Exploring the Old Alaska Highway - Off-Highway Ride from Whitehorse to Haines Junction

Summary:

• Ride the route of the original Alaska Highway between Whitehorse and Haines Junction
  
• 160km total distance, 90 km are off the modern day highway
• Can be a nice one or two-night trip (Friday evening, Saturday & Sunday)
  
• Mix of highway pavement, backroad pavement, gravel and some interesting abandoned paved sections in the forest.
• Day 2 is particularly nice with last 35 km from Canyon to Haines Junction completely off-road with some really nice gravel riding.    
  

The Idea:

I realized that much of the original route of the Alaska Highway between Whitehorse and Haines Junction still exists.  So we found and followed much of it on our bikes and were able to ride about 60%, or about 90 km of the 160 km between the two towns off of the modern day highway.  We ended up finding some pretty interest and nice gravel riding, a great way to make the trip.  Some of it is well known, such as "Old Alaska Highway" near Whitehorse, or the section through Champaign, but others are either pretty overgrown, or, nice gravel road such as the section of the route that follows the Kluane Wagon Road from Canyon into Haines Junction.

I'm not keen on camping, so I try to find accommodation along the way.  We left town Friday after work and stayed at Muktuk Adventures (lots of great accommodation options here, plus great breakfast!).  I couldn't find accommodation half way, so ended up leaving our trailer at a friend's place at Mendenhall, but post-pandemic it might be possible to camp/stay at Long Ago People's Place, which would be pretty cool.  I haven't talked to them yet, but it would be worth following up next year. 

Here is the 1946 airphoto and you can see how it weaves across to the west where Birch St is now, then back over to Centennial St north.

 

Route Overview:

You can do this route as an overnight, riding about 80 km each day.  But we did it as a 2 1/2 day trip (two night) leaving town Friday afternoon, then two full-day rides Saturday & Sunday.

 Download the route for Ride With GPS: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36322813

Day 0 - Whitehorse to Old Alaska Highway / Muktuk Adventures - km 1430 to 1442

From downtown, ride about 26 kilometers of the Alaska Highway, then about 4 km off the highway to stay overnight at Muktuk Adventure's cabins. 

1. 

   Centennial Rd. in Porter Creek is the old Alaska Highway route.
   

   We started following the old Alaska Highway from Porter Creek where Centennial Road follows the original route of the highway.
   
2. Cross to the west side of Alaska Highway at Super-A where Birch St follows the route of the original highway. 
3. Cross back to Centennial at Wann Road and follow it to MacDonald Road.  We stopped for dinner and a beer at Whiskey Jacks
4. A few kilometres on the highway past Crestview and there is a 1 km section of gravel road which is the old highway on the east side before Cousins Airstrip.  You can stay off the highway by continuing through the rest stop and follow the ATV trail on the east side to the intersection with the North Klondike Highway.
5. Cross the N. Klondike Highway to follow ATV trail on the east side of the highway, climb the hill to access a nice 3 km section of the old Highway, which is now Parent Lane.  
6. At km 1441 cross to the south side of the highway to find two short loops of the old highway and are now Echo Lake Road and Jackson Road.

 

Day 1 - Old Alaska Highway to Mendenhall / Champagne - km 1442 to 1496/~1508 +/-

The first full day starts with a nice ride on the paved Old Alaska Highway just outside Whitehorse, a few abandoned sections before Takhini Crossing, and then the longest on-highway stretch - about 28 on highway before you find the next abandoned segment near Stoney Creek.  The old section of highway through Champagne is about the half-way point of the trip, so find camping in this area:

1. Old Alaska Highway is a 6 km side road which makes for a nice morning ride to start the day.  Feels very rural.
   
   
2. Between here and Woodland Road (km 1453) are three short segments on both sides of the road that are quite overgrown, but ridable on a mountain or gravel bike with hearty tires.  
   

   

   Woodland Rd., last section of old highway for a while.
   

3. Woodland Road is the last section of old highway for a while, so it is worth riding.  A bit of a scramble back down to the highway at Takhini Crossing.  
4. After 28 km of mind-numbing road riding (stop to admire the cows and have lunch at the Takhini River to break up the monotony), you again find sections of old highway on the south side - a very short segment at Annie Ned Creek and then a longer section starting at km 1483 just before La Prairie ranch.  
5. At km 1484 you can follow the old highway on the north side where it crosses Stoney Creek.  The bridge is gone, so you'll have to go back to the modern highway to cross the creek, unless you are an obsessive person like me with a partner of infinite patience and insist on wading the creek and bushwacking back up to the old road route. 

   

   Crossing Stoney Cr., not remains of bridge on far bank.
   

