July 3, 2022
Continued backtracking on down to Prince George. I had toyed with the idea of stretching my luck and getting on the Alaska Highway to Whitehorse in Yukon. I was pretty sure I could get a new tire there at the Yamaha dealer (a call to confirm would have been necessary). But pushing luck up here doesn't feel like a good policy. I know what the road is like and my tire is almost to the wear indicators now.
The decision to continue to Prince George turned out to be a fateful good one. Since I haven't followed local news I didn't know that the Alaska Highway is closed indefinitely some 600 miles on from Dawson Creek due to a landslide and washout that occurred Friday evening (it's Sunday now). I saw a whole bunch of big adventure bikes leaving town in that direction but didn't see if they turned south or were staying on the A.H. If the latter, they may be experiencing a big disappointment about now.
Weather was balmy but very windy. This is my third time on BC-97 between Prince George and Dawson Creek but the first time in the southerly direction. I think this direction has the prettier views, especially in the northern part. Lots of snow streaked mountains and rivers glistening in the sun. And green, green, green. I'm reminded how tired I got of that color the last time I was up here. Just the gusty crosswinds took away a lot of the enjoyment.
Gave the bike a good hose down at a car wash across from the 97 Motor Inn then had dinner at Great Wall.
Wildlife: Saw one moose, I think. Just glimpsed it in the short vegetation that borders the road and thought "what is that big, weird looking deer?" Then realized it must be a young moose.
Fuel: It is 240 miles from Dawson Creek to Prince George. I don't think there was any stretch of more than 50 miles without at least a convenience store gas pump. Chetwynd and Bear Lake are good places to top up.
July 4, 2022
Biding time waiting for Cycle North to open tomorrow. Rode over to a sporting goods store to get some extra camp food. Spending the afternoon working out different destinations to chose from tomorrow as weather and mood dictate. One possible is west on CA-16 to the coast (Prince Rupert and Stewart) and then up the Cassiar. It might be fun to then take the Alaska Highway north to Haines Junction and then the Haines Highway down to Haines on the coast. But weather forecast looks bad and with the A.H. blocked Yukon traffic may be rerouted onto the Cassiar. The Cassiar in bad weather with a lot of cars and trucks would not be fun.
Dinner at Thanh Vu, a Vietnamese restaurant next to Great Wall. Nice place. Online reviewers seem to indicate that the food is the real deal. I can't judge.