I am currently sitting in the kitchen where Ance spent many a meal growing up in Liepāja, Latvia. Just prior to flying laterally halfway across the world, we had a whirlwind breakneck extravaganza of activity, which included a 360 mile (579 km) cycling trip from Haines to Skagway, Alaska, referred to as the “Golden Circle”. The route page has been updated, showing the route we took through Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, the Yukon, and back into Alaska.
For this trip, it wasn’t just the Kvasnikoffs. Joining us for our Alaskan / Canadian adventure were Ance Ausmene (a longtime Latvian friend and pretty much family member) and Mollie Barnes (spectacular Juneau friend / party animal and now Los Angeles superstar finishing up a Neuroscience Masters degree). I’ve included their mug shots so you can identify them throughout the entries below. Also, note, there are two Ances on this trip. To avoid confusing myself, I refer to Ance Ausmene (aka not my wife Ance) as simply Ausmene.
We peddled till our butt muscles protested and ate our fill at least thrice daily, usually including a healthy dousing of mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, and a dessert of Nutella on anything that seemed marginally appropriate – like a spoon, for instance. There were also tasty brews and cocktails throughout. We saw epic towering mountains, bears, and the most shimmering teal silvery looking lakes. It rained, it shined, and we climbed and coasted.
After crossing the United States by bicycle, I can say, for myself, that there is really is nothing quite like the scenery and beauty of Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon, Canada. Especially when compared to the sweltering urban heat of Florida in May, the green cool weather, remoteness, and ample amount of drinking water (nearly everywhere) makes this little slice of the world wild and extraordinary in a way that gives you goosebumps.
We hope everyone’s summer is filled with fun, warmth, and adventure.
– Latvian Alaskan Family
June 18th – Juneau to Mile 30, Haines Highway
35 miles. Late party + packing last night. Why Ance and I believe this is a good combination, I am starting to wonder. Since we’ve gotten back into Juneau (some three or so weeks ago) there has been a welcome back party, a 3 day bachelor party on a sail and river jet boat up Dundas bay/river, a trip to Haines for the brewfest (Ance), a wedding, a wedding party, and then a mad scramble to refresh and furnish our home in order to rent it out on Airbnb. There was some countertop sanding and re-sealing, the making of two custom wooden bed frames, the rehanging of a sliding barn door, as well as a repainting of all rooms and walls that happened in there somewhere. Oh, and both Ance and I crammed some ‘real’ work in to make some money in this capitalistic market. And now, with our house clean and fully furnished, we packed to leave. Again.
Collin and Chyanne, good Juneau friends of ours, offered up their Surly steeds to Ausmene and Mollie so they could ride along with us through the Golden Circle. Collin spent the evening replacing the lower bracket, chain rings, and cranks last night – something that would have probably taken me days, master mechanic that I am.
We woke at 5:04 AM (or I did, others were more sharp) with a plan to cycle to the ferry terminal (5 miles) with loaded bicycles. This seemed called for early yesterday. After packing, deliberating, and staying up until 1AM+ capping off the night with some whiskey cocktails, my chutzpah at 5 AM was lacking the chutz and the pah.
Juneau didn’t disappoint though. Everyone, surprisingly, snapped out of their sleepy comas fairly easily. Ophelia was only minorly annoyed. The look and noises she gives you when forcibly waking her are like some deranged hungry, angry, and confused carnivore. We packed up our gear, loaded the bikes and set off into the camera flash light of the morning. It was crisp, like a freezer open on a warm day. The brightness smelled rich of alder leaves and their sappy musk rolled on your finger tips.
Peddled up to the ferry terminal with plenty of time to spare. Picked up our tickets, ambled down the plank and onto the Colombia ferry like we had our shit together. Nathen (another Juneau friend/family member, Nene for short) was also heading into Haines for work. He opted to assist us by hauling our gear some 30 miles down the Haines Highway – he also camped with us by the Chilkat river. While on the ferry, we had a boat breakfast and Ophelia had no intention of taking a nap. I believe I nodded off for a full 45 seconds before I was awoken by requests for water and a poop break.
