Day 17 - June 17
Today I began the trip toward home on the Alaska Highway. It had rained in Whitehorse yesterday and rain was threatening today.
My original plan was to take the Cassier-Stewart Highway on the way home. There had been substantial flooding all along the Cassier over the last two weeks. Prince Rupert was completely cut off from flooding on Hwy 16, which connects Prince Rupert to the Cassier. The Canada DOT website showed undetermined problems and delays on the first half of the Cassier, but I was still thinking about trying it. It is supposed to be a beautiful drive, but is in fairly poor shape with some stretches of gravel. I had to make a choice just before Watson Lake. With it pouring when I reached the intersection with the Cassier, I decided to return by way of Grande Prairie and Jasper - the same way I had traveled up. This revised route is quite a bit lest distance than the route I had originally planned, so I planned leisurely days. That would prove helpful during the next few days of rain and cold. My first trip through Watson Lake, I didn't notice the Sign Post Forest; I must have still been half asleep when I left. Today I had to wait about 30 minutes for a break in the rain to get some pictures.
Today was critter day. It must have been the rain because animals were out all over the place. I saw three black bears and was able to take pictures of one when it wasn't raining. I saw several deer, sheep and moose.
It was difficult to stop for many pictures a the rain was fairly constant. It never stormed, but the rain was dense and consistent. My plans were to make it to Fort Nelson, but it had rained most of the day and the temperature never got above 45 degrees. My riding gear kept me completely dry, but the hours of rain and cold were too much for me to continue past Toad River.
Total mileage today: 480.