Four One-Cylinders going North on Hw. 99, sun is shining from the blue sky - finally we are on the road again.

Together with Tommy and Rosa (our friends from Denzlingen, Germany) we enjoy the hilly scenery which begins only a few miles behind Vancouver, Canada.

Snowcovered mountains, many green forest and lovely views on rivers and lakes.

Suddenly he is there - the first small blackbear, first wilde one we see. Close to the highway he stands, eating the fresh gras calmly.

Traffic and all the cameras directed to him doesn't interest him and so we get our first photos from a bear only some miles behind Vancouver.

As soon as possible we leave the paved road, finally enjoying off-road fun in the mountains!

Up to the pass gravel becomes bigger and deaper, somtimes sandy. After our long break during winter it's a great pleasure to dust over pists again.

Some meters below the summit ( 1333m ) we can't believe our eyes - Bernd and Conny the two German bicyclists we met at Daniel in Vancouver, take a break, sweating in the burning sun.

These poor couple rides the gravel road up to the top, sometimes they have to push the bikes, but they do it - respect!

Bumping a while through these fantastic scenery we reach the small village Gold Bridge cloose to beautiful Carpenter Lake in the afternoon.

Stocked up our food in a small grocery we go on at the shore of the lake a few miles and find a Recreation Area next to a wild river. The Rec.-Sites are for free and this one is very nice, so we stay. :-)

We are following the paved road, enjoying the Carpenter Lake on our right. Mountains around us let us take one picture after the other, we are wondering off this beautiful scenery.

Road becomes very smooth graveled sometimes, taking us through a wild creek. On one of the many mountains we see a mountain sheep climbing.

Back on Hw.99 landscape becomes dry and empty - under a burning sun we pass the Marble Canyon.

But soon we see many beautiful lakes and forest again - wherever we look.

Highway 97 is less beautiful, many miles without turns, lots of trees, mud and a lot of traffic.

Although we are much more slower than the cars and trucks they don' t pass. That is very unusual for us, because we still remember Russian traffic very well: nobody takes care of a slower vehicle.

We leave Highway 97 at '100-Mile-House', direction Canim Lake and look for a place to sleep near the lake. Unfortunately there are only private properties and one expensive Campground led by Germans (31,-CND one canpsite!).

The camp-sites are made for all these huge "rolling living-rooms" and that's why we can share one with Tommy an Rosa. One place has more than enough space for four motorbikes and two tents!

Showers are not included in the camping-fee. (1,50,- for only 5 min.!)

So we took a bath in the lake:-))

We decide to travel further on togetheter with Tommy and Rosa the small georgios forest roads. No one of us wants to go back to the boring Highway.

Early in the morning we start direction North. Soon there is no more pavement and we enjoy the dusty road upon hills in the forest.

We are lucky to watch a Moose and her baby crossing the road in front of us. We can even take a picture of both before they disappear in the forest.

In the evening we got a beautiful spot next to Quesnel-Lake, where we are completely for ourselves.

An whiteheaded eagle is circling over us like the king in the sky. But he doesn't want us to take a picture...

The recreation-site where we stay is well organized - a clean dry toilet, tables and a fire-pit.

Especially clean toilets is one thing we missed so often in Russia.

We like this rec.site so much, that we stay for one more day.

Sleeping long, taking more than one bath, writing diary, cleaning clothes and servicing our bikes.

Meanwhile Carsten tries to catch some fish - but they won't bite... Neither sausages nor cheese nor bread can make them getting on the hawk, but Carsten won't give up so fast. ;-D

Late night we take a refreshing shower and here he is again - the white head eagle! Flying over the lake he makes one turn after the other, using the warm air-streams he gets higher and higher untill he is only a small point in the endless sky.

With blue sky again, we start early. Tommy guides us on a small way we have chosen for our way to Barkerville by GPS.

Passing the small village 'Likely' and 'Keithly Creek' we take the turn into the mounains. First the gravel road is easy going - we are courios about what will come, because of on our map is bad gravel and 4WD signed.

Welcomed by four dogs and a friendly woman we reach a small house in the middle of the forest, asking for the best way to take.

