7/6/22

The next morning I loaded up the bike and got back on the Dalton to Fairbanks. There is a little road about three miles long that takes you from the Dalton into Wiseman. This hidden road is surprisingly scenic. I stopped to take a few photos since this may very well be the last time I will be on this road.

After getting back onto the Dalton, a short ten miles of pavement lead me to Coldfoot Camp once again. I fueled up my tank and debated on whether to fill up my Armadillo Bag fuel bladder as well. There is gas at Yukon River Camp and that's just around 120 miles - definitely doable on my bike, that would only be a half tank of gas. But I figured what the hell, it wouldn't hurt and added a gallon to the bladder.

As I was pumping gas, an Asian guy pulls up to the other side of the pump on a Honda African Twin. I strike up a conversation with him and learned that him, his girlfriend and their chihuahua have been traveling the world for the past two and a half years. They shipped their African Twin from Indonesia to South America to start their journey initially but then Covid happened and they were stuck in South America for two years. But this summer, just like so many other people, they made the trek to Alaska and up to Prudhoe Bay. In fact, they left Deadhorse the same day as me but about five hours later. When I left at 11am, it was chilly in Deadhorse but once I got pass Antigun Pass it was very warm. Warm enough to think about taking off my base layer if not for the swarms of mosquitos. But they left at 4pm and later got hit with rain and then hail! That's how fast the conditions change on the Dalton. Here's Mario, Lili, and Pee Wee:

After Coldfoot, it was 120 miles to Yukon River Camp. Since I was riding solo, I could go as fast and slow as I wanted and stop to take photos whenever I felt like it - the beauty of solo traveling. Though the mosquitos made sure you never stopped for too long. The beauty of the Dalton:

There have been over 300 wild fires in Alaska going on since May that have burned down 3 million acres. Most of these fires are caused by lightning strikes and some human causes. They sky has been hazy from these fires since back in Alberta. I could smell the smoke while back in Fairbanks. The conditions would be clear and then minutes later out of nowhere you'd be overwhelmed with the smell of smoke and burnt wood. You can actually see the effects of the fire up here on the Dalton.

And while riding down to Yukon River Camp, you can actually see active fires going on up in the mountains.

Once I got to YRC, I saw some familiar faces from Coldfoot and even back in Prudhoe Bay. They quickly told me that the camp did not get their fuel delivery so they had no gas. From YRC to the next station in Hilltop, is essential just outside of Fairbanks, is another 120 miles. Since I filled my 1 gallon Armadillo bag back in Coldfoot, I know I'm good to make it to Hilltop. I'm thinking I can even make it there on my remaining half tank of fuel. The other guys did have extra canisters but did not fill them in Coldfoot thinking there will be gas here in Yukon River Camp. Alaska lesson #53: always keep your extra fuel container filled while on the Dalton.

I got some lunch and chatted with the other folks. Mario and Lili arrived as well. They were all wondering if they can make it with what's left in their remaining tank. The smaller mid size 700-800cc bikes should but the bigger 1200cc were iffy. A trio from Chicago were able to buy some gas from a boater. I believe they got a five gallon can shared between them. Mario thought he could make it on the remaining tank of his African Twin.

YRC told the rest that they should be getting their delivery today but that could be in a couple hours or not til tonight. They won't know until it shows up. The other riders and car drivers had no choice but to wait for the delivery. The trio of Chicago head out first, followed by Mario and Lili and then I get on the road shortly after.

I told them that I can definitely make it and will check in on them once I catch them on the road. After 20 miles down the road, I see one of the Chicago trio on a 800GS going back towards YRC. I can only guess that he decided to go back to wait for the fuel delivery. Another 25 miles later, I come across another of the trio on a 700GS at the Dalton Highway sign. I stop to check in on him and he tells me that he's waiting for his friend that went back to YRC because he left his phone back at the camp and had to go back to fetch it. So that friend will burn an extra 40 miles round trip to get his phone and may not make it to Hilltop. I continue on. About 25 miles later I catch up to the last of the trio, Max, on his 1200GS. I follow him for about 10 miles and he seems to be find on gas. I pull up along side him and he gives me a thumbs up. I pass him and continue towards Hilltop.

My fuel light comes on with 38 miles left in the tank. It will be close but I should make it. As I get closer to Hilltop, I never see Mario and Lili and their Africa Twin. As I get closer to Hilltop, my range is now down to the teens. The road starts to incline sharply signalling I'm almost to Hilltop. 12 miles left in the tank. The bike stutters for a split second. The incline of the hill and tipping the gas away from the fuel pump. The station is literally just up this hill. I now have 9 miles left in the tank. This remains me of being way back in Marathon outside of Thunder Bay Ontario when I rolled into the station with 6 miles left in the tank.

The bike stutters again. This time harder. I pull over. I really wanted to make it into the station without using my fuel bladder but I don't want to stall the bike either further up the hill and potentially damage the fuel pump with over heating it. I unbuckle the Armadillo Bag and dump the 1 gallon into the tank. Chicago Max and his 1200GS pulls up behind me. I told him I was close. If the road was flat, I definitely would've made it. Since I'm fine, he said he'll meet me at Hilltop. The bike fires up and I'm up the hill in two minutes.

I pull into the station and Mario and Lili are already there! They had more than enough gas in his tank to make it here. Max is here. I parked and go inside to grab an ice cream. The four of us are just hanging out, chatting, escaping the sun. Then Fabian shows up on his trusty diesel Royal Enfield. He had no worries about running out of gas given his 80 miles per gallon range. Then the rest of the Chicago trio shows up. Hilltop ends up becoming an impromptu base camp for everyone that risked leaving from YRC without fueling up.

And this last fuel up at Hilltop marked the official completion of the halfway point of my trip. I've successfully and safely ridden up the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse Camp and Prudhoe Bay and back. These past four days have been the most challenging riding that I've done in my entire ten years of riding - from riding one of the most notorious road in North America, to riding the most mileage off road that I've ever ridden, to riding with new people that I barely know, and returning down to Fairbanks solo. Two years of planning and weeks of traveling from Raleigh just to accomplish this. And now it's done. All I have to do now is to make my way home.