988 July 17, 2023 Today Is Our Someday

We woke to cloudless blue skies and sunshine.  I do believe that these rainy days make us appreciate the sunny days so much more!  I took an easy walk because I knew we were going to hike the Tangle Ridge Trail. 

This was a great hike with spectacular views of the world below.  The elevation gain was about 300 feet, but the climb was gradual and well worth it.

We could see the campground and the RV.

We could see the peninsula where the moose and her baby were hiding and the tangle of water.

Higher still we could see Landmark Gap where the caribou will migrate.

We reached a large open space where we just stood and tried to take it all in.

I try to notice the little things.

Ahead, we could see what looked like a manmade pile of rocks.  Curious, we followed a narrow trail through high brush.  The rocks were arranged in a labyrinth.  The rocky path was packed and worn.  I am not sure how long it has been there.  We are in the Tangle Lakes Archeological District.  There are hundreds of ancient sites here that are protected.  Maybe this has been here for a couple of years or maybe thousands.  I walked through the spiral slowly, thinking of joy, kindness, love, living in the moment, blessing, and gratitude.  What a beautiful place to consider and reflect on all the goods things in my life.  I also love the idea of following in the footsteps of all who have gone before me here with a similar mission.  We never know what we will stumble upon. 

On our way back, we scared a family of ptarmigan with babies.  The adult birds were distraught and flew in short bursts further and further down the trail as they tried to keep track of their chick who had all become separated when they felt threatened by our presence.

We decided to pack for another overnight.  Again, we headed west, awestruck by the difference in the scenery.

This was Landmark Gap today!

We thought we might try the Glacier Gap ORV Trail.  It was very slick and muddy and then we got to a dicey looking stream crossing and we could see a muddy incline on the other side.  We aborted and turned back.

We drove further on the Denali Highway.  The Alaska Range was visible and in full glory!

We drove to McClaren Summit at 4,086 feet.  This is the second highest highway summit in Alaska.  The highest is at 4,800 feet; Atigun Pass on the Dalton Highway. 

We took the southern trail toward Oscar Lake at MM37.  This trail follows an esker.  This is a gravel ridge left behind by glaciers long ago.

We passed several beautiful campsites but continued on.  We were disappointed to see that the Alaska Range was receding from view and we could see a challenging section of road up ahead. 

We decided to go back and camp closer to the highway. 

We set up and Tim made a fire and we took turns walking and resting.

We had expansive views of the McClaren River Valley and we watched the Alaska Range as the sun and clouds moved across the sky. 

We could see Mt. Hayes and the McClaren Glacier beneath it.

We could see the Eureka Glacier to the east.

I was initially disappointed that we settled so early in the day.  I had wanted to travel further on the Denali Highway and see more.  But this was a wonderful place to just sit and be.  Sometimes Tim has to quell my need to see more, more, more!

Last night I realized that my books did not properly load to my iPad.  I thought that I had nothing to read and then I remembered that my good friend, Vicki, had given me a book by Mary Carey; Alaska-NOT a Place for a Woman.  I started it last night and read a good portion of it today.  I love to read a book that is written in the setting in which we are traveling!

987 July 16, 2023 Denali Highway

The rain stopped after we settled for bed last night.  This morning, it was raining again.  I put on Tim’s big yellow raincoat, determined to take a good walk.  There were paths through the campground and down to the lake.  As I was walking toward the entrance, Tim was coming the other way.  We walked together to the bridge over the Tangle River.

It was wet and cloudy and chilly but we were undeterred as we packed for an overnight trip in the Jeep.  The remainder of the Denali Highway is rough and not great for the RV.  So, we left it behind and began our journey. 

Our first stop was at the Tangle Lakes Lodge where we were able to purchase two bundles of firewood. 

Landmark Gap came into view.  The Native American peoples who inhabited this land for 10,000 years, hunted caribou in this pass.  Caribou from the Nelchina herd will migrate here in the next couple of weeks.  Sometimes, hundreds of caribou can be seen here as early as July, but we saw none today.

We turned into the Landmark Gap Trailhead.  It started as a mud puddle. 

