Day 6, a big push for miles

Wednesday June 15, 2011 Day 6: woke up early again, packed up the bike and headed over to the showers in the camp ground. Took a quick shower then hit the road.....but not far...I remembered that I left my soap in the shower and went back.  This was the morning sunrise:

I bundled up again, it was around 55 degrees this morning. And of course it started raining, not a lot, but just enough:) At my first stop, after about 100 miles, I grabbed a quick coffee and then hit the road again.

I entered Manitoba and stopped at the first rest stop, which was about 175 miles from the last gas station.

Actually it was an information center with a couple of nice ladies working it. I grabbed a few maps and asked about my route. They said that there was major flooding in the area I was going to travel, but I should be fine. I was going to connect with route 44 to route 6 then route 60. It was supposed to be a scenic route. After a quick lunch of MRE chicken pesto (by the way, was really good), I hit the road again.

As I started up route 44, I began to think about the trip, my time schedule and funds. Back at the camp site I worked out that I was about 2500 miles from Fairbanks and could do it in 4.1 days if I did 600 miles per day. That said I made the decision to stay on the major roads and not take the scenic route. My goal is Prudhoe Bay.......with scenery in canada a far second.

So I turned around and headed for West Trans Canada 1 to Yellow Head Highway (Trans Canada 16 North). Driving through Manitoba I saw a bunch of beaver dams, they are a industrious bunch of animals. Their den’s (if thats what they are called) are pretty big and they can back up streams flooding the area. It was really neat to see.

As I made my way across Manitoba, it was mostly farm land, and very flat. My speed was around 70 or 80 mph. I passed several cars and didn’t see any police the entire length of Trans Canada 16. The gas prices also started to come down. The first stop in Manitoba the price was 1.189 compared to $1.499 at my last stop in Ontario.

I stopped two more times for gas on Route 16 and kept the miles up. Very boring driving, but I had my satellite radio:)

I made it to Saskatchewan

I started looking for camp sites and came to one run by a church. But the sites were all flooded out and I didn’t think it would be a good idea to put up my tent in a puddle.

At my last gas stop, I talked to the kid behind the counter working the register. He pointed me in the right direction to the campsite I am staying at tonight. It’s run by the city of Yorkton.....nice lady in charge of it and only $15 for the night.

I also did a quick walk around of the bike and saw that the tires were begining to “cup” on one side. I checked the tire pressure and saw that they were both at 28 pounds. which is way to low. When I changed the tires I must have mis-read the air gauge and put in too little. I would like them at 40 front and rear. I’ll stop at a gas station tomorrow morning and add air. Hopefully it will correct the tires back to round. The bike did feel a bit wobbly today. I have a tire pump but didn’t feel like digging it out tonight to fill them up.

Tomorrow the plan is another big day of miles, 3 or 4 gas stops, I want over 600 miles.

Day 5, The Locals

Day 5: Woke up early this morning and hit the road before anyone else woke up at the camp site. Got my stuff together, had a quick coffee, packed up the bike and hit the road. The air temperature was around 46 degrees F and I got dressed to lightly for the conditions. So I pulled over and got my heated vest on and the north face zip up over it, then back on the road. I made a gas/food stop at some small town and grabbed a mcdonald’s breakfast meal. It was $4.99 canadian with 64 cents tax...seems kind of high for tax. But as I am learning when I speak to people here they complain about the taxes and that everything they do has some form of tax associated with it.

Back on the road, and I spot another motorcycle farther up. I catch up and see there is a Pennsylvania license plate on it. He’s going a bit to slow for me, so I speed past him and give a wave. He’s riding a cruiser typer bike, not a harley, and he’s got it tricked out with GPS, Tank bag, panniers, GIVI, etc.

I did over 200 miles and stopped again at an Indian Reservation for fuel/coffee.

 After I pulled up to the pump, a local come up to me, I think he worked there. I told him that I would pump the gas if its OK, he seemed ok with that. We started talking......I look at the gas price $1.499 per litre (thats $5.62 per gallon)

local....”So where ya goin?” (insert canadian/indian accent)

me....”alaska....”

him.....”wow...kind of far eh”?

And thats when he touches my handle bar and then places his foot on the foot peg.......

I am not sure if its a custom or not........to touch my bike.....

I finish pumping my gas, say my good bye’s to him and head inside to pay. The store seems to be a local gathering place for the reservation. The houses are just around back. There are several dogs just hanging around and people/kids are outside the main door. Inside is a Subway sandwich shop which is busy with truck drivers. They have a big selection of cigarettes for sale behind the cashier and the line is pretty long.

I grab a coffee and a peanut/chocolate bar and head to the cashier. I pay for everything and head back out to the bike. Now I cant find my keys to the bike.....were they in the ignition...I can’t remember....

I start checking pockets and my jacket but can’t find it. Now I am thinking that the local guy swiped them from the ignition. So another local guy comes up to me.....

him....”So....where you goin?

me....”alaska”....

and then he proceeds to pick up my gloves and tries them on!.....and then says “I want to get a Ninja....”........really? he makes some more comments about my gloves that he likes them and then touches my helmet, picking it up......WTF??? whats going on with these people......!?

