May 23, 2025

Squanga Lake CG to Whitehorse!

Cold morning and more cold coffee. Awakened a few times in the night by a pesky goose walking around my campsite barking at something. Left a bit earlier than normal as I wanted to get to Whitehorse for a nice meal and bed. I expected Kathy to arrive after midnight, but that didn’t happen. More later.

Had two oncoming motorists stop to warn me about a grizzly ahead on my side of the road. I thanked them and opted not to go through all my stuff and grab the bear spray, just in case. Instead, I rode on the opposite side of the road and when I spotted the bear, it spotted me. We stared at one another and I just kept ringing my little ol’ handlebar bell as fast as I could. The black bears usually turn away and run into the vegetation. This bear was on the side of a cut bank and would have had a miserable run up the hillside. It stayed where it was and resumed eating the new grass that was growing below its feet. Just another day on the AlCan!

Approaching Whitehorse, the traffic picked up and I was growing tired of eating energy bars, crackers with Nutella, and these really bad ginger snaps, desperately wishing for a gas station or store or something so I could get a cup of coffee. No such luck. Services are spread so far apart that you pretty much have to be self-sufficient whether on a bike or driving a vehicle. Twice I’ve spoken to folks in their cars approaching me from the opposite direction who stopped to ask me how far it was to the next gas station. They asked me, a guy on a bicycle! Talk about irony. Not sure how their situations turned out. I was a bit too cheeky with a comment I wrote last week about the caricature of the gas cans on the car. Running out of gas is still a thing on the AlCan whether you’re in your car or on your bicycle.

Kathy’s flight was delayed and she won’t be arriving until tomorrow afternoon. It’s all good. I’m here. I get to rest. When I start again on Monday, I will only have two weeks left. At this moment, I’ve covered over 1200 miles and could use some time off. Time to find out about the food scene in Whitehorse!

Today's ride: 68 miles (109 km)
Total: 1,208 miles (1,944 km)

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Dean PettitI appreciate reading these entries, and seeing you and Kathy together for your Birthday. Hope the you were able to procure a suitable stove in Whitehorse.
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2 weeks ago

Lou JurcikSo good to see you and Kathy together here.
Happy belated birthday!
This entry includes what is likely my favorite moment of your trip, the truck stopping to ask "How far to the next gas?" So wonderful in so many ways.
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2 weeks ago