We drove about 3 miles north toward the gap.  The road was rough and it took about an hour to make our way.  The view was spectacular even on this rainy day.  If the weather had been better and it had been later in the day, we might have stayed here to camp. 

We made our way back to the road and continued west.  We passed McClaren Summit at over 4,000 feet.  It was 46 degrees and misty and yucky. 

The McClaren River.

A palsa.  This was a frozen mound of ground.  When the highway was cut, the palsa was damaged and collapsed.  There are still layers of peat and frozen ground in the remaining portion.

Then, it began to rain steadily.  We pulled over to rest but the weather didn’t improve.  We decided to keep heading west in an effort to find blue skies.  At MM59, we quit.  We turned around and headed back. 

I was driving.  After a couple of minutes, the warning light for the right front tire came on and read low tire pressure…9…inflate tire to 37…

So, I pulled over and Tim got out the tire gauge.  Fortunately, the tire was properly inflated.  We drove on and the warning light went off and the tire pressure read correctly.  False Alarm!  SHEW!!!

As we traveled east, the road was dry at Landmark Gap and it was not raining.  We decided to try a campsite not far from the highway that had a nice view of the pass.  Tim made a fire and I rested.  It was dripping rain and chilly on the knoll.  I tried to have a good attitude but I was damp.  We made a deal that if it was not raining at 4:30, we would set up the tent and stay.  We packed up and returned to the RV.  It was disheartening but it is supposed to be fun!

We made our salads and soup and enjoyed bring warm and dry.

As we were eating, we saw the eagle return.  He dipped into the lake near the boat ramp and lifted off.

I took an after-dinner walk.  When I got down to the lake, I saw the beaver swimming.

Later in the evening a moose cow and calf were eating at the lakeside.

We have such a nice site with a beautiful view. 

986 July 15, 2023 Tangle Lakes

There was steady rain all night and into this morning.  Just as the rain stopped and I got ready to walk, I got a text message from Bank of America with a fraud alert.  It turned out to be from an imposter, but it took a long time on the phone to resolve.  

Finally, we were on our way.  We stopped at Delta Junction.  I walked to the post office to mail my Santa letter and some postcards.  The Visitor Center had these mosquito sculptures out in front.  The mosquitoes aren’t actually this large but what they lack in size, the make up for in numbers! 

We walked through the Saturday Farmers Market.  We found some fresh greens, yellow squash, and zucchini.  We also bought blueberry bread, garlic and herb bread, focaccia, and Tim chose a rhubarb bar.  We got back to the RV and he shared his treat.  I put the focaccia and the blueberry bread in the freezer so that we wouldn’t be tempted to eat all of our goodies at once.

We drove toward Paxson.  The mountains were all hiding behind the clouds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The road initially followed the braided Delta River. 

We stopped at Darling Creek.  Here the mountains were gradually revealed.

We stopped at the terminal moraine of the Black Rapids Glacier. 

As we continued, it became misty and foggy again.

We passed through Federal Subsistence Hunt Areas.

The Rainbow Ridge.

Past Summit Lake, and then our turn onto the Denali Highway.  The first 21 miles is paved; albeit rough!

The Gulkana River.

Then we were above the treeline in the alpine tundra.

We stopped to admire the view at a scenic point.

Over the single lane bridge and into the Tangle Lakes Campground. 

We found a gorgeous pull through spot right above the lake. 

We watched a bald eagle dive into the water and swim to the shore.  He looked like his load was heavy and he was struggling.  He stood with his prize on the shore and then took off over the lake.  A gull chased him, looking for a share.  We couldn’t tell what he had but I am going to call it supper.

It rained all afternoon, hampering our plans to walk and explore.  Tim did go out later with an umbrella.

It is chilly here.  There are still a few isolated patches of snow at this elevation.

We watched a beaver swimming in the lake.

We are absolutely hoping for better weather tomorrow.  We want to take the Jeep and drive the unpaved portion of the Denali Highway. 

985 July 14, 2023 North Pole

It was sprinkling this morning when I went out to walk. 

