Sunday, May 6, 2012

Everyday for 7 Weeks–Day 8–Hinton to Dawson Creek

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Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

The morning started slowly. It was probably a good thing as it froze again over night and there was frost all over the bike. By the time I got going it had melted and was just a puddle of water. I started looking at the bike looking for odd things or loose things. I had been looking at it for two days now, but didn’t realize the small left side cover had fallen off at some point in the last couple days. I remember staring at the empty space, but couldn’t figure out what was missing until this morning. It is only cosmetic, so no big deal. I also found the top case mount was loose, so I whipped out all my little multi tool kits and had it tightened right up. Those little tools are almost fun to use. Scary. Tomorrow I should play with the chain. It seems a bit loose.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

I didn’t realize it when I took the picture, but this was one of my last views of the mountains.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

They quickly disappeared and were replaced with rolling hills covered in evergreens – pines mostly.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

The sign out of Hinton said “No services for 140km” or something similar. The next town was Grand Cache.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

The shoulders on the road were non-existent in most places, so I wasn’t able to pull over to take photos of the scenery very often. Not that I really wanted to. There wasn’t much to look at.

Some scraggly pines

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

A lake near the side of the road.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

Just big open spaces of brown dotted with pines and spruce.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

The weather was mostly cooperating. I enjoyed the bright blue skies. I could see rain clouds off in the distance, but the GPS told me I wasn’t going anywhere near them. yay!

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

I passed by an open coal mine. This was the processing center. They were loading the coal into waiting train cars.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

At one of the turnouts I saw this abused animal-proof trashcan. It was shot several times, but is still standing. They are quite sturdy.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

I saw my first bear today. A small black bear. Maybe a cub; I’m not really sure. It was running back into the tree line, so I didn’t get a long look at it.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

I also saw another Caribou today. The one I saw yesterday was huge. I thought it was a moose until he picked up his head to look directly at me as I slowly road passed. His look seemed to say “don’t you dare take photo” I didn’t even think of stopping. The one today was looking the other way, and didn’t even bother to look up as I rode past. If Caribou are that big, I can’t grasp how big a moose must actually be. A cross between a horse and a cow by descriptions I’ve heard.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

Even though this was billed as the “scenic road” it was a bit of a let down. Lots of large trucks hauling things -- mostly forestry products. I mean after the scenery of the last two days almost anything is going to be a let down, so I won’t hold it against the road.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

They had a large beaver statue in Beaverlodge just west of Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie was 187km from Grand Cache and there was nothing in between.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

Grand Prairie looked like any American town of 50,000. All the same chains and goofy drivers. One nice thing about riding in the middle of no where, there are hardly any cars. After Grand Prairie, as the name might imply, it was flat and straight. ugh. Oh, and the wind that had been blowing for the last couple hours really picked up with nothing to slow it down.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

It was a struggle to just stay in my lane. It was wearing me out both physically and mentally as the gusts and trucks blew me from the left side to the right side of my lane and back. I wasn’t very enjoyable, but I’m not complaining too much because it was better than sitting in a cube.

A big storm moving in along with the wind just before Dawson Creek.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

I made it to Dawson Creek with only a few sprinkles. The wind was quite fierce now and tested the durability of my “shockproof” camera by blowing it off the bike and onto the pavement three times.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

The camera still works fine. Just notice how the clouds completely changed between the two photos along with the direction of the flags. Windy!

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day8 - Hinton to Dawson Creek

I splurged on a hotel. I was hoping to make it to Fort St. John, but I couldn’t stand the wind anymore. I think I crossed a time zone again too.

I spent a few hours just relaxing on the bed reading a book, listening to some music, and sipping some tea. Nice.

Tomorrow, after over 2,000 miles and 8 days, I finally start the Alaska Highway. I’m excited! In about 1,000 miles I’ll be in Alaska and in about 1,500 miles I’ll be in Fairbanks!

Don’t forget to check out the Week 1 roundup if you missed it.

 

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11 comments:

  1. Ahhh Alberta. where the grass is so brown, you'd think it was summer.

    It sounds like you made it through the wind okay. Good job splurging on the motel. it is good to do that after a physically taxing day. More so when the wind has been beating you about.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. LOL. I was thinking it was just early and hadn't gotten green yet.

      I did make it though ok, but it was brutal. Saw later it was 30mph+

      I agree. a comfy rest is great after that tough riding.

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  2. Congrats on winning the wind war. Great endorsement for the camera!

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    Replies
    1. thanks. yes, the camera is doing well. it only has a couple annoying quirks, but over-all I like it.
      looks like the wind wants a rematch tomorrow. whee!

      Delete
  3. Great trip, I can't wait to start mine.
    What made you go towards Hinton instead of just going north after Edmonton towards Dawson Creek?
    How do you like just riding alone on those empty roads? any dangers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks George.
      What made me stop in Hinton after Jasper? I never went to Edmonton; it is WAY out of the way. I wrote it above "The sign out of Hinton said “No services for 140km” or something similar. The next town was Grand Cache. "

      There is nothing for 100 miles between Hinton and to the north towards Dawson Creek. I was tired, and Hinton was cheap.

      There are always dangers. some sort of bike failure and wildlife. hopefully not in that order; bike breaks and a bear eats you for lunch. So far I am enjoying riding in less populated areas. No cars to worry about. No ugly billboards. Just you, the road, and the scenery.

      Delete
  4. Quite a different type of scenery from yesterday. Nice beaver shot!

    Strong winds can be very tiring to ride in, so I hoped they died down overnight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. very different scenery. where did all the mountains go?! :)

      I am beginning to hate the wind, and there is a lot of strong wind up here.

      Delete
  5. I guess it is tiring to dance in the wind, but is there really no joy in it for you? I like it. At least for a couple hundred miles. Then it gets old.

    Is it sort of like Nebraska or the Dakotas? Straight, constant, strong? Or is it choppier?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't mind the wimpy winds in MN. It never bothered me there when I was commuting. On a long trip, day after day, hundreds of miles each day, it sucks. The wind up here is also a lot stronger thanks to the mountains.

      Yesterday was 20-30mph constant with 40-50 gusts. Today was probably just 20-30mph moving back and forth between a side and head wind. ugh.

      Delete
  6. Looks like the adventure is merely beginning. I hate riding in the wind for long hours, it's tiring. I guess you earned that night in the motel.

    ReplyDelete