Alaskabike Day 4--Heading "Off the Grid"

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, tonight we are at the Tangle River Inn on the Denali Highway which runs between the Richardson Highway and the Parks Highway, and is “off the grid.”  So this is being written on Wednesday night but will not get posted until Thursday. Everybody in the group said that today’s ride, 67 miles from south of Delta Junction to Paxson, AK was probably the best day of the tour so far.

I continued to fight a cold which made the ride tougher than it would otherwise have been.  And it didn’t start off too well.  After our 20 mile van ride to our starting point, my bike was taken off the roof of the van and it had a flat front tire.  Greg of Alaskabike checked the tire for glass or some other intrusion but found nothing. So I got a new tube and off I went.  Fortunately the problem did not repeat itself.   I felt good as I started out, but at about mile 5 the road turned sharply upward.  During the four mile climb it became necessary to make a couple of stops to take  some cold medicine that I had picked up the night before or blow my nose.  Twice, Tracy who was the Alaskabike sweeper on her bike following the rearmost rider (that was me) stopped to find out if I was ok.

I pressed on, and at the top of the grade reached the first SAG stop which was at a section of the Alaska Pipeline (see the picture below).  Greg suggested that I ought to complete the next 18 mile segment, and if I didn’t feel better ride the van for the third segment.
 

By the time I reached that second rest stop I knew I had to try to keep going.  The views were already spectacular.  Snow capped mountains, innumerable clear streams running to the Delta River that we were following, various overlooks into valleys below, Rainbow Mountain, the hope that maybe today would be the day to see a moose (no such luck ensued!), Summit Lake, and finally a six mile descent to our end point in Paxson.

Although I struggled at times, by the afternoon I felt a bit better (still making plenty of stops to use the tissues and to sneeze which became prevalent in the afternoon).  The black flies, gnats and mosquitos began to show up more than they had in the last several days.  But I pressed on, as did everyone else, including Leslie who was battling a cold like I was (I hope she didn’t catch it from me!).  We all ended up pretty close together at Paxson.  A van ride on the Denali Highway took us to the Tangle River Inn.

Thursday we’ll start on the little traveled Denali Highway about seven miles east of our overnight stop. We’ll cover 13 miles back to Paxson and then head south again on the Richardson Highway toward our next to last overnight of the tour in Glenallen. Greg assures us all that tomorrow will be even better than today!

As an aside, I’m still trying to get used to the midnight sun.  It’s 10:15 p.m. as I finish this post. The sky is still light. I don’t know how people who live here get their kids to go to bed at a reasonable time!

Below is the link to today’s data for the 67 miles, followed by pictures from the ride.
Bruce

 
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3791004150

Our first view of the pipeline about ten miles south of where we started.

Me at the pipeline.  Notice that I did pay attention to the sign
and did not climb on the pipeline!

A downhill is a cyclist's best friend.

Haze from fires in northern Alaska,
but snow covered mountain tops can still be made out.

Part of our group at a lunch stop:  Bindu, her husband Jason, me, Tracey with Alaskabike,
and in the front row is "Oxman" from Thailand.

A little bit clearer snow capped mountains

Grey mud in the Delta River caused  by the sediments in the soil. 

Lunch stop next to the Delta River.  Leslie, her son Alex, and Bill (L-R)

Rainbow Mountain next to the Delta River

A short distance south of Rainbow Mountain
the Delta River runs very quickly through a tight turn.

The marker poles which stretch over the road on each side keep
the snow plows following the right course when plowing after a heavy storm.

Summit Lake outside Paxson.

This sign is as close as we've gotten to a moose!