Anyone looking to relocate? We were told that the average salary of men and women working at Prudhoe Bay is $150,000.

We were ready to leave early.  Our first destination was The Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska.  We got there at 9:30 and they didn’t open until 10am.  I took a walk to the property next door. 

The Antler Academy is the home of Santa’s reindeer.  Caribou and reindeer are two different names for the same animal.  For an admission charge, you can go on a tour, learn more about the reindeer, and feed them.  Or, you can stay outside the fence and take pictures! 

Big guy.

Little guy.

When The Santa Claus House opened, Tim and I went in with all the other grandparents who were waiting.  I had read that you could have a letter sent from Santa to your little loved ones.  We picked one out and then went on search of postcards.  As I walked through the shop, I could smell the aroma of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and brewing coffee.  I resisted and walked past.  As I wandered, I found Santa and Mrs. Claus.  Santa was doing a video with a grandfather for his grandchildren.  I went to get Tim and we stood in line.  This Santa was the real deal.  He had the perfect manner and personality and he made this amazing video with us!  By the end, both Tim and I had tears.  Such joy!!! We could hardly wait to get outside to send the video to David and Dre.  We were thrilled later in the day to get a video back with the kids’ reactions.   What a fun time.  This was definitely something we haven’t done before…and probably wouldn’t have…except for those two boys!

We traveled south on the Richardson Highway.  We saw this guy running with a cart. The message on the back : Walking around the world from Alaska to Argentina…WOW…just WOW!

The road parallels the Tanana River for a while.  We could see parts of the Alaska Range in the distance.

Crossing the Tanana River. There is also a suspension bridge for the pipeline.

We continued on our way to Delta Junction.  There was a Harvest Host site at Delta Meat and Sausage.  We called and they told us to come on in!  We arrived in late afternoon.  We purchased some elk sausage, some buffalo summer sausage, and some ground buffalo.

We passed a quiet evening in the parking lot, riding bikes, walking, and relaxing.  Home for the night!

984 July 13, 2023 Catchup Day

We elected to stay in Fairbanks for one more night.  We needed a day to get stuff done. 

The first order of business was to exercise.  I haven’t taken a good walk in days and it was so pleasant this morning; 64 and sunny!

We had phone calls to make and then we went out to get fresh water, fill the Jeep with fuel, and then, a super huge trip to Walmart to get supplies.

We did more laundry and I went to REI to replace my broken fanny/hiking pack.

Another task we accomplished today was to upload another of Tim’s musk ox videos from the trip up the Dalton Highway.

We have been thinking so much about our new friend, Chen.  I neglected to tell the story of the remainder of his trip up the Dalton and back to Fairbanks.  Chen did stay overnight in the shelter that we found.  The next morning, Sunday, he resumed his journey.  He cycled for 15 hours and completed the entire 150 miles in one day.  He met a guy at the Brooks Store in Deadhorse who was escorting a bunch of motorcycles.  Ed drove the truck with the gear and supplies…he was their roadie!  Chen asked Ed for a ride back to Fairbanks. 

Chen says he is often fortunate to meet kind people on the road.  If he cannot find a suitable place to camp, he will knock on a door and ask to spend the night in someone’s yard.  He is seldom turned away.  Often, he is invited to sleep inside, shower, and most of the time, he is fed.  It makes me feel good about the world.  I have always believed that most people are good.  Chen has proof on an almost daily basis.  Chen has determination.  He is persistent and strong and self reliant.  We have been inspired by his story.  We hope one day, we get to read his book!

This evening, we went to Growden Memorial Stadium to watch the Goldpanners play baseball against the California Halos. This is an amateur summer league for hopefuls. As we walked up to the ticket booth, a young man asked if we had tickets. He gave us free passes! It was a small park and we had a good time.

We left in the sixth inning. We took a walk at the nearby Pioneer Park.

The Chena River on this beautiful summer evening.

We are headed to North Pole, Alaska tomorrow.

983 July 12, 2023 Home Again, Home Again

Happy birthday Tim! 

The morning was cool, misty, and raw. 

