Thursday July 18        Cycling Day 13

       Minto Resorts (Y) to Twin Lakes (Y)

Distance:  (Km) 121

Time:  5:18

Average Speed: (Km/ hr). 22.9

Ascent:  (m). 884

Heart Rate: (beats / min). 118

Cumulative Distance:   (km). 1338

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 10,815

Punctures so far : 0.

Today I rode solo. Both Walker and I last night in conversation mutually agreed to go it alone. Since we hit the tarred road our paces have diverged and both of us have the requirements for a bear encounter. And the new arrangement sees to have benefitted us both. We left camp together this morning and arrived in camp this afternoon more or less together. Walker likes to keep moving on while I periodically stop for viewing or photos or otherwise. 

At times I fell in with other riders for a short spell e.g. with the couple Herman and Ada (Netherlands).

By and large, the Klondike Highway changes little - long quiet road, wide roadside lined with spruce and aspen. You may tire of viewing the same road-photos but I look at it for hour after hour. I noticed a significant drop in the amount of fireweed along the sides.

But the topography is definitely becoming more varied. Till lunch we had the high ground on the left and views of the Yukon River on the right.

. For that period we cycled upstream against the flow. It meanders and loops in this section but a powerful force even at this early section and it has a long long way to go before it enters the ocean. There’s more of the Yukon River in Alaska than in Canada. Canada is some size of a country- second in size to Russia. Most of the population resides near the border with USA. The territory of Nunavut in the north covers 1/5 of the area of Canada but only has a population of 28,000 people.

Still Canada has contributed many inventions and innovations to modern life - the foghorn (1854), peanut butter (1884), basketball (1892), insulin (1922), and the humble egg carton in 1911.

At 70km I approached the settlement of Camacks after crossing over the Yukon. Till 1930 travel between Whitehorse and Dawson City was along the river by stern-wheeler  (Walker’s grandparents and mother would have used this many times). When the all-weather road (Klondike Highway) was opened in 1930 the trading settlements along the river were abandoned and only Camacks and Pelly Crossing have taken their place along the road.

At Camacks there was a signal and I uploaded yesterday’s blog from there as I sat outside a service station/shop. Camacks consists of just two or three of these. Inside I spotted a book but I’ll not need it since I have no further Bush-camps on my trip. How can it be a forgotten art with 2.5 million copies sold? Did any of them read and study it?

Lunch was at 75 km in great heat. It was now 28 deg at 11am. As we ate our fruit salad and sandwiches, an eagle kept his eye on proceeding from across the road, just his head turning now and again. We wondered if he was being extremely patient or just dog tired?

 Even though today’s profile was generally up, the last 45 km from lunch was easy riding with no great climbs. Now we had left the Yukon River but had a super smooth road surface. That helped to keep the kms clicking rapidly. We’ll meet up with the Yukon again in Whitehorse tomorrow evening.

In time I pulled into camp at Twin Lakes. First item is to check the whiteboard for local rules and instructions. Then collect the daily bag and select a nice spot- smooth even surface and shade. Again I found a nice spot for sleeping and living quarters (tent), office (chair), utility room (line) and ESB(solar panel). I want for nothing! 

Once tent was up I headed down a steep trail to the lake for ablutions. First self , then cycling gear followed by a swim. So refreshing after a long hot day in the saddle.

 Tomorrow I cycle into Whitehorse and a Rest Day.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.