Bears and Bison-The Ride to Watson Lake

I have not seen so many black bear. I actually lost count at a dozen. First I saw a sow with two cubs, then nothing for awhile, then here a bear, there a bear, every where a black bear. And one brown bear. Cinnamon, he was, nose down in the dirt so I couldn't make out for sure if he was a griz type brownie or a black bear in the brown phase.

Not too far out of Ft. Nelson was a large electronic sign warning of bison. It was a huge sign, which is appropriate for these grand animals. I saw maybe two dozen, probably more. The bulls were absolutely huge. I could tell they were bulls because, well, they were huge. The cows were sized appropriately for the bulls. At least I think they were. I didn't see any calves.

I also saw many sheep from and after Summit Lake (highest point on the Alaska Highway). They were right down on the highway, and I mean right down on the double yellow line. At least two of the rams were full curl. Many ewes and kids. And there was one caribou, also in the middle of the road. It got confused when it heard the motorcycle and I thought it was going to run right over me. But it finally got its nose up in the air in that curious ungainly way and it trotted down the middle of the road and off into the scrub.

The road is through a forest of mixed birch and spruce, with an occasional stand of pine. Willows and poplar have their place along the roadways and rivers. It is very much like interior Alaska except for the pine. The road itself varied in width and shoulder size but it was all chip seal. Now some of that chip seal was okay, and I could do 50-60. Most was not. Some was downright torn up, particularly up high. That required constant attention and careful riding. I think I only averaged around 40 mph today.

And now, the weather report. Meredith chortled when she told me it was going to get colder the closer I got to home, so I donned my merino wool naughties, a vest, and turned on the hand warmers. Good thing I did all that, as it was cool and breezy. In the morning, I played the role of the Itsy Bitsy Spider in the childhood ditty of that same name. In rain, out of rain. In rain, out of rain. But out came the sun and dried up all the rain, so I went up the spout again.

I'm bunked up in The Big Horn Hotel. Big Horn. That's two words. You have to see it to believe it, so I'm posting pictures of the hotel room and some sights along the highway.