I took the first shift of driving.  The road was riddled with potholes and I did my best to dodge them all.  There was very little traffic and I was able to use the whole road.  I was looking for any changes in the road surface but sometimes, the potholes sneak up on you!  It did make for some slow and tedious driving.

We saw a couple of rabbits, a mole or vole or mouse, squirrels, grouse, and sandhill cranes.

Wildfire residue.

At Gobblers Knob, the fog was dense and visibility was poor. 

This part of the ride is much less dramatic than the rest of the Dalton Highway.  There are trillions of trees! 

The pipeline is a constant presence.  This section zig zags.  The pipeline is designed this way near fault lines to allow for movement in the event of an earthquake. 

The sky was clearing as we approached the Arctic Circle.

We could see the Yukon River in the distance.  We stopped at the Yukon River Camp.  We enjoyed egg sandwiches for brunch.

After the river, the road had been recently graded and it was a relatively smooth ride.

We waited at a construction zone for the pilot car.  Suddenly, Chen was standing at Tim’s window.  He had hitched a ride back to Fairbanks and just happened to be in the car behind us.  We told him where we were staying and then it was our turn to go.

After the construction area, we pulled over and Chen and his driver did as well.  We invited Chen to come and join us for dinner.

We got back to the RV park.  We unpacked and I cleaned and organized gear.  Tim took the Jeep to the carwash here and he was able to knock the worst of the mud off. 

Chen arrived in early evening.  We all walked to the Chena’s Alaskan Grill.  It was great to learn about China and Chinese culture.  We also learned a lot more about Chen.  We had such a nice time visiting with him.  Maybe our paths will cross again.

982 July 11, 2023 Antigun Pass In The Sunshine

Last night, we crawled up into the tent at 8pm.  Soon after that, the winds stilled and we slept.  This campground exists in a depression left by a glacier.  It is ringed on three sides by towering mountains.  The sun doesn’t set at all here right now.  We got up at midnight and the sun shone brightly in the northern sky.  As the night progressed the sun continued to skirt the mountaintops, never sinking below the horizon.  At 3:40am the sky was blue and the sun cast a rose gold light on the snowy peaks and it was breathtaking.

We took a walk this morning.  3 days ago, when we stopped here, the river was a muddy torrent.  Today, the glacial water was crystal clear.

This was a beautiful camping spot.

We were excited for the drive today.  I knew I could never capture all the beauty around me so I tried to take less pictures and just enjoy the ride.

Pump Station Number 4.

More mountains.

This is the Antigun River and the view that we are leaving behind.

The truck barreling down the highway was creating a cloud of dust.  Dry and dusty or cloudy and muddy…I choose dust!

This is the view from Antigun Pass…WOW!

The trees are back!  Scenery beyond the pass.

We saw a musk ox at Nutirkwik Creek.  We watched at he slogged across the river and then was looking for a place to climb the bank.  He caught us looking and turned back and walked away.  When we realized that our presence had changed his behavior, we left him.

We drove to the other side of the bridge and had the perfect place to enjoy our breakfast.

More mountains.

Remember that three days ago when we passed through, everything was draped in thick clouds and all of this was invisible to us!

This shoulder is cracked up!

We arrived in Coldfoot in early afternoon.  We got settled and I worked on the blog.  We had really great hot showers.  We went to dinner at the Trucker’s Café.  We went back to the Visitor Center and watched a video presentation on the Arctic.

This evening, we are making use of the free laundry room…woohoo!

If you are going to travel the Dalton Highway, it is cool to cross the Arctic Circle.  Coldfoot is the place to refuel and the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center is very well done and worth your time.  But in my opinion, the section of highway from Coldfoot to Galbraith Lake is the prettiest.  Keep in mind that we didn’t see much wildlife until we were almost to Prudhoe Bay.  Then, you might as well dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean. Keep driving my friends…you will not regret it!  We have been spellbound, humbled, and moved by the grandeur of our surroundings.

Wait…we still have one more day!  We are 250 miles from Fairbanks and the RV.  Tomorrow will be a long driving day.  For the most part, we are not driving much over 40mph.  What lies ahead?!?

