Bill and Paul Bunyan
Casio QV30 photo
It was a beautiful morning and I was actually singing "Oh
what a beautiful morning." I started out with a jacket and leg warmers
but quickly stripped down to my bike shorts and yellow TCBA jersey (I only
rode without leg warmers or long bike pants on 2 other days during this
entire trip to date). Perhaps it is finally spring.
For the past few days, the mornings have been wind-free and beautiful, with
clouds and wind moving in through the morning and serious headwinds prevailing
in the afternoon.
For the first time since Whitehorse, we could feel civilization building
up around us. Traffic was increasing. We were leaving the woods and seeing
more industrial and agricultural development.
Then we came upon a giant Paul Bunyan.
We came down a big hill and voila, a city, Fort
St. John. We came to a stop at the first stop light since North Pole, Alaska.
A sign proclaims Fort St. John to be the real starting point of the Alaska
Highway because the road between Dawson creek and Ft. St. John was already
there. Under that reasoning, if Dawson Creek is Milepost 0, the road between
Fairbanks and Delta Junction should also be included. I agree.
Our rest stop was in front of the museum. Ritt saw a group of school children
waiting together outside the museum. Instead of ignoring them, he retrieved
his juggling balls from his bike and proceeded to give a juggling performance.
The kids loved it (note the clapping hands).
We rode downhill into the bustling refinery city of Taylor, BC.
Then we crossed the Peace River.
 Ritt on the Peace River Bridge |
 Peace River |
Then we started a major climb. We climbed about 1,000 feet over 3 miles, huffing and puffing all the way, but only briefly using my lowest granny gear.
For once we had information on exactly what grades we had climbed.
The roadway was littered with millions of caterpillars (not the
construction equipment variety). The adjoining aspen forests seemed denuded
by them.
We had our second lunch stop at the bridge crossing the Kiskatinaw
River. The river gorge is quite spectacular. I've actually stopped at the
same place for lunch while driving the Alaska Highway.
The bridge is really unusual in its "V" beam construction.
We stopped at a store in Farmington and I bought Mr. Big's for
Bob, Carol and Ritt. We sat drinking Gatorade and eating Mr. Big's on the
porch of the store.
From there we climbed our final big Alaska Highway hill and I got my second
wind, charging ahead into 25-35 MPH headwinds toward Dawson Creek.
We were the last 4 riders into camp (as usual) and everybody was waiting
for us to ride to Milepost 0 for the termination of the group trip and photos.
There are 2 "Milepost 0" locations in Dawson Creek.
One is located right downtown in the middle of a busy intersection and the
other is located by the visitor's center/museum parking lot. We took numerous
pictures at each.
I am really proud of our accomplishment. I wanted an adventure
and I got it. This was by far the toughest physical effort I've ever undertaken.
It makes the Quint Century on last year's DALMAC seem like a day in the
park. We averaged more than a metric century per day for almost a month
on the worst roads in North America.
72 miles today.
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© Ed Noonan 1996, 1997