The lady tells us about trucks made this road and come backk damaged and that it will take about four hours for 14 km...

Nevertheless we try it - and turn over after ten meters.

So we drive back again and take the dusty but good gravel road, direction 'Barkerville'.

Dusty we reach the historic town of gold diggers. 12,- CND we should pay for getting inside this town. So we leave again and build up our tents close to a small lake direction 'Bowron Lake'.

We both planned to go on direction 'Quesnel'. But we decide us to spent on more night with Tommy and Rosa.

A colorful sundown makes Carsten forget his, again not catched fish... :-D

The last common miles on gravel with Tommy and Rosa than we say Goodby warmly. Perhaps we meet again sometimes - would be nice!

On our way over the good gravel road we are stopped by a ranger. If we know what is there on this wet looking gravel, he like to know. He shows us a can containing a fluid which looks like oil. It's Calcium-Chlorid which holds down the dust for hours. But it sticks also on the bikes when it's fresh and he recommends us to stay right and don't drive through it.

The nice surfaced road from 'Bakerville' to 'Quesnel' makes fun. Beautiful scenery, turns and sunshine! :-D
'Quesnel' isn't very nice but the friendly ladies in the visitor info help us where they can. Internet for free, using the Fax also.

The major welcomes us and whishes a nice stay.

On Highway 97 again, the Cariboo Hw., we ride on to 'Prince George' where we check our mails for free in a library.

Next Highway is called "Yellowhead Highway". After only 45 km we leave it again for searching a place for our tent at Norman Lake.

We reach a small parking area, Country music is coming out of a truck, a young man packed with swimming stuff comes up from the lake. Immidiatly he turns off the music and offers us a cold Bud - nice guy! :-D

Tony and his wife spent the day here with their kids, it's a nice lake. And they have a lot of fruits and a big salad which they give us as a present.

After we got the foods with big eyes he wishes us a nice stay and drives away.

To our small campsite we can drive with the bikes and so we got anotheer beautiful place to stay. Including a rainbow in sunset and lots of biting flys and mosquitos!

Because of we have realy no experience with all the bears we have a light sleep and wake up from every noise we hear. It's splashing loudly from the lake - is it only a big fish?

Nevertheless we got some hours of sleep and start again next morning.

Only some water we wanna buy in the store close to the lake. An elderly nice man welcomes us. The owner of the store is away and we talk a while. He owns a BMW F650 and dreams from a trip we make since years.

Offering us water from his spring he says one sentence we'll remember for a long time: "Hey, you're living my dream!".

After a short part of gravel we stay on the Yellowhead Heighway for the whole day. This becomes more and more beautiful, landscape is getting hilly, it's a nice day on the road.

Some meters in front of 'Smithers' we turn off, heading to the 'Tyhee Lake Provincial-Park'.

After all the wild campgrounds we used for the last days we are not used to a developed one. But we are tired and a shower feels great after the last days. Also sleeping without having fear of beeing vistied by a bear is a nice thing. Therefore we pay 20,- CND the night. No mosquitos and hot showers including - we enjoy and went to bed late.

Sun wakes us again - our luck with this nice weather is fantastic! The visitor center in Smithers offers us free internet, fax and new maps again. These VCs are really good points to go to!

One of our maps shows a rec.-site not far away from the highway, somewhere on a small gravel road. There we wanna go to. So we follow the small sign showing the way from Kitwanga to Cedarvale. Whyever, we don't find the place, take a wrong turn and get to a dead end road. There we met farmer Owen.

He explains us that the searched rec.-site has been moved up in the mountains and is only reachable by feet. But it doesn't matter - the old one is close to the old highway and we can go there by motorcycle.

We take the chance and ask him what about the bears here.

Yeah, there are a lot of them, but all up in the mountains where the grass is green and fresh. In the valleys it's to hot for them.

Calmed we went to the rec.-site and after a few minutes through the forest we get to a beatiful place, looking directly on the nice mountains "The Seven Sisters" with their 2786 m huge peaks.

A fire-pit and some wood is there - and again lots of biting flys! Another beautiful place.