981 July 10, 2023 Galbraith Lake

Good morning from the end of the northernmost road in the United States…extreme northern Alaska! 

We are so very far from home.  Thanks for the picture, Leanne!

We made one more trip to town.

We planned to camp out this evening and the mosquitoes have been ferocious.  We decided we needed to get more protection.  We walked out of the Brooks Supply Store with $39.98 worth of repellants. 

There was a guy sitting in his truck outside the store.  He saw our purchases and laughed.  He told us to look for caribou if there are lots of mosquitoes.  Those buggers love the caribou.  Scientists think that herds of caribou move to escape the hordes of mosquitoes.  They will expend unnecessary energy trying to get away and will even leave a place where the food source in ample.  I might have something in common with those caribou!

These machines are used to build the ice roads.  Ice roads leave less of an environmental footprint than gravel roads.  The ice roads allow equipment and supplies to be delivered all over the 250,000-acre oilfields. 

There was no sign of the grizzly bear in Deadhorse today.  Black bears don’t live further north than the Brooks Range.  Polar bears will sometimes make it across Prudhoe Bay on the ice pack.

The sign as we left town said that next services were 240 miles away in Coldfoot…here we go!

We heard yesterday that the majority of the musk ox herd was stranded on the east side of the Sag River.  The current is still too strong for them to safely cross.  Musk oxen who have crossed are in danger of being attacked by predators like grizzlies and wolves.  The larger herd more successfully protects its members.

We saw a single musk ox resting in the grass.  His ears were twitching, so we knew he was alive.  Not sure if he was injured.  He was surrounded by tons of flying insects.

A short while later, we saw this family group.  There were 6 members of all sizes.  There was even a baby that looked like a small pig in size.  He is mostly hidden by the grasses.

What an amazing sight! 

We are elated to be out here doing this together.  We talk about it every day.  With the exception of visiting family, there is nowhere I would rather be!

We traveled through more than one hundred miles of open tundra, dotted by lakes and ponds, and wildflowers.  We saw lots of birds this morning, gulls and cranes, and geese.  The land is lumpy with palsas.  These hummocks of soil and vegetation are heaved up by freezing and thawing.

The pipeline is 20 years past its engineered expiration date.  Designed to last until the early 2000’s it raises lots of questions and concerns.  The entire line was built in 3 years but it takes a lot to keep it safely maintained.  It can transport 2,000,000 barrels of oil each day but right now it is only sending 340,000 barrels a day.  This is to minimize the chances of an environmental disaster.  Portions of the pipeline are continuously being repaired and replaced.  There is a system of constant monitoring and inspection.  An agency called Clean Seas is mandated to immediately respond to any spill on the tundra greater than 16 oz.

This buried portion of the pipeline is called a sag bend. The line is designed this way to allow for animals to migrate.

We stopped at a wayside and the mosquitoes were worse than ever.  Needless to say, we didn’t hang around very long.

We had a long wait for a pilot vehicle in an area of road construction. 

The flagger could see that I was trying to take pictures and she walked over to let me know that there was an arctic squirrel out. She stood, chatting with us about the wildlife she has seen while working out here!

16 miles on a pitted loose gravel road behind the pilot truck!

We went down the hill at Icy Cut and the view was spectacular.  The water was sparkling in the sunshine.

We started to see the mountains of the Brooks Range.

All day, we were looking for Chen.  We thought we might pass him biking to Deadhorse, but we didn’t see him.

We stopped at Galbraith Lake. 

The plan as far as I knew it was to stop for some lunch and maybe to put the tent up and rest before continuing on.  We were worried about the mosquitoes here.   They were out but it was also windy.  Tim was able to situate the Jeep so that the wind was working in our favor to keep the pests away.  I crawled up into the tent with a blanket and an apple and peanut butter and a book and thought we were going to rest.  When I saw Tim moving the fire ring and gathering firewood, I knew we had decided to stay for the night.  It is very blustery.  I have spent the afternoon working on the blog from the tent.  Hopefully, the wind will calm down but still be breezy enough to blow the bugs away!

The view from my perch!

Tim took lots of pictures and made a video!

