KRATZMC

Friday May 28th, 2010, Prince George B.C. to Stewart B.C./Hyder, Ak, 436 Miles

Up at 0800 hrs, after a good nights rest and some Long Distance Rider Juice (Martini’s), I found Bob Hole and Bob Shelton gearing up. Another group of Canadian riders who were also headed to “Hyder Seek” had already left, on a mix of BMW’s. I had to take care of some personal business but was a slave to the business hours of what I needed, to send money to my brother and replace my broken helmet.

The red plastic chin latch on my Scorpion EXO-900 Helmet broke, so I couldn’t open the face. It made getting it on and off painful.

I hailed a cab to locate the Canadian equivalent of FED Ex (Purolator), then I needed to go to the Suzuki Motorcycle Store for a new helmet. I figured a cab would be faster, since I didn’t know where to go and I couldn’t put my helmet on anymore. Pulling it off and pushing it on over my ears had bent them and they were now swollen and tender. I knew the Suzuki shop had helmets since I had talked to the store on the phone, just as they closed the previous day. My first three choices, Schuberth, Scorpion and Nolan were not available in Canada but they had HJC with inside sun visor. My bike was already loaded, so I told Merritt we would be ready to roll as soon as I got back.

Bob and Bob headed off as I left in the cab and Merritt was busy packing. Merritt is fairly new to long distance riding and carries about twice the load of personal items and clothing, I do. It usually take a few trips to learn what you really need and what you can get by with. I was able to mail off my parcel and acquire my helmet within 15 minutes and returned to the Motel to find Merritt with all his gear still on the bed. I was ready to go but watched Merritt for the next 30 minutes until an elderly man, Glen, walked up to us. Glen had seen Merritt’s heated vest cord and said “I use to use one of those when I plugged my suit into the heater of my turret.”

Glen, 82 years old, was a Top Turret Gunner on a Avro Lancaster Bomber for the RCAF.

With that statement and based on his age, I figured Glen was an aircrew member from WW2. Talking with Glen helped me to occupy the time while Merritt finished loading his motorcycle. I listened intently to Glen as he told of several experiences he had during his service. Glen seemed to come alive and he thanked us for talking with him. I told Glen on the contrary, that the honor was all ours. As I told Glen that the honor of just getting to meet and talk with him had made my long ride worth it, he seemed to swell with pride and his eyes watered slightly.  With Merritt finally packed, we bid our new friend farewell.

AT 1115 hrs, we were finally on the road. I figured we would arrive in Hyder too late for the planned dinner but at least we would arrive. Also helping was the fact it was not getting dark until 2300 hrs, so we would arrive in the light of day. The weather couldn’t have been better, low to high 70’s with a partially cloudy sky. As we made our way out of Prince George, the two lane country roadway wound through the tree lined rural farmlands of Canada. Trees abounded and the different shades of green were calming and remarkable.

Moose warning sign for the next 20 kilometers.

I was still trying to get use to the metric speed limit, which was typically 100 kph to 120. Roughly 70 mph with curves rated at 70 kph or 40 mph. It is probably not a good idea to forget your metrics when figuring your entry speed into the corners. Of the signs I am not use to seeing and that grabbed my attention, was the warning for Moose.

Typical of the road side scenery out of Prince George and one of the many construction zones we encountered. They were sealing cracks and spreading sand so you had to heed the “Motorcycles Use Caution” signs.

One of the many beautiful and diverse rest stops typicial in B.C., this one on Hwy 16.

As with any ride with me, food is always on my mind. I usually eat in hole in the walls (No chain places), or when I see something that sparks my curiosity. My stomach reminded me it was hungry so on one of the fuel stops on Hwy 16, I thought I would try a pre-packaged sandwich. One thing I have noticed about Canada, is that there is much French influence on the food, which is a good thing. Plus everything must be printed in English and French, so things like Cheddar Cheese become “Fromage De Cheddar and just sounds more appetizing. Anyway, I spied a Chicken Salad sandwich which looked very tasty which it was. You could even identify what was in it, not like the ones I would see in American roadside convenience stores. I even spied some interesting Lay’s flavored  potato chips in Ketchup flavor, so I just I had to sample it.

