Thursday, September 11, 2008
Trivia---
I like numbers quite a bit, and think about them as I ride---such as "let's see, 5 miles is 1/2 of 1/10 of the 100 miles that I hope to do today, and I am 1/5th of the way there" ---I know, pretty lame, but I sort of cannot help myself. Sooo, just in case you wondered, I have been "on the bike" approximately 130.5 hours. This equates to seven thousand eight hundred and thirty minutes, and if you figure an average cadence of 70 rpm, (sometimes as slow as 45 on the hills, and 90+ when I am cruising along) that gives a grand total of five hundred forty eight thousand one hundred revolutions of the pedals! (548,100) - fascinating -It is raining out right now, which makes me happy since this is my rest day and I am inside. Hope for a nice day tomorrow and on--
Mile "0"
I must say, I had goosebumps riding up to milepost "0". I have now ridden the entire "Alaska Highway," from start to finish. Logged a little over 1500 miles---no exact number due to malfunction of the cyclo-computer. I am taking a rest day today, gathering all of the items I mailed or had mailed to myself here, eating, sleeping, looking about!
Tomorrow it is on to Grande Prairie, Alberta, at which point I will have been in Alaska and three provinces of Canada (Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta) and will have crossed into my third time zone! Then south to Jasper, down the Ice fields Parkway to Banff, West on Highway 1, Glacier Park, Mt Revelstoke, and south for Ainsworth Hotsprings and on to home!
Road surface----the vast majority of the Alaska Highway is "chip seal," ranging in size from fairly fine to the size of railroad ballast rock. There are a few stretches of "Ash-Fault," a substance very similar to the asphalt we use in the states. The worst joke "Ha Ha" was a stretch yesterday where there was a nice wide (30 inches approximately) shoulder,which some lame brained engineer decided to put a rumble strip right down the middle of. I cannot imagine why you would do such a thing . . . This left about a foot on either side, not much room and lots of traffic, big truck hauling equipment, etc. I know, whine, whine, whine.
Maybe more later, thanks for all of the support from the "Virtual road crew"
Tomorrow it is on to Grande Prairie, Alberta, at which point I will have been in Alaska and three provinces of Canada (Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta) and will have crossed into my third time zone! Then south to Jasper, down the Ice fields Parkway to Banff, West on Highway 1, Glacier Park, Mt Revelstoke, and south for Ainsworth Hotsprings and on to home!
Road surface----the vast majority of the Alaska Highway is "chip seal," ranging in size from fairly fine to the size of railroad ballast rock. There are a few stretches of "Ash-Fault," a substance very similar to the asphalt we use in the states. The worst joke "Ha Ha" was a stretch yesterday where there was a nice wide (30 inches approximately) shoulder,which some lame brained engineer decided to put a rumble strip right down the middle of. I cannot imagine why you would do such a thing . . . This left about a foot on either side, not much room and lots of traffic, big truck hauling equipment, etc. I know, whine, whine, whine.
Maybe more later, thanks for all of the support from the "Virtual road crew"
Guest Post by Richard Baldasty
September 11, 2008: 50th anniversary of the death of Robert Service, bard of the great and far north, poet of deep, abiding cold, minstrel of miners and outlaws, romancer of lands unforgiving and beautiful in their vast defiance of puny humans upon them. Robert Service came to North America from his native Scotland looking to make his way in the New World. He succeeded beyond the wild dreams of any gold seeker. Those popular and sing-song rhymes were not great literature but they were, and remain, superb entertainment. He took snapshot photos with words. Many a reader who wouldn't have wanted five minutes actuality in the Yukon couldn't get enough of the book-by-fireside version of it Service provided. His was a one-man National Geographic band.
And what did the frugal Scot do with the wealth his writing brought? Why, took it with him to France. The deflating fact of it--Robert Service died September 11, 1958 not on the marge of Lake Labarge where they cremated Sam McGee but at his summer home in France. Unlike his characters, he was no unshaven outsider but the husband of a fair Parisian, long accustomed to the sweet life. And when World War II necessitated his departure from France, why he spent the war years safely in Hollywood, the Dream Factory.
