Follow 40

Grande Cache to Avalon: 439.2 km
Cumulative distance: 5343 km
Maximum speed: 123 km/h (going down the driveway)
Moving average: 89 km/h
Weather: temperature range 3.8 to 11.0; rainy for the most part but it stopped raining about Wildwood and for a minute, we even saw a patch of blue sky.

Grande Cache, as beautiful as is it's location, was sad for us because the town has so much potential to be so much more. However, it is primarily an industrial town catering only to coal field, natural gas and power plant workers. It is like they have never seen a tourist there and, considering the setting, it is a shame. The town is like smaller version of Fort St. John or Fort Nelson: an endless parade of pick up trucks and mud. I think we will go back to the area but to camp. We hiked in the Wilmore Wilderness area many years ago and this reminder of the beauty has inspired us that it is a worthwhile destination.

Today's ride started right at 8:30 a.m. after our all-carb hotel breakfast. I debated whether or not it was worthwhile to start out wearing rain hear because it wasn't actually raining at the time we left but we knew the forecast, which was 90% chance of rain at Edson, 100% at Hinton, and 110% at points in between. Before we were actually out of Grande Cache, the rain was falling and it fell hard. In fact, this was probably the worst weather we experienced on this trip; certainly, while riding the bikes.

The road from Fort St John to Hinton really is the Undiscovered Country for Alberta. How many times have you driven by the sign that says "Scenic Route to Alaska: Follow 40" and not given it a second thought? Since we were going in the reverse direction, I wondered to myself what tag line there would be, if any, going back home. "Scenic Route to Hinton" just doesn't have the same cache so that may be why there was no tagline whatsoever.

We were initially inspired for this trip by our experience on the BC Ferries route from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert but I have always been intrigued by the "Follow 40" sign. In fact, whenever I am travelling on the road, either by car but especially by motorcycle, I fantasize about every side road I see and wonder where it goes and what is there to see on that road. On this trip, I was lucky enough to get to see one of those roads and have the indulgences by my favourite motorcycle partner and some good friends.

Sadly, we didn't see much today. It was really socked in. We were all challenged by rain and fog on and in our visors and it was as much about staying safe as it was having a great ride, though, after the horrendous weather over the past three days, we discussed which was worse: wind or rain.

However, we did see something. The first we saw was a big male caribou, a magnificent rack as impressive as can be. Nan spotted it first and we pulled over to get a picture but by the time we stopped and Nan was able to get the camera out from inside her rain gear, all we got was the caribou's ass.

Next up was one of the most impressive moose that we have ever seen however, I think Stan, who was leading at the time, got a more intimate view than any of us, and not in a good way as he had to engage in James Bond-like manoeuvres to avoid plowing into him. By the time we went by, the moose was off the road and in the bush but we saw a huge set of antlers clearly demonstrating this animal's majesty.

Once we turned onto Highway 16 just outside of Hinton, for me, the trip was largely over. We have seen that stretch of road a million times and will see it a million more. It was just a matter of grinding it out to get home, a few more hours.

We did have one more stop to make and get a group shot: at Wabamum Lake Village, we stopped for soup and pie, as it were, and the requisite shot of all of us together. Than, Nan and I weighed in at the weigh scale at the north end of Highway 60. Before the trip, Nan and I had loaded up and gone to the weigh scale to see what we weighed with the bike and all the gear and we were the same today as we were on the trial run. However, I note that the first time, we had a full tank of gas and today, about three quarters. Plus, we have really packed it on on this trip, so in fact, we might have a little less gear than at the trial. Stay tuned for more details on that front!

We got home at 3:50 p.m. The Spotwalla shows our last location as the weigh scale; I have it set up so that it does not show our home location since this link was going to appear on the interweb and I just didn't want our home location available for the world to see. You all know where we live, and that is all that counts. Nonetheless, it seemed appropriate that on the Alaska/Yukon on 4,000 calories a day trip that our final location would be identified as the place where we weighed in.

As much as we love being away, we love getting home, too. There is no experience like getting home to our animals and the experience is the same every time, and I take the same photos every time. Kisura and Malaika: "mom, dad, we are so happy you are home, we LOVE you! Obi: "It's about time someone got here to let me outside!" But then about an hour later, he deigns us with a modest amount of affection.

Once home, we do everything we can to pretend the holiday is not over. There was once a time in our lives that we didn't know enough to know that the holiday isn't over till we get back to work, so we have had a very nice evening of relaxing. A few people have phoned or texted but for the most part, we have just been getting reaquainted with our animals, house and yard. I tried to engage NoNo in a conversation about our next motorcycle ride (I have the next two years' trips thought out) but she would have none of it. That's ok, there is still much more benefit to be derived from this trip.

Tomorrow, (or so), I will post an epilogue, so I will reserve my closing comments for then. Here are the pictures from today.