6. At km 1488 you can find an old piece of road on the south side that leads to the Kusawa Lake road.  It  has been "scarified" so is pretty rough to ride, but you can see a bit of yellow line still on the broken up chip seal.   

   

   Remains of yellow centreline along abandoned section of old highway near Kusawa Lake Rd.
   

   
   You can detour down the Kusawa Rd for a couple of kilometres to reach the Mendenhall River crossing which is a good place to take a swim and cool off. 
   
7. After crossing the Kusawa Road, cross to the north side of the highway to find another <1km section of old road, better riding this time.

   

   Old asphalt at km ~ 1490, north side of the modern highway.
   

   
   
8. Now another 5 km on the highway before reaching the Mendenhall Subdivision access road which is another 1.5 km chunk of the old highway you can ride through.

We stayed the night at a friend's property at Mendenhall, so depending on where you camp adjust your day 1->2 break.

 

Day 2 - Mendenhall / Champagne to Haines Junction - km 1496/~1508 +/- to km 1578

 Day 2 is the better day with lots off-highway riding and some interesting discoveries.  The longest "on-highway" stretch is about 14 km from the west end of the Champagne road to just before Cracker Creek.  From Cracker Creek onward, the route get fabulous with fun abandoned paved sections to the fast gravel ride on the Kluane Wagon Road / Marshall Cr. road for the last 35 km of the route:

1. After the Mendenhall section, cross to the south side of the highway at km 1497 to avoid the big hill.  This takes you on a gravel trail through a really nice grassland that is worth the detour.  

   

   Trail through nice south-facing grasslands allow you to bypass the big hill after Mendenhall
   

   
   
2. About a kilometer and a half later, you can cross the the north side of the highway for a nice three km gravel section of the old highway (starts at km 1500)
3. After crossing the Mendenhall River you get to the old highway Champagne.  This is a leisurely 14 km paved road with very little traffic, and of course the highlight is the history-rich village of Champagne.  
4. 14 km more of dull highway riding - this will make you thankful for what comes next.
5. At km 1533 you finally get to leave the highway to access another old section of road on the north side, just before Cracker Cr.  It returns to the highway to cross the creek, then again departs on the north side for another kilometer of pleasant gravel and fast-rolling abandoned paved road - very fun! 

   

   Abandoned paved road west of Cracker Creek.
   

   
   
6. At km 1537 starts the really interesting paved but overgrown 8 km segment of road.  This is the highlight of the trip.  Zipping along fast through the forest and wildflowers on a paved abandoned road.  Felt like riding on those abandoned airfields you see, but it is covered in wildflowers!  You'll want a gravel bike or mountain bike because it can be a bit rough.  But this section between here an Canyon is defiantly a rare and unique find, well worth the ride. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
7.  You can get resupplied with sugary and salty treats at Otter Falls RV park (km 1546), then cross the Aishihik River on the heritage bridge, and from here on, it is off-highway gravel along the Kluane Wagon Road and Marshall Creek road!  Cross the old wood bridge, then it is a bit of sandy push up the hill. 

   

   A sandy push up the hill after crossing the Aishihik River.
   

8. Cross to the south side of the highway at the top of the hill for a really nice, smooth gravel through open forest - about 5 km.

   

   Kluane Wagon Road, west of Canyon - some pretty sweet gravel riding.
   

   
   
   
9. At km 1553 you'll cross the highway to continue on the Kluane Wagon Road north of the highway.  Again, another 5 km really nice gravel riding, this time through pretty aspen forests. 

   

   This mind-numbing road is what you get to bypass by following the old route!
   

   
   
   
10. You'll cross the highway again to the south side at km 1557 to access the Marshall Creek road, which is the last 20 km of the ride, leading you to Haines Junction.   Overall this last section is downhill and fast riding gravel road. You do need to ford Marshall Creek, but most of the year it isn't that bad. After that it is nice views of the Dezedeash River, some farms and then you are there, Haines Junction and historical mile 1016. 
    

    

    Fording Marshall Creek.  2021 was a record snowpack year, so the creek was in flood.

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    

    The End.
    

 

 

I have an album of more photos and videos from the trip (for inspiration purposes!) on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10159339060738936&type=3

 

Who I'm voting for in 2015 Municipal Election and Why

Historically I always felt voting was a "private" matter.  But this year, I've become more engaged in the Whitehorse municipal election, primary through the Whitehorse Urban Cycling Coalition (wucc.ca).  So I thought I'd share my thoughts on this election.

What I'm looking for primary is candidates that will work towards a sustainable future for Whitehorse.  Something we can afford and creates a high quality of life.  What we do know is that the automobile is a killing us financially, socially and of course, environmentally.  The car is a dead-end.  Yes, I own and operate not just one, but several automobiles.  And yes, we will never be "car-free." But what we need to do is work really hard to build a community where we can minimize the usage automobiles so we can afford the future we want.

