Friday, July 10th – Tuesday, July 14th 2015: Vancouver Island : more than expected ….

The ride on the ferry from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy was long but the scenery was again just breathtaking – we even got the chance to watch some humpback whales ; I just was not speedy enough to make any pictures  - have to work on that if I intend to increase my wild animal count ;-)

Had again the chance of talking to a nice lady sitting next to me ; she was from Powell River coming originally from Hungary and used to have a restaurant before getting retired – so there was a lot of interesting topics to talk about.

 

 

After an speedy check-in at the hostel shortly before midnight I got a really nice 2persons-room. The other girl was not in, just her luggagge and the backpack (on the nice and big bed) showed that I was not alone that night. But she did not show up all night, missed the expensive ferry and referring to the smell of her lugagge she spent the night at a party smoking some nice stuff ;-)

So I had a nice and cheap single room and decided in the morning to stay another night. I took the chance of driving a windy road to Port Alice. Not much to see there but the ride was worth it anyway.

After that I again tried to sort out my lugagge to a reasonable way of packing. Though I packed just a few things I already realised having taken too many things with me. First thing to do in Port Angeles was therefor to send some stuff back home. Sunday morning I took off to Campbell River. As it was not that far away I decided to take the longer gravel road – even though it was slightly raining. Didn’t had any problems to find the junction but then it got somehow difficult. No road signs and my GPS did not know that nice gravel road. I just drove on and quite soon realised that it was not funny with the highg pressure (meant for paved road conditions) I had in my tyres. So I just lowered the pressure and from then on it was REALLY nice driving. Different to what I’m used as driving normally  offroad-tyres but I am getting used tot he „Heidenau K60 Scout“ and it seems tob e as good as I was told before. Somehow I got back tot he highway – not exactly where I wanted tob e: came out in the north instead of south; so I was travelling back towards Port Hardy instead of driving towards Campbell River. But I didn’t care: it was a nice drive and I could train my offroad skills again – though looking like a pig meanwhile J before getting back tot he highway I tried the little compressor I had with me: and hey, it just works fine. Good to know! Means that from now on, I will always lower the pressure from my tyres driving on heavy gravel roads.

 

After just a short night in Campbell River – next to my tent site three somehow symphatic motorbikers on a brewery-tour !!! and therefore with a sleeping habit that was quite noisy….. I think they did not see that sign before ;-)

In the morning I decide to shorten my stay on Vancouver Islands – feel like I need a different scenery now ; got enough from mountains and woods, was longing to see the coast, the beaches oft he West Coast. So I drove down to Victoria and bookd a ferry to Port Angeles (WA) fort he next morning. Victoria by the way is a nice really English looking like city where you can spend hours of of just strolling around.

 

 A last night at a cosy campground next to the river…. The perfect ending of the first part of my journey.Vancouver Islands : almost 4000km driven so far and it just feels good tob e on the road. No real problems so far, people are absolutely friendly and curious about my journey; most oft hem admiring  what i’m doing – not just because they think it is a brave thing to do at all or not just beacuse I was travelling alone (as a woman) and not just beacuse they had been afraid of all the „dangerous“ countries on my way south but I also felt because they just never got the chance to do something like that; never crossed the border of their own country. I know that it is a privilege and I really appreciate having the chance to do it. I take every day of my travel as a gift and enjoy whatever is coming up.

Wednesday, July 8th – Friday, July 10th: Prince Rupert surprisingly different….

Yesterday afternoon  I reached Prince Rupert that will be sort of the last point on my Alaska–British Columbia-mainland tour ; after 3000km I just have positive memories  so far – in spite oft he small electronic and other difficulties. But they are sort of like „the salt in the soup“ J

Didn’t have any problems to find my B&B which turned out to be the oldest resident house of Prince Rupert (1808) and which is maintained by a really cool elderly lady. It’s overloaded with old bits and pieces but is nevertheless cute, has a perfect view over the harbour and is right in the middle of Prince Rupert. After7 days of camping again a night in a „normal“ bed and the landlady – she calls herself Auntie Fifi - promised me a fabulous Canadian breakfast the next morning. So I was sitting at the breakfast table together with an English an and a Belgium couple, enjoying a rich breakfast. But that was just the begining of what turned out to be the most weird breakfast I ever had – in a positive way. Auntie Fifi used to earn her l living in her young days as a Edith-Piaf-double touring around in theaters and Casinos and so she sung us 3 original songs while we had our breakfast. And she did that absolutely perfect with that unmistakable French rrrrrr-Accent of Edith Piaf. What a start into the day!

