Adventures By Guy

I was falling asleep as I wrote last night’s post. Several things I forgot to mention. I went to pay my bill for 5.78 gallons of gas in Coldfoot, Alaska which is 240 miles from Deadhorse and the last gas stop. It is over 100 miles for gas prior to Coldfoot so you have to get gas here or run out. She said… that will be $44.50. Excuse me I only got 5 gallons. I know. How much is it per gallon? $7.50. Oh, ok… I was surprised, but I was never so happy to pay $7.50 for gas in my life. Only gas for over 200 miles. Bargain too as Deadhorse was $7.65.
Didn’t see any wildlife except some birds until maybe 40 miles from Deadhorse. Then I saw 6 caribou. Two with calves. Two were in the middle of the road just walking down it. The Tundra is pretty. Wide, wide open and all green and it goes for miles.
We were coming into a pretty good headwind and I was on reserve for the last 30 miles. Nice temperatures until 20 miles out of Deadhorse and then the wind chilled down and temperatures dropped 20° due to the Artic ocean. Found out that I couldn’t drive to the ocean as it was controlled by the oil field companies. But you could pay $70 for a tour to go see it or jump into it. No, I saw it plenty when I was in the Navy.
We slept in steel barracks/dorms. Everything is off the ground and very basic. They had food at Deadhorse Camp where we stayed. They house and feed the workers who maintain the equipment. Dinner was good and the breakfast was very good. $35 for both.
I walked out in the morning and everything was soaking wet as a cold fog had rolled in off the ocean. We packed up and went in to breakfast. Several people asked us how we were going to ride in the fog. I just said “slowly”. Thankfully we had gassed up when we arrived jrust to be ready to go in the morning. It was sunny and very brisk then but way better than this morning.
As we were mounting up Mike goes. Guy you can lead as you know where the Caribou are! I was in the lead coming in and spotted them all. He has a dry sense of humor as you couldn’t see very far. Ok… this was going be fun.
We came out from behind the main building and we found out there was also a stiff wind blowing too.
Visor had to be open because it immediately was covered with condensation. I was hoping that my glasses wouldn’t fog up. They didn’t but my left eye was tearing up from that cold wind hitting us from the side. If I closed it I could see enough to ride. A little blurry out of that eye if I didn’t. We were hoping as we got away from the ocean that the fog would go away.
It took 20 miles at around 35 mph then it started to dissipate. Temps came up from 43° to low 50’s. That felt good! Soon after that it was sunny and the wind went away too. I stopped at an overlook and we stripped off jacket liners and replaced winter gloves with summer gloves as it was now near 70°. We were in the middle of a large gravel parking lot and the mosquitoes still found us very quickly. We bugged out of there Pronto! It was a beautiful morning for a ride now. Looking over the stark empty tundra all green and going for miles or topping over a hill and seeing the Sag river glinting from the sunlight and soon the Brooks Range were poking their heads above the horizon. We climbed up the Atigun pass. 4800’ and the tallest in Alaska easily because it wasn’t raining this time. I pulled over for a break and pulled my drone out. I had it setting on the ground off to the side and was getting my phone into the controller when Mike happened to wander over near it as he was looking around. He looked down and said. Hey, I wonder what this is as he took his foot and nudged it like he was going to turn it over. Mike, stop! What is it? Jeff… It’s Guy’s drone! Don’t kick it! Oh!
That was only the beginning of what was almost a total disaster! Got the drone up and took a picture of us. These guys had never seen a drone and thought it was neat. Asking all sorts of questions as I started it ascending. It was probably 120’ in the air hovering when at full speed it started away from us and went out of sight over a large embankment. I am frantically trying to stop it. These guys are going… wow, look at that thing go? How far can it go? Then they here me saying… I am going g to lose my drone… several times. This clues them in something is terribly wrong. Finally I can get it to hover but it is way out of sight down the pass from the way we came. It is still not responding correctly at all but I saw the road coming up the pass. They were postulating it was the wind(I didn’t think so) but I got it to start descending towards the road. I was able to have it follow the road back up to us as it was flashing low battery. Then I saw what I had seen before but now it registered as the immediate crisis was over. Magnetic interference. What? Soon I saw the pull off and I lowered the drone more and we heard it. Hope was starting to return! Then we saw it and I maneuvered it close to where it started but it was acting all goofy and I was worried it would take off again. I had it 3 feet above the ground but it wouldn’t land. Controller said it only has enough battery to return home. If I hit the RTH button it would go 120’ up and return… except that would put it right where it was when it took off and now it had a low battery! Jeff started to go up the large embankment as I was trying to get it to ccome to us or land as it was hovering 3′ above the embankment. I was just determined to let it hover there until it died. But Jeff hadn’t gotten very far when I was able to get it to move towards us about 3 feet and now no embankment under it. So I was able to lower it to hover above the ground. There were some rocks there but somehow I was able to get it to land and not hit any of them. Whew! Jeff picked it up and brought it over to us and as he did he said… Well, thst was exciting! Wait until deer camp. You’re going to be famous!
We packed it away as my heart slowed down. I had noticed a weather station on a knoll not far from us. I think somehow that may have been sending out an electronic signal and caused the problems.

Hopped on the bikes and immediately started descending down a steep grade. They were working on it and they had watered it so heavily it had a soupy surface and slippery. We had a semi riding our tail too. About two or three minutes later we were mostly down and it was drying out. All good. They were spreading calcium chloride on the surface and turning it under. I guess that makes it hard but when wet gets real slippery.
Then it was through the green mountains to Coldfoot. Nothing is cheap as it all has to be trucked in but they feed you very well. Good food and big sides. I couldn’t finish mine so I offered mine to some newly graduated HS seniors on their graduation trip. Sure, we’d love to help you. All gassed up so we left and didn’t stop until we got to Fairbanks 244 miles away. Gassed up and it started to rumble above our heads. We looked up and a big cloud was up there. We better get out of here before it rains. We tried but 200 yards down the road it unleashed on us. Jeff just had his mesh gear on so he got soaked. Then the hail started. I had to slow down as it was so heavy I couldn’t see. I turned my flashers on. Within a mile or so we started coming out of it and then we were clear. Going to get a late start today as we did two rough 500 mile days going up and back. Oh. One of those teenagers took the plunge into the Artic Ocean. Said he couldn’t feel anything for 20 minutes after ge got out. I said that’s like jumping in a pool of snow melt. Yep, don’t think I’ll do it again but it’s a story to tell.
Both my fork seals are now leaking. Will try to clean them out otherwise I have to find a place to put new ones in.
Found out even expensive hotels don’t have AC in Alaska. It has been in the 80’s almost every day up here and they say that is hot. The large hotel spent $3000 dollars on fans yesterday and I got one of the last ones and made it comfortable!

p.s.

We were at the top of the pass and Jeff said I wish I could cry. I should start thinking of my Ex. I need some tears to wash out this dust from my eyes. I pull out my real tears bottle from my riding jacket and say Here you go. He looks at it. Takes it and said… We need to Start calling you Professor Gadget. Every time we need something you pop out with it! You’re like a traveling Walmart.