments for that shoulder. The train stops for 30 minutes in Hornpayne and there is reception there. I manage to get through to the clinic and get an appointment for Thursday, the day we arrive in Winnipeg.
We arrive in Winnipeg one hour ahead of schedule and have to stay on the train until the station is manned. We deboard around 7:45 and the luggage is there in no time. Lucy had already contacted Leanne and she is on her way, with the 3 kids, to pick up Nana. Grandpa has to assemble his bike and hook up the trailer before hitting the road. It is only 4.5km from the train station to get to their home. Leanne and Leif have been building their dream home on Wellington Crescent for the last 2 years and very recently moved in. When Grandpa arrives the whole family is waiting and there are lots of hugs and kisses and I meet our latest grandchild Jack for the first time and what a good baby boy he is. He smiles a lot and only cries when hungry.
We play a lot with the kids and take Jack for walks. On Sunday Wellington Crescent is closed for traffic and we take Eric and Kate for a bike ride.
Leanne and Leif are still in the process of finding a spot for everything in their new home and are very busy. I was not able to get the whole family together to pose for a picture in front of their house. Will try again in early August. Things should have settled down by then and besides, Suzanne, Matt and Julia will be there too and we'll get them all together.
I managed to get two sessions massage therapy for that shoulder, the last on on Sunday. Can't say that it is helping me very much. The real biking does not start until June 10. Until then I can take it easy and hopefully things will have settled down by then.
Those few days in Winnipeg flew by and on Monday May 30 Grandpa has to head for the station again to continue his trip. The sun is poking through dark clouds when I get up and by the time the bike is ready and packed it is raining again. Amazing how fast puddles form on the streets in Winnipeg. To avoid those I stay on the sidewalks and move very slowly so as not to mess up my bike and trailer. I have plenty of time to dry the bike. I have a heck of a time to fit the bike in the box though, the handlebars are too high whatever way I adjust them, I end up taking them off all together and tie them onto the frame.
The train leaves on schedule at 12:00. I have a great night's sleep on the train and meet lots of nice people. There is a guy in the booth across from me who just finished university and is a geologist. He is on his way to the North West Territories to look for diamonds.
It is now May 31 and I am in Jasper at the public library to write the update to this blog. The train arrived 45 minutes late. I have to stay here overnight and the train for Prince Rupert will depart 12:45pm. My bike and Bob were checked through to Prince Rupert in Winnipeg, they are here, I have seen them on the platform. The train for Prince Rupert stops for the night in Prince George, everybody has to get off the train and overnight in a hotel of his own choice and expense. This makes it a 2 day trip but the advantage is that the whole trip is during daylight.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Unionville
It is raining when we leave home on Monday May 16 at 8:00am. I hope this is not setting the stage for the rest of this adventure. Lucy is getting a lift from our next door neighbour and I meet her at the station.
There are 2 options for packing up the bike, a cardboard box or a plastic bag. Since it is still raining a cardboard box will be soaked before it gets loaded onto the train so I opt for the plastic bag. This is faster since the pedals can stay on but it does not provide much protection, let's hope for the best. We have a reservation for our own sleeper cabin on the train including a private bathroom. The bench converts into 2 comfortable bunk beds for the night. We have a nice meal of panfried haddock in the dining car before retiring for the night.
The Ocean arrives on schedule in Montreal and we have a 45 minute wait before boarding the Toronto bound train. When we arrive at Union Station in Toronto at 4:00pm it is cloudy but not raining. The bike and trailer are returned undamaged and while hooking up the trailer I notice folks walking in with wet umbrellas. It must have started raining. Can't seem to get away from it. Once again we put on the rain gear. Lucy takes the GO-train for Unionville. Once outside, it is indeed raining and it does not look like it is going to stop any time soon. Just like last year I mostly follow the Don Valley bike trail but find that a part of the trail is closed due to construction. Being not familiar with the area I have to use my GPS to find a way around the closed trail. Leslie street seems to be my best bet but it means that I will be in the middle of Toronto traffic in the rain. I forgot to install my rearview mirror before I left the station. That was OK on the bike trail but I am really going to need it now. I have to open up the Bobby bag to retrieve the mirror and forget to tie up the strap that holds the bag onto the trailer. Shortly after taking off again the strap winds itself around the axle of the trailer and things come to a screeching halt. Not too pleased with myself at this point. It takes some doing to unwind the strap and I am getting away without any damage. It takes over 3 hours to cover the 41km to Unionville and I make it just before dark. Julia is still awake and is waiting at the door to greet grandpa. What a nice welcome!