After arriving in Haines at 1 PM (about a 4 hour ride), we mounted up and rode off to Sockeye Cycles to grab some overlooked bike bits we needed. Thereafter, we set off proper from Haines. Even without bags we got beat up a bit. Butts tend not to instantly warm to their bicycle seat counterparts.
We cycled until 8 or 9 PM, meeting up with Nene at mile post 30. Had a night of good food and card playing. While playing, I got to the instant fall asleep stage and found my way to the sleeping bags before everyone else.
June 19th – Mile 30, Alaska to Kilometer 89, British Columbia, Canada
21 miles. Father’s Day. Woke to the sound of the Chilkat rambling along its silty wet streets of rock and stone. Slow morning, eat and pack. Filtered water from a nearby stream connecting up with the Chilkat. It probably has a name, but I don’t know it and it’s not on the map. The thought occurred to me that bodies of water, like humans, have names. But, often, the trickles of little creeks, streams, and waterfalls that form the body do not or are unknown. It makes me think that perhaps each cell of our bodies should be named. Like Steve or Julia, or something.
After banging out some easy-ish miles, we stopped at the 33 mile Road House for some cookies. Very important. We were also jonesing for some bug dope – which they didn’t have. Ance decided to announce to the customers that she needed bug spray and was willing to pay. A woman obliged, and we coughed up ten bucks for her trouble. As a side note, the rhubarb cookies are an ace, avoid the chocolate chip cookies. Our daughters ate the latter without complaint, but they have been on the road for almost a year now and cannot be trusted.
Pushed onto the Canadian border crossing. We declared our eggs, liquor, and tobacco products and set off for a 17 km push uphill. A huff and a heave at 3 mph. Augustine got a flat, patch failed, put in a new tube. It was around this time we discovered a slash in Mollie’s back tire tread. It wasn’t leaking air, but looked concerning. We depressurized her tire a bit (I don’t have a spare 700cc tire, we roll 26’ers) and decided to worry about it another day.
At around km 89, the female humans of our group found a small dirt road on the right side of the highway. It led to two flat areas overlooking the pass we’re ascending. Just a piece away, is a little fast moving stream. At 2700 ft, or so, there are patches of snow tucked in here and there, and the breeze has a chilly kiss to it.
Gathered the bikes and gear, setup camp. Ausmene and I went to filter water. We lost one water bottle to the fast moving drink. Found enough dry firewood for the evening, which we enjoyed over hot chocolate and hot toddies. Conversations swam late into the night. The alpine wind whipped coldly about and the coals of the fire burned low before sleep was called for. There was some poking fun at my consistent hankering for mayonnaise on all meals and stories that involved heartbreak and swearing like a drunken sailor.
Sleep overtook our sore Canadian butts.
June 20th – KM 89 to Bear Camp, Yukon, Canada
29 miles. Woke and filtered water. 6 people consume a lot of water. I took an icy creek rinse/bath that startled me awake. Upon returning to camp, breakfast was well underway when it began to rain. There was a hustle shuffle to get the tents down. Then we commenced with coffee and breakfast in our rain gear.
Loaded up and set off in a drizzly sort of way. The sun would peek out just as we were climbing a steep hill and then disappear as we dropped a chilly descent. The layering and de-layering of gear was pretty incessant throughout the morning and early afternoon. There were two false summits, in my recollection. This feeling that you’ve arrived, met by another hill around the corner. As we heaved into the Haines Highway summit at 1070 Meters (3,510 Ft) the rain was saying hello and the wind bucked. We setup the tarp attached to the summit sign to stave off the rain and I took a picture of Mollie Barns under it, looking thoroughly miserable. I was mainly interested in the lashing of the tarp, Mollie was just window dressing.
