Day 4

SIGNPOST FOREST

MUNCHO LAKE

Got an earlier start today with the goal to hit the Liard Hot Springs, just a couple of hours away.  Doesn’t that sound great after 3 days of riding?  The drive was down a wide valley with sculpted mountains all around it.  Lots of sweeping curves a motorcyclists dream.  We came across some goats lying in the middle of the road, not particularly afraid of the traffic.  More sweeping curves into the Muncho Lake region.  Very spectacular lake with a curving road that ran the length of the lake at lake level.  It lasted for several miles. We pulled into the hot springs and a nice park attendant let us park up front and she watched the bikes while we took a soak.  You walk about 1/3 of a mile on a wooden plank sidewalk to get to the springs.  It is a very popular place.  The upper pool was closed due to a bear sighting.  The lower pool was already around 105 so we weren’t missing much there.  They had built nice cement benches in the water so you could easily relax.  It felt great!!!   Ran into the same 7 people riding group on their way to Haines and a nice man that was at our campsite the previous evening.  We chatted a bit and then headed across the road to the Liard Springs Lodge for lunch.  Lodge is really what we call a motel in the states, just built out of logs.  Nothing extraordinary.  But the lunch was great, best Onion Rings I have had since Sam’s in Tiburon.  Headed down the road to Watson Lake and are keeping our fingers crossed that the fire doesn’t impede our route.  Gas is getting really expensive the more remote you are and often they don’t have High Test.  We learn to fill up at major areas no matter how much gas the KTM has left.  We finally came across a herd of probably 30 – 40 bison on the side of the road.  Quite funny looking creatures.  Weighted so heavily on front end that they look like they could topple over at the slightest push.  We really expected thick smoke by the time we got to Watson Lake, but the incoming storm brought a nice wind that seemed to blow out most of the smoke.  Watson Lake itself is a very dismal town with a very odd attraction.  The Signpost Forest.  They have created a maze of poles that are covered in signposts from all over the world.  Something like over 67,000 were posted and I saw a man with a hammer so make that one more…  Rain is coming and we need to make a decision for camping, town it out, yuck.  So we head west with our eyes on a campground 35 miles away.  Just outside of town we find a state park that is right on Lake Watson.  It’s a go.  Again, fire ring, picnic table Not as nice as the other sites but very private.  We broke Kurt’s rule and at my insistence put up the tent in the rain.  Good call we needed to get the gear out of the wet.  Not as much fun camping when it is raining.  Tomorrow night is a hotel and am actually looking forward to it!  Apparently they are now allowing Pilot Cars on the Cassiar highway which has been closed for several days.  We know of two bikes that are trying to catch the car at 9:00am and join the caravan.  We luckily are headed west.