Driving the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, 37 we have one impressing view after the other. Naked peaks of the over 2000 m high raising mountains, still covered with snow. Deep-green meadows and dark-green forest further down. Between forest single muddy lakes, full of dead trees, raising to the sky like Totems.

Meadows full of flowers which we don't know. It's a lovely scenery we are driving through.

At Meziadin-Junction, where Stewart Hw. is split into 37 und 37a we ask for a place to camp. The campground in the Meziadin Lake Provincial Park we won't take.
The friendly woman working at the gas-station warns us. Camping in the forest is very dangerous at this time here in the mountains. To many bears with children!

Only some days ago a bicyclist disappeared. People found only the tent and his bike...

She recommends us to drive down to Steweart and camp for free and the Clemens Lake.

It's a unique landscape and only 60 km away.

So we do and are fascinated from what we see. Glaciers touching the twisting road, mountains scratching the sky and a beautiful valley where we drive through!

Somewhen in the afternoon we get to the crowded rec.-site, close to the small lake. Family-time and barbecue. Loud music, but nice people - we stay.

But the only ones who stay the night is a young couple out of Pennsylvenia. They are travelling through North-America with their car and we spent a nice time together. They have a dog - so we don't have to fear bears and can sleep safely :-D

Taking the "Tsunami Evacuation Route" we pass Stewart and without a real border we get to Hyder, Alaska. We wish that every border-crossing would be so easy...

Pavement ends, Hyder looks like Wild-West, we ride up dusty in the mountains.

Fantastic views and scenery at the beginning of the gravel road. About 20 km we drive on Alaska Terretory, than in Canada - without border. After 37 beautiful km we reach a view point above the huge Salmon Glacier. It looks impressing!

Majesticly the huge glacier flows down into the wide valley, winding down from the 2700 m high mountains. It is the 5th huge glacier of Canada, survived from the last ice age, 14.000 years old.

We take many photos, and video minutes before we bump down to Hyder again. Reentry to Canada is easy, the friendly old lady at the border wishes us a good trip.

We take the nice road back to the Cassiar-Hw. which should be unique, our travell-guide says. Here we are also accompanied by lovely scenery. Snow covered mountains, forest and lakes where ever we look. Canada as it is shown in so many books and films!

Stop! An eagle flys right above us, winding up in the air. Finally we get some pictures from this impressing bird.

After a few km two BMWs standing on the road, a Black Bear stands at the shoulder. We also take our cameras.

At the moment the both bikers ride on, mama bearr stands up. Her baby is still on the other side of the road. Some minutes of watching than the baby decides to cross the street. Lovely, but we take care and hold a distance to them.

Finally together again they run into the forest. They are pretty fast!

About 10 km further we see many people gathered next to the road, a road-worker shows the "Slow!" sign. Road works we don't see but lots of vegetables and fruits, laying next to the road. People collecting packed vegetables and strawberries as much as they can. So we do also. Packed with lots of them we ride on to the Kinaskan Lake Prov. Park.

Dease-Lake, ill MuZ

Sun is burning, it's hot and humit.

The road to Dease Lake is not as spectacular as it was the last days. But it's difficult to top the impressions of the glaciers.

Some km behind Dease-Lake we turn left to the nice c'ground "Water Edge". It looks cheap, beautiful view over the lake - so we stay.

Some sites next to us a lonely tent and some stuff on the table - if they've been eaten by a bear? ;-D

But soon two BMWs appear. Two BMWs? We know them! It's Ron and Bob which we met yesterday at a road work.

They are pretty nice guys and travelled a lot in North America. We spent a nice evening with them, changing travell stories.

Still it's not really dark as we say Goodby. Sunset is late night, about 11 pm, a red light at the horizont we see the whole night. It's like after a sunset in Europe - still enough light for biking! ;-D

Bob and Ron invite us to visit them when we come into the US and we get their adresses.

Unfortunately blue smoke is coming out of the exhaust of the MuZ and oil consume raises up since a few days. That's no good sign, we think it could be a broken ring of the piston. What to do with the ill MuZ?