We see that when we have people-oriented development, it is a much lovely town, as opposed to car-centric development.  I've traveled and explored communities that are moving away from the car, and they are so much richer places to be.  Unfortunately, in Whitehorse we've inherited a town that has been built for the car.  We need to deal with that sad reality.

The WUCC put together eight questions for the candidates and to date we've gotten an amazing 15 complete written responses from the 25 mayor and councilor candidates running  (you can see the questions and answers on the WUCC website).  If you look at the question, there is a lot more going on there than just "give us more bike lanes".  In fact, what I find is that the candidates responses are are pretty good proxy for how well they share my vision for a sustainable community.

So, based on this, my councilor picks will be (as of today):

• Helen GEISLER - quite cycle supportive and what I thought were some smart measured answers to some questions.
• Betty IRWIN  - She did not benefit from participating in cycling as part of her generation, but seems open minded and supportive of sustainable transportation and has practical experience with council. 
• Roslyn WOODCOCK - downtowner and totally supportive of sustainable transportation.
• Jocelyn CURTEANU - good positive commitment to cycling, but probably needs more information about the importance of good, contiguous cycle infrastructure to open doors for more of the community.  

 Yes, just 4 I guess.  The point was well made that you don't need to vote for all six positions.  If you don't know them (or are only voting based on name recognition), then don't vote for them!  Really, you are stealing votes from yourself for the candidates you DO want in.



Now, who NOT to vote for.  Well, based on the WUCC feedback, there are a few candidates who, in my mind, are clearly "yikes, not friends of bikes:

• George ARCAND
• Dan BOYD

And the zeros (candidates who did not respond to WUCC's queries in any form) are:

• Mike TRAVILL
• Garth BROWN

Remember, voting is sexy!

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Problem intersections in Whitehorse

The City of Whitehorse has recently embarked on a "Transportation Demand Management" study.  Which is basically a fancy way of saying "how do we get better at getting out of our 1-ton death machines and start enjoying our community more?"

As part of this, the City and their consultant solicited a list of "problem" locations which pose problems/barriers for cyclists.   When I looked at the list of issue points on the roadways, what I realized is there is a particular type of intersection in Whitehorse that is causing problems:  it is the triad type intersection that incorporates separated diverge/ merge lanes.  Examples of this include Lewes Blvd+Hospital Rd., 2nd+RSW, 4th+2nd, 2nd+Quartz and 2MileHill+Industrial. 

Right turn merge/diverge lanes that cause conflicts with cyclists.  Example shows 2nd and 4th Ave. intersection with red "X" showing conflict points for rapidly right-turning motorists.  Do we REALLY need these "express" lanes?

The problem with these intersections is rapidly right turning motorists, which cause a cycle/auto conflict.  Do we REALLY need merge/diverge express lanes at these locations in this town?  Let's be honest: No. 

We can all slow down and execute a normal right-hand turn with a slowed, shoulder/mirror check for a cyclist, then proceed with a normal right-hand turn as per almost all other intersections.  Will gridlock and traffic chaos erupt?  No.

What I realize is ultimately when these intersections get re-built, they should get rebuilt as normal T-intersections (multi-lanes okay) which will result in a safer environmental for all of us, including when we drive our cars. 

Why Whitehorse Needs to Allow Bicycles on Sidewalks (with conditions)

With the proposed Bicycle Bylaw re-write, I have been an advocate for allowing riding bicycles on sidewalks.

What? The horror, right! Bike terrorists knocking over little old ladies! No, that is not what I mean, but I do mean a bit of a shift in our 1960’s vintage thinking that Whitehorse residents are trapped in. (I know, we are a bit off the beaten path and get left a bit behind the times).

In fact, the reason we need to allow bicycles to be ridden, with limits, on sidewalks is actually so little old ladies CAN take up cycling as a viable transportation option.

Here’s what I mean, but first, the conditions:  

1. Use of a sidewalk for cycling should only be in a controlled, slow speed manner.
2. the cyclists yield to pedestrians,
3. give audible warning when overtaking pedestrians (must equipped with bell)
4. no riding bikes on Main Street sidewalks (that just makes sense for a pedestrian dominated environment). 

