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Deane, Norm, and Kay's Motorcycle / RV Trip to Northern Canada and Alaska | |
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September 22, Fraser Lake, BC to Prince George, BC 187 Miles |
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We got up to sunshine and a beautiful clear day in Fraser Lake, British Columbia. Riding to Prince George we had very pretty Fall Colors, as we have been used to for the past many days. Prince George is nestled in a very pretty valley, and is a nice city of about 70,000 people. We spent the day in Prince George, with the exception that Deane made a trip of about 80 miles out of the way, to complete an important goal for him. This little trip was to cross over the Continental Divide pass just north of Prince George. This was the final Continental Divide pass for him to ride in Canada. Having done that, Deane has now ridden his motorcycles over every major Continental Divide Pass in Canada. Why is this important? Well, Deane loves riding in mountains, and about 10 years ago he started setting goals of riding over Continental Divide Passes so that planned trips would take him into beautiful mountains. He started with a goal to ride all of Colorado's Continental Divide passes, and all other Colorado passes and peaks over 10,000 ft. in elevation. Having done that with a three- or four-day weekend each year for about five years, he set the next goal of riding all Continental Divide passes in New Mexico, then all from the northern border of Colorado to the Canadian border, then those in Canada, those in Alaska and those in Mexico. (Hey, it makes for good planning of great trips with wonderfully scenic riding in mountains as one of the prime objectives.) These goals included all Continental Divide passes which are accessed by either a paved Highway or by a major gravel/dirt Highway like the three that are on the "Dempster Highway" in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, or the one that is on the "Dalton Highway" in Alaska. (Sure, there are minor passes over the Continental Divide to get into a mine, or a fishing lake, but Deane's accomplishment includes all major roads and their passes.) That total of these passes in Canada is only nine, but to do it one has to ride Canada from the border with the United States to the Arctic Ocean! This would take you through Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories. Further, with the riding of Atigun Pass over the Continental Divide in Alaska, two weeks ago, Deane has ridden every Continental Divide pass in the United States. Before Atigun Pass, on the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay, Deane had already ridden over every Continental Divide Pass in the "Lower 48". Add to that Deane's having ridden most of the passes over the Continental Divide in Mexico, he has now ridden over almost all of the Continental Divide passes from the southern tip of Mexico to the northern tip of Alaska!! Well, enough of that. Prince George was a nice little city to visit. Oh yes, for you Gold Wingers - There is a GWRRA chapter in Prince George, about 10-12 members. In the group meeting section of the local newspaper, there is an announcement of the fact that these Gold Wingers meet regularly on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM at a local Dairy Queen. The very next announcement is for an "Overeaters Anonymous" meeting at 7:00 PM, the same night!! Do you suppose those GWRRA members attend one meeting one Thursday evening, and the other meeting the following Thursday? |
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