Day 20 - Whitehorse to Dawson. Mileage today - 339 miles. A total of 4,457 miles have been ridden since the start of the trip.

You know you're way up north when the source of internet communication is satellite.  The fellas are having some difficulty emailing photos.  The satellite internet is wicked fast for text but not for large files such as images.  The  photos are being emailed one at a time.  They have also reduced the resolution of each photograph to make sure that they are received after hitting "send."  The images will appear smaller than they have in past posts in order to maintain a higher quality.  Still, technology is amazing.

Security system and air conditioning - view from inside the room.

This is the entry door to David and Joe's motel room!  The air conditioner in the room did not work.  Maintenance wasn't able to fix the unit.  The temperature in their room was...well, hot.  It was so uncomfortable there was no way they were going to be able to get a decent night of sleep.  There were no more rooms in the inn.  So, those two decided to MacGyver themselves right into a better situation.

They took the shower curtain down, rod and all, and put it across the doorway.  This way they could leave the entry door to their room open yet still have a little privacy.  The hotel kindly provided David and Joe with a fan.  The guys added that to the right of the doorway to exhaust the heat out of their room and into the hallway.  The bottle of Crown Royal held the shower curtain in place on top of the fan.  For security they put the ironing board on the opposite side of the opening.  Here's their theory - in the event that someone wanted to "break in" they would make noise tripping over the ironing board thus, alerting the guys to a state of wakefulness.  The entire contraption did cool their room considerably and they had a decent night's sleep.

The sun was brightly shining as the group departed Whitehorse this morning.  They were headed straight North.

The scenery continues to be gently rolling.  The guys noted a smell of smoke in the air and could see a haze of smoke in the air.  News reports tell of 86 separate fires burning in the Yukon.  Some of these fires are being allowed to burn themselves out since they are located in the "wilderness".  Lightening strikes have been the culprits of these blazes.

The haze is smoke.

The guys ride into some low hanging smoke on the road.

Bugs!  They are getting worse.  Flying insects are everywhere and make a real nuisance of themselves at every stop and seat break.  Maybe that forest fire smoke will help keep the pests in check.

Moose Creek Lodge

Mike outside the Moose Creek Lodge

This little lodge was in the middle of nowhere!  There was only a table or two in the restaurant.  The owner came from Switzerland.  The fellas all agreed this was the best lunch they have had in quite a few days.  Possible even for the entire trip!  The remote location means baked goods are fresh and made from scratch.  The menu depends on what is fresh and available.

There are no rooms inside the lodge but there are small cabins available.
 These cabins have no bathrooms in them, those are located nearby.  Given all of the wildlife the guys have been seeing, wouldn't that make a nighttime trip to the loo interesting?

Stu tried to negotiate a lower rate for this toupee, I mean wolf hide.  His bartering skills were no match for the owner of the Moose Creek Loge.

The guys reached Dawson!  Every street in the city is still dirt.  Many of the old buildings in town are being restored.  Buildings still sport the facades of yesteryear.  Dawson was the epicenter of the Klondike Gold Rush.  Today the economy is supported by gold mining and tourism.  The climate here is subarctic.  In the winter time the city of Dawson is accessible by dogsled or snow machines.

While in Dawson City, the fellas took in the show at Diamond Tooth Gertie's.  She was a real gold rush dance hall queen.  The old building is also a non-profit (yeah, right) gambling hall.  The floor of the building hosts the gaming tables.  A U shaped balcony surrounds the perimeter of the hall giving a great view of the stage where the show features Diamond Tooth Gertie and her dance hall performers.  The hall is decorated in large black and white images of historical photos of prospectors and early inhabitants of Dawson City.

The guys have reported seeing many motorcyclists in the city of Dawson.  There are very few roads in the areas where they have been traveling.  Many towns have one way in, and one way out.  It has been common for them to see lots of bikes in the towns where they have been staying.

Stu's idea of touring around town.

David, Fred and Joe checking out the city of Dawson.

Tomorrow's quest is Fairbanks!