The road up to the Dalton Highway was a nice ride and the weather was perfect.
Today I set my sights on Coldfoot AK. Halfway between Fairbanks and Deadhorse, about 250 miles.
After reading several articles on riding the Dalton Highway they had we thinking it could be a pretty big chore.
The first 30 miles were in pavement, then I got my first taste of the "Haul route" when the pavement ended!
Mostly hard pan gravel bladed pretty smooth with a mixture of potholes wheel ruts and loose gravel.
Fairly easy to ride until you add water. This made for a great riding day (No water added today).
The Alaskan Pipeline was always close, meandering from one side of the road to the other, sometimes elevated, sometimes buried. On many occasions the pipeline was suspended from bridges crossing rivers and streams.
I crossed the the Mighty Yukon River on a long narrow bridge that also housed the pipeline. The river was wide and very muddy.
Next stop the official "Arctic Circle" with photos and official document! Never been this far North on land, on foot or motorcycle!
The Alaskan Pipeline and supporting Haul Route were constructed in the early 70's. The pipeline was on line within 3 years of contract award. Engineering marvel would be an understatement!
At the end of my riding day I pulled into the town of Coldfoot for fuel and some bottled water.
Coldfoot is basically a truck stop that supports the Haul Route truckers. Everybody else including motorcyclist are secondary!
I camped at Marion Creek Campground next to Marion Creek a few miles up the road from Coldfoot.
This is a great spot that has 26 campsites but is primitive with outhouse toilets and no water.
Next morning I was greeted to a rain shower while breaking camp. Everything wet again! No time for drying, gotta forge ahead!
I rode back to Coldfoot for a quick breakfast and cup of coffee then back on the haul route to Deadhorse.
Day 2 riding the Dalton Highway and I find myself eating my words about an "Easy ride"!
The last 30 miles were made 2x difficult by construction repairs. Recent heavy rains caused flooding along the Sagavanirktok and Toolik Rivers. With FEMA money the road section was raised considerably with layers of compacted gravel, styrofoam insulation sheets and more gravel.
When I came through there were a fleet of side discharge rock trucks, several Cat 16G blades, water tankers and compaction rollers.
Almost all the truck traffic on the Dalton Hwy that day was hauling loads of styrofoam or rock.
Riding through 30 miles of loose 3" minus gravel/rock would be tough on a 250 but on a fully loaded BMW GSA 1200 it is a real chore.
I was lucky enough to get a good pilot car driver who asked what speed to run. I told her that I didn't want to fall so she kept the pace fast enough so I could get on top of the rock.
That was the longest 30 miles that I have rode on this trip!
Since this is the only way in it is also the only way out! I hope I can repeat my moves on day 2!
I pulled up to the Aurora Hotel in Deadhorse at about 1:45pm.
These "Hotels" are basically huge camps for production and construction workers to live on a rotating cycle.
Very organized years ago and maintained remarkably well these camps have all the amenities required to keep the men and women working here comfortable. Clean facilities, good food and fast internet!
There is also enough room for an occasional curious traveler.
I checked in and had to rush to get cleaned up and make my 3:15pm Arctic tour. Without Uber or Lift service up here I had to ride the 3 miles from the hotel to the tour company headquarters.
The tour was fun and gave me an idea how smoothly things work when private companies work together for a common goal, Mining Black Gold!
The players are huge companies with deep pockets. Obviously logistics we're well thought out and major issues for constructing this facility were solved quickly so the pumping of crude could begin and keep pumping without fail!
Our tour group also got to ride out to the Arctic Ocean and spend about a half hour looking around.
The town of Prudhoe Bay has zero permanent residents. Prudhoe Bay is leased from the State of Alaska by the oil companies.
One interesting note on the power plant. The natural gas is a by product of the oil extraction and is used to run the turbines that generate the power for the entire operation! The excess water and gas is re-injected back into the ground. There is no way to transport natural gas so they put it back into the ground.
The town of Deadhorse would not have power, water, fuel, supplies or an airport without the oil companies!
Some people actually tent camp in Deadhorse but it is not advised as there's a family of Grizzlies on the property that make occasional rounds. Polar bears often range into town as well.
We saw some large Caribou next to one of the oil camps while on our tour.
Well I here the weather is turning wet for tomorrow and 30 miles of rough road will be waiting for me in the morning. My plan for tomorrow is to ride both legs back to Fairbanks in one day.
If I time it right by the time I get to Coldfoot I should be in the dry!
Next morning the weather report was accurate and I woke up to light steady rain and 15 mph winds.
6:45am and I am fueled up and first in line to meet the pilot car. It rained all night but with a 10 feet thick gravel access road the rain wasn't the problem, as a matter of fact the water trucks never stopped laying down masses of water with the rock fill operation.
While in line waiting for our green light to proceed the rock trucks were literally dumping rock at my feet with a blade spreading it, leaving a wind row inches from me.
Ok time to go. I thought it was hard yesterday but today it was rough! Get through this 30 mile stretch and the rest would be minor details!
I managed to stay on two wheels and get it done but I was on the pegs pretty much the whole time.
Pretty thrilling ride! Once clear I never looked back and opened up the throttle knowing I had another 400 miles to ride.
This is were the big bike came in handy. No problem maintaining 60 mph on the rough roads.
Stopped for a quick sandwich which was part of my all inclusive Aurorora Hotel package at Marion Camp then at Coldfoot to get fuel.
Back on the road and into Fairbanks by 7:00 pm were I go directly to a truck wash and spend 20 dollars in quarters cleaning the GSA and me!
Finally find a hotel with food and sit down at the bar for a burger. What a day!
I wake up to rain so I decide to extend my stay in Fairbanks to regroup, cleanup and organize my gear.
Smart move! Tomorrow I continue,making my way home!
Looking for my pot of gold!
Permafrost lawn!
The Caribou we'll be passing through by the thousands soon. This is the North Slope.
I met the guy who owns this on the tour. German man who built this bad boy, had it shipped into Canada to sidestep the USA emission and is driving to South America. Taking the long way down!
The blue dot was me.
The clear waters of the Arctic Ocean. The North Pole is straight ahead 1200 miles.
Heading south towards the Brooks Range and finally drying out.
Calcium Chloride undercoat.
Starbucks Break!
I think the sign says "Yukon River"?
Ok this is the way!
Looks like a pipeline!
The muddy waters of the "Mighty Yukon"!
Keep on Truckin!
I'm here! Map with dotted line.
Nice bathroom here!
Spruce trees.
The pipeline is always near!
Looking North to the Brooks Range.
Looking North agin towards the Brooks Range.
There's a motor bike with a crane on the back! "Motor bike" is German for motorcycle!
These are some of the rigs that drilled the oil wells. Not being used now.
None of the oil is pumped from the ground here, they use water injection to push the oil out through the well heads.
Prudhoe Bay to the left, Arctic Ocean to the right.
One of the major players.
My Cousin Vinnie on the tube in my luxury accommodations!
Yikes!
Met the other half of this thing coming up the grade on the Haul Route.
This was taken just before the Elliot Highway.
Looks a little better now!
Earned this on!
This is one guy I am glad I didn't run into!
After 20 dollar truck wash!
