Arctic project (Epic Arctic Ride)

[Toadride]

Hey Paul,
Good to see your doin it again. That winter stuff I mean. Let me know when it starts to warm up up there and I'll head out. Somewhere around July, I think. But in the meantime I just stick to those slightly chilly rides down here. Question tho. Forgive me if it's been asked before but how do you keep the bikes warm when not riding. And how do they turn over in -20? Keep on truckin, man.
Doug

[intotheabis]

Great report, the vast emptiness is amazing. What are you guys wearing for heated gear, that is, I am assuming you are wearing heated gear

[paulmondor]

Originally Posted by intotheabis

Great report, the vast emptiness is amazing. What are you guys wearing for heated gear, that is, I am assuming you are wearing heated gear

Hey! Nope! No heated gear. I believe they do not work at anything colder than -35 or so. So I showed Joe the science of effective layering. -40 and I have one layer plus my suit. he has two I think with the stuff he likes.

Cheers

[paulmondor]

Originally Posted by Toadride

Hey Paul,
Good to see your doin it again. That winter stuff I mean. Let me know when it starts to warm up up there and I'll head out. Somewhere around July, I think. But in the meantime I just stick to those slightly chilly rides down here. Question tho. Forgive me if it's been asked before but how do you keep the bikes warm when not riding. And how do they turn over in -20? Keep on truckin, man.
Doug

Hi Doug! Hope we will connect at one point. The bikes start fine at up to about -25, -30C. We have jumpstarted them once.. We do not store them at night... We did once in Fort Chip and it was just a fluke the North of 60 guys were there and offered us to store them overnight in the wood shop.

[Gregster]

How did I miss the start of this report
Poor Frosty, missing out on another excellent adventure
Be safe Iceman

[Tall Mike]

Remember what I said above about the 800 being not too good in slush? I do not think that riding it past a French Canadian dumb ass crushing Super B train rig, fishtailing like mad, and not being to touch anything whether it being clutch lever, brake lever, throttle or the auto-eject button will improve it. Normally at times like this as some you know, I rely on my ability to invent stress relieving, tension reducing French Canadian swears and curses. This time I did not want to. Just in case my lack of blood going through brain-blue lips would cause a vibration that the handlebars would sense and send me under this monster that would have never reacted while driving over me.
Somehow I just stayed on it and I guess that the resistance of the soup I was riding in slowed me down and I was able to get back behind it still alive. Thank God for Teflon Underwear!

Amen! You took us right there with you! Outstanding RR! Subscribed!!

[MTrider16]

Man, I've been at the edge of my seat for this trip. Epic ride.

Are we still in for Tuk? Or am I thinking of the wrong road. Tuk is north of Inuvik?

David

[paulmondor]

Originally Posted by MTrider16

Man, I've been at the edge of my seat for this trip. Epic ride.

Are we still in for Tuk? Or am I thinking of the wrong road. Tuk is north of Inuvik?

David

Thanks for the kudos Guys! yes! We are going to Tuk, Past North of Inuvik..
Watson Lake tonight. Will post later. 525 kms day and all but about 5 kms was covered with rutted, washboard and bad cracks on ice... Damn! it almost sound like a drink...

Talk to you soon!

[paulmondor]

Well. Yesterday was a 525 kms leg that started in Fort Nelson at -31 C. We wanted to leave at 7:30 but were delayed because Joe's bike valve cover gasket blew off on the side where it covers the camshafts ends. It was pouring oil. So I decided to warm the engine up and once warm, to push it back in position with a little flat screw driver. it worked. The bike lost about 3 tablespoons of oil in 525 kms.
Out of the 525 kms, maybe 10 were not covered with badly rutted ice and truck chains tracks. it was dicy at best. Joe struggled a bit, but once I told him that if he had enough speed that things got easier he picked up the pace a bit and had fun.
The temp got up to about -27 C within the first 45 minutes. We rode for 3 q/2 hours to Toad River.. The road on our way there was breath taking.



I know the Alaska Highway is beautiful in summer. But it does not hold a candle next to its beauty in winter.


Joe was looking forward to the Toad river Burger. I had the bst beef stew in my life and the stop stood up to its reputation as usual. Many people who have stopped there have enjoyed it. it is a well known stop on the Alaska Highway. it is about 196 kms from Fort Nelson



Once left Toad River we quickly ran into wild life like we wanted to. Wood Buffalo. They are absolutely stunning animals. The big bulls rummage in the snow by digging with their heads like using a shovel. This way they reach brushes and grasses and feast. Once they are done they just lie down in their holes and settle for the night.




About an hour out of Toad River we also started snaking our ways around beautiful rivers in valleys, surrounded by mountains caps covered in snow. You want to stop every 5 minutes to take a pictures.



About 450 kms into the day we stopped in Contact Creek for fuel and also put Joe's bike on the trailer. He has no headlight on it. Remember the Dump truck rear ending near Fort Chipewyan. There is no way you drive the Alaska Highway after dark with no headlights. Actually at any time or anywhere.




I rode to Watson Lake and had the SV following me. It had been a while since I had ridden at night in winter and on ice. I had forgotten how important the first 30 feet in front of you is. This is as far as you look ahead while riding in this. A crack, a rut or anything else can send you down faster than you can say "Shit" At night the first 30 feet is vague and you see about half what you want to see. But? The feeling you have that you are riding even more in the edge is something that cannot be explained. it must be felt.
But it too us about 50 minutes to travel the 71 kms to Watson Lake.
We signed in at the Big horn Hotel.



I know like most people say the food quality and accommodation quality has something to be desired.
But the restaurant next to it is under new ownership and the food is something to be remembered. Awesome!

This morning we got up and took some shots of the town. Not much to take but the winter scenery was great.


We also went to the road sings forest. This is a place where thousands of signs from all over the world have been put up. there has to be 10,000. it is wild.




There we hung our own. the front fender of Joe's bike is not there as a testament to our visit and our ride..


So so far the Yukon has been awesome and it is beyond beautiful..
Tomorrow we are leaving for Whitehorse. I am stoked. I know the ride only gets better from here..


Iceman out.

[Boston]

These are my favorite pictures yet! Keep'em coming!!!

[obsidian]

Hi all,

Here's the prologue episode of Reconnecting With Canada: The North. Hope y'all like it!

[soph9]

ABSOLUTELY well down really looking forward to the next video!

[squonker]

Nice work, Paul!

[MTrider16]

I'm liking the video, hopefully I can get a finished version. Keep riding, its looking great.

David

[shultzjr]

hey paul.

great trip.

is there a road between inuvik and tuktoyaktuk and did you get any pics/vids?

any thoughts of going to nunavut area someday?

thanks,
charles.....