Allowing bicycles on sidewalks is a matter of equity and community inclusiveness. There are two reasons why we need to change our thinking and allow bicycles on sidewalks:

1. Reduce Barriers to Cycling: It opens up opportunities for people to start riding bikes and recognize that cycling, even year-round, is a viable transportation option for them. A majority of Whitehorse residents would likely use cycling as a primarily means of transportation, but are intimidated or concerned about riding on motorways. Whitehorse’s roads are designed for automobiles, and are hostile, intimidating places for cyclists--this is a barrier to cycling. Only the enthused and confident cyclists ride on the road, especially year-round.  However, if Whitehorse’s citizens were allowed to use the sidewalk, when not comfortable or feeling safe on the roadway, then this would act as a “gateway” to cycling and open up cycling to them. Over time as they become more confident and recognize cycling as a viable transportation option.  Then they would likely become more comfortable riding on the roadway. Plus, the roadway is much quicker, so any “commuter” cyclist, moving quickly, will graduate to the roadway. Allowing cycling on sidewalks reduces barriers to cycling for Whitehorse‘s citizens. 
2. Personal Transportation Equity and Accessibility. Not all people in our community have the skills and capacity to operate a bicycle in an automobile environment. This maybe a child, a senior or someone with mobility or other physical impairments. Many of these members of our community may not even have the privilege of operating an automobile. For these folks, it becomes a matter of transportation equality in allowing them a personal transportation option. By permitting riding of bicycles on sidewalks, it allows these members of the community to travel independently in a safer, low speed environment. Again, it just open up transportation independence to a broader cross-section of our community.

And Whitehorse has yet another compelling reason to allow cycling on sidewalks: WINTER. Winter is a reality for us; but it is not a barrier. During the winter, SNOW sometimes accumulates on the shoulders of the road. This forces cyclist to either operate unsafely in the debris, or move further left into the travel lane – which both endangers the cyclist and enrages privileged motorists. Ideally, the City would have super-duper snow clearing and all of the snow would be removed from the entire travel-way shortly after falling. However, our economic reality is we can’t afford to have unlimited snow removal (and I thing that would not be fiscally responsible anyway). I do believe snow clearing of bike routes should be improved, but I also recognize the financial and physical realities of the City. This is why we should give cyclists the ability to use the sidewalk when they do not feel safe or comfortable using a snow/debris obstructed (or icy) roadway.


So, now we agree that kids, seniors, people with disabilities and newbies should be able to operate bicycles on sidewalks as a matter of equity, personal independence, and safety. We also all agree that when the roadway is unsafe during our never-ending winter, that cyclist should be able to use the sidewalk to travel safely (and nobody wants to run-over a cyclist). Oh, and cyclists do need to access the sidewalk at traffic-light controlled intersections to activate the light because there are no bike-triggered loops in the roadways. So, at this point we have a whole bunch of really, really good reasons for bicycle operation, with conditions, on sidewalk. So, why don’t we just take the plunge and do the right thing.

Now, this is not a radical notion. In fact, many, many cities allow use of bicycles on sidewalks. Reportedly this is quite common in European cities. The example I am well familiar with is Portland, Oregon. There, they allow bicycles on sidewalks outside of their urban downtown, and it works very well. In fact, operating bikes on sidewalks is permitted in under the State of Oregon’s Motor Vehicle Act. If we want to incorporate the legal language into our Bicycle Bylaw, here is what they have in Oregon:

Unsafe operation of bicycle on sidewalk; penalty.

(1) A person commits the offense of unsafe operation of a bicycle on a sidewalk if the person does any of the following:

(a) Operates the bicycle so as to suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and move into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
(b) Operates a bicycle upon a sidewalk and does not give an audible warning before overtaking and passing a pedestrian and does not yield the right of way to all pedestrians on the sidewalk.
(c) Operates a bicycle on a sidewalk in a careless manner that endangers or would be likely to endanger any person or property.
(d) Operates the bicycle at a speed greater than an ordinary walk when approaching or entering a crosswalk, approaching or crossing a driveway or crossing a curb cut or pedestrian ramp and a motor vehicle is approaching the crosswalk, driveway, curb cut or pedestrian ramp. This paragraph does not require reduced speeds for bicycles at places on sidewalks or other pedestrian ways other than places where the path for pedestrians or bicycle traffic approaches or crosses that for motor vehicle traffic.
(e) Operates an electric assisted bicycle on a sidewalk.

(2) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, a bicyclist on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk has the same rights and duties as a pedestrian on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk.

That’s pretty easy eh? The key point is we need to change our head space. Recognize that bikes CAN be operated on sidewalks, but that they need to be done so in a manner compatible with pedestrians. This does work. Whitehorse residents are not too stupid to figure this out. We are smart enough, we just need to make the paradigm shift and move beyond of the “happy motoring” age.

Why Whitehorse Sucks Reason #8* - Sprawl

My brother recently moved to the far side of Riverdale.  I was biking over there the other night from my house downtown, and I was thinking "My god, this is a far.  Why did he have to move so far away?"