He eventually wanders off and I find my keys in the tank bag.....I think the first guy put them there....last time I saw them was in the gas cap.......

Now my bike is in the way of the pump. So I walk over to the building and place my coffee on the sidewalk, and instead of starting up my bike, I just push it over to get it out of the way, moving it next to my coffee. As I roll to a stop, my helmet rolls off the seat onto the side walk, rolls one time and spills my coffee:( Really.....could my luck have been any better? notice the wet spot on the ground....

I quickly eat my candy bar and hit the road......this place is bad luck.....

A few miles out of the town I spot a black dot on the side of the roadway....then it starts moving...its a black bear! my first! I am excited so I quickly pull over and try to grab my camera from the tank bag. He lifts his nose from the ground.....looks at me, ears up and then hustles back into the woods.....no picture:(......bad luck again......still too close to the store......got to get farther away......

Start driving again.....another few miles....then I spot a Moose......a BIG MOOSE......and once again I don’t have time to stop and get the camera. I make another pig push and do another 200+ miles. I stopped twice to stretch my legs and took some pictures/video. I then push on through Thunder Bay

At the last gas stop, I am at the intersection of TransCanada 11 and 17, where they split. Again its $1.499 for gas. I grab a quick sandwich for $6.00, so gas and food was $35. I sat down outside and contemplated my situation. I was quickly doing math in my head and figuring the gas vs money situation. I had budgeted for 4.00 per gallon, and figured 10,000 miles, $1000.00 in just gas. I am not sure if I have enough money to make it up and back home to Connecticut. I will have to figure it out later at the camp site.....

I bring up the GPS and locate the Quetico Provincial Park just off TransCanada 11, about 100 kilometers from where I was sitting. I made a mad dash for it and got there around 6pm. The office was closed to pay for the camp site, which was $32.50. There was a note on the door saying to just pay in the morning......great.......

Found a spot in the farthest part of the park right near a lake. I set up camp, washed some clothes in the lake and counted my money on the picnic table.

Lets just say....its going to be close and I have to be frugal, i.e. cheap.

I am not sure about the gas prices in Alaska, but I am hoping they are in line with the lower 48, around $3.85 per gallon.

While riding to the park, I was thinking about just bailing on the whole trip and just head home. It would be so easy to just do that....to quit........then I would have to explain to everyone that I am a quitter......I can’t face that.

Day 4, Finger Lake

Day 4:  Woke up around 0600 in the Super 8 motel, after going to bed around 1230 am.  My “plan” was to be on the road by 0730.  I got some breakfast from the continental breakfast bar at Super 8.  While I was there gathering my food, the hotel day shift guy started talking to me, en francis......which I always answer in english.  I wasn’t annoyed that he was talking to me, but I kind of had a plan in my head and wanted to be on the road at 0730.

After packing everything on the bike, and checking out, I realized that I couldn’t find my earbuds for the sirius xm radio.  But no worries....Wal-Mart to the rescue......which was just across the street.....I think they are taking over the world.

Oh and of course it was raining, so I got my rain gear on headed over to wal-mart.  Bought the ear buds and checked out....en francis again.....:)  I even threw out a “Merci Boucoup”, which came out just as bad as my spelling.

So I fueled up and headed out on AutoRoute 117 north and ended up entering a wildlife park or Provincial Park “Reserve’ Laungue La Verendrye”.  As I entered the park I thought I had enough fuel to make it threw and as I was going along the miles started climbing, but I didn’t see any signs for fuel.  I was getting pretty good gas milage around 44 per gallon, per the on board computer.

There were several road construction areas with flaggers and pilot cars.  I used that oppurnity to put on the heated vest, since the rain was cold.  That did the trick and I soon was warm again.  Also used my dad’s waterproof BMW riding gloves, which were nice.

Then I hit reserve on the FJR, which is 2 gallons.  I quickly checked the GPS and saw the closest fuel stop was 75 miles away and I could probably make it, with fumes to spare.  I started doing some coasting and slowed my speed to around 50-60 miles per hour and the gas milage started to rise, 44.1...44.2.....44.3....etc....up to 45.  I was feeling good, but still a little worried I would have to walk.


The fuel tank on the FJR holds 6.6 gallons, but who knows if I filled it the entire way.

Just as the milage crossed 270 miles, a gas station appeared that was not on the GPS.....I pulled in a refueled.  That was the farthest I had ever gone on the FJR without refueling and I was sweating it!!

I grabbed a quick lunch from the food bag on my bike, one can of tuna and one can of smoked ham.  


After finishing, I hit the road again.....satellite radio blasting in my ears on channel 51 BPM, techno music......which goes well when riding quickly:)

The rain stopped and I soon was too hot, so I approached the Ontario border and stopped at the “welcome”, stripped off the heated vest, grabbed a quick picture and pressed on.  

I stopped in Matheson, Ontario and got fuel.  I asked the kid pumping my gas if there was any campsite around and he said no.

