July 2010
© 2009-
We settled into the Arctic Caribou Inn and waited for our tardy bikes to arrive. When they showed up we rushed to assemble them in time to get a good night of sleep in our last real bed.
Frozen tundra, muddy roads, huge trucks and herds of caribou met us on the way out of Prudhoe Bay. We were also introduced to our new companions, swarms of mosquitos and the Trans Alaska Pipeline
We steadily gained elevation as we headed up the North Slope. The weather was mixed leading to some incredible clear views and dreary cloud filled skies.
A night spent at 3,000 feet got us in the mood to conquer the pass as soon as possible and head down into the boreal forest beyond.
We headed out of Fairbanks after resting for a few days. Our bikes were clean and our brakes tight. With a twinkle in our eye we rode through North Pole putting in our Christmas in July wishes.
We made a quick stop at Harding Lake and rode the next day to Delta Junction. Along the way we saw several moose and caught a glimpse of the Alaskan Range.
From Delta Junction we made it to the border in four days. Since then we’ve travelled 200 or so miles to Haines Junction, Yukon.
The St. Elias Mountains have risen up to the south we’ve been chased by rainstorms as we climb hill after hill. Yesterday ended on a high note as we started riding with a group of Alaskans heading to Oregon and had an awesome 10 mile downhill grade to reward us after a day of serious climbing.
Moving on from Haines with tons of goodies from The Village Bakery, we made great time to Whitehorse. After a few days there, which included a tour at the Yukon Brewing Company, we were rested up and ready to face the headwind.
The past five days we have pedaled over 50 miles a day into a strong headwind. The rolling hills have also been challenging as we gradually gained altitude to cross the continental divide. Now we are at the end of our time on the Alaska Highway and will head south on the Cassiar after a rest in Watson Lake.
