2 July - Stevo Becomes a Penguin

2 July

Deadhorse to Coldfoot.

Today started a little better weather-wise, slightly warmer, about 3 degrees, visibility 5-10k or so. Had brekky then joned the Arctic Tour (access to the ocean is closed to the publc for security, the only way to get there is with an organised tour and security clearance). Deadhorse is strictly a workplace, nothing is signposted, there are no convenience stores and the place is purely industrial.

Drilling Rig

Downtown Deadhorse

Cool machinery!

Oil wells. Latest technology allows for 10 foot separation, rather than the 150 feet here. Newest techniques allow for a 10-acre drilling "pad" to tap a far larger reservoir pool, reducing the impact on the landscape.

We spent a bit of time looking at oilwells, equipment and spotted a bit of wildlife, arctic foxes and finally got to the highlight, the Beaufort Sea and the Arctic Ocean.

The Beaufort Sea - the whole reason for my trip. Yes, I went swimming.

Todd went in wearing shirt and shorts and I went in wearing a bit less, so we both joined the Penguin Club by getting totally immersed in the Arctic Ocean.
Back to the hotle to thaw out, bit of shopping and gas and I was out by 11:30 after getting lost (the place is really big).

After 9 days heading North, the bike points towards home.

The trip back was much better than yesterday, the gnarly bit of road was largely swept clean by the traffic, and progress was a lot smoother.

85 km of this...

...magically turns to this in 18 hours.

I took my time and stopped off at various places to just soak in the splendour of the place. Met up with Todd and family at one stage, then about 3 hours out Doug caught up with me. He'd got his tyre sorted, thanks to the wonders of the satphone, daily flights to Prudhoe Bay and the credit card. He'd been on the road for 2 hours. We chatted about stuff and he planned my next US trip on the side of the road for me before vanishing over the horizon in a cloud of calcium chloride and TKC80 dust. I caught up with Mark, the Swiss bicyclist at the foot of the Atigun Pass and had a quick word, and stopped with his buddies Matt and Scott at the top of the Pass. Spent a bit of time there, followed a truck down the Pass (bad timing Stevo), had a quick word with a Japanese girl on a Yamaha XT 225 it looked like, heading to Prudhoe Bay. Met up with Todd and family again and they took some photos for me, then a quick run for the last 100 km into Coldfoot, broken only by photo stops and one topup from the jerrycan. Greeted by people waiting for me thanks to Doug giving them a headsup several hours beforehand. Had dinner with Todd and famiy, then over to the Visitor Centre for a slide presentation of the area and a bit of souvenir shopping.

Time on the road, 6 1/2 hours, 392km, 73.6/60.7mpg imp/US.