This got me thinking about the winters we lived down in Portland Oregon, and I didn't think it seemed that far to bike places.  So, I decided to do some checking.  Straight line distance from my place to the far side of Riverdale is 3.2 km.  Below is a 3.2 km radius circle from my house.  You an see how much of Whitehorse is encompassed.

By comparison, the second picture shows the same 3.2km radius circle centered on the house we rented in one of the nice old streetcar neighborhoods in Portland. I was shocked:  3.2 km took us full across the entire downtown core of Portland.  Not only does this circle encompass the downtown core, it includes many of the interesting trendy neighborhoods, several of the charming bungalow neighborhoods and even seven bridges over the river!  A majority of our tourism time in Portland was all contained in this 3.2 km circle. I can't believe how much of the community was in such a compact area - no wonder Portland is such a great bike town. And no wonder that Whitehorse sucks for biking--there are too many blank spaces and low-density sprawl. 

Now, I'm not complaining about the amount of awesome wild land in Whitehorse that I have direct access to in that 3.2km circle, but I definitely see we are wasting the space we are using.  I see we can have both.  If we made better use of the developed land (and the wastelands between), easily doubled up the density, then we would have a much more vibrant, interesting and livable community, and still have the real green space immediately accessible too.


* I haven't settled on the other nine reasons why Whitehorse sucks, but I'm sure I will eventually come up with them!  

Let's see Northern Lights again in Whitehorse - help stop light pollution

Let's reduce light pollution in Whitehorse and be able to see the stars and northern lights again.

But what can we do?

Well the City is doing a zoning bylaw update and so this is the time to get light pollution prevention measures (aka Dark-Sky provisions) put into the bylaw.  Lots of other cites and towns have done it, so we can too.  In fact, the International Dark Sky Association has even produced an example ordinance to help communities implement light pollution measures.

Why?   It is summed up nicely in the introduction of IDS' Lighting Code Handbook:

"All of us live underneath the sky, and all of us need quality outdoor lighting. Careless use of outdoor lighting damages the night time environment in many ways for everyone, often decreasing security and safety or even creating hazards through glare and distraction where none would exist without the lighting. But the loss of the naturally dark star-filled sky is a tragic consequence for the environment and the human soul, akin to the loss of our forested landscapes or even the loss of fresh air we breathe. The night sky has been a canvas of our hopes and inspirations since we have been aware enough to raise our eyes from the ground. But our children are more and more growing up never seeing the stars, robbed of this inspiration of the ages. 

It need not happen. 

Careful and considerate use of lighting at night, using light only when it is really needed, where it is needed, and as much as is needed and no more, would unblanketed the stars in all but the largest cities. Compared to typical outdoor lighting practices, such "quality lighting" on average puts less than half the light into the sky, in some cases even less than one-tenth as much. Imagine it, in Whitehorse, a city of 20,000 residents, effective lighting could bring back the endless skyways and northern light filled skies of a village of 2000. The universe above could return to our towns and homes, to inspire the coming generations as it inspired the creators of Orion the Hunter with the Golden Fleece of stars tightly in his grip. 

Quality lighting brings other substantial benefits as well. Lack of glare and excessive contrast brings improved visibility, especially to the aging eye. Elimination of wasted light saves money, energy and resources, which in turn reduces air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions caused by energy production and resource extraction. Good lighting returns a sense of balance to the night, and gives a quality appearance to our town when the sun goes down. 

But poor lighting practice is rampant. Careless and excessive use of lighting in our outdoor environments causes extensive damage to the aesthetics of the night, at the same time that is compromises safety and utility, the very uses for which it is usually installed. Bad lighting hurts everyone. It starts a cascade of negative consequences--beginning with the loss of our views of the heavens, continuing through falling levels of safety and utility, irritation of our neighbour and wildlife, disturbance of the rhythms of day and night that are vital to many natural systems, damage the aesthetic appearance of our communities, wasted monetary and natural resources used to produce wasted light, and increased air pollution and carbon dioxide levels from wasted fossil fuels. There is nothing good that comes from bad lighting. Quality lighting costs less than bad lighting, in the long term and even usually in the short term. Everyone wins when lighting is done right. "
 
And the City supports this initiative, as stated in Sustainability portion of the Official Community Plan, which says:

"13.1.3 The reduction of light pollution and energy usage of light fixtures shall be examined." 
 
So let's turn this planning idea into reality.  Participate in the current zoning re-write process and support implementation of light pollution prevention measures in the bylaw.  Also let City staff and councillors know that you support seeing the stars and northern lights in Whitehorse.  

If you, or someone you know, is particularly interested in this topic and want to form an ad-hoc advocacy group, then please contact me. 

