Blog of Klondike Cycle Works

Bike clubs, “race face” and other phenomenon

2008-06-10T22:00:00Z

There’s old school, and then there is “old school”. Found this in a pile of my ma’s old photos from her days growing up on the Ykon River. The Fort Selkirk Bike Club. She’s fourth from the right. Check out the rake on the forks!
Steel has been real for a looooong time.

Having a blog also allows the blogger (moi) to rant, so i will.
Whitehorse, has it really come to this? What is “this” you ask? Well, the surly attitude of most of the so called riders i seem to come across. What, is it to friggin hard to reply to someone saying hi. or waving? Good god! You’d think that some people want to make this place like Toronto (or maybe they do?)
Arriving at the top of the Magnuson Gully t’other day, i ran into a posse` of 20-30 somethings on DR rigs just starting to ride after their shuttle (WTF? Don’t get me started) to the top of said gully. Well, you’d think i was speaking in Russian by the way they reacted to my “hey guys”.
C’mon people, smile, be happy, say hi to your fellow riders. Its ok, this is not Toronto, or Van, or whatever big city you’re from. No one will think you’re lame for saying hi.
There, i’m better now.
You can bet that the folks in the above photo said hi to other riders out on the trail.
On another topic, according to sources, West Coast legend Hestler declared the SFD/Girlfriend/Juicy/Yukon River Trail loop to be one of his top ten rides ever. There. Its official, we have great trails.
And just because this is a frame building outfit, here’s one from the troops, freshly built up and out ripping the trails.

Now it just needs a custom fork to top it off.
There’s still fresh snow at the top of Grey, so get up there and ride in it so you can tell peeps that you rode in fresh snow in June.

Spring??

2008-05-06T18:42:00Z

Man, this cold windy business is getting pretty old. The Alcan, never the kind of hiway to make a roadies heart glad is never at its best with a 30KmH south wind at 4C.
However, the Yukon River Trail is good to go out the big bend, soooooooooo.
I’ve got to get out to Nigels and pick up my new rigid fork for the SS. The trails are calling....
Speaking of calling, our faithful Crash Test Dummy Josh sent us some more e-mail luv..

hey Paul
Bike is still amazing, everyone on tour loves it. All are amazed at how comfortable I look on it, especially the guys on cross bikes.
Attached a few photos for you, the quality is a bit low. I should have others in higher quality but these are able to be sent out considering the shat net service!
have a good week

Josh
J.P.M

That Josh.
Some photos from our man on the Veldt that most of us will never see in person.

And some good news on the dog front, a new Belgian puppy will be arriving on Wednesday to take up where Tua left out. Going to have to break the new one in on the whole jet boat thing.

To those of you wondering about what a jetboat has to do with bikes, well, there are certain areas of the Southern Yukon, accessible only by boat, with literally HUNDRED’S of miles of buff old horse-trails. These trails are pretty much diamonds in the rough, like the Chilcotin was 50 years ago.

And as soon as the ice is gone, its exploration time. I figure the bike for these trips is going to be a Pugsly type frame for the Surly Endomorph tires. Simple, relatively light and some degree of suspension, and the mega wide tires will be a boon for the sand and swamp that will inevitably be encountered.
Duncan, got that dummy axle built yet??
Cheers
Paul

A weekend of mixed activites

2008-05-04T16:55:00Z

Well, it was a tough past few days.

Had a great time out at Kusawa Lake celebrating Anna P’s b-day.

Friends, beer, big fire. Dave C was back from Germany and entertained us with stories of agro German cyclists running him off the bike paths of Bonn, and newbie Yukoner Justine was indoctrinated to the campfire scene in fine style. Welcome Justine!

Nothing like midnight in the spring.

Sadly, this weekend also marked the passing of Uber Hund Tua the Belgian Shepherd. She was twelve, and as all our friends know, she was quite a mutt. She had a more adventurous life than most people. Once, we had to carry her for 3 days in our packs after she sliced open her aft port leg. Michelle, being the paramedic perfomed in fine style, sewing her up with 14 stitches on the side of a mountain. 3 days later we managed to run into a float plane at Primrose lake, which was good, as her leg was beginning to get infected, even though we had her on antibiotic’s (just not enough apparently, FYI, give your dog the same amount you would take).

Anyhoo, had to have her put to sleep due to what we suspect was cancer. Many thanks to Alpine Vet for the great care, and to Jessica for making it easier.

Go hug your dog, they are gone far too soon.

Cheers

Paul

Finally!

2008-04-29T18:03:00Z

Its been a bit of a drawn out affair, but the KCW site is now up and rolling. Thankfully, its raining and snowing out, so i’m not tempted to be out on the road, and i can get this sucker done like dinner.

Drop by for a visit! The sign was a present from Michelle. When the guys come over for a beer, it gives me the cred i need. The “gurlz” just think we’re sad.

One of the frames KCW has built is for Josh Martyn from Ontario. Joshs needed a 29er frame and fork for his Tour of Africa epic. His blog is here. Also, check out the Tour of Africa site. Nothing planned for half a year or so?
Josh sent me the following e-mail, which made me feel pretty damned good i tell ya.

HI all
No idea on when my last update was, so I will give a brief summary of how things have been going......GREAT!
We are now in Maun Botswana for a rest day. It’s not much of a town but a great place to sit back and relax.
This afternoon I am heading for a flight over the Okavanga Delta, not overly certain as to what to expect but
it’s supposed to be quite the spectacle. We had 2 days off in Livingstone, Victoria falls, which was an amazing
thing to see. And I was fortunate enough to be able to fly over it in an open cockpit ultralite. The simple size
of the falls is incredible. To make that day at vic falls a little better a group of us went out for a bungee jump
on the bridge that gaps the gorge into Zimbabwe. I must say it was a feelign that I have never experienced and
would certainly do it again. It’s amazing how relaxing hanging upside down over a rushing river can be. Tomorrow
morning we are heading out for a five day ride to Windhoek in Namibia. If you would like I have some photos posted
on my blog along with a slightly more detailed summary of all the storied thus far, check it out if you wish
http://durhamregion.typepad.com/from_cairo_to_capetown/ .
Otherwise, I am starting to fatigue a little bit more each day but I guess hat could be expected after over 3
months of continous riding! My heart rate rarely gets above 130 bpm, which is kind of neat! and the bike has
been incredible!! I’ve never ridden something so comfortable, many thanks to Paul from Klondike Cycle Works for his
amazing work!! On a side note to that, there were two sectional riders, Kim and Mike, from Whitehorse who
had been hiking with Paul. Small world!!
Hope you are all doing well,
I will update again from windhoek

Josh