We lingered for lunch and an afternoon pick-me-up cocktail to warm our bitter spirits. We felt all the feelings, which seemed to be emanating from our sore butts mingled with the cold wet swaddling of our clothes. As we contemplated our lowly existence shoving food in our mouthes, the clouds lifted and the sun shone. Our clam skin dried and we asked “is that you god?” We set off from the summit brighter souls with our sunglasses on.
With lifted sun spirits, the ride after lunch was much more enjoyable. It was mostly downhill, where we stopped at a meadowy clearing near the Parton River. We made dinner and watched the sun dip behind Barrier Peak, where the temperature began to precipitously drop. A retreat to the tents was called for. Warm bags were found and sleep quickly ensued.
June 21st – Bear Camp to Dezadeash Lake Camp
40 miles. The gray and the chill of the wind continued. Woke in our meadow, brewed some coffee, made and ate breakfast, packed our mountain of gear, and made off. Crossed into the Yukon today from British Columbia. The welcome to Yukon sign is somehow more impressive than the British Colombia sign. We stopped for the Yukon, but not the BC one.The thought occurred to me that lines of geography are very much like invisible friends. Kids make them, and no one seems to see them, but the parents all concede that they exist.
Paced through the miles. I don’t recall lunch. Towards the end of the day, a big hefty brown bear sat in the grass on the side of the road as we peddled past. Not sure what she was thinking, but I hope it wasn’t snack time. I recall also feeling pretty crappy a few miles before Dezadeash. I crammed down two granola bars in 45 seconds or so. Tried to bury my feelings and tender ass with calories. Augustine was in a better mood than I was.
We arrived at our first actual campground during this trip. The female humans dropped down to the lake shore for a bath while I clumsily tried to set up camp. Ausmene, apparently buck naked, was greeted by some Swedish tourists in a canoe. Canadian campgrounds supply free firewood, so we got a smokey fire going, which drove back the mosquitos a bit. They are thick, hungry, and supremely annoying. Ophelia has approximately 47 bites at this point.
After I took a chilly dip wash, we ate dinner around the campfire and fled from the blood sucking bastards.
June 22nd – Dezadeash to Haines Junction
33 miles. Steep uppy out of the campground and then a slow half or mile or so hill to begin the morning. Again, don’t remember lunch. There was a steady and fast downhill into Haines Junction that began with a good down pouring of rain. Upon getting down the hill, the drops abated and we pulled into the 1016 mile pub for some soggy beers and snacks.
Opted for a hotel room with showers and a place to wash our clothes. My feet smell something special. After the wind and rain of the day, everyone’s faces are flushed with a rue of wind burned strawberry shortcake.
June 23rd – Haines Junction to 60 48’58.9”N 136 46’12.3”
30 miles. Summer solstice. Woke in a bed. Hot. Ance and Ausmene bounced into the local grocery store and gas stations to replenish food supplies as well as bug crime fighting paraphernalia. The Yukon Government Liquor Corporation opened at 10 AM, which is when I took the opportunity to replenish our adult platypuses.
We piled all our gear on our steel horses. Instead of camp grub, we headed over to the Village Bakery for breakfast. The kids got some croissant and english muffin sandwiches, while Ance and I split a burrito. The coffee was fantastic. Mollie got some fancy thing in a little mug with foam. Ausmene got something that looked tasty. It felt like vacation.
Rolling hills out of Haines Junction, some flat spots, and then some more slow-ish hills. A bowel that seems to cradle Haines Junction is rimmed with these green a white zebra striped mountains. With the wind in the birch and black cotton trees fluttering their green and silvery leaves, it feels like a hallucinogenic dream.
We pulled off onto a dirt road near sprigs of colorful blooming flowers. The female humans gathered wild flowers to make crowns – as your regular, run-of-the-mill, Latvian crew would do. Somewhere around this point, Mollie revealed the fact that her butt was quite literally covered in mosquito bumps. There are documented pictures of the 20+ bites and Ance applying anti-itch cream to her dairyer. To cover her ass, these photos have not been shared here.
