Derek Jennings
North to Alaska via the Circle Line

Experience an account of 40 days
on a bicycle from Vancouver across
the Arctic Circle to Anchorage

Fort Fraser

Slept in a cabin beside a lake and was up on the road by 8 o’clock. Took advantage of a hot-cake breakfast at Fraser Lake motel and then rode all the morning to Burns Lake; purchased food at a grocery and lunched outside. A busy town and now very hot, so it was off at 2 o’clock for an afternoon ride to Houston. Stopped for a cheap meal, I had very little cash so went on and found a camp site, but the price was unattractive. I’d spoken to a guy named ‘Art’ in the cafe who was on a trailer park, so I went there after spending all but $2 on oranges, milk and ice cream. Spoke to Claude and his wife who were staying on the park and joined them for coffee. Put the tent up for the first time on this trip, having been given a cheap rate by the owner. Todays ride was through lakelands and very similar to the Scottish Highlands.

Houston B.C.

Another cloudless blue sky and was away by 7.30, gave my last two dollars for the site fee and rode to Smithers, stopping at Eddy Park Telkwa, which was really ‘BEAUTIFUL’. In Smithers (a large town) cashed a $50 cheque and got $64 back, something to do with American and Canadian currency I suppose? Could now afford a ‘Deli’ lunch but still no Cutters Cream to be found!

The snow capped coastal mountain range is in view all the time now and is dramatic. Spoke to a motorcycle couple at a viewpoint and descending to New Hazelton caught a bike rider, Don Meyer from Smithers and had a chat. Rode via South Hazelton to Kitwanga, an Indian community, where he arrived again! After taking photo’s we made camp.

Kitwanga

Don slept on a picnic table, I pitched my tent on the ground and this morning we were joined by a hitch hiker for breakfast. I left at 8.15 for the long haul to Mezidian Junction 100 miles and nothing in between. A good paved road, beautiful forest, lake and river scenery, backed by high mountains.

Progress got slower and slower as the day went on, my food consisted of four slices of brown bread and peanut butter, a banana and two oranges with some water.

The junction didn’t come too soon, 5.30 in fact. What a mess! it looked just like a mining camp. Construction vehicles everywhere and a few temporary buildings. One was a cafe! Stayed 2 hours eating, resting, and writing a card to my daughter. It is here that I can leave the planned route and make a 100 mile detour to Hyder in the southernmost part of ALASKA. It started to rain so I got 5 miles down the road towards Stewart and made camp. Tried to shelter in a derelict construction building but the ‘mossies’ were too bad. They boast around here that they breed the biggest and most deadly mosquitoes in the whole wide world: they have been known to carry off small children! It was even bad erecting the tent, there was no escaping them.

Mezidian Junction

Awoke to rain, heavy at times, and overcast. Up at 6.45am and away by 8am. The ‘mossies’ and the damp were annoying. The approach to Bear Glacier was a complete surprise; appearing as a gigantic frozen river between high snow covered mountains, reaching down into the water by the roadside. Then it was a downhill ride to Stewart in heavy rain.

At the information centre I was introduced to Kathie, who let me stay at her home for lunch and a room for the night (“hooray! no tent tonight”). Frank and Anita are the son and daughter in the house. Lloyd a mine blaster also stays here.

In the afternoon it was off to Hyder (known as the “Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska”), more pictures and more RAIN! Back in Stewart I had time to dry out and clean up, write to my family, and a meal at the King Edward Motel.

The snow capped mountains are close enough to touch here in town and a lovely sunny evening, is making the glaciers real blue. These are the rewards of those slow, hard, lonely miles.

 

Stewart

At 7 o’clock packed away all my dried out gear and loaded it on my cleaned and oiled bicycle. Kathie woke and cooked breakfast, which gave me a chance to phone home. Left at 10am thankful it was dry, and the return to Mezidian Junction was again a spectacular sight. Reached the cafe and spoke to paving contractors who had been “Hyderised” Saturday night (some sort of intoxication I guess!)

At 3.30 I set out for the dreaded gravel road, but compared with some in Peru it was a dream. The rain yesterday had made it a bit messy, but was hard and level in places. So by 8pm I had covered over 50km in glorious sunshine, among snow topped mountains, forests, and rivers. Found a campsite and settled in for the evening.

70 Miles N.E. of Stewart

On my way by 8.15am a gravel road all morning, until 11am. The Bell gas station provided food and I stayed until 12.45. A lady gave me chocolate milk and I got news of Paul Claxton who went through two weeks earlier. Later I met a bike rider coming from Inuvik, he was a teacher from Washington D.C. I then made good progress through more spectacular country, took many pictures, riding till late in the evening, reaching Tatooga Lake Resort at 9.40pm where I knew there would be a meal. Joined Chuck a camper driving to Anchorage from Oregon. Didn’t get bedded down until 11.15, must have ridden 110 miles today.

Tatooga Lake Resort

Late up – 7.30. Found I could have a shower, that makes a change! Made my own breakfast, took coffee in the cafe and left at 9.20 on the Stewart/Cassiar Highway. During the morning made stops at Iskut grocery co-operative, (the proprietor boasted it was the largest Co-op in British Columbia). Then at the Robert Tyerman jade mine. Persuaded him to give me a small piece of jade for Helen. Had an early lunch at Forty Mile Flats cafe.

The climb away from the Stikine river was long and hard but impressive, a river gorge winding deep and long through forested hills. Once at the top it rained for the next 20 miles to Gnat Pass and across a wild open plateau, no shelter! Got soaked, cold and muddy, called at a rest area and was given coffee by a camper going to Jackson Wyoming.

On then to Dease Lake for a clean up and somewhere warm.

Got thrown off today descending on loose gravel down to the Stikine, a passing motorist (carrying bikes) stopped and offered food and drink, they were missionaries going from L.A. to Anchorage and gave me the New Testament: writing in it a personal message. Met a camper from yesterdays Bell station, seeking help as he has now broken down 30 miles north of here. He asked me to give him a look in as I pass tomorrow. I’ve created my own camp tonight on the lawn at the rear of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police premises – uninvited – no one around!

Dease Lake

Rose from my campsite and started riding at 8.15am on a paved road. It climbed for quite a way and was cold so I wore gloves. After 3 miles came across the camper who’d broken down with a trailer home. I gave them a knock only to find they were still in bed. I stayed for three hours, swapping yarns and lunching on minestrone soup and coffee laced with Scotch! What a character my host Ken Hunter was (he owned a gold mine), maybe I shall see him again, he’s making for Dawson City. “I wonder who’ll get there first?”

A couple of hours riding and I was at “Mighty Moes Place”, he was a Canadian trapper adapting his land as a campground. Yet another unique character! Quite a few campers staying here and I was invited to dinner by Jack and Kay and then to a supper/tea at Sids’ who was renting a log cabin. So I’ve been cared for all along the route today!. Wrote to Helen but was not able to post it (no stamps).