Moved on again, heading north on AutoRoute 11, looking for a camp site.  I was figuring on stealth camping and started looking for a spot.  I pulled into a picnic site, marked NO CAMPING, and was immediately attacked by mosquitos.  Ok, not a good spot for stealth camping.  I added a huge POI file to the GPS with campsites/parks etc for North America.  I quickly punched it in and came up with “Finger Lake” Provençal Park.  

I headed down there and came to the front gate, which was unmanned.  They have the honor system on filling out the envelope and placing the money in the deposit bin.  So, one vehicle, no water campsite is $37.50 per night....really? wow......

Found a spot and set up shop next to a couple, guy/girl.  We chatted a bit and they gave me some wood for a fire.  I also collected some for myself and got my fire going.  Had a meal of rice/chicken and soup and coffee.  The park even has showers and laundry facilities.

I pre-packed everything except the MSR stove for coffee and oatmeal in the morning.  Hopefully I can get a early start tomorrow.  I am about 600 km from Thunder Bay.  I think its going to take me two more days to get across Ontario.

Formula 1 Montreal 2011

Some Formula 1 footage I shot in Montreal 2011, General Admission Area 33, Section 7

Day 3, Formula 1

Day 3:  Woke up early, around 0530 hours.  Had coffee and talked with ken for a bit before I got packed up for the ride to Montreal for the F1 race.  Ken went over the route and where I should park the bike.  Basically, I was going to follow AutoRoute 30 to Autoroute 15 and then get off an exit by the metro, park the bike inside and then metro over to the race track.  When I started off around 9 or 10 am, it was not raining but the sky’s were overcast.  I started down Autoroute 15 and some how got confused and ended up on the wrong side of the Montreal.  I pulled off the first exit with every intention of just turning around and getting back on the autoroute.

As I came to the end of the exit, there were police cadets directing traffic.  So I motioned to on of them and yelled I am going to pull over.  She replied “why?”........”BECAUSE I AM LOST”.....

She was very helpful and directed me to a parking area just around the corner, no attendant and free.  I pulled the bike up in back of a small pump house and parked next to a guy from Tennessee who had a bike there too.  Now I had to find a spot to put all my gear and change over to street clothes....... and I marked the GPS and SPOT where I left the bike.  I routed a large cable through my bags, helmet and riding jacket, then used my pink handcuffs to secure everything.

I walked a short way and eventually grabbed a taxi, which ended up being $15 for 2 miles of travel.  I was closer to the track then I thought.  As we got close he said “ok I am going to pull a U-Turn in the middle of the road, they (police) don’t like that so just jump out quick”.......fine with me.......

So after the u-turn, I jump out and walk to the gate......where I can’t buy a ticket.  Grrrrrrrrrrrr.......the security gal says I have to walk back to the metro, where they have tickets.  Now there is a sea of people walking towards the gate and I am “that guy” who is walking against the flow.  


I stay to the right and make my way through.  Finally a scalper see’s me and I grab a General Admission ticket from him.

I make my way back to the gate and get inside.  I have GA Stands 33, Section 7, Row I seat 21.  Its around noon time now, I sit in the wrong section and after a while, I find my correct section, but the stands are so full of people that I don’t even try to get my assigned seat.  I just move to a different section and get a seat practically to myself.

So before the race starts I make my way to the hotdog stand and the bathroom........and people are smoking pot EVERYWHERE........and the hotdog guy is so stoned that my 10 dollar hotdog and coke-cola was only 5 bucks, because he cant figure out change for a twenty.  Thank you THC for working so well on killing brain cells at work.......

I move back to the seat for the start of the race and it eventually begins.  The Formula 1 cars are REALLY LOUD.  They started the race under the safety car and eventually they got to go fast on their own.  Its a pretty amazing thing to watch.  They had to stop the race around lap 30 because of the rain, which was coming down like buckets.  Most of the spectators gathered under the bleachers to get out of the rain.  Around 3pm they announced that the race would be continue at 1550 hours.


Aren't these guys just great:

Went back to the seat and watched the end of the race.  Vettel spun out on the last lap and was passed by Jensen Button right in front of our seats.  The crowd went crazy!!  

After the race ended, I moved with the crowd back to the way I came in.  I checked my GPS and saw that it was a pretty straight shot back and decided to walk rather than find a cab.  As I walked back with several other people, I got to the area known as Techno Park, I saw all the transport trucks for the F1 teams that are used to move the racing gear, pretty neat.

Just as I arrived at my bike, it started raining again!  I quickly got changed over and got on the road, heading north on AutoRoute 15.  The traffic was pretty heavy but moving.  My visor was full of water and visibility was pretty poor.

I pulled in behind a pink Jeep and followed it for awhile.  I eventually got cold because everything was still wet.  I was going to try and stealth camp it farther up the road, but said screw it and just found a Super 8 Motel in Saint-Jerome, Quebec.  Cost $114 for the night........well worth it.......

Morning of day 3

Morning of Day 3, heading to Montreal Quebec for the Formula 1 race, before the big push to Alaska

End of Day 2

The end of day #2