The very latter part of the day consisted of rambling along a gravel section of the road, mostly slowly uphill. The combination of our rigid Surelys and heavy set of gear made it rather unpleasant. We spotted a small dirt road on the left and pushed our bicycles up it to camp next to a mammoth sized Cat built and equipped to tear down the forest.
No one was feeling especially spry, and so, the Midsummer partying was postponed until tomorrow. A smaller black bear crossed the dirt road near us, so we opted to pile all the good smelling bags onto of the Cat forest thrasher.
June 24th – 60 48’58.9”N 136 46’12.3” to Ibex Valley
38 miles. The morning led quickly to the short dirt road drop back to the gravel section of highway. The rocks continued for some 6 or 7 miles. A couple miles in, Ausmene mentioned that she was having difficulty peddling – like the breaks were stuck or something. I jumped on her bike, and it was quite strange. After further inspection, it was discovered that the cog locking nut on the rear wheel had come loose. I put in a quick phone call to Collin back in Juneau (it’s his bicycle) to verify I could potentially mare and partially destroy the locking nut with a screw driver and vice grips to re-tighten it. He consented.
Luckily, however, an RV stopped to ask if we needed anything. “Actually, yes.” It turned out that Susan and Jay had the exact right size cog locking nut spindle socket (I have no idea what the tool is actually called). They supplied us with water as well and waved goodbye. They were like little fairy god parents whisking in to grant wishes and fixes to life’s problems.
After getting back onto pavement, we saw a small herd of muscly looking horses on the side of the road. Mollie collected dead butterflies throughout the day – a regular Darwin. We pulled off just near the highway for a breather and lunch calories after nearly two and a half hours of hoofing it.
We then pounded out another 18 or so miles to camp by a river. Everyone sore, tired, and a little delirious – we took a frigid river soak, made food, platypus cocktails, and a riverside dance party. Ausmene may have taken a bit too much cake in the end, but good times and laughter were had all around.
June 25th – Ibex Valley to Whitehorse
30 miles. There are no pictures of this day that we have – Ance’s phone died of natural low battery life complications and will be revived. I do recall that Ausmene may have been slightly hung over and that the last couple of miles into Whitehorse were pretty plugged with roaring traffic. There was also complaining of sore butts, but that has been normal on this trip.
Mollie scored us a backyard to camp in through Facebook. We met up briefly with Kent and Amara, family friends from Skagway, and made arrangements to camp together in Carcross. Put in at the Canadian superstore for some dinner supplies and made off in the evening to suburbia Whitehorse.
Made hand pressed hamburgers in the backyard and slipped into a meat coma.
June 26th – Whitehorse
0 miles. We had a rest day. Mollie has to finish up some master’s work for her neuroscience degree – amazingly she is finishing up this work while on a cycling trip, don’t ask me how, I can barely tie my shoes. We took the kids to the Whitehorse playground and splash park – Ausmene, Ance, and I played cards while they gleefully screamed about. After killing some 5 hours this way, we setoff to the Polarity Brewery, where we played a Harry Potter trivia game and consumed a mountain of french fries and a troll portion of freshly brewed beer – the girls opted for blueberry soda.
Meandered back to our backyard campsite, Mollie furiously at work, being smart and stuff. Dinner and then sleepy time.
June 27th – Whitehorse to South of Mt. Lorne
27 miles. Woke and set to work on breakfast, then turned to packing up and watering the lawn and garden as requested by our host. We then trucked into town and bought a variety of goods before heading out into the wild blue yonder – including a new water filter for our pump, the silty waters of a couple of rivers made filtering water a real pain. As I recollect, we didn’t really get out of Whitehorse until noon.
After a few miles out of town, a fairly steep but short hill to get onto the Alaska highway. We plugged along until Augustine got a flat, when we decided to take lunch as well on the side of the road. The weather is odd – hot with a cold breeze and thunderous clouds and rain mixed together like a hot chilly mess.