980 July 9, 2023 Prudhoe Bay

Last night we had rain, then we had wind and rain, then we had wind and then finally, it was quiet.  We slept well.  When we woke up this morning, it seemed as if the river was louder.  It had risen 5 feet overnight.  Fortunately, we were on a nice bank, 20 feet above the water. 

The mosquitoes were crazy again, so Tim got the fire going in an effort to stave them off.

There were itty bitty patches of blue sky as the clouds began to lift.

We saw the sun and we were supremely grateful!

We could see glimpses of the Brooks Range that we hadn’t been able to see at all yesterday.

We were on our way before 6am; up the Icy Cut.

Dan Creek was gushing.

Happy Valley Camp appeared to be deserted so early on this Sunday morning.

Arctic squirrels were scurrying about.

We spotted something in the Tundra far away and on closer inspection, it was a rusted 55-gallon drum.  We have been continuously scanning for wolves and grizzlies and caribou and musk oxen.  These are all animals commonly seen on this highway…but nothing!

We stopped at an exhibit and we learned that birds come here for the summer from China, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, and Africa. 

Arctic dwarf fireweed.

Sagwon Bluffs.

As we appreciate these expansive views, we realize that we are only seeing a tiny snippet of this vast wilderness.

We saw the half moon in the morning sky.

We stopped at Last Chance Waystation.  The Arctic Tundra looked amazing in the play of sun and shadows.

Pump Station #2.

We were now on the last stretch of the Dalton Highway.  It seemed almost otherworldly.  There was no other traffic.  It was so quiet.  The remoteness and the solitude were pervasive.  This is the only road in to Deadhorse and the only road out.

About 10 miles from Prudhoe Bay, we saw antlers.  There was a group of caribou in the field on the roadside.

Franklin Bluffs.

There was ice on the river.

We saw a great dark hump in the grasses near the river.  It was a musk ox.  This was exciting to see.  We had been hoping to see musk ox here!  This was the highlight of Tim’s day!

We saw geese.

We saw pacific loons.

We saw a pair of sandhill cranes.

After 499 miles of looking…the wildlife was all near the town.

We could see the oilfields in the distance.

We saw more caribou.

We arrived at Deadhorse Camp at 9:30am.  The hotel manager was surprised by our early arrival but was nice enough to make an exception and allowed us to check-in.

We took a trip into town to fuel up the Jeep.  We spotted a grizzly bear walking through the industrial site.  He was apparently born here and is 2-3 years old.  When mother grizzlies become pregnant, they leave their older offspring on their own.  This guy has been wandering around the complex.  He hasn’t bothered anyone but he is also not welcome here.  Something will happen to cause a showdown if he doesn’t go on his own.  Unfortunately, he is habituated to humans and people food.

At 3pm, we checked in for our Arctic Ocean Shuttle Tour.  Jack was our tour guide.  He told us a lot about oil production and the pipeline.  We also learned about the wildlife and the environment here in Prudhoe Bay.  We stopped at a security checkpoint where we were met by an escort.  We went to the beach.  Many people in the group chose to dive right into the ocean.  I put my feet in while Tim watched.  The water was so cold but it made me feel alive in a way that is hard to explain.  I am glad we came!

Caribou in the hotel parking lot.

We ate dinner at the Aurora Restaurant.  There was a prime rib and fried shrimp buffet this evening.  The food was good!  We ate with all of the pipeline workers who were coming off of their shift.  It takes a mighty army to get the oil from the earth and down to Valdez.

We met a couple, Debbie and Dennis, who have traveled from Georgia in their Jeep and rooftop tent.  They were on the tour today and then they joined us for dinner.  Once again, it was fun to share the evening with people who are out exploring like we are.

Look where we are…it feels unbelievable to us!

Our adventure is not over yet.  We are only halfway!  Tomorrow, we begin our journey south to Fairbanks.  We will see what tomorrow brings!

979 July 8, 2023 Chen In The Rain

The temperatures were so mild last night that we were able to leave the windows open.  We had to pull the curtains though because it was so bright outside.  It was quiet and we got a good night of sleep.