We have a great week at the Frost residence. They moved recently to another part of Unionville. They now live in a very nice home in a great neighbourhood just a few minutes walk from Mainstreet. Matt is taking off for a few days for his annual fishing derby at the family cottage in Nova Scotia and we can give Suzanne a hand looking after Julia and Jet. Julia is taking a vacation from daycare while we are in Unionville so we have more time to enjoy each other's company. We have lots of time to play together, go for many walks and even visit the Toronto Zoo. She is a little trooper, we spent a good 3 1/2 hours there.
While stretching after a run I get a shooting pain near my right shoulder blade. This is not the time to end up with an injury. With the Victoria long weekend there is not much I can do about it but I manage to arrange for a one hour massage therapy for Tuesday morning, a few hours before I have to bike to the station. The therapist tells me that the muscles in my back end neck are very tight and advises me to get more massage while in Winnipeg. Bob and myself leave for the station at 3:00pm, this time the weather is great and I can take my time. Suzanne is driving Lucy to the station and we meet there around 8:00pm. We board the train around 9:30pm and the Canadian leaves on schedule at 10:00pm.
Here is a picture of the Frost family in front of their new home at Berkeley Court in Unionville.
There are 2 options for packing up the bike, a cardboard box or a plastic bag. Since it is still raining a cardboard box will be soaked before it gets loaded onto the train so I opt for the plastic bag. This is faster since the pedals can stay on but it does not provide much protection, let's hope for the best. We have a reservation for our own sleeper cabin on the train including a private bathroom. The bench converts into 2 comfortable bunk beds for the night. We have a nice meal of panfried haddock in the dining car before retiring for the night.
The Ocean arrives on schedule in Montreal and we have a 45 minute wait before boarding the Toronto bound train. When we arrive at Union Station in Toronto at 4:00pm it is cloudy but not raining. The bike and trailer are returned undamaged and while hooking up the trailer I notice folks walking in with wet umbrellas. It must have started raining. Can't seem to get away from it. Once again we put on the rain gear. Lucy takes the GO-train for Unionville. Once outside, it is indeed raining and it does not look like it is going to stop any time soon. Just like last year I mostly follow the Don Valley bike trail but find that a part of the trail is closed due to construction. Being not familiar with the area I have to use my GPS to find a way around the closed trail. Leslie street seems to be my best bet but it means that I will be in the middle of Toronto traffic in the rain. I forgot to install my rearview mirror before I left the station. That was OK on the bike trail but I am really going to need it now. I have to open up the Bobby bag to retrieve the mirror and forget to tie up the strap that holds the bag onto the trailer. Shortly after taking off again the strap winds itself around the axle of the trailer and things come to a screeching halt. Not too pleased with myself at this point. It takes some doing to unwind the strap and I am getting away without any damage. It takes over 3 hours to cover the 41km to Unionville and I make it just before dark. Julia is still awake and is waiting at the door to greet grandpa. What a nice welcome!
We have a great week at the Frost residence. They moved recently to another part of Unionville. They now live in a very nice home in a great neighbourhood just a few minutes walk from Mainstreet. Matt is taking off for a few days for his annual fishing derby at the family cottage in Nova Scotia and we can give Suzanne a hand looking after Julia and Jet. Julia is taking a vacation from daycare while we are in Unionville so we have more time to enjoy each other's company. We have lots of time to play together, go for many walks and even visit the Toronto Zoo. She is a little trooper, we spent a good 3 1/2 hours there.
While stretching after a run I get a shooting pain near my right shoulder blade. This is not the time to end up with an injury. With the Victoria long weekend there is not much I can do about it but I manage to arrange for a one hour massage therapy for Tuesday morning, a few hours before I have to bike to the station. The therapist tells me that the muscles in my back end neck are very tight and advises me to get more massage while in Winnipeg. Bob and myself leave for the station at 3:00pm, this time the weather is great and I can take my time. Suzanne is driving Lucy to the station and we meet there around 8:00pm. We board the train around 9:30pm and the Canadian leaves on schedule at 10:00pm.
Here is a picture of the Frost family in front of their new home at Berkeley Court in Unionville.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Introduction
"Where will your next trip take you?" That is the question I have been asked many times since returning from my Vancouver to Winnipeg trip. My standard reply was that I would like to go out west again by train and bike a few more mountains. Last December I started to research the possibility of biking the Alaska Highway. Quite a few questions had to be answered before I could make concrete plans. To mention a few: Is it not too cold? When and where do I start and how do I get there? Is the highway paved? You will not be surprised to read that the internet was a great help to find the answers to those questions.
