More socializing than pedaling!

More socializing than pedaling!

I am now at the Junction between the Alaska Hwy and the Stewart Cassiar Hwy, after almost a week of riding.  Not many kilometers, but apparently that’s all I can manage, but I can’t complain, I had such a great time and met so many nice people. Not to mention the incredible weather, but it looks like I will finally have to get my rain gear out.

Leaving Johnson’s Crossing, I was on my way to Teslin where an old friend that I hadn’t seen in about 15 years was waiting for me.  I almost didn’t make it as I kept stopping to chat with friends who were driving south and handed me baked goods that I could not refuse! It was awesome!

Harvey and Anne, my “Yukon parents” stopped on their way south and gave me a nice piece of coffee cake!

But eventually I arrived in Teslin where I spent a really nice afternoon and evening with Chris who cooked delicious and colourful (haaaaaa, fresh fruits!) food, gave me the grand tour of the village (including two awesome little museums) and we even watched the Tour de France! So nice to catch up! Chris rode for a while with me the next morning, and took a picture when I reached the 2000 km mark since Prudhoe Bay.

Re-connecting with Chris, 15 years later!
2000 km since Prudhoe Bay
Chris gave me this huge chocolate bar! I met the challenge.

During the day I met more really nice people again, some serious RVers who traveled all over the world, and others. That night I had to get used to sleeping in my tent again, and I wild camped near Smart River, which was pretty nice too.

The next day was amazing (yeah, again!). I stopped at a rest area to make coffee, and as I was sitting on the ground boiling water on my camp stove, 2 motorcyclists stopped and started chatting with me.  Super nice folks from the US, once again motorcyclists are just like family, and I had a great time talking to them.  John told me a bad joke that made me laugh a few times that day, and both of them were super generous. I had no words to express my gratitude. It is so encouraging to meet people like that on the road. And later in the day I ran into a nice couple from Washington who gave me their address in case I would be in their area eventually.  Really, it’s amazing to meet so many good people. I leave these people and feel like I have wings.

2 super friendly, kind and funny motorcyclists met at Swan Lake

One night I stayed at the lovely Rancheria Falls.  Friends stopped by as they knew I would likely camped there.  It was awesome to see them and we walked to the falls together. Rob gave me more food before he left!

Friends at Rancheria

A few minutes later, as I was chatting with James, who was traveling from Alberta, 3 tour cyclists arrived.  I was suprised to see Jeff, who I had met twice already, but such is life on the road, sooner or later we meet again! We had a lovely evening after we all washed in the river. James made coffee for us in the morning.

Having supper together at Rancheria

Yesterday was a short day due to a very nice tailwind but it was a perfect day to jump in yet another river (Big Creek) and do some laundry. And today was even shorter, due to bad knees!! But it’s nice to have internet to send  an update and get news from friends and family.

Smart River

This afternoon I will start riding the Stewart-Cassiar. Another milestone. I realize as I am typing that I will leave the Yukon.  Hello BC!

12 thoughts on “More socializing than pedaling!

  1. Avec toutes ces rencontres tu vas finir par engraisser….
    Bonne continuation.
    Super intéressant tes résumés.
    J,adore.

    Monique

  2. …j’ai rencontré ta mère à la fête de ma sœur Louise dimanche à Kwaybetch chez Louis-Simon & Valérie, elle m’a fait suivre la connexion à ton blog…c’est tout un plaisir de voyager à partir de chez-soi, il n’y a pas, c’est sur, l’air et ses odeurs des grands espaces…anyway, très captivant ces récits…merci et bonne route… 🙂

    1. Super contente de voir que tu suivras les aventures, j’aime bien pedaler en pensant a tous ceux qui suivent!

  3. Allo Catherine
    En te suivant sur la carte routière. j’ai constaté que tu es tout près du “Continental Divide”. La première fois que j’ai appris l’existence de ce trait géographique, c’est à la lecture d’un livre de Jacques Poulin, Volkswagen Blues. Le passage de ce “road trip” lié au C.D. est particulièrement significatif quant à notre rapport aux autochtones. Je te laisse le plaisir de le découvrir, peut-être au cours d’une bonne jasette avec un voyageur féru de “lettres québécoises”.
    En choisissant l’objectif éloigné de relier les deux extrêmes des 2 Amériques … en vélo, tu as bien dû t’imaginer que ça ne pouvait pas se faire durant une fin de semaine, n’est-ce pas? Aussi bien prendre le temps de … faire ce que tu fais si bien, quoi! Faire de nouvelles connaissances, en retrouver d’autres avec lesquelles tu as déjà partagé de bons moments, échanger des idées, apprendre, apprendre, apprendre, car c’est sans fin pour qui a l’appétit…
    Je te souhaite d’être heureuse là-dedans et de rayonner ce bonheur au fil de tes rencontres.
    Bisous
    Fernand

    1. Oui, j’ai traverse le Continental Divide mais devrai le retraverser 2 autres fois prochainement! Ca fait de belles montees, mais aussi de belle descentes…
      Pour ce qui est de Jacques Poulin, je connais Volkswagen Blues mais mon prefere de cet auteur est Le vieux chagrin. Lu plusieurs fois et a relire encore!

  4. Salut Catherine
    Tes récits sont remplis de liberté et d’occasions où tu sais profiter pleinement du moment présent sans te soucier du lendemain. Tu sais apprécier un beau paysage, les bons moments que tu partages avec des gens toujours très sympathique, les retrouvailles avec des amis de longue date et la générosité des personnes que tu rencontres qui alimentent ton estomac… C’est toujours un plaisir de te lire et de visionner les photos qui complète le descriptif de tes aventures.
    À bientôt xxx

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