Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada) to Deadhorse aka Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (United States) (finished!!!)

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Finished a couple of days ago. Feels good. Got into Deadhorse, Alaska on 26 July just before lunchtime. You can't ride or drive any further north than Deadhorse. Access to the Arctic Ocean is restricted to private commercial tours which cost 38USD to go and look at an unappealing bit of water with oilfield debris floating around in it. After over 18 months on the road I have nowhere left to push.

Last few weeks of riding have had amazing weather and long long days of Arctic summer sunshine. Camped every night until Deadhorse before checking into the Prudhoe Bay Hotel. Hopefully photos will give you some idea of fantastic scenery. Purple Fireweed in bloom around Finger Mountain was particularly spectacular.

Travel writers go to great lengths to describe how ugly Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay is. This is not really fair as it is not really a town that is trying to be a honeymoon destination but an oilfield with a few hotels. Despite the no alcohol policy the Prudhoe Bay Hotel is not a bad place to end a long bike trip. The 24 hour restuarant is amazingly good value as all meals are included in the price of the room. Plus laundry is free and everyone gets a large can of disinfectant to use however they like. I promptly discharge half of mine into my boots.

After a couple of nights here we are picked up by the Dalton Highway Express van and Patrick drives us back to Fairbanks in 12 hours. It is strange watching all the places we camped in the last 9 days flash by. After that Patrick, Rob and Anna all from the Dalton Highway Express take Alain and I out for some celebration drinks. My perfomance is not very impressive. After a few drinks I keep repeating "ooh it feels so tight" in German and singing some obscure lyrics that I just read on a toilet wall in a very high pitched voice. Then I fall asleep and I am very kindly taken back to our hostel, which of course is Swiss.

So sadly this is the end of Pushonnorth. Going now to start drifting east across Alaska and Canada by bike, boat and train until I reach Montreal in September. From Montreal I hop on a freight boat for a 15 day voyage to Genoa. Not sure whether I will ride home to London from Genoa or catch a train.

Just a reminder that I am trying to raise money for the charity Médecins Sans Frontières. I would like to say a big thank you very much to everyone who has already sponsored me so far. I really appreciate your support. If you would like to make a donation over a secure internet link please visit my justgiving page http://www.justgiving.com/timmalloch (my justgiving page expires on 30 August). If you would prefer to send a cheque instead the address is:

Susan Wilson
Fundraising Department
Médecins Sans Frontières UK
67-74 Saffron Hill
EC1N 8QX
United Kingdom

Push on

Tim

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Photos

Dalton Highway
The Dalton Highway is one of the toughest roads that I have ridden on my trip. Built in 5 months in 1974 to service the pipeline that snakes alongside it. Not very high at all in terms of altitude but it goes up an down up and down for about three hundred miles before mellowing out a bit before the Atigun pass. Nice gravel roads though and brilliant weather. Quite a few trucks but not too many and they slow down for cyclists which was much appreciated.

Welcome to Alaska
Have seen many photographs over the past 18 months of exhausted but very happy looking cyclists standing next to this "Welcome to Alaska". Now it is my turn. Reach the sign at midnight, it is still light, take a few photographs, then Alain and I pedal a few hundred metres up the hill to invade the US one final time. Push on.

Phil from Utah
Crazy guy, Crazy Beard. We met Phil from Utah just outside Fairbanks and he gave us his views on the Dalton Highway.

Alain, Petra, Dipo and me
I met Petra and Dipo last year in Salta Argentina and Alain also rode with them in Central America. They are also riding for Medecins Sans Frontieres. Have been trying to catch up with them all through Canada but they had just finished the Dalton Highway and we were just about to start it. Anyway we managed to have a chat for an hour or so in Fairbanks outside their hostel.

Another crazy bearded guy
Another crazy guy, another crazy beard. Bought an inner tube off Bill just outside Fairbanks. Thank you v much.

Hess Creek, Dalton Highway
Think we had a bear outside our tents at this campsite. After we retired to our respective canvas chambers heard a large noise in the bushes. Sat rigid and upright clasping bearspray can for few moments before going to sleep. Next morning found a set of fresh looking bear paw tracks near the water.