10 June 2014 Journey to the end of the road...

Today we left Toolik to visit the Prudhoe Bay oilfields. This is about a 3 hour drive up the Dalton highway - the farthest north one can drive in North America. Along the way we saw beautiful landscapes, lots of waterfowl, caribou, and the industrial oil center of Prudhoe Bay. This is where the Alaska pipeline begins. It sends crude oil from the Arctic Ocean to Valdez, Alaska where it is pumped onto super tankers for transport around the world. The pipeline is 800 miles long, and has been pumping oil since 1977.

Along the drive we met two cowboys riding horseback along the road. Their plan was to ride to Mexico to raise funds for an orphanages in Mexico and Cambodia. Rider Len Crow hopes to reach Guadalajara, Mexico 11 months from now. They had a long, lonely stretch of road ahead of them. We wished them luck as they rode off towards the Brooks Range.

Along the road we also saw a number of bicyclists loaded down with touring gear. The Dalton highway is mostly gravel, and is very rough and muddy. It is not optimal for a bike, but there were several folks out there braving a chilly wind and some rain. We got a chance to talk with two cyclists who also had their dog along for the ride. Their destination was Key West Florida by December. Wow! After talking with them a bit, I realized they would probably make it. They had already completed the Pacific Crest trail and the Continental DivideA divide separating river systems that flow to opposite sides of a continent. trail from Canada to Mexico and the Appalachian trail. I bet they have some pretty great stories. Seeing these people living their grand dreams was inspiring. I guess if there is something you really want to do bad enough, you have to at least give it your best try. Life is not a destination, it is a journey.