Whitehorse Yukon, Aug 18th
Whitehorse Yukon another territory city and although I was planning on just passing thru…well, ok didn’t have a plan, but it’s working out just fine. Stopped into the Harley shop for the 30,000 mile maintenance, but Red, the guy I talked to yesterday about getting my bike in and out wasn’t in that if I can leave it tomorrow, they promise to get me on the road then. Ok, had thought about staying the night in Whitehorse even if I would’ve gotten the bike done today, but more on that later. Just found out that Whitehorse is the capital of Yukon so it is a good place to spend the night. Last night’s party was ok, but in a small northern Canadian town with not a lot going on, what else is there to do, but sit in a bar and drink…kinda like any small town and you can tell the ones that’ve been there most of the day – their the ones who can’t talk and stumble on their way to the toilet – as the Canadian’s would put it.
The hotel wasn’t bad and since it was raining they had a place for me to put the bike to keep it dry which really helped. Woke up early and figured since still have about 4 hours, maybe longer to get to Whitehorse and the maintenance’ll take 5 hours, better hit the road as early as I can which is just what I did. There was a chill in the air so I put three layers on, but man is it cold. Was wrapped up as tight as I could be, but with no sun out on an overcast day thru the mountains it gets down right cold and remember no pictures, so that helped that I didn’t have to try to snap shots for as cold as it was. Had me thinking that as soon as I get to Whitehorse I’m gonna go ahead and invest in a heated vest and another pair of gloves, cuz the ones I have just aren’t warm enough. Hit a little drizzle and thought about putting on the rain gear, but it was only a couple miles worth that just rode on and did see something worth seeing, a beautiful rainbow leading the way for me. More beautiful scenery along the way with more mountains, flowers, trees, rivers and lakes, but any pictures of that will have to come from another trip….but all definitely worth seeing which had me thinking, everyone who ever makes a trip to Alaska should really take the Alaskan highway just to soak up what the Northern Rockies have to offer. Oh, and all those people with campers should really be making a trip like this, beats just going north Minnesota and Wisconsin all the time….that is unless you have a cabin which’d be a little hard to tow along.
Have seen a lot of bikes and campers coming from Alaska than heading there that I hope I’m not too late. Well, that brings me to Whitehorse and made pretty good time, getting here about 12:30 which’ll give them plenty of time to get my bike done and like I said might as well just stay the night and head out tomorrow. Ok, so no Red, but look who I was greeted by, Selina and the dealer’s mascot, Dozer. Man, another one of those hot Canadian women and I’m really impressed with this one, only problem, she’s only 17, but great to talk to…got any older sisters that look as hot as you? Well, since can’t get the bike done today, Selina will help me find a place to stay and make suggestions on what else I should checkout in town so she asked if I wanted to stay in a hotel or what and when I told her as cheap as possible, she asked about a hostel. Sounds great to me, but thought after having left Jasper’s hostel, they had told me there weren’t any north…well tonight it’ll be the Beez Kneez Backpackers hostel and it’s gonna turn out to be a great place to stay.
Next on the list, I need a heated vest and some warmer gloves that Selina showed me what they had, but none for me today, only an extra small and a double extra large that neither’ll do and no warm gloves my size, maybe when I get to Fairbanks and if it’s still as cold than, can get what I need there. The next thing on the list, how’bout a camera store or electronic store which she pointed me to the one just across the street and even mentioned Walmart…yep, maybe in the middle of northern Canada with not much else around, but they do have Walmart’s up here. Checked out the electronic store, but they couldn’t help me out so went to the camera store downtown and guess what I bought, yep another Canon and would’ve gotten the same one had they had one, but got the next best thing, and it better be for $500 Canadian. Well, figured want something that I can use my battery packs and SD cards in that not much else other than a Canon and this was the cheapest one they had that would accommodate. Ok, once this trip is done and get a replacement for the dead one, can sell one if not both if their still workin…that or give one away as a gift - slightly used’ll do. Richard is going to do be a big favor and ship the box as well as my dead camera home for me which really helps since I don’t have the room on the bike.
