We landed in Dawson City amid overcast skies, and established camp at Gold Creek RV Park, which is the only campground downtown. A little pricey for a 15x15ft plot of gravel, such is the way for most everything far north in the Yukon, and we needed to catch up on showers, laundry, and connections back home.

At this point in the trip, we had been fairly lucky with the weather – mostly dry skies with just a few hours of rain on day 2, and we were hearing from riders coming from the north that they were zipping through steady downpours. As the clouds darkened over Dawson, a steady drizzle kicked in and would continue off and on through the next day. While we were prepared for rain conditions, let’s be blunt…camping in the rain dampens the spirit and makes your tent smell. And we were hoping for great conditions for the Top of the World Highway.

Alas, it was not meant to be as you’ll see in the video, which tracks from the Dawson ferry up to the border crossing at Poker Creek.

Top of the World Highway from craig kerwien on Vimeo.

Road conditions were slippery on the US side and along the descent into Chicken – we saw not one but TWO RVs half off the road, right wheels in the gutter, left wheels in the air. The area had received significant rain in prior weeks, and the road had just reopened due to flooding. We lunched in Chicken under a torrential downpour, and then the skies turned blue along the way to Tok and into Delta Junction where we were greeted by the Alaska Air Force…

The Klondike Highway out of Whitehorse weaved through dusty construction and short turns. We camped in Twin Lakes campground despite the bear warning…

Video: short snip of the Klondike leading up to Dawson City…

 

Fact of life for anyone on a motorcycle road trip: you’re stopping at gas stations two-three times a day to fuel up machine and body. Range on my 1200gs is about 210 miles, depending on speed and conditions. Brady was able to squeeze out a full 240 miles between Coldfoot and Deadhorse on his F650. I pushed the range limits of my tank a few times…

And then I made an oopsie: I didn’t top off my tank at the Cassiar/ALCAN junction, thinking I would fill up at Swift River, completly forgetting my notes that the stop had been converted to a maintenance center and had no public services. We discussed U-turning back to top off, and decided to go a conservative 50mph hoping I could land in Teslin on fumes. I made it to 9 miles out before running out of gas. While Brady scooted ahead for juice and container, I grabbed a few shots.

A well-spent day brings happy sleep. — Leonardo da Vinci

 

Alas, I was only able to use the hammock for three nights. The remainder of the outdoor nights were in the tent on the ground. One and a half thumbs up for the Exped Synmat 7 mattress – plenty of cushion atop gravel and rocks, and a tinge too narrow when sleeping on my back, my elbows would be on the ground instead of the mattress. And I’m not that wide. Really.

With the trip taking place in July, we were treated to a couple of weeks of a 24-hr-a-day light skies, which required a blindfold to sleep at night. Although the sun would dip below the horizon at ‘night’, we didn’t need a flashlight to move around at, say, 1am. Not many stars to look at as well.

Nestled here in our own little corner of the country, nicely insulated by mountains from the microwave heat across the middle of the country, I’ve always eyed the province of BC as a polite unassuming neighbor down the street, home to world class skiing and the occasional street riot (no need to shut down internet access for those crowds, just cut off their beer supply).

And then we rode. And rode. And rode. Three long days south to north. British Columbia is not only big, it’s beauty fully merits public declaration on a license plate. It’s geographic diversity ranges across rain forests, mountains, ocean, almost desert, rivers, and 20 square meter islands, and is home to some of the most remote landscape on the North American continent.

 

 

Video: helmet cam footage from Stewart to the main junction…includes Bear Glacier and a bear crossing @ the 3 minute mark.

Glacier Highway BC via motorcycle.