A cyclist`s perspective on the 2013 North American Epic

Okay it’s a rest day but I have compiled a few facts for your entertainment! We are in Whitehorse, the Capital City of the Yukon Territory of Canada.

NAE 2013 - Stage 09 - Michael working hard to try to leave Natalie behind - by Nina I reckon that the whole of Great Britain would fit into the Yukon at least 2.5 times, just by looking on a map – I’m sure someone out there has actually measured the sq kilometres or whatever, but let’s just use my guess. Whitehorse has a population of 27,071 (according to the Whitehorse guide of 2013), and the Yukon has a total population of 35,503!! That means that in the whole of the Yukon outside Whitehorse just under another 8,500 people live, amazing! Our home town of Congleton is around the same population as Whitehorse, yet in what is left of the British Isles another 60,000,000 , or so, people live and we still have vast areas of open space. The Yukon is not the largest of Canada’s Territories but I do not have the figures for them, they may be even more bizarre. As I said in a recent posting we are in a BIG COUNTRY!!!!

NAE 2013 - Stage 06 - HAiley (medic) watches Ilkka recharge his batteries at lunch for another good 50 km of riding - by Nina While we are on facts and figures, here are a few at the end of Section 1 of this trip. I calculate that we have travelled around 1,150K (718 miles), climbed around 8,800 metres and consumed something like 43,000 calories. Not too bad for 10 days riding, and 5 more of the remaining sections have expected distances in excess of Section 1. I have given up controlling my food intake and maybe I am putting on a bit of weight but I am as sure as anything burning most of my calorific intake off.

NAE 2013 - Stage 08 - Lunch Spot - by Nina Today we spent looking around Whitehorse under clear blue skies and in very warm weather. It is a pleasant little place and easy enough to find your way around. We visited an old Paddle Steamer that use to travel up and down the Yukon river which Whitehorse lies on. We also visited the 2 bike shops in town and got some spares, as well as visiting some of the eating establishments and tourist type shops where I bought my first T shirt of the trip.

NAE 2013 - Stage 09 - Rob stunned by the Alaska Highway in the Yukon - by Nina We also had to say goodbye to 3 of our fellow riders who were only doing this section. Ruth, Trina and Alex all flew home today. Ruth was originally from Somerset, so we have lost a fellow “Brit” and Alex was originally from Hungary which we both know well, so it was interesting to hear some of his stories from the past. I don’t want Trina to feel she is being left out but I think she was born and bred here in Canada, but she was as nice as the others so that’s what counts!!