Two Wheels. June 7- 13

Monday, June 7: Numbers are precise, yet lack soul. They lack the ability to convey feeling. For example 34.87 is a very precise distance. It is the distance we traveled from Galbraith Lake to milepost 235 where we are camping tonight. What 34.87 does not convey is the difficulty of pedaling into a strong headwind while trying to climb 25 miles uphill, in rain and tenacious mud that sticks fast between wheel and fender, rendering the wheel incapable of movement. 34.87 does not account for the last mile and a half to the top of Atigun Pass…a slope so steep that all three of us were forced to dismount and push (just barely) our loaded bikes to the top. That number also does not capture the sublime moments. It does not capture those brief moments when the sun came out and framed stunning snow capped peaks with the bluest of blue skies. In spite of the challenges – it was a good day to have lived.

Tuesday, June 8 (day 5) We thought we lost Marshall to the mud and mountains yesterday. He spent almost two hours cleaning the mud out of all his mechanisms on his journey over Atigun. He arrived late – tired but happy to be on the downhill side. After two tough days, we put the brain trust to work and decided to do an even longer day! Only 62 miles would bring us to Coldfoot and real food and the possibility of a shower. Game on! Of course we had rain! Of course we had headwinds! Of course we had hills! By day’s end, bacon cheeseburgers made it all worthwhile.

Tomorrow we rest weary bodies. Side note…the famous Alaska state bird (the mosquito) has made its first appearance. In fact, you might say we have a plethora of mosquitoes.

Wednesday, June 9…Rest day. Nothing quite like a rest day when bodies are truly weary and worn. Lots of little chores to do. LOTS of eating accomplished with ready access to a restaurant. Bike maintenance. Laundry. Repacking. So perhaps a little less rest than hoped, but the key feature was no biking. Quite delightful. And we had the opportunity to meet and chat with the locals. Good day!

Thursday, June 10: I’m feeling a bit like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, only to have Lucy pull it away. Every time a local forecast promises less rain, Lucy pulls the football and I land flat on my back – or as the case may be – end up cycling through rain. Given the pouring rain this am, we extended our rest day yesterday through noon today.

Waiting for the rain to end seemed like a solid strategy. It worked right up to the point where we hit the road…and it started raining. Again. Not as bad as it sounds, given the right gear, but infinitely less enjoyable than sunshine and favorable winds. Still it was a pleasant day cycling through wilderness. Finally at 36 miles, the rain stopped and we found our home for the evening.

Friday, June 11 Woke to blue bird skies after a glorious, restful evening. Then it was deja vu all over again. Sweeping vistas, long, steep uphill slogs…and rain. Lots of rain. As with most days, the rain comes in waves…light, heavy, quick bursts and long soakers. Today we were treated to the whole range. Of note today – we are now south of the arctic circle. The official marker made a nice place for a lunch break, but doesn’t mean much for our day to day travel. Getting frustrated with a sore knee that’s been nagging for several days. If it doesn’t improve tomorrow, prudence may dictate getting a ride from the Yukon River into Fairbanks to seek treatment and rest.

Saturday, June 12. Finally! Woke to a cloudless sky. Even though some clouds built up during the day, we had a delightful reprieve from rain. So much more pleasant. The hills continued. Several were so steep that we could push as fast as we could ride…2.5 mph! On this day though, the hills gave more than they took. As we made our way to the Yukon River, we descended more than we climbed…with a tailwind. All day we were treated to the same huge views we’ve come to expect. Almost impossible to describe or capture with photos.

We arrived at Yukon River camp late afternoon. This River looms so large in the history of the far north, it was pretty cool to finally see it. It was also disappointing. I tried to ride today without medication. Eating ibuprofen like jelly beans has allowed me to get this far, but is not really sustainable. In consultation with my prudent better half, we decided to play the long game and hitch a ride the last 135 miles into Fairbanks. We will seek some treatment and rest before getting back on the road. We were very grateful to Jeff at Yukon Crossing for the medicinal PBR’s.

Sunday, June 13. Our trail angel Louise “I’ve never done anything like this before” was kind enough to drive us into Fairbanks. Super nice and fascinating young lady! Now the rest and rehab begins. We have 5 days before Dan Boss Backer arrives for another backcountry bicycle adventure. We’ll be gently seizing the carp until then. Until next time…STC!