The beginning to the end

Jimmy wanted to get up early to start hitchhiking for a ride (he didn't want to miss any opportunity). Shortly after waking up we see a cyclist riding through camp so of course we get out to talk to him. He is from Switzerland and "trying" to bike to Brazil. He left Prodhue Bay yesterday, he's definitely on a lot faster track than we are. After a few minutes of chatting our biker friend gets on his way and we finish packing up to get on our way.

Of course right out of the gate we have a hill to crawl up. Today i have told myself that I'm not going to cry, that i can overcome this. I don't start off crying but i do start off not being able to breath through my nose and it is constantly running... not a fun way to bike. We see no cars for a couple hours, good thing we got up extra early to catch the cars.

I had to finally walk my bike up the first hill. I'm not sure which is harder, riding your bike up a steep hill or walking it up. Usually I'm stubborn and would refuse or be angry that i had to walk but i didn't care at all! When you are riding up a steep hill and get that feeling that you are actually going backwards instead of forward and your legs barely will move, it's time to walk instead of just crying :)

A couple hours into the ride i had to pull over and take a minute because i felt dizzy and nauseous.... not a fun way to spend the day biking. Finally our first car to pass! Jimmy waves it down and he's in a work truck so he can't pick us up but he does mention that there is a musk oxen to our right right next to the pipeline. Our first wildlife since the caribou 3 miles into our ride.

We can't get too discouraged about hitchhiking yet... our only other option is to keep riding forward! Car number two stops but has no room in the back of their truck for us let alone two bikes loaded with gear. The nice couple barely spoke English so there was a lot of hand motions to "explain" no room in their truck and explain that i felt sick. Since they had no room they did offer me some powder medicine for stomach sickness. I am still not sure what exactly they gave me but they did give me a little bag with some powder stuff to use later.

Now that we look like we have a little bag of cocaine with us it's time to start biking again. I keep telling myself forward is our only option while Jimmy is still very hopeful for a ride. A couple miles down the road we reach our second biggest and steepest hill yet. I don't think i made it halfway up the hill before i had to get off and push my bike. This one isn't as easy and i can feel my mental exhaustion suffering. Bless Jimmy because he gets off and walks with me but this time since it is so steep he starts to run his bike up and then come back down to walk my bike up.... yes he did a light jog up the hill while i feel like i am walking backwards.

Almost to the top of the hill a box truck is heading towards us so jimmy waves it down. He asks for a ride and explains that we just got in way over our head and that i wasn't feeling well. This angel/savior of a lady, who we will call Liz, says she is not suppose to pick up people because she is in her work vehicle but doesn't really care because she knows how we feel.

Let the waterfalls just come! Jimmy is so happy to find a ride and I'm just crying because it's what i do and i have too many emotions going through me right now. Now i would like everyone to know that I'm not always crying, we have had some good laughs and fun times along the way.

With our bikes in the back, Jimmy in the front seat and me in the back we are officially on our way South! Liz is just amazed/jealous of what we are doing and could not have said more encouraging words then she did. She said she knows we could do it but when you are tired and done with something she knows that feeling of wanting out which is what we want. We couldn't have asked for a sweeter and more positive lady to pick us up then Liz.

Our dream would be to get dropped off in Fairbanks, we would take Coldfoot, but our main goal right then was to get over Atigan Pass. A construction worker told us the pass got its name because "Indians and cowboys use to live there and to not have incest they would hook up with each other. The Americans would come over the pass and see them and say 'they are at it again (Atigan)'". A fun joke from a good Alaskan construction worker!

Liz had to make a couple stops along the route, bonus for us because at the first stop we got to take a shower!! Our first real shower since we left the hostel. Up and over Atigan Pass we go, and yes it seemed like a bitch to go up like everyone has told us. We learn later that we would have encounter a lot more strenuous hills then the pass. Liz has to make another stop so she drops us off and we ride for a little bit until she meet us again down the road.

This section of the road follows a river and is gorgeous. Even more relaxing when you don't have all your gear because it is in a truck! We got a few more miles in on our bikes before our fearless savior picked us up again. Knowing that we have a ride biking does seem as bad but it's probably the best option right now to hitch a ride. We get word that Liz is going to go back to Fairbanks tonight so our dream will be coming true! We have found a way off the Dalton!!!

We made it to Coldfoot where Liz drops us off at the one restaurant while she makes another stop. The restaurant has a buffet that we were looking forward to at the beginning of the trip for breakfast... now it's dinner and only i eat. I got a potato and bread to try to get some substance in me to help with my nauseousness. Liz comes only to tell give us the bad news that she is not going to Fairbanks tonight BUT we can stay with her friends if we want to go back tomorrow. At this point we will take anything and Liz truly seemed genuinely eager to help us.

A chat with her friends before we are off to bed. Her friends seem like some pretty cool and hilarious people! We go lay down and i feel like pure death and Jimmy tells me i don't look good. I think i fell asleep with in 10 minutes of laying down, once i got use to the feeling of the world spinning. Day 3 and we got 32 miles in on bikes and we met a super lady who says "i needed a lot of good karma in my life". I think she has more good karma then i ever will!