       

I had decided to do some exercise for a change and got the hiking maps at the tourist board for a roundtrip up to Mount Hays: 18km and about 1500 up-and-down. They just had a detailed copy for the first part oft he roundtrip, from the second part I had to make a picture out of their visitors-book with my cellphone. As I am used to hiking from back home I thought that wouldn’t be a problem. Now I know better and I know why they did not have any copies anymore! An easy way through the city, a short walk through a mystic forest and then up a gravel road -  which would be a dream for every offroader and even legally to drive! I walked up in a steady pace and reached the summit after 2 hours. What a view over the sund of Prince Rupert up there! 

I did not rest long and looked fort he connecting trail to get tot he other summit. No way. Even the help of two other hikers to look for it was unsuccessful. After a while I saw the tracks of a Quad into what I assumed to be the right direction. I followed that track slowly down the hill through a quite muddy area and when that tracks of teh Quad ended I finally saw the connecting trail – or what was left over from it. The wooden pannels that should lead over the marsh and the little creeks had been completely rotten, breaking at the lightest weight on it and rosty nails looking out everywhere. I gave me another 15 minutes to check whether it would get any better. But when I just with luck did not get a rosty nail into my foot (after going straight through my heavy hiking boots) I decided to go back. I sort of crumbled back up the hill back to the former trail and returned to the city the same way. Back I went straight to the visitors board to inform them about the desolete trail and suggest them to take the second trail better completely out of their hiking suggestions.

 

Fazit for today: the first sunburn on my shoulders, a big scratch in my leg, a hole in the hiking shoe but definitely the most funny, weird and adventurous day so far. And that even without driving the bike ;-) 

 

 

Now today I had to get up at 5 in the morning to get on time onto the Ferry that brings me to Vancouver Island. During that 15 hours on the Ferry we even saw some dump whales and bucket whales but apart from that it was just an easy day cruising smoothly along the shores and through the narrow sound of the Islands towards Port Hardy where I will stay again at a hostel. 

My last booking so far. From now on, everything is unplanned and I can go spontanously wherever I like to go. What a great feeling!! 

Sunday, July 5th – Tuesday, July 7th 2015: Canadian Camping and other stories….

Whitehorse – Watson Lake – Meziadin Junction – Terrace: appr. 1200km

         

Already three days since my last Blog. Three days of driving on through the huge landscape of Yukon and British Columbia. Cruising smoothly (yes, that’s even with my offroad-used DRZ400 possible) on the highway 37 towards Prince Rupert. Again I saw breathtaking, beautiful spots and now even some wild animals: 2 mooses, 2 buffalos, 1 white-tailed sea eagle, uncountable sand squirrels and red squirrels, and even 1 bear unhasty crossing the street. So the days are just going by in an already „regular“ way. I get used to that way of living and feel really good with it J

 funny driving over these metal ridges !!

The most funny thing during the last few days? The Canadian official campgrounds: mostly no water (and so of course no showers), no electricity, no WiFi/telephone-availability. But in every campsite a table and bench and a firplace made out of a metal barrel with integrated grill ! SO I tried out my fire-making skills and hey, I got a really nice fire, lasting for some hours and feel absolutely cosy (still in the middle of bear-homeland). The bigger problem was to buy some food for me. All the stores just have food in XXL-amounts. As because of the bear you should not leave any food overnight ( and I do not have a car to close it in) I made quite a funny mix of food: some baked potatoes, 1 pack of Salami, 1 cream cheese and 1 pack of tortillas (they are really great roasted on the grill). What sounds a bit weared turned out to be a tasty dinner: Tortilla Wraps „à la Judy“, going together with a nice and hot Earl Grey tea…. After that I slept like a baby and did not bother about any bears hanging around my tent.

