Fairbanks to Tok. Rain and a dead laptop.

***Help friends!! In Tok, and sadly our laptop completely died trying to post an update. We are in need of a small, lightweight, needs a flash drive NOT hard drive (guess this might be why ours died) with USB ports laptop asap. If anyone has one to donate or sell, we would so greatly appreciate it. Please contact us for more info. Thanks friends.***

Hello from Tok Public Library! As referenced above, Ville and I sadly just lost our laptop we have been dragging along with us in the hopes of staying connected and updating as we go about our trip. Somehow it made it through the treacherous Dalton Highway, but on the last long flat stretch it decided to bail. And so it goes! We are on our way out of town, but waited long enough for the library to open to get in a quick post before heading to Canada. Sadly, pics will have to wait until we have a way to download them again :(

Before leaving Fairbanks, Ville and I made a quick visit to some great people and friends of friends, Hank and Marla, who were gracious enough to take us to Hoodoo Brewery, feed us some moose burgers and help us to get our bikes back in shape after the Dalton. Somehow, my rear brake pads had malfunctioned and the wire that holds them in was mangled and the pads were completely worn down and shot. The Dalton. Threw in some new pads, a tightening here and there and back on the road headed for North Pole. Thanks Hank!!

Road was now a real live highway with a big shoulder, speeding cars, and pavement! Real life pavement! And with a bit of a tailwind we flew the 20 miles into North Pole where we took a short brake to visit with our new friends, Alex and Alisa whom we met on the Dalton Highway when we were in the pits of despair trying to dig out the clay from our fenders. Super great people and we really enjoyed getting to sit and chat and catch up with you guys! Hope we meet again in Honduras!

Off we headed again southeast on the AlCan Highway towards Delta Junction. After cycling through on and off rain, we finally camped in the back of a church yard, with only minimal mosquitoes. The next day we rode most of the day through rain, but had a sweet couple stop and give us Gatorade's and candy bars (we must look pretty sad out there riding in the rain) and then another great long break to inhale a bunch of burgers at Delta Junction and on to finish 77 miles and camp in the woods along the road. We woke to more rain and sadly had rain all day, limiting our views a bit, but pumped us to finish the entire 80 miles into Tok to eat and get a motel to try and get out of the rain and wash the mildew from our things. It's not as much fun to take breaks from the bikes in rain.

On our way back on the road heading towards Beaver Creek and Haines Junction for our next resupply. Rain is in the forcast, but *sigh* this crazy carnival must go on. I forgot to mention how many animals Ville and I have had the