Edmonton, AB, CN to Fort Nelson, BC, CN – 631 miles
Left late – 8:44AM. Did the SPOT track “OK” correct but messed up the “track” mode. 
Gary and I leave together. The chances of us staying together is not good. His BMW is bone stock. No fuel cell, which means refilling every 150-175 miles. No CB communications, no GPS, no radar detector. And he stops to stretch his legs and have a smoke. Totally different riding styles! This doesn’t make for a good riding partnership.
The western horizon was dark and menacing! It looks like a wet day. Our route takes us west on 2 out of Edmonton directly towards the storm.
The last three days have been riding with skies like this!
But at 43N there is a big opening and we pass through to blue skies and cloud streets lined up across the horizon. After 200 miles, Gary has to gas. We shake hands and promise to see each other in Fairbanks.
I head through Grande Prairie, and on up to Dawson Creek, the start of the Alaskan Highway.
- Mile Zero City
Mile Marker 0
From Dawson Creek, the Alaska Highway is 97N through Fort St John to Fort Nelson.
Again the entire day is directly into a headwind. Ahead northwest, the clouds are black and almost touch the rolling hills. On both sides the sheets of rain are drenching the countryside. I end up riding the last 5 hours in rain.
I finally got to spend some quality time with a Royal Canadian Mounted Police man. The last 300 km (187 miles) to Fort Nelson, I have 2 gas stations selected. In the middle of all this rain, both are closed!!
I run out of gas 30 km from Fort Nelson. There is no mobile phone service. A half dozen folks stop but no gas! It’s still drizzling and after 20 minutes, I flag down a RCMP. He calls for a tow service. I have AAA. Then he invites me into the car and we chat for 30 minutes waiting for the tow service (with gas) to arrive.
Everyone thinks I got busted. When I get to Fort Nelson and stop at the first gas station, a couple of BMW riders come over and ask me about the traffic stop. Then a guy pulling a boat stops by saying he saw me getting a ticket. Everyone laughs when they find out the RCMP was being a good guy, not a ticket shuffler. The Sergeant was a young guy into quads and snowmobiles.
Two different guy’s call me Mr. Miyagi. One at the Mile 0 sign and another at the Fort Nelson gas station. Guess the “Karate Kid” was a big check-out in these parts.
It’s midnight and it’s still raining out!
Tomorrow, I’m planning to meet up with Jack Gustafson, Mr. LD Alaska.
All right Dean Glad to hear everthing is good. I remember my master telling me about riding in the great north he said something about gas stations and the gps and the mile post not to trust them that if you see gas and you have less then half a tank don’t pass it up because you never know if that gas stop on the gps or mile post will be open when you get there. Looks like a rainy day again today. be safe and don’t PASS ANY OPEN GAS STATIONS.
Wow, he is not running out of gas now… It’s 11:00 p.m. and still moving.
What is cool, is you click on his last spot, cut and paste the coordinates into google maps, and you can choose the street view on the highway – you can see what he is riding, plus or minus the weather…
go dean go i cann’t stay up any longer see your at the Alaskan border great job by the looks of the weather.com looked wet from here be safe out there I know it light all night but it dosn’t mean you have to ride all night.
Wow, 1000 mile day… I went to bed too but I’m older now and can check up when I awake again….
Hey, you crazy old man, keep it going you’re almost there!!!
Glad you’re in Alaska safe. Need fresh tires….let us know. We’ll send them to you if needed.
Stay safe and warm!!!