Here is a spreadsheet I put together showing June temperatures along the Alaska Highway.
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Not exactly beach weather but with a pair of gloves in our kit and a good sleeping bag we should be able to handle those temperatures.
I found a WEB site for the Alaska Marine Highway System. They are running ferries all along the BC and Alaska coast lines. One can travel from Prince Rupert to Juneau by ferry through the inside passage and then with another ferry all the way from Juneau to Whittier. The Juneau to Whittier ferry goes twice a month and was key in developing my trip schedule. I first looked at starting my bike trip in Whittier but the only way out there is through a long one way tunnel under the mountains, also used by the train. There are no bicycles allowed in that tunnel. Next logical starting point was Valdez. It takes one more ferry ride to get there. Valdez and surroundings are famous for their beautiful scenery. The extra ferry ride may be well worth it. Valdez is the starting point of the Richardson highway and that one eventually links up with the Alaska highway.
Here is a map of the Ferry routes I will travel to get from Prince Rupert to Valdez.
View Ferries Prince Rupert to Valdez in a larger map
There is lots of information available on the internet about the Alaska highway. The highway was constructed during the 2nd world war to create a land route to Alaska. It was initially a narrow gravel trail but has been improved over the years and nowadays the whole highway has been paved. This was also confirmed using Google streetview.
Initially I was planning to bike from Valdez to Jasper but there is not enough time. I have to be in Winnipeg beginning of August. The Frost - Sigurdson - van Amstel families are planning a get together for the long weekend of August 1 and I don't want to miss that one! The bike trip will therefore end in Prince George.
Here is the map of the bike route from Valdez to Prince George.
View Valdez to Prince George in a larger map
We will leave home on May 16. Lucy, Bob and myself will board the train in Halifax and travel to Toronto. We will be visiting the Frost family for a week and continue on by train to Winnipeg. Lucy will remain in Winnipeg for another week or so. Bob and myself will board the train again for Prince Rupert and from there by ferry to Valdez. We will be arriving in Valdez on June 9 and we start biking on June 11 for Prince George, a distance of 2800 KM. In Prince George we will board the train again for Winnipeg.
Here is the complete schedule for this trip.
The schedule refers to waypoints to map the daily distances. E.g. W1D1 - W1D2 (Week1Day1 to Week1Day2), a distance of 85KM. I was not able to show the waypoins on the Google maps. They are visible on Google Earth. You will also see waypoints like AA0580 in Google Earth. They give elevations (580M in this case). I included those as part of the GPS routes. If my GPS shows that I am presently at 120M elevation and the next waypoint 20KM down the road is at an elevation of 850M, I know that a significant climb is ahead of me.
Here is a link to the Google earth file. Download this file to your computer and open it, it wil get loaded into Google Earth.
Valdez to Prince George.kmz - Google Docs
We will be travelling a remote highway with few communities and services. This is especially true for the part from Watson lake to Fort Nelson in the northern Rockies. There is a stretch there where I will have to carry food for 6 days. Once leaving Valdez I don't expect to get internet access until we reach Whitehorse. Updates to this blog will therefore be infrequent. I am sure that a few pictures of grandchildren will be posted while visiting in Unionville and Winnipeg. From what I have been reading about the Alaska Highway, I will be seeing quite a bit of wildlife. I may see herds of buffalo, caribou, few moose, big horn sheep and if lucky, a few grisly or black bears. I have been advised by more than one friend to carry bear spray. I am planning to buy that in Valdez, I don't want to cross into the US with bear spray in my luggage.
The first day of biking on June 11 we will have to get over the Thompson pass at an elevation of 824M. Quite a climb considering we start at sea level. In the northern Rockies we have to cross 2 significant passes, Summit Lake at an elevation of 1302M and Steamboat Mountain at 1076M. At the bridge crossing the Muskwa River just pass Fort Nelson we will reach the lowest point of the Alaska Highway at an elevation of 288M. Next the road climbs up again to an elevation of 1163M near Sikanni Chief but we don't have to do that climb in one day.
On this trip we will also carry front paniers. They give me a little bit more space for stuff and I also found it to be a better distribution of the weight.
I hope to get a few followers again and to receive some comments. It is always a real booster to know that folks follow your progress and care. And I am going to need a few boosts on this trip!
