07/27 Today was all about spending the green. Took the bike in for my new tires at 10am after asking to get a late checkout on my room until 12pm. Figured that would be plenty of time. It wasn’t. Monday is the only other bike mechanics day off and the owner, Phillipe, had a steady stream of people coming in. He didn’t even have time to install my tires so he let me use a bike stand and I switched them out in the street. I didn’t get out of there until 1pm so I hurried back to the motel and packed up. They were cool about me being there so late though.
The Continental TravelContact that’s been on the front since Florida is back on. On the rear wheel I have Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire. The other Schwalbe is my new spare. The spending money comment was because I mentioned some problems shifting to Philippe. That ended up costing a couple hundred dollars for a new XT rear cassette, chain and 2 front chain rings. That was on top of the 2 tires that cost $75 each. Brutal. On the plus side it shifts quite nicely and I like my new back tire.
The delay getting the bike fixed and the cost of it all made me want to just get out of Whitehorse. I’d stopped by the bakery and met the proprietor (he doesn’t like to be called the owner) and we talked very briefly. I felt bad because I could tell he was busy and even though he offered to let me stay in the room upstairs, I ended up just leaving. I didn’t visit the museums like I’d planned either. At 3pm or so I was back on the Alaska Highway. The 2 Mile Hill was a bust. I don’t even think it was a mile long. The grade was very easy too. The rest of the short day was riding in a very wide mountain valley. No real opportunities for pictures.
I’m going to call today the first official “Hot” day since I started this trip. In the tent right now it’s 94 F and that’s in the shade. The heat didn’t bother me (I’m from Florida after all) but the wind was getting very strong. I also don’t like riding past 4pm because then my stomach starts demanding food. Tomorrow is going to be an early day so I can beat the heat and wind. At least that’s the plan.
I stopped at the Wolf Ridge B&B and asked if I could toss my tent up here for the night. I offered to pay but Heidi (the owner) said no way. She gave me some water and pointed me over to the trees so this will be home for the night.
5 more days until Alaska.
Oh and I ate perogies for breakfast and they were so good. The place was called Dustin’s.
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