Pushed on toward a small lake we thought we could camp near. That was a no go – no pull offs and the lake was a good drop down from the road. Lugged on for another few miles and pulled off into a clearing with flat-ish ground not too far from the road. In the evening, had a surprise music and dance show by a local man from a first nation band out of Carcross – we think the name of the band is Dena Zagi.
June 28th – South of Mt. Lorne to Carcross
18 miles. Took a short day into Carcross. After doing the daily rituals, we rode for 9 miles and took a snacky break overlooking Emerald lake. Met some UK folks with a Canadian work visa. They have a year and are taking the time to explore Canada. Instead of starting in Haines or Skagway, they started in Whitehorse toward Skagway, where they will take the ferry to Haines and ride back to Whitehorse.
By the time we arrived in Carcross, the wind picked up and dark clouds loomed. Setup camp and retreated into the Montana Services cafe, where we enjoyed an assortment of fried food and coffee. By the time Kent and Amara showed up to camp with us from Skagway, the weather had improved. We setup their 10 person tent and gave the girls free range over the other tent. One black footed fox paid us a visit, checking out the trash situation. A night of card playing ensued while Amara, Augustine, and Ophelia were up to some antics in their tent. Mollie indicated that, at some point, Amara asked Augustine if she believed in God. Augustine replied, “I only believe in Goddesses.”
June 29th – Carcross to Southern tip of Tutshi Lake
30 miles. Slow pack up and then breakfast at the cafe. Mollie hitched a ride into Skagway with Kent and Amara – she needs to wrap up her Master’s capstone project. So, Ophelia, Augustine, Ausmene, Ance, and I mounted up for a three or so mile slow climb out of Carcross. After the climb and some rolling hills, the overlook over Tagish Lake is a sight to behold. With the recent rain and winds, sediment has churned up, and with the patchy clouds and intense sun beaming through, the water has this milky teal shimmer to it.
Then came lunch, then came two mile hill, then came huffing and puffing. While not extremely steep, it’s enough to make you grunt. It feels like the trough between your bike chain rollers are straining with all their steel might to cling to the spikes of the front chain ring. A speedy drop next to the northern end of Tutshi lake brings you through rollies with views of the lake to the east and mountainside waterfalls to the west.
By the time we made it to the rolling hills next to Tutshi Lake we were all beat. My buttocks felt straight out of the Forrest Gump movie. The last 5 miles, or so, were a mental fist fight. Stopped at a waterfall to replenish our water bottles, which lifted spirits a bit. Reached the southern tip of Tutshi Lake as the sun began its shift from blazing silver to shimmering honey. Setup camp in a large pull out. Ausmene and Ance are made of something special, they had the gumption to go for a chilly waterfall shower. I wallowed in my stink with Ophelia.
Ate like 300 pound royalty and then off to bed.
June 30th – Tutshi Lake to Skagway
35 miles. Woke to an epic tent door view of Tutshi Lake. Made a breakfast sandwich of an everything bagel, mayo, fried egg, cheese, onion, and tomato with a dribbling of Valentina’s hot sauce. These details are clear from a high quality photo that Ausmene and Ance took of the edible work of art.
Crammed all the gear back into bags and began a slow pace, low incline climb from our camp spot. Primarily up hill, we pounded out 18 to 19 miles before breaking for lunch near Summit Creek. The alpine here, coupled with the teal jewels for lakes is something akin to a beautiful foreign planet from a sci-fi movie. Another high quality food photo taken of the most bizarre wrap we’ve ever eaten. It consisted of a flour tortilla filled with cream cheese, pepperoni dogs, crushed potato chips, avocados, onions, and a drizzling of Valentine’s.
After lunch, one last climb before plummeting headfirst down a steep narrow corridor towards Skagway. Took a few photos of our summiting, put on our jackets and down we went. Every 10 mins, or so, we made 3 to 5 miles. It was awesome. Got through US border control with no issue and sailed the rest of the way into Skagway. Got to the Fielding’s home and quickly unloaded our truckload of gear into their yard. Made a celebratory run of town to the distillery and brewery. And that’s it. Another cycling tour draws to an end.