Here is a short video clip of me and Bob (the trailer) making a U-turn in Shubie park. Guess who handles the camera!
Here is a spreadsheet I put together showing June temperatures along the Alaska Highway.
h
Not exactly beach weather but with a pair of gloves in our kit and a good sleeping bag we should be able to handle those temperatures.
I found a WEB site for the Alaska Marine Highway System. They are running ferries all along the BC and Alaska coast lines. One can travel from Prince Rupert to Juneau by ferry through the inside passage and then with another ferry all the way from Juneau to Whittier. The Juneau to Whittier ferry goes twice a month and was key in developing my trip schedule. I first looked at starting my bike trip in Whittier but the only way out there is through a long one way tunnel under the mountains, also used by the train. There are no bicycles allowed in that tunnel. Next logical starting point was Valdez. It takes one more ferry ride to get there. Valdez and surroundings are famous for their beautiful scenery. The extra ferry ride may be well worth it. Valdez is the starting point of the Richardson highway and that one eventually links up with the Alaska highway.
Here is a map of the Ferry routes I will travel to get from Prince Rupert to Valdez.
View Ferries Prince Rupert to Valdez in a larger map
There is lots of information available on the internet about the Alaska highway. The highway was constructed during the 2nd world war to create a land route to Alaska. It was initially a narrow gravel trail but has been improved over the years and nowadays the whole highway has been paved. This was also confirmed using Google streetview.
Initially I was planning to bike from Valdez to Jasper but there is not enough time. I have to be in Winnipeg beginning of August. The Frost - Sigurdson - van Amstel families are planning a get together for the long weekend of August 1 and I don't want to miss that one! The bike trip will therefore end in Prince George.
Here is the map of the bike route from Valdez to Prince George.
View Valdez to Prince George in a larger map
We will leave home on May 16. Lucy, Bob and myself will board the train in Halifax and travel to Toronto. We will be visiting the Frost family for a week and continue on by train to Winnipeg. Lucy will remain in Winnipeg for another week or so. Bob and myself will board the train again for Prince Rupert and from there by ferry to Valdez. We will be arriving in Valdez on June 9 and we start biking on June 11 for Prince George, a distance of 2800 KM. In Prince George we will board the train again for Winnipeg.
Here is the complete schedule for this trip.
The schedule refers to waypoints to map the daily distances. E.g. W1D1 - W1D2 (Week1Day1 to Week1Day2), a distance of 85KM. I was not able to show the waypoins on the Google maps. They are visible on Google Earth. You will also see waypoints like AA0580 in Google Earth. They give elevations (580M in this case). I included those as part of the GPS routes. If my GPS shows that I am presently at 120M elevation and the next waypoint 20KM down the road is at an elevation of 850M, I know that a significant climb is ahead of me.
Here is a link to the Google earth file. Download this file to your computer and open it, it wil get loaded into Google Earth.
Valdez to Prince George.kmz - Google Docs
We will be travelling a remote highway with few communities and services. This is especially true for the part from Watson lake to Fort Nelson in the northern Rockies. There is a stretch there where I will have to carry food for 6 days. Once leaving Valdez I don't expect to get internet access until we reach Whitehorse. Updates to this blog will therefore be infrequent. I am sure that a few pictures of grandchildren will be posted while visiting in Unionville and Winnipeg. From what I have been reading about the Alaska Highway, I will be seeing quite a bit of wildlife. I may see herds of buffalo, caribou, few moose, big horn sheep and if lucky, a few grisly or black bears. I have been advised by more than one friend to carry bear spray. I am planning to buy that in Valdez, I don't want to cross into the US with bear spray in my luggage.
The first day of biking on June 11 we will have to get over the Thompson pass at an elevation of 824M. Quite a climb considering we start at sea level. In the northern Rockies we have to cross 2 significant passes, Summit Lake at an elevation of 1302M and Steamboat Mountain at 1076M. At the bridge crossing the Muskwa River just pass Fort Nelson we will reach the lowest point of the Alaska Highway at an elevation of 288M. Next the road climbs up again to an elevation of 1163M near Sikanni Chief but we don't have to do that climb in one day.
On this trip we will also carry front paniers. They give me a little bit more space for stuff and I also found it to be a better distribution of the weight.
I hope to get a few followers again and to receive some comments. It is always a real booster to know that folks follow your progress and care. And I am going to need a few boosts on this trip!
Here is a short video clip of me and Bob (the trailer) making a U-turn in Shubie park. Guess who handles the camera!
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