6/26/22
I leave Fort Nelson and continue onto the Alaska Highway. Not a lot too exciting for 115 miles except a few horny road hazards.
I got to Toad River and pulled into the gas station. After fueling up, I decide to check out the restaurant/store. As I walk by the front door, I see a 1200GS with a NC plate! I go inside and look around. Who looks like they would be riding a GS? Who's got overpriced adventure gear? I found a guy sitting at a table by himself. "Is that your GS out there?" I ask. The guys says "Yes."
"You're from North Carolina?"
"Yes"
"Me too."
He's from Chapel Hill and rode up here to go fishing with some friends. This is his third trip up here. We chat a bit more but he's not super chatty nor super inquisitive about me. I introduced myself and say goodbye and wish him safe travels. I'm so accustomed to other friendly and talkative riders that when I meet someone not that talkative, I'm taken aback a bit. Oh well, not everyone is looking to connect with other riders.
I ride another 33 miles up from Toad River and I am confronted with this beautiful sight:
Muncho Lake is a provincial park along the Alaska Highway. That amazingly blue water is the result of copper oxides leached from the bedrock. It's a majestic view that comes up right on you during this portion of the highway. The cool and eerie thing is the road is right next to the water without any barriers or guard rail. People have told me that inattentive drivers have driven into the lake in the past and it's a very deep lake.
It's a long ride into the night but at least it's completely lit by the ever shining sun. Maybe 60 miles down the road, I see the large animals that Michael from the motel was warning me about.
I finally got to see some bisons! And they are built like a tank and don't give a damn about anything else or where they want to go. One was actually in front of a car taking his sweet time looking around. After that beast walking away and stepped over the barrier, I gently rolled by the herd.
After another 90 mins or so, I crossed into the Yukon.
And thankfully just another 15 minutes or so I arrived into my motel in Watson Lake.
The Air Force Lodge is designed like a military barracks. The lodge is made of two wings, each wing housing perhaps ten rooms. Each room is modeled after an officer's room, just a small functional space with a bed, desk and a small closet and coat rack. The general bathrooms and showers are shared with the other guests in the lodge. The bathroom consists of four stalls and multiple sinks and the shower has four stalls and a few sinks.
Michael, the owner, is extremely nice and talkative with his thick German accent but it’s 11:30pm and having just ridden 550 miles today, I just want to shower and go to bed. I'd love to get his back story but it'll have to wait for another time.
There’s not a whole lot in Watson Lake but there is one big attraction in town that draws the nearby tourists - the sign post forest.
The sign post forest started in 1942 as a simple sign post made by Private Carl K. Lindley, serving with the 341st Engineers. He decided to personalize the job by adding a sign pointing towards his home town, Danville, Illinois, and giving the distance to it. Several other people added directions to their home towns as well. Over the decades, people have come here to add their own signs.
There are now thousands of signs nailed or screwed into the numerous posts here spread over a couple acres. Terry back in Calgary told me to bring a sign to add but I didn’t find anything along the way and I would’ve like to add a local sign from back in NC regardless. Guess I’ll have to come back another time to add that sign.
