Flying North

Inuvik, in the North West Territories of Canada, is the most northerly place you can go in that country by road. In a straight line, it is 3456km to San Francisco, my final destination. It is actually closer (by over 1000km) to the North Pole. But I don’t think I can ride that way.

I had planned to travel across Canada to the East Coast, but the middle of Canada seemed very boring, unless you like corn fields a lot. Also, the East Coast is closer to the UK than it is to Vancouver on the west, and about the same price to get to.
My Lonely Planet guide to Canada said the Dempster Highway, leading south from Inuvik to the gold rush city of Dawson, was a popular route to cycle - so I did. Only I didn’t plan to stop in Dawson, a ride of only 700km, but to continue to ride into Alaska, and take the ferries down the coast, to Vancouver Island, ride back to Vancouver (which had been my home for ten months). And then, to cross into the USA and ride south to San Francisco. Simple.

With my bike in bits in a box, and way too much baggage, I checked in, and was soon flying up the coast of British Columbia to Whitehorse. Soon the ocean, islands and fjords were gone and we were right above the peaks and the great white glaciers of the Coast Mountain range.

The first problem started at Whitehorse airport, where I collected my bags and waited for my bike. And I waited a bit more. Soon I was waiting in an empty building, everyone else having left. I eventually found a lady in the Air North office, who started the hunt for my bike. Half an hour later no one had found it and I was told it was probably still in the plane and maybe I would have it tomorrow.

So, I picked up the bags I had and started the walk into the city, where 20,000 of the Yukons 30,000 people live. I was picked up a few minutes later by the Air North lady, who drove me right into Whitehorse, to the hostel where I beat another unfortunate traveller to the last bed by ten minutes or so. Later - at the hostel, the same women from the airport phoned me and I was glad to hear my bike was in Whitehorse.