We left the Valleyview at 6:15 a.m. and were greeted with a spectacular rainbow to our south.  The sun was up at 5 a.m. and didn't set until around 11 p.m.  By the time we are at the Arctic Circle, it will be daylight 24 hours.

Since we were heading Northwest, we left the storm behind us and didn't have any rain.  It was an invigorating 52 degrees as we hit the Goldhead Route.  In about an hour, we arrived in Grande Prairie as it warmed up to 60 degrees.  We stopped at the Honda dealership at 7:30 a.m. and the service department was very gracious to take two of us in for service.  Nice fast wireless connection here at the dealership while the group went across the street for breakfast.  For me, the news must go out first!

In about 40 miles, we will be on the Alaska Highway.  If memory serves me right, we will have the opportunity to drive on the original highway across a wooden covered bridge.  If so, you will see the picture later tongiht or tomorrow.   After the fact ... I took a video but no still pictures.  It was a 7 mile loop with about one mile of gravel ... a nice tuneup for the Dalton Highway!

Anyway, as we drove here, I was behind six bikers and a large deer ran across the road and boy, did some of the group react!  They ain't seen nothing yet ... wait until they come up to a buffalo herd on the highway!

More news later tonight if I find a wireless internet connection!

NORTH TO ALASKA WITH MORE ENTHUSIASM!  Lou Friedman (from Georgia) is learning some signs ... wow, happy, thank you, hungry.   He keeps telling me he is having a great time!  Jerry Brehany from Citra, Florida is finding out how David Stufflebeam (from Arkansas) felt last year ... his motorcycle seat's narrow and hard and he is feeling every bump on the road.  David had upgraded his seat on his Silver Wing for his 2nd trip and he loves it!  He has been posting his adventures on the SilverWing forum so we hope to see more of these great machines with us in 2009 and later years.

UPDATED at Ft. Nelson, BC .....

These guys are great to travel with. 

Here is Robb Drellich on his Valkyrie enjoying the Alaska Highway scenery

This is Dave Stufflebeam ... he said his new seat works terrific!

Ahhhh ... open road, fresh air, brisk invigorating temperatures (but with a pesky wind pushing us to one side

Arrived in Ft. Nelson, British Columbia about 7:30 p.m. Mountain time.  In the meanwhile, we found out why Deaf Canadian people sign MOSQUITO is the same as the sign we American Deaf use for DRILL.  We also found out why we should carry extra gas.  I am carrying around 11 gallons of extra gas.  One highway sign read CHECK FUEL  NEXT FUEL 100 KILOMETERS and the gas station was out of business.  We saw quite a few places with either no gas or just closed.  Last year, Darryl, Dave and I encountered a sign saying next fuel 210 kilometers and that place was closed!

I forgot to add ..  yesterday I videotaped some prairie dogs.

As indicated, we stopped in Grande Prairie for Jerry to have his bike looked at.  They told Jerry it was good he bought his bike in because it was very low in oil and would have seized up soon.

Jerry (above) adores gravel roads ... that is why we took the historic curved wooden Kiskatinaw River Bridge.  This 531 foot long original timber bridge is the only wooden bridge still in use today.

We drove 435 miles today in very pleasant 55-65 degree sunny weather on two-laned roads and saw three bears.

Our group has a long drive tomorrow so we will be on the road at 5 a.m.  If there is internet access, I will update tomorrow.