Ok, on to the Hostel and like I said, it’s gonna be a great place to stay for the night. There is a group of 10 from the Carolina’s that ok, I may be a Yankee and them from the south, but at least we have one thing in common, we’re from the states. They are on a 3 week field trip just coming back from Alaska where they were studying the Hwech’in Indians, and yep, a bunch of anthropologists, but I’ll tell you I’ve learned more from them in a night than I have from a lot of others along this trip. Well, you can see some of the gang which unfortunately didn’t get pictures of all of them, but still had a great time. Once I got settled in, Jordon told me about a brewery that he went to try and tour, but the tour was just getting over and I could head down there to taste some of the local brew, which is the same stuff I’ve been drinking most of the way since Calgary, Yukon beer, so made my way down there and Jordan met me so I could pack some beer he was going to buy and haul it back for him…only to the hostel, not the states. Well, Ken had just given the tour so they were doing the taste test and they have some pretty tasty beer which might explain why that’s been my beer of choice along the way. Ok, more hostel pictures and Collyn is one of the ladies that runs the place and once I unpacked the bike, headed to the nearest pub with some of the gang to have a little something to drink and check it out, Shenanigans, I remember that place from my school days at UW-Eau Claire, but this is Canada so a different place and definitely different setting from what we had in school. Once again, got to meet some more of the locals, Michelle and Kathrine who’ll serve us up and Steve, a local dentist that has family in the states. His brother born in Seattle, him in India and I don’t remember the rest of the story, but he’s here, that at least counts. Oh, caught some guys doing the thing around here to do…a Robie (sp) shot. You throw 3 coasters at the bottles of booze behind the bar and whatever they hit is the mix you get in a shot…don’t know what was in the one they did, but they don’t look too happy with it.
Ran into some bikers on the corner that I saw in Liard Hotsprings that chatted with them and found out they are heading to Alaska too, didn’t catch where they were from, but maybe our paths will cross again. Time for dinner and according to Selina and others in town, Klondike Rib & Salmon BBQ is the place the go, the oldest operating building in Whitehorse and what a meal. You can see some from the hostel joined me and I had to try the Muskox stroganoff which was great. Can’t quite describe what it tastes like, but it was great and to top it off had to split some sourdough bread pudding, alamode with the gang…the largest piece they had and it didn’t last long at all. Oh, and Tammy and Dona are sisters who own the hostel we’re staying at and Tammy also helps out there, the hostel that is as well as took great care of us at Klondike’s.
Forgot to mention when talked to Michelle at Shenanigans about having some of the local salmon at Klondike’s, she told me that the Chinook salmon, better known as king salmon have the longest salmon run in the world and you can’t fish them in Whitehorse because that is the end of the run and by the time they reach here, they aren’t any good any more – just mush because of what they’ve been thru, oh and ready to die after they get past the fish ladder to their spawning area…what a way to go, but I bet a bitchin of a trip. Ok, something else that these anthropologist told me about one of the Hwech’in Indian’s they met, Shawn Bruce and how he really accepted them in and told them so much about the Indian lifestyle and so many of the things he has seen in his life. One of the things he said was how a name is a shortcut to thinking. We use labels on people instead of getting to know them and describing them by other than name. In our first 5 minutes of meeting each other at the hostel, we found out each others name and where we were from than really describing ourselves and getting to know each other better. That goes with how first impressions are important and most have an impression of a person in the first few seconds of meeting them and sometimes that impression is based on who or what kind of person they are. Ok, like Shawn Bruce and knowing he’s a Hwech’in Indian, they had in their mind an impression of him before they even met him, but learned a lot more about him and had that initial impression changed. One other story Shawn Bruce shared was how when he was in the states saw a homeless person that know one would help out and what he did is took the guy to a local restaurant and fed him and gave him some money to help get by…like he said, you’d never have something like that amongst his group because they’ll all help each other in need…kind of like willing to give your shirt off your back to help a fellow human being. Ok more partying tonight and one other thing…notice how most of the guys haven’t been shaving because of the trip to Alaska – that’s the same call I made in Sturgis…no more shaving until after Alaska that we’ll see just how hairy I get and it’s not all grey, not yet. Yukon Capital City Pictures.
