WELL, one glacier, and one bear.
Here’s the glacier. Oddly enough, Bear Glacier.
As for the bear, it was one big goofy-ass black bear caught in the act of trying to cross the Stewart-Cassiar. I rounded a curve and he was right there. I stood the bike up, got on the brakes hard and he froze like a kid caught stealing cookies, his head turned toward me, paw raised to take the next step.
He gave me a head fake, as if to reverse course, then pivoted 360 degrees the other way around and gallomped across the road, all flying arms and legs. Flying legs and legs.
Big goofy bastard. The Jethro Bodine of bears.
And that was it, the only bear I saw on a road known for being overrun with them. So today I rode back into Alaska, across the border at Stewart BC into Hyder AK. Unfortunately, the salmon run hadn’t really started yet at Fish Creek in the Tongass National Forest, so the grizzlies hadn’t come down out of the woods to feed. When the bears are fishing, I’m told you can watch from right nearby, they’re so focused on catching and eating salmon you’re hardly a blip on their radar.
Two more weeks the ranger said. Come in August next time. Which I’m gonna.
After Fish Creek, I rode 34 miles of gravel to see Salmon Glacier but it was socked in by clouds. Just about every place I’ve been for the last two days has been.
You can get an ice-cream headache riding in the clouds with your visor up. Maybe that’s why there are no bugs, they’re all home with ice-cream headaches.
I stopped in Stewart BC to pick up a can of chain lube at the hardware store. The chain sounded as it were crunching rocks on the way up to Salmon Glacier. I had left all my gear 40 miles away at my camp near Meziadin Junction. Without all that weight hanging on the piglet the chain could probably go a notch tighter. Maybe two with the blown rear shock.
Kinda dumb to leave all my tools in camp and go riding off road… Too focused on seeing bears.
The road back to Meziadin.
I need to make dinner now and start packing up. Two more days on the roads headed south, what’s left of the Stewart-Cassiar then the Yellowhead, and I should be down around Valemount. Will check out the piglet there, see what she needs to make the long ride east.
Closing with a few panoramas…
Lower Gnat Lake, on the Stewart-Cassiar.
Stewart, BC
Bear Glacier, on the road between Stewart and Meziadin Junction.
T0ny DePaul, July 20, 2019, Meziadin Junction, British Columbia, Canada
Hi Tony
I truly enjoy your writings of your trip north. I am so envious of your adventures on the road. Ride safe buddy and look after that chain and sprockets as that is your final drive.
🥴.
Cheers Craig
Thanks, Craig. Are you working up north at the mine or are you back home in Alberta?
Big chuckle out of the Jethro Bodine Bear!
I had a 1981 Honda 450 that was ridden hard, 2-up, by a pair that easily exceeded recommended weight by more than double. Sounded just like the rock crushing you’re describing as it had sprocket curl pretty badly, and a stretched chain beyond adjustment. Hope yours isn’t that bad!
Certainly enjoying your posts.
Be safe.
Matt
Adel, IA
A bear walked by the house this morning. I had come inside to make coffee, didn’t see him. Cleo the dog ran him off.
Come home. We have at one bear prowling Rhode Island.
Pam swears she saw a bear walking along our neighbor’s hedgerow in Eden Park, Cranston. This was way back when. The girls were in elementary school.
No bears on Bear Glacier, go figure.
You planning on replacing the rear shock and chain before heading east?
Am watching a fawn suckle away, left its hiding place. Something rousted them. Now out in the open. Another doe came within twenty feet of my chair, to lick the ground. Maybe salt…?
Gonna limp east on the spring, I think, and go through the bike in a major way at home. Chain and sprockets need to be evaluated out here. Might have 3,000 miles left in ’em, I think.
Sounds like you’re on the road to Idaho, amigo.