Street Pickles

I love pickled carrots.

I figure I could eat a jar a week.  That means I need 52 jars, plus enough to give away for Christmas.

So I started a carrot farm in the boulevard.  The boulevard is that useless piece of grass between your property and the curb.  Technically, it is the City's land, but I still have to mow it.  So I built a raised carrot bed in that space last year, and then a second one this year.  All I grow in there is carrots, easy peasy.

This weekend I harvested and pickled my "new" bed - the bed is about 12' long x 4' wide and I got 47lbs of carrots out of it.  Of course, it is new dirt, which really helps.  We'll see what I get out of it next year.

 Here's the pickling setup this weekend.  All of this is from the one bed. Note the milk crate behind me that still needs to be cut up.

 I got 39 jars (about 25L) of pickled carrots out of this bed.  I should be good till New Years...

Street lights are making humanity stupid

I think street lights are making us stupid, unimaginative and uncreative.

Why?

Last weekend we went camping out at Tatuchun Lake, trying to squeeze our last camping weekends in before winter.  There was only one other couple there in the campground.  It was a totally clear night, and when looking up, I was awestruck and inspired by the amazing depth of stars.  That's just not something you see in town.  I was filled with a sense of wonder and desire to explore.

What I realized is that spirit of discovery and exploration is stimulated by dark nights and seeing a full sky of stars.  Without seeing the stars, I wonder how much of our (our being "humanity's") creativity and enthusiasm to learn, explore and discover is suppressed?

I've read that one of the most significant benefits of the space program in the '50s and '60s was the amount of creativity, science, engineering and learning that was stimulated in society.  Since the space program has waned, we've had a real drop off in research and young people entering science and engineering.  How exactly are all these M.B.As, buisness majors and IT, dot.com financiers going to advance society in REAL terms?  Not much I'm afraid.  The stimulation of science and research in society was a major argument for a Mars mission in Robert Zubrin's book "The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must".  
 
Kind of sad that we no longer want to explore.  I wonder how much more inspired to learn and discover we and our children would be if we could routinely see the wonder and inspiration of sky full of stars.  Are street lights and their light pollution robbing us of this gift?

Shallow Bay to Deep Creek Adventure Run

I enjoyed the run/trek part of the small adventure races I've run, but then the rest of those races (bike/paddle, etc.) was always a slog.  I convinced Brent to do our own Adventure Run, without all of the other "stuff".  So today we had a totally awesome run from our friends' place near Shallow Bay (s. end of Lake Laberge), over the grassy hills and ridges west of Jackfish Bay, to finish near Deep Creek.  Totally good route, lots of great open hill sides to run on, great weather.

Here's our silly pictures from the run,



and then route we took (be patient, the map takes a little while to load).  Click on the map to add the satellite view, then you can see all the nice grassy hills.




Ok, and extra geeky, the 3d flythrough:

Eco-Beer

No fossil fuels were harmed in the drinking of this beer (well almost no fossil fuels):

Heard of the "100-Mile Diet"?  Well this is my "100-Mile Drinking Diet" - that is drinking products only made within a 100 miles.  Here in Whitehorse, this pretty much limits us to Yukon Brewing Company products.  I just re-discovered my growlers, and so I refilled them on my way home from work today.  Fossil-Fuel-Free elements of tonight's refreshment include:

• locally produced beer, using local, sustainably produced City of Whitehorse drinking water,
• powered by renewable hydroelectricity for the Whitehorse dam,
• decanted directly into my growler bottle at the brewery (no transportation, other than rolling the keg over to the taps)
• using a re-usable glass bottle,
• and conveyed back home in my Xtracycle!

I'm sure the grain and other ingredients are from outside, but really that is a small proportion of the total embodied energy to this tasty beverage.  

Xtracycle Adventure on Westside Express Service

We did a nice ride today through the Fanno Creek greenway from Beaverton to Tualtin, OR with our sweet new xtracycles.










Took the MAX light rail from downtown Portland over to Beaverton. Technically, the Xtracycles are too "big" for MAX, but we went off-rush hour and had no problems. One thing we figured out was take a bungee cord and strap the front wheel to the post behind the bike rack. This combined with the Xtracycle kickstand makes the bike stand-up very stable in the train.










The fun part of the ride (for me) was to take the WES diesel commuter train back to Beaverton. We again went counter-flow for the commuters so we had space.


Of course, we forgot to bring the camera today, but the bikes again fit really well. The WES has a set of straps and you can strap two bikes in at the handicap space. In this picture below (stolen from Tri-met) you can see how it works, but on the train we went on, there were not the two seat there, so there was lots of space for the Xtracycles, and they strapped in really well.