The hotel wasn’t bad and since it was raining they had a place for me to put the bike to keep it dry which really helped. Woke up early and figured since still have about 4 hours, maybe longer to get to Whitehorse and the maintenance’ll take 5 hours, better hit the road as early as I can which is just what I did. There was a chill in the air so I put three layers on, but man is it cold. Was wrapped up as tight as I could be, but with no sun out on an overcast day thru the mountains it gets down right cold and remember no pictures, so that helped that I didn’t have to try to snap shots for as cold as it was. Had me thinking that as soon as I get to Whitehorse I’m gonna go ahead and invest in a heated vest and another pair of gloves, cuz the ones I have just aren’t warm enough. Hit a little drizzle and thought about putting on the rain gear, but it was only a couple miles worth that just rode on and did see something worth seeing, a beautiful rainbow leading the way for me. More beautiful scenery along the way with more mountains, flowers, trees, rivers and lakes, but any pictures of that will have to come from another trip….but all definitely worth seeing which had me thinking, everyone who ever makes a trip to Alaska should really take the Alaskan highway just to soak up what the Northern Rockies have to offer. Oh, and all those people with campers should really be making a trip like this, beats just going north Minnesota and Wisconsin all the time….that is unless you have a cabin which’d be a little hard to tow along.
Have seen a lot of bikes and campers coming from Alaska than heading there that I hope I’m not too late. Well, that brings me to Whitehorse and made pretty good time, getting here about 12:30 which’ll give them plenty of time to get my bike done and like I said might as well just stay the night and head out tomorrow. Ok, so no Red, but look who I was greeted by, Selina and the dealer’s mascot, Dozer. Man, another one of those hot Canadian women and I’m really impressed with this one, only problem, she’s only 17, but great to talk to…got any older sisters that look as hot as you? Well, since can’t get the bike done today, Selina will help me find a place to stay and make suggestions on what else I should checkout in town so she asked if I wanted to stay in a hotel or what and when I told her as cheap as possible, she asked about a hostel. Sounds great to me, but thought after having left Jasper’s hostel, they had told me there weren’t any north…well tonight it’ll be the Beez Kneez Backpackers hostel and it’s gonna turn out to be a great place to stay.
Next on the list, I need a heated vest and some warmer gloves that Selina showed me what they had, but none for me today, only an extra small and a double extra large that neither’ll do and no warm gloves my size, maybe when I get to Fairbanks and if it’s still as cold than, can get what I need there. The next thing on the list, how’bout a camera store or electronic store which she pointed me to the one just across the street and even mentioned Walmart…yep, maybe in the middle of northern Canada with not much else around, but they do have Walmart’s up here. Checked out the electronic store, but they couldn’t help me out so went to the camera store downtown and guess what I bought, yep another Canon and would’ve gotten the same one had they had one, but got the next best thing, and it better be for $500 Canadian. Well, figured want something that I can use my battery packs and SD cards in that not much else other than a Canon and this was the cheapest one they had that would accommodate. Ok, once this trip is done and get a replacement for the dead one, can sell one if not both if their still workin…that or give one away as a gift - slightly used’ll do. Richard is going to do be a big favor and ship the box as well as my dead camera home for me which really helps since I don’t have the room on the bike.
