Tuesday  July 16        Cycling Day 11

      Bush Camp 2 (Y) to Bush Camp 3 (Y)

Distance:  (Km). 115

Time:   6:36

Average Speed: (Km/ hr). 17.6

Ascent:  (m). 885

Heart Rate: (beats / min). 102

Cumulative Distance:   (km). 1139

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 9559

Punctures so far : 0

Last night’s Bush Camp at Gravel Lake was one of the best that I have experienced. Some rain during the night but all clear for me in the morning beneath the aspens ( foliage turns yellow in the winter) . 

Those by the lakeside ( the fast riders) had a glorious panorama from the doors of their tents. 

Breakfast, plenty of hot porridge and honey, was consumed in an atmospheric location far better than at Tiffany’s.

For the first 45 km there was a definite smell of smoke in the air. It didn’t affect visibility for us or for motorists but was visible in the distance. The fire is off to the right of us and firefighters were getting their briefing for the day as we passed by. Many firefighters in from British Columbia returning the compliment after last year. And helicopters regularly passed over.

After the 45 km mark the air cleared-aided by a light headwind that stayed with us for the rest of the day. From then on it was more pleasant to view the distant hills. That smoke haze has been with us since last Friday.

Till the 86 km mark ( of the scheduled 115) the road ahead was undulating with no difficult ascents. In so many places the road reminded me of the Olympic Highway in Australia from Albury up to Bathurst - large deserted road, wide roadside margins, trees with shiny bark (gum trees in Aus, aspen here). But in Australia large tracts of cultivation beyond that. I haven’t seen a field (tilled or pasture) since we started this ride. And still the roads are lined with the colourful fireweed and I’m led to believe such will continue right down through Canada.

At 40 km Walker and I took a short break for various reasons and I beheld a notice warning of fiber- optic cable beneath. Fiber optic out here in the middle of nowhere! 150 km from Dawson City and over 400 from Whitehorse! And we can’t get it a mere 8 km out from Tipp.!

At 70 km Dougy was out on the road beckoning us to pull in for lunch ( as if there was any chance we’d pass by). As usual lunch is always welcome, bowls for salad, fruit or otherwise and ham, cheese, tomatoes etc for a sandwich or two.

Out of lunch I felt the bike all funny. Wondered if I had a puncture or some other malfunction. Found it difficult to move. My eyes convinced me I was starting on a downhill, but legs and Garmin indicated otherwise. The eyes can sometimes deceive! But in time all senses were in unison and nothing out of kilter with the bike. I suppose too much cycling could cause one to hallucinate occasionally.

86 km brought us to Stewart Crossing. Till 1952 crossing the Stewart river here was by ferry but a fine bridge in place. This is just the second junction we’ve met so far. Taking a wrong turn here would lead on to ......Mayo, the place(pop 50) that experiences the highest and lowest temperatures in Canada. The Stewart runs roughly parallel to the Klondike but enters the Yukon further upstream. Gold was found here in 1884 (12 years before Klondike) and when news of these finds filtered through to the goldfields of California many hightailed it up here to try their luck.

From Stewart’s Crossing it was all uphill, up and up all the way to camp. The road rose and turned around a bend and then.....yes, you guessed it, again and again and again ad infinitum. The longest climb came just before camp.

This is our 3rd bush  camp and the last scheduled one on my trip. But there’s little between campgrounds and decent bush camps. This one again is beside a lake, Stocked Fish Lake and very handy for washing. I got a lovely spot just over the water, the sun shining nicely for my solar panel but no service for phones or internet. Best of all......no mosquitoes. They seem to be on holidays since Dempster.

Another good day on good surface with all the punishment in the last quarter. Tomorrow is a shorter day.

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