The WES is very comfortable and nice way to end a bike ride - and even has a nice friendly conductor - not something you see on most transit.

First Run in Portland

We just arrived in Portland, Oregon yesterday. Ferry trip down was great, no bad weather. Had a good run in Sitka. Here in Portland, no rain and a very plesent 12oC.

Went for a hard training run today in the neighborhood, and did a cool "Map My Run" thing with the GPS watch:




Ah, such a geek.

Steam Powered Backpack

For this year's Halloween costumes, we decided to go as "Steampunk".


Always up for a challenge, I figured I could actually make "steam" as part of my costume.


So, below is a few pics of my steam powered backpack. You can see all of our Steampunk costume pics here.






Here's a few pictures of the the steam backpack under construction - and yes, it made "steam". There is a cheap Canadian Tire fog machine in the upper part of the backpack, a large inverter bolted to the top, and then a battery booster pack in the bottom half of the backpack (the black "boiler/fuel tank" part of the back). And yes, it is heavy - but its oh so cool to have a steaming Halloween costume.

Special thanks to my bros for all the goggles and other paraphernalia.

Transition Town Whitehorse?

I spent this all this weekend with 30 to 40 other Whitehorse (or near-Whitehorse) residents in a workshop called "Training for Transition". As I've been interested in community resilience (e.g. preparing ourselves for the Post-Carbon Age), I was really excited that others in Whitehorse were thinking the same thing and that an event such as this would come to Whitehorse.

The purpose of the workshop was to introduce a community engagement model for responding to the threats of climate change, fossil fuel dependence (Peak-Oil) and economic instability and inequity. Below is a quick, 3min video overview of the basis / rationale for the Transition initiative.



The Training for Transition workshop was put on by the Canadian Center for Community Renewal and Transition Victoria and hosted by the Northern Climate ExChange.

The thing about the Transition model that is attractive is that it bridges the multiple elements of sustainability well. It isn't a single issue concept. Rather, it embraces all of the interrelationships of social, environmental and economic elements of a community and recognizes that all the parts are needed for local resilience.

The really cool things about the workshops were:

• how many people showed up, and stayed for two days: I didn't realize so many people cared and had a similar vision for our town; that was so encouraging.
  
• the variety of people there: even though there was a definite leaning towards the "green" and socially minded segment of Whitehorse, there was still quite a broad mix of people. I think I might have been one of the more "diverse" as I was the lone capitalist in the mix. (I'm not really sure I'm a capitalist, but I do have a keen interest in economic sustainability. I think the economic part is too often overlooked in the Green Rush, and that we can't have the other two without having our financial house in order.)
• No one was there represented an organization: it seemed that everyone there was simply as a community member. That's great grass-roots and makes it way easier for us to connect as individual people and neighbors.

What was so encouraging was that even though there were a wide variety of individual interests and views, there seems to be common vision for building our community so that it weathers the storm. I think that is a healthy way for us to realize "We are all in this together" (as Red Green would say). We need to help each other with a common vision and help build bridges over the polarization in the Yukon.

A big thanks to Stephanie and Wendy for making this happen. Getting a transition initiative going here in Whitehorse is something I've pondered for a long time, but didn't know how to start. Or if anyone else was interested or cared. This has been a really encouraging start and I hope it can grow momentum here in our town.

There's a kick-off Transition Town meeting planned for next week. If you are interested to know more or to participate, you can contact me (I'm in the phone book).


P.S.

I found an even better (and shorter - 2min.) primer on Peak Oil and Transition Towns:

Mt. Biking with a 4-year old: Dangerous? Dumb? Maybe. Lots of Fun: Yes!

Now that the kid is getting a bit bigger, I thought it might be fun to try mountain biking. Since we got the Xtracycle for carting the kid around on, I thought I could haul him on the trails.

So, on Friday Finn and I went to ride the Boogaloo trail. Georgi packed a small picnic lunch for Finn and we headed out.

From Misc 2010

Even with the extra 42 pounds of kid and +10 pounds of the Xtracycle, the climb to the top of Boogaloo wasn't too bad. I thought I would have to walk at some point, but was able to climb all the way.

From Misc 2010

It went very well, only one crash - dropping over a log, I didn't appreciate the "low-clearance" created by the bike's long wheel base and the chain-ring drove into the log, bringing us to an abrupt stop - just a few bumps, it it didn't slow us down much.


We had a nice lunch overlooking town. Rest of the ride went well - I had to go pretty slow on the downhills because Finn got nervous. It's a fully hard bike (no suspension), so I was worried about how "rattled" he'd get - but I think the long wheel base helps smooth it out a bit.