And so we observe with mixed emotions the golden 50th of his departure. But there's no question what he'd have thought about Paul and his journey. It would have deserved immortality in poetry. It's a story with all the Service materials: determination, individuality, a dash of the absurd (why this?), loneliness, distance, the hero small yet magnificent in his smallness amid the mightly elements. "Get down to bedrock and meet people": Service said that was his credo. Huzzah for Paul. There are fine things done in the land of the midnight sun by the man who holds the road.
And what did the frugal Scot do with the wealth his writing brought? Why, took it with him to France. The deflating fact of it--Robert Service died September 11, 1958 not on the marge of Lake Labarge where they cremated Sam McGee but at his summer home in France. Unlike his characters, he was no unshaven outsider but the husband of a fair Parisian, long accustomed to the sweet life. And when World War II necessitated his departure from France, why he spent the war years safely in Hollywood, the Dream Factory.
And so we observe with mixed emotions the golden 50th of his departure. But there's no question what he'd have thought about Paul and his journey. It would have deserved immortality in poetry. It's a story with all the Service materials: determination, individuality, a dash of the absurd (why this?), loneliness, distance, the hero small yet magnificent in his smallness amid the mightly elements. "Get down to bedrock and meet people": Service said that was his credo. Huzzah for Paul. There are fine things done in the land of the midnight sun by the man who holds the road.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Alaska Highway - Milepost Zero
Paul called about 5:00 with the jubilant announcement that he was standing at milepost zero of the Alaska Highway - Yay! He is taking a rest day at Dawson Creek and we should hear from Himself :) tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Not Mountains Though Certainly NOT FLAT
Paul landed at the Shepherd's Inn tonight - Milepost 71. He had a big day of 104 NOT FLAT DAVID! miles. Middle son and Paul had looked at Google maps terrain view and made some erroneous conclusions that from Ft. Nelson to Dawson Creek would be fairly flat terrain. Paul said the only way it could be construed as flat was if you were to ride from one side of the road to the other. He was wiped out tonight and grateful for a day without getting rained on and no flats.
As Paul gets toward more civilization, he reports seeing lots of gas pipelines and wells - also more traffic.
He should make Dawson Creek tomorrow where there are packages waiting for him with bike shoe cleats, a new mirror, and food. Not only that, but a rest day!
P. S. I see there are some nice comments being posted lately. For those of you that are "virgin bloggers" (like me!), you do have to click on the comments to view them:)
As Paul gets toward more civilization, he reports seeing lots of gas pipelines and wells - also more traffic.
He should make Dawson Creek tomorrow where there are packages waiting for him with bike shoe cleats, a new mirror, and food. Not only that, but a rest day!
P. S. I see there are some nice comments being posted lately. For those of you that are "virgin bloggers" (like me!), you do have to click on the comments to view them:)
Monday, September 8, 2008
More Kind Folks
Paul called tonight to report that he got a bit of a late start because he was visiting with the kind folks at the Friendship Inn. There was quite a discussion about what to carry to ward off the bears. The seasoned citizen of Canada said that the first choice should be a gun, the second choice should be a gun, and the third choice should be a gun. Since that is not a possibility for Paul traveling in Canada, this gentleman said bear mace was the next in line and proceeded to give Paul some to take with him. Apparently this stuff works pretty well in the aerosol state, but it is "pepper spray," and there are reports that bears like the smell/taste of it if it is sprayed around camp. So I guess they like spicy food, eh? Why am I not reassured that Paul now has this stuff with him?!
Off Paul went over more rolling hills with lots of wind and some rain. He landed at another road house and still has high hopes of making Dawson City in a couple more days.
Godspeed Paulio. xoxo
Off Paul went over more rolling hills with lots of wind and some rain. He landed at another road house and still has high hopes of making Dawson City in a couple more days.
Godspeed Paulio. xoxo
Sunday, September 7, 2008
All Tuckered Out----
I rode about 65 miles today and landed at "The Friendship Inn" B&B. I was just beat, which is not too surprising after the last few days of climbing. I had a 2 hour nap before dinner, and plan to be in bed early. Had my second flat, a little less happy about this one that the first one.
Not sure where I will land tomorrow. At this point it will be Wed when I arrive in Dawson Creek. Some friends of the owners just stopped in and said they saw bears right down the road.
Not sure where I will land tomorrow. At this point it will be Wed when I arrive in Dawson Creek. Some friends of the owners just stopped in and said they saw bears right down the road.
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