Ok, on to the Hostel and like I said, it’s gonna be a great place to stay for the night. There is a group of 10 from the Carolina’s that ok, I may be a Yankee and them from the south, but at least we have one thing in common, we’re from the states. They are on a 3 week field trip just coming back from Alaska where they were studying the Hwech’in Indians, and yep, a bunch of anthropologists, but I’ll tell you I’ve learned more from them in a night than I have from a lot of others along this trip. Well, you can see some of the gang which unfortunately didn’t get pictures of all of them, but still had a great time. Once I got settled in, Jordon told me about a brewery that he went to try and tour, but the tour was just getting over and I could head down there to taste some of the local brew, which is the same stuff I’ve been drinking most of the way since Calgary, Yukon beer, so made my way down there and Jordan met me so I could pack some beer he was going to buy and haul it back for him…only to the hostel, not the states. Well, Ken had just given the tour so they were doing the taste test and they have some pretty tasty beer which might explain why that’s been my beer of choice along the way. Ok, more hostel pictures and Collyn is one of the ladies that runs the place and once I unpacked the bike, headed to the nearest pub with some of the gang to have a little something to drink and check it out, Shenanigans, I remember that place from my school days at UW-Eau Claire, but this is Canada so a different place and definitely different setting from what we had in school. Once again, got to meet some more of the locals, Michelle and Kathrine who’ll serve us up and Steve, a local dentist that has family in the states. His brother born in Seattle, him in India and I don’t remember the rest of the story, but he’s here, that at least counts. Oh, caught some guys doing the thing around here to do…a Robie (sp) shot. You throw 3 coasters at the bottles of booze behind the bar and whatever they hit is the mix you get in a shot…don’t know what was in the one they did, but they don’t look too happy with it.
Ran into some bikers on the corner that I saw in Liard Hotsprings that chatted with them and found out they are heading to Alaska too, didn’t catch where they were from, but maybe our paths will cross again. Time for dinner and according to Selina and others in town, Klondike Rib & Salmon BBQ is the place the go, the oldest operating building in Whitehorse and what a meal. You can see some from the hostel joined me and I had to try the Muskox stroganoff which was great. Can’t quite describe what it tastes like, but it was great and to top it off had to split some sourdough bread pudding, alamode with the gang…the largest piece they had and it didn’t last long at all. Oh, and Tammy and Dona are sisters who own the hostel we’re staying at and Tammy also helps out there, the hostel that is as well as took great care of us at Klondike’s.
Forgot to mention when talked to Michelle at Shenanigans about having some of the local salmon at Klondike’s, she told me that the Chinook salmon, better known as king salmon have the longest salmon run in the world and you can’t fish them in Whitehorse because that is the end of the run and by the time they reach here, they aren’t any good any more – just mush because of what they’ve been thru, oh and ready to die after they get past the fish ladder to their spawning area…what a way to go, but I bet a bitchin of a trip. Ok, something else that these anthropologist told me about one of the Hwech’in Indian’s they met, Shawn Bruce and how he really accepted them in and told them so much about the Indian lifestyle and so many of the things he has seen in his life. One of the things he said was how a name is a shortcut to thinking. We use labels on people instead of getting to know them and describing them by other than name. In our first 5 minutes of meeting each other at the hostel, we found out each others name and where we were from than really describing ourselves and getting to know each other better. That goes with how first impressions are important and most have an impression of a person in the first few seconds of meeting them and sometimes that impression is based on who or what kind of person they are. Ok, like Shawn Bruce and knowing he’s a Hwech’in Indian, they had in their mind an impression of him before they even met him, but learned a lot more about him and had that initial impression changed. One other story Shawn Bruce shared was how when he was in the states saw a homeless person that know one would help out and what he did is took the guy to a local restaurant and fed him and gave him some money to help get by…like he said, you’d never have something like that amongst his group because they’ll all help each other in need…kind of like willing to give your shirt off your back to help a fellow human being. Ok more partying tonight and one other thing…notice how most of the guys haven’t been shaving because of the trip to Alaska – that’s the same call I made in Sturgis…no more shaving until after Alaska that we’ll see just how hairy I get and it’s not all grey, not yet. Yukon Capital City Pictures.
posted by Dalej Webb at 12:30 AM
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