We are about halfway up the Dempster Highway on our jaunt up to the Arctic Ocean.
We started in the striking Tombstone Mountains. Lots of climbing among jagged peaks hidden by clouds. (not a lot of pics on our phones, but there’s drone video below and DSLR photos will be available a long time from now when we’re home)
The Dempster is VERY remote. It’s a pretty rugged gravel road and the surface seems to change all the time. Just when we get used to a smooth rolling section, it switches to washboard or deep gravel. But it’s all been rideable and we’re loving (almost) every minute.
A few adventures of note: we camped near Engineer Creek. We knew the water was undrinkable due to iron leaching from permafrost (thanks global warming!). But we weren’t sure how to know when the water would be undrinkable. We shouldn’t have worried.
What was fascinating was when Bill went down to the Ogilvie River to filter water, he could see where it mixed with Engineer Creek.
Also at Engineer Creek Campground a trail angel went exceptionally above and beyond and brought us a bunch of treats including a fantastic feast for Giselle.
Drivers have been so generous and helpful, offering sodas and water as we slogged up hills. We must be quite a spectacle!
Now we’re camping at Eagle Plains. We had a box sent ahead and it arrived safely. Now we’re having a great dinner!
And of course, we took drone footage when we had battery power, when it wasn’t raining, when it wasn’t too windy.
The trip so far:
1219 miles pedaled
56,500 feet climbed
Irreparable bike malfunctions: zero