Day 5: Jasper to Ft Nelson

I had picked a good night to stay in the hotel as it rained most of the night. I got up and started to repack my gear. When I opened my panniers I was over come with fuel vapors. I thought for sure one of the fuel cans had leaked but evidently it was just vapors. I went back in and pulled my socks out of the trash (I brought quitters and holey socks that I could throw away after use and not pack back). I dropped 2 fuel cans in each sock , tied them up and strapped them to the bike. I took the one remaining can and tie wrapped it where the second exhaust pipe normally goes.

 

As I headed north I was amazed at the amount of wildlife I was seeing. I saw coyotes, Caribou, Elk, Bobcats, and a lot more bears. So many I eventually stopped counting.

 

I crossed in to British Columbia and headed for the "World Famous Alaska Highway"

 

 

 

While stopped for fuel I ran into a couple of French Canadians who had been on the road a few weeks. One was on a new V-Strom and one was on a BMW. They were riding Chicago, Yellowstone, Dawson, Chicken and Tok. We were headed in opposite directions.

 

I was headed to Andy Bailey Regional Park right outside of Ft Nelson. I had read good things about it. I had to travel a good ways down some dirt to get there, as the camp site was off the beaten path, and figured it would be good practice for the Dempster.

 

 

Once I made it to the camp grounds I figured I would do a quick pass through before paying to camp. It was unmanned and on the honor system but I didn't want to put my money in the box if there was no camp sites available. Well, that wouldn't be a problem. I was the only person for miles. It was 17 Canadian to camp (About $14 US dollars) I filled out the form but was 1 Canadian dollar short for exact payment. I added a US dollar. I didn't want to invite any bad Juju on the trip .

 

I was pretty hungry so before I even set up camp I decided to eat. I went to the furthest campsite from mine and made dinner.

 

On the way back to my camp I checked out the lake that the camp site surrounded. Pictures don't do it justice

 

 

Once I got my tent up I had to address another issue. Every time I went to stand on my pegs to ride the rough roads my back rest would come out. So here I am going 40 MPH, Standing up with a seat in one hand and the other on the throttle. I knew I had to get this fixed before the Dempster. A little 550 chord should do the trick.

 

 

 

 

Since there was no one at the camp site to talk to I went ahead and laid down early. The blue tarp I put over my seat had attracted about 1 million black flies and they were making all kinds of racket trapped under it. I had to get up and move the tarp. I pulled the pillow case off my pillow and wore it like a beanie pulled down over my eyes to block the light. Time for bed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT DAY :Day 6