Tonight when we went to the hospital (to see Finn's new cousin), Finn told us - "Hey, there's the bike trail we went on", remembering where we came back from the ride on - pretty good orientation for a little guy.

Anyway, mountain biking with 4-year old was a success - seems we had fun and no permanent injury!

Our Miniature House

Was sent a link to this picture today - our house looking like a miniature; too cool.

Week 2 in Stumptown

Still no sign of snow - but lots of sun! Apparently Portland has one of the highest rates of depression in the US - possibly attributed to the 222 overcast days per year - so I think we are getting pretty lucky since we've had a fair share of the nice days.


Did a couple of cool bike rides over the weekend sans Finn as we were relieved of him by Grandma Mac. Georgi and I did a ride on for historic Columbia River Highway - it is the 1920's vintage road through the Columbia River gorge and they have re-opened a 5 mile segment for bikes and walkers only. A perfectly smooth paved road with no cars - it even has a tunnel to bike through.




Watch this bike-video of the 1-mile downhill run at the end of the trail. (note the bobble at the end where I happen to notice a gate ahead coming up at the last minute!)


(Larger versions of these videos are here)

After the bike ride, went to Full Sail Brewing's tasting room in Hood River.

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Then the next day, we did the the "Worst Day of the Year Ride" - which is a 18-mile recreational ride through the streets of Portland. 3500 people on bikes, silly costumes, lots of donuts and three-snack stops en-route.



Even a cool syncopated drummer band at the start. (see video)

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After sending Grandma Mac back home, I went to the Portland Humpin' Hash House Harriers (Wednesday) - lets just say this hash was more about the beer than the running, and a much younger crowd. Not one, not two, but at least four beer checks enoute (there may have been 5 beer checks, but things were getting fuzzy). However, there was lots of good views along the run. The nice thing too is that the transit system is so good, I figured out how to get the hashes with bus +/- bike, so no driving restrictions!

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I also went and saw Redfern's hoverbarge - after working for two years on permitting this mythical beast I finally laid eyes on it. It is pretty much finished, just needed one engine cover put on and some of the skirting installed. Pretty sad really.

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Lastly, Finn and I went to an aerospace museum about an hour out of town - somewhere in farm country. Wow, I was amazed - it was such a cool, huge place, and we had it all to ourselves. Finn went nuts with all the levers, buttons, dials and even mini-helicopters to play in. Also, I took Finn to his first movie - but it was a 3D IMAX, so I suppose he will disappointed forevermore with the theater in Whitehorse.

Escaping Winter - Bikes, beers & boobs in Beervana

Yes, another week with no sign of snow! Even had a few days of sun - seems the stories of never-ending rain here in Portland were unfounded.

Picked up some "cruiser bikes" (aka dork bikes with big-ass saddles) and have spent a couple of days checking out town. There are tons of cool bike features in town, making it pretty fun to roam around on bikes: you can roll your bikes on to the trains and there are bike hangers on the trains, cross-town bike routes on side streets are marked with bike symbols on the pavement, bike lanes everywhere, including some bike & bus exclusive roads, and the coolest thing is the bike signals at intersections - roll your bike over the bike-symbol painted at the stop line, and the light changes, sometimes with bike-only symbols! I'll have to post a picture of that.

On one of our first rides we rode up a volcano located within one of the city parks (how many cities have volcanoes? how cool is that!)


Then the next day, I ended up running up that f#$#$G volcano 2 or 3 more times on the hash house harriers run. There are 3-4 hashes a week here, so I'm sure that I will get in great shape (running or drinking, you decide). 30 odd folks on the hash, clear night, two beer checks and a keg at a partially finished house at the end. Return home by bike and train, so beverage enjoyment was not limited...



My 100-mile drinking diet is going very well. There are reportedly 30 breweries in Portland, and one of them is less than 5-min walk from here. (steam in photo is emanating from brewery just below our house - note bike lane and yet crazy double-decker interstate bridge in background)

Also, beer is very cheap, and both local beer and local wine are sold in very civilized fashion at the Safeway.






Did a cool "trail" hike one day called the
"4T" trail - for Train, Trail, Tram and Trolley - it is a loop where you do all four, including the highest point in the city. The train section included one of the deepest transit stations in North America - some 200+ feet deep! I was excited because it was the first time I've ever seen my professional organization's logo in public - there was a plaque in the station from the Association of Engineering Geologists - hee ha!







Finn's Grandma also arrived this week from Ontario. So, they've been busy doing serious tasks like "paper-bag-pants" and "junk-food-eating", Georgi and I have been able to go out for some hot dates....Avatar 3D one night, and a burlesque show the other night!

Oh, ya, and did I mention, not only no snow, but the cherry tree across the street is starting to flower.

MORE PICTURES HERE!