Safe and Well in Fairbanks

Posted by Fin on 13 August 2009

I am trying to find out if there is anyone out there who has ever cycled the length of the State of Alaska twice in two months? Can we look up the Guiness Book of Records? My mind is still willing me on to complete this feat, but my legs are struggling.

The Dalton Highway was even more tough on the second attempt - blissfull ignorance the first time round got me through it, but this time I knew about every Grade 11 gravel 5km ascent and hated the fact that it would not be the last of the day and that there were still 4 more to do....as a result I walked my bike up more of the mountains this time - it was one of the hardest mental and physical challenges I have endured. The weather was better this time but only as far as the Yukon River and then a cold front came in on day 7 and it turned freezing cold - we heard that the Atigun pass and northward to Prudhoe is now completely snowed in so we were extremely lucky to have pedalled over the Brooks Range a day before the snow came in. Despite the snow this week, this has been the hottest July interior Alaksa has ever faced and as a consequence forest fires are burning throughout millions of acres obscuring the views that had willed me on first time round - climate change is really taking effect here and cycling through the smoke made it hard to breath and my nose bled most mornings from Day 2 to Day 7. Alex did so well - and it was fantastic to have him ride along side me - I am so grateful he is here sharing this wonderful experience with me. Its good to have a partner again. Having come in at short notice having not been able to do any training - he struggled at first but by the end of the ten days in the remote wilderness and as we approached Fairbanks and civilisation again he was beating me on every ascent. I won't go into much detail this time - Alex will fill you in on the details - But I just wanted you all to know we are safe and well, but extremely tired and taking 3 days off to recover. Heading to Chena Hot Springs in the morning....BTW Hi to Belinda and Roland on the tandem www.cyclingwithsally.com following the day behind us and Matt we crossed paths with http://www.worldwidebikeride.com/

14 comments. Tags: smoke, climate, atigun, snow, fin. Location: Fairbanks, USA