If you ever get a chance to try these chips, they in my mind are better than the BBQ. I hope we get them in the states!

After a quick meal in the gas station parking lot, we continued on. I remembered the advice from Bob Hole about getting gas in Kitwanga, the last vestige before Hyder and Stewart. It would also mark our last leg and a change to another road,  Hwy 37 . This was the first long trip I had taking with Merritt without my GS. With my ST I have about 60 - 70 miles more range than his GS, so we were having to stop more often for fuel than I needed. I knew he would need fuel when I reached 1/3 tank but he was starting to call for fuel when I had half a tank or 100 miles of fuel left. The longest distance we would encounter with no fuel would be the last leg from Kitwanga to Stewart but the fuel stops do seem to close around 1900 hrs.

As we neared Kitwanga, the hills grew to Mountains and then into spectacular Mountains. You could tell you were in the presence of where ancient glaciers had carved their routes for eons. You could stop every five miles for photo ops but I told Merritt we could do our photos on the way out, without worries of time. But with all the grandeur, it is hard to resist stopping.

Last fuel stop for the day in Kitwanga.

From Kitwanga B.C. to Stewart on Hwy 37, the softness of the rural country side and mountains give way to rugged landscapes. It is on this stretch that you realize you are truly somewhere different.

The temperature in Kitwanga was 80 degrees, so we made the necessary clothing adjustments. When we got our last fuel, we had caught up to a group of Canadians who were part of a BMW club and had left a good hour and a half before us from Prince George. They had several women co-riders which accounted for their slow travel time. It is with experience that when traveling by motorcycle with women, the logistics and needs will double the time you would normally take when alone.  Here is the mathematical formula I use: FS= T  x W2    FS(Fuel Stop) equals the T(time to pump fuel) multiplied by the number of W(women) squared.

We finished the last leg of our journey to Alaska in great weather. We reached Stewart B.C. at around 1830 hrs, a little late for the dinner in Hyder, which is only 2 miles from Stewart. Here Merritt’s GS poses at the corner of Hwy 37 and the Main St of Stewart. The only fuel is across the street and is open from 7 am to 7 pm.

We arrived at the Prince Edward Hotel in Stewart. We knew we were in the right place due to all of the Motorcycles parked out front. There were three other Lodging facilities in town and all were taken over by the gaggle of LD riders who showed up in town. There is no cell service so riders were stacked up in front of the pay phones in the lobby but there is Wi Fi!

Merritt and I checked into the Hotel and unpacked. I checked the itinerary for the Hyder Seek gathering which was posted at the desk. For Saturday, there would be registrations to pick up our shirts and a dinner and group photograph at 1700 hrs. This would be followed up by a recognition of the riders doing their 49 state ride and a raffle for a Motorcycle Tour Trip to South America.

We ran into Bob Hole and Bob Shelton, who were staying across the street at the Prince Edward Motel, the satellite facility of our Hotel across the street. Since it was my first time to Hyder Seek, I will opt for the casual atmosphere of the Motel if I return, over the Hotel. Plus the rooms are bigger and there is a parking lot where you swap lies and kick tires with other riders. The Hotel also serves as one of the only eateries in town and is also a bar and liquor store.

Okay, no ride report would be complete without the evening meal. I opted to eat in the Hotel Cafe and since I was in Halibut country, I tried the Halibut Fish n Chip’s. I chose the rice over the Chips though. Excellent choice I might add if you ever find yourself in Stewart.

With the day behind us, we had officially not made it to Alaska. You can ride the 2.9 miles to Hyder but on your return, you have to go through Customs to get back to Stewart. The pavement also ends at the U.S. border and Hyder’s streets are made up of gravel and dirt. There is a small green bus/shuttle that will take you back and forth from Hyder to Stewart, which is a good idea if you want to drink alcohol.  The Shuttle service is free but there is no schedule and it is very informal so it is hit and miss.

After a good nights sleep, we would ride to Hyder in the morning to officially register and have the chance to be “Hyderized”.

The Route

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