 

The most interesting during these days were the ecounters with all kind of different people: a Swiss couple at the gas station, the employee at Wallmart (actually a student from India) who sold me the cellphone and the camera), the three retired bikers at the campsite who invited me to join their 

„beer—and-gossip-party“ ;-)

No matter where I buy something or make a rest, people start talking with me. That’s really great and makes this journey even more interesting.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Prince Rupert… sort of „back to civilization“…. at least fort he moment :-)

  

nothing "wild" but my 3 companions on that trip :-) 

Friday July 3rd and Saturday July 4th 2015: on we go.... and women & technique!

Before I start: this blog might get short as I had far too much beer.... more about it later on!



Yesterday I actually managed 550km, though still without sheep fur on the saddle. Conclusion: 400-450km are ok, everything else is worth a message to Human Rights Watch!!!
From the cosy Motel in the middle of nowhere I drove through to Haines Junction and the landscape was still just breathtaking: simply uncredible wide and huge; the color green dominates, just broken up by a few pink Lupinias.



Wildlife seen so far: none! But hey, at kilometer 1350km I finally have seen three (3 !!!!) wild animals. They saved my day: 3 super small rabbits ...... isn't that cute? from bear and co. still no trace. But hey, I do not want to be tricky .... yes ... after all three wild rabbits within 1350km.



I set up my tent in Haines Junction and as WIFI wasn't really working fine I just went sleeping ...
Besides the rather restless night - no, no bears but a massive snorring tent neighbor (10 meters away) - I was waken up this morning by 3 USA motorcycles. What normally would be a nice sound, I do not need at eight o'clock in the morning. Really: the engines running for 15 minutes, practically next to my tent .... Why they did that just god knows.

After I got up I had to do some duties first: tensioning and lubricate chain, which worked out quite well. Otherwise a rather modest start to the day. Well, what can I say: it was somehow not getting any better: back "on the road", after about 50km the odometer broke down .... hmmmm .... ok, then we "feeing". Not bad either ;-)
As it flickered every now and then on the display, I assumed that it just had contact problems - unlike me ..... So I should somehow manage that in the evening (tutoring in "contact finding ....)
Once in Whiterhorse, set up the tent quickly at the Hot Springs and drove back to the city, finally buy a SIM card for Canada. Easier said than done. After what felt like 1000 hours we found out that my cellphone did not work in Canada ("gray-market cell phone, other frequencies, blablabla ...). So I just bought the cheapest phone in Wallmart (still way too expensive) and headed back to the campground. Wanted to actualise my blog and take some pictures from the running around squirrels. But you know what? My camera just did not work; the display a mix of grey and white (Ggrrrr, knurrrrr ....). I'm really giving up now.

I went to calm down in the Hot Springs. What a relief after all these troubles.

                       

Since I was able to recharge my laptop in the Hostel-Office, I allowed myself in the meantime, something small to eat and to drink in the restaurant of the Hot Spring. That was theplan!!! I looked briefly into the menu (with us small draft beer show up always first) and ordered the beer right at the top. The waitress did not flinch a second and brought me the ordered Pitcher - 1.89Liter beer !!!!!!! Any questions? About the salad (at least something healthy), the potato specialty of the French cooking chef and about the price, I do not leave any more words ....
Conclusion: Tonight I probably will have to flee often times out of the tent, tomorrow I will have to buy a new camera and try to establish the contact of the odometer .... And hope that it will be a better day....

Thursday, July 2nd 2015: Denali Highway

After a quite cool and wet night I took it eays packing things together. First I settled down in the laundry room of the campsite: there it was warm and I had Internet access!!

 

I was not in a hurry to break my tent. 1. I wanted to comfortably shower (it had just 3 showers and when I went there a large Indian family occupied them) and 2. I took the chance of stop raining. 

