Thursday, May 19th.  Completed my first 500 mile day.  I didn’t wait for the museum to open.  I think I’m like the horse smelling the barn.  Also, as I’m retracing my steps, I assume any good pictures have already been took.

(By the way, if you come up this way in a four wheeled vehicle, you must bring a bicycle.  Every community has bike trails.  Amazing.  I guess they’re also snowmobile trails.)

Met a gentleman on a BMW GS1200, the kind of motorcycle designed for rough roads.  He damaged his front forks on the gravel and had to send away for a replacement.  My Goldwing might look out of place in bad places, but it’s built for dependability.  (No jinx!)

I wanted to take route 37 south rather than continue on the Alaskan Highway, but I was concerned with road conditions.  It was built by Canada in 1972 and appears less useful than the Highway.  Fortunately there were several people going north and had current news. (Canada wisely has a web site for provincial roads, but the word is that it’s not up to date.)  All said the road was really good.  So near Watson Lake I hung a right.

Wow!  This is the road to take, though you wouldn’t know it based on traffic.  Nearly no one else.  The first section is surrounded by the remains of several recent (2010-11) fires, which gives the more distant views an eery quality to them.  Road has no shoulders and no lines.  Both sides often drop right off.  I’d be concerned if I thought about it.  They also didn’t smooth out the terrain, so there are ups and downs.  But the road is pretty smooth in detail.

Saw three black bears and one cute little fox.  I stopped at one bear, who took an interest in me and ambled over in my direction.  I took pictures/video until he got about ten feet away. Once I started the engine, he moved off in a real hurry.  Hopped up on his rear legs and did a 90 degree pivot.  Didn’t even wait for the horn I was ready to blow.

I thought I’d try a lonely and near vacant lodge, but $110 a night!!  Canada’s hotel, fuel and food prices are becoming a real drag on my enjoyment.  Drove another 70 miles to Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park, where I paid $8 for a lake-front view.