After a call to the next Yamaha garage in Whitehoorse we decide to take the bike to Whitehorse on a truck. It's about 650 km and we won't risk a complete damaged engine.

Alex is of course not lucky about this.

But where to get a truck? The local moving firm wants 600,- CND for transport the bike. That's impudent and more than too much!

So we search for another way.

Soon everybody of the 256 citizens in the small village knows about our problem. Sheets of paper oon which we ask for help hanging in gas-stations and in Mama Z's Restaurant, we ask some truck drivers who are heading to Whitehorse if they can pick up the broken MuZ.

But all without success.

Chuck, the owner of the campground visits us often, together with his little dog Lazy. He is a nice guy, we enjoy his visits. As he hear about our problem he offers us to stay here for free untill we are able to leave. That's fantastic and we offer him to work a little bit - of course without payment. It's beautiful to view the lake but after a while it's like watching a painting and becomes boring.

Chuck agrees, he needs some help..

So we plant plenty of trees and help him cutting new firewood. Chuck owns a wheel-loader and a small Bob Cat. The small one is Alex allowed to drive. These Bob Cats are driven with levers, breaks it hasn't. This needs a while to learn it but Alex does it quickly and has a lot of fun on it!

Carsten drives the big wheel loader around with pleasure!

One evening Chuck brings good news to us. A woman goes to Whitehorse on Tuesday with her truck and will pick up the ill MuZ and Alex. That's great!

During we drive the excavators and do some work, two BMWs coming on the campground again.

But these ones have rukka® stickers on the boxes. Is it possible?! Tommy and Rosa made the way to us!

They read our email in Watson Lake and decided to accompany us. That's amazing and we welcome them warmly.

We got some smoked salmon from nice guys yesterday. That's the right time to enjoy a delicous dinner with our two friends!

Accompanied by Tommy and Rosa Carsten drives the long way up to Whitehhorse. Alex and her MuZ are driven the 650 km by the nice lady in her truck.

Fog makes the first km of gravel slippy, no view. Two times Moose appearing suddenly out of the fog.

But soon sun comes out, Alaska Highway is paved well, scenery is nice - it's a long but good ride.

In the afternoon we reach Yukon Yamaha in Whitehorse.

Alex is already waiting, MuZ in the garage and the mechanik informed. Tomorrow we should come back, than he will know where the problem is.

So we take a camp site on the campground Robert Service. Place is ok, wood and showers costs extra, but prices are fair.

We prepare another fine dinner - grilled steaks, cold beer and a tasty salat. After this tiring day it is a real pleasure! :-D
A beer, especially a cold one, is something special in Canada, because of alcoholic beverages are only sold in licensed liqour stores. We see it at the prices: 2,40 for one can of 0,3l!

Inspite of it is much more bright in the night than in Dease Lake we sleep well and soon after a hard day.

In July you have daylight for about 19h - that's the average!

Next day the engaged mechanic opend the engine and found the cause of the blue smoke. Piston-rings and cylinder are damaged because of dust passing the not well fitting air-filter.

The engine of the XT is used in many ATVs so the mechanic is able to replace needed parts easily. The air-filter is presssed down by a strong wire now, the carburator cleaned and during two days MuZ is working as new again!

We pay 1200,- CND for all this work but Alex is happy, Carsten and XL too. Nice that we are all together again! :-D The front tire is loosing air but this last problem is solved by Alex at the campground.

We use the time we have in Whithorse for uploading new pictures, writing emails and a thorough cleaning of our bikes.

The evenings we cook on the campfire and spent some nice days together with Tommy and Rosa. Its the last time we join them - next time should be in Germany in 2007. Was a nice time with you, take care, ride safe and see you 2007 in Baden!

The mechaniks told us a real bad story about two German bikers with MuZ motorcycles. They came from Alaska and planned to enter Canada at Beavers Creek. There they have been forbidden to ride their bikes in Canada because of these bikes are not sold and registred in Canada. They are fools these Canadian customers!

Since this story we knew that we won't got to Alaska and back to Canada again!

We will take the way South, following the Rockies until we will enter the USA.

But about this we will tell you in our next report. As usual on this screen.