Well, the Indians were still faster and the rain more persistent than expected. So I packed it all up in slight drizzle - hoping that I do not have to sleep in the wet tent tonight !! Hardly set off, the rain stopped and I looked forward to the 200km gravel road on the Denali Highway. Peanuts to drive aside from the many spots where the deadlocked earth looked like soap when wet. Since my experience of last year's offroading through the mud hell of Toscana - I did not get frightend that easily. Simply drive smoothly over it - but always with the highest attention since the front wheel of my fully loaded Suzy Blue something has less traction than it usually has. The longer the way, the drier, the more I was able to enjoy the vastness of Alaska. Incredibly impressive, although with one eye always on the road and the always surprising emerging potholes, one eye could still see enough of the gorgeous river landscapes and forests. 

On the 450km of today I encountered about 10 cars, I have overtaken 4 caravans, 1 village, 4 roadhouses, a few well-hidden campsites. That's all what I have seen today in civilization. However, unfortunately, not a single wild animal, except a few birds. Hope, of course, know that that will change to Prince Rupert. To see Alaska without a single bear - no way!!

Since I was at 450km not quite sure if the gas would last up toTok - I still struggle with the conversion of miles to kilometers - I took then the next best gas station with a motel (not that I would have had a big selection). My Suzy Blue fully fueled and I settled down and had a nice and cosy room for the night. Not really a bargain but I did not have the energy to look for a campsite and put up my sopping-wet tent.

For this, I came to enjoy a first-class Burgers with world-class "fries" too and because I settled right in the bar, even had some nice talking with "locals", drinking real Alsaskan beer. 

Tomorrow I intend to get up earlier: my bike needs a shower as well and the chain must be lubricated when due to give a while ... 

  

Wednesday, July 1st 2015: Alaska in the rain

I got up early this morning, trying to get on the road by time. Wanted to enjoy my first day of riding Alaska's highways. I packed easily, said goodby to the Southkorean girl who stayed in the same room for the last 3 nights. After a short phonecall to my mum back home "now that's nice that you are calling, but is it not too expensive to call me?".... I finally took off

The plan for today was driving up Parks highway to Denali, stay there overnight and then drive the Denali Hwy. heading to Paxson. That would mean 200km of gravel road and what I heard about: a stunning beautiful landscape and the chance of even seeing some wild animals.
But let's get back to the start first.....

Driving on the highway was not really a thing, the only interesting was the landscape that became wider, more forests, more mountains. Quite a bit along the highway was burnt land and it seemed not to be a long time ago. So far so good. But after about 1 hours drive it started to rain and the temperature was falling rapidly. Not really funny to drive but with my rainclothes on still no problem. I even could drive my first 5km of gravel: the street was freshly paved on a distance of 50km, part of it without any pavement yet. "motorcycles must drive extremely cautios" was written on a sign. I think this was more meant for the Harley drivers... this little gravel was of course no problem for my Suzy Blue. The only unfamiliar feeling is that she is quite packed and therefor different to handle. But I will learn it the longer the trip will last.
As driving the highway was not really heavy work and the temperature still kept going down my llittle three fingers on both hands decided to fall into wintersleep. So after 3 more hours I stopped by at a road house, having some nice hot coffee. While I had quite some difficulties to wake my fingers up again the Americans coming in ordered Icecream, wearing shorts and flipflops.... strange enough for me! Back to the street I was happy to reach finally Cantwell where the Denali highway starts. Because of the bad weather I had the plan to stay overnight in a cosy lodge or so. But no way, everything was booked. So I went to a campingsite and stayed my first night in Alaska in the rain with 6°C..... not really cosy but still everything is dry - at least what is meant to be dry.

As the wireless net on the campingsite broke down yesterday, this entry just comes one day too late.
Weather conditions are still the same, I will have to pack my wet tent as it is and am quite curious what the gravel road will be....

Unfortunately no pictures today.... I was stupid enough to erase yesterday's pictures before saving them on the laptop. But I'm quite sureI will be able to make some other rain-pictures today again ;-)