This morning it was densely cloudy.  The mountains were socked in and there was a fine drizzle. 

We started out at 8am.  We traveled the short distance to Wiseman and took the side road in to see the town; population 9.

The Koyukuk River.

The post office was in a tiny log cabin.  There were lots of cute little cottages and homesteads. 

We saw these sled dogs.

Back on the highway, the pipeline was buried beneath the river and came up on the other bank.

We had a stretch of improved road but that didn’t last very long.

We ate our breakfast at Sukakpak Mountain.

We passed the Dietrich River at MM207, halfway on the Dalton Highway!

The rain was steady and relentless.  The scenery was shrouded in fog and spectral beauty.  The mountains were shadowed and the trees stood like sentries, hemming us in.  The rivers were churning, the road snaking its way through the gloom.

The road was alternately decent and then poor.  Tim noticed that the south going side had consistently been better than the north going portion which seems rougher.  His theory is that the truckers travel north full of supplies and equipment and then return to the south with empty trailers.  That makes sense.

Then, at 2,500 feet, we were above the treeline and the last of the spruce trees.

At Chandalar Shelf, the road was muddy and slippery and it took us up a steep slope.

At Antigun Pass we saw more cloudy mountains. 

All along, we have seen the pipeline disappearing and reappearing; buried underground and then emerging again.  Here at the pass the pipeline was encased in concrete cribbage and insulated.  It was then entrenched in the earth to protect it from rockslides and avalanches.  The “construction in this area was extremely complex, difficult, and dangerous.”

You could say that the pipeline, the pumping stations, the camps, and the equipment mar the environment and they do.  However, if there was not a pipeline, there would be no need for this road.  This is the only way that most travelers can see these 60 million acres of public land.  We might also not have gas for our cars.  They say that 1,000,000 barrels of oil are produced here each day.  The pipeline is the reason for the road.  It is a huge tradeoff.

We were fervently hoping that the weather would improve once we went over Antigun Pass but it was so foggy that we couldn’t see very far in front of us; much less the top of the world panoramic views.

We came upon a guy on a bike.  It was 41 degrees.  We stopped to see if there was anything we could do for him.  He was short on food supplies.  We offered him a protein shake, a banana, and gave him part of a jar of peanut butter.  The man was obviously cold and wet and shivering and hungry.  He was determined to move on in order to stay warmer and we watched him bike up the hill.

We passed him and as we went, we felt bad that we were not able to do more to help him.  Our Jeep was loaded with our gear and supplies.  There was no way to fit him and his stuff in too.  We were going to investigate Galbraith Lake as a potential campsite for tonight.  As I was reading the Milepost, I saw that there was an emergency cabin on the road to the lake.  Tim and I went to check it out.  Though we could not get in, there was a covered front porch that we believed would make an excellent shelter.  We went back to tell the man of our discovery.  It took some convincing but he told us that he would meet us there. 

Chen is 31 years old and he is from China.  He has been traveling the world on his bike for the past 8 years.  He is a tough cyclist and was physically prepared for this journey.  He was not prepared for this onslaught of awful weather.  He met us at the cabin and by the time he had arrived I had warmed some tomato bisque and had made grilled cheese sandwiches.  When he saw the shelter and the lunch, he was so happy!  He had seconds of everything.  He shared stories of his travels.  He took our pictures.  We left him there, all of us feeling better!

We did look at Galbraith Campground but it was 46 degrees and raw and raining and the mosquitoes were outrageous.  It was still early afternoon and we decided to move on; still hoping to drive into sunshine or at least some better camping weather.  

We passed the Toolik Field Station where scientists study the climate and environment here in the Arctic.

We tried several primitive campsites by the Sagavanirktok or the Sag River.  The first several places were swampy and mosquito ridden.  We finally found a good spot.

It was still raining but it was 50 degrees here.  We got set up and organized and I climbed into the tent.  I worked on the blog this evening, sitting up in our nest, covered in layers and blankets. 

We are skipping a real dinner; we had a large lunch with Chen. 

The forecast is for some sunshine at 2am…I hope that it is correct!