You are now entering the Yukon

               After leaving Ed and Leigh, the rain clouds finally parted and I continued on to my first Yukon campsite: Watson Lake. This small city in the Yukon hosts one of the most under-rated tourist icons in Canada: the Sign Post Forest. The forest was started in 1942 by a homesick American soldier, who planted a sign with mileage pointing towards his home. As others followed, the forest has grown to a current total of approximately 65,000 signs. I strolled through and managed to find a few from northwest Calgary, just to make sure. The small museum at the Watson Lake Visitor’s Centre located next to the forest is a great gateway to the Yukon’s flora and fauna. Despite the week of rain I couldn’t help but feel elated and excited; I had finally arrived in my first Canadian territory, the Yukon!

               During July, the side of the highway is littered with families of bison. Standing around 6 feet tall and weighing over 2000lbs, these nonchalant beasts can be considerably intimidating to a lone cyclist – especially when they’re relaxing in the limited shoulder (or even most of the right-hand lane). I’m certainly not going to ask a lumbering bison to please excuse me and make space for me to pass. Eventually I recognised that there was nothing to be done (for my prairie friends who have tried cow tipping, imagine a cow that is twice the size, and with horns [I realise I have a very small audience for this parenthesis]) and I resolved to relax and carry on, around the monolithic bovids. As they hardly acknowledged me, it was ok. The sense of true wilderness was only occasionally broken by the rare passing vehicle, often honking or cheering their support as I pushed on towards Whitehorse.

Jennifer's Spin to the Yukon

Jasper National Park

In the summer of 2010 I decided to try something I had never done before – or never even considered doing until weeks prior to my departure. I wanted to travel to the Yukon, so I decided the best way to get there would be to bike. I would leave straight from my front door in Calgary, and pedal the whole way with all of my camping supplies, and warmest clothes, strapped on to the bike. The idea was incredible: I would travel through National Parks, see some of Canada’s best known mega fauna, sleep outside, exercise daily, and reach one of the corners of this amazing country that I hadn’t yet visited.

Loaded touring bike

So the idea was all set. I had visualised it and made up my mind; I had to make this happen. Now, the biggest flaw in my plan was this: not only had I never cycled long distance, I’d never even cycled outside of the spin class I attend as cross-training for marathons. Every bike store in Calgary (ok, we don’t have that many) scoffed at this young chick who thought she could battle the remote northern wilderness with a bike, despite being completely clueless as to how to adjust a rear derailleur (still am).

I will use this blog to assist other cycling neophytes and pass on what I learned and experienced. So here’s a checklist of what the amateur needs to prepare for a trip like this:

1.      Take a bike mechanic’s course and master changing tires, care and troubleshooting for your bike, and common repairs. I did mine at University of Calgary
 Budget alternative: Check out youtube for bike repair videos.

2.      Probably do a bit of training. Getting used to spending your entire day in the saddle can be a little rough at first. I didn’t quite go nuts on the training, if your first few days are shorter distances you can train-as-you-go.

3.      Research online bike tour communities such as crazyguyonabike.com (or this blog) to get packing lists for your needs.

Now that I’ve packed all my new bike tools, have become a flat repair queen, and have had my last good sleep in my comfy bed, I’m ready to go!


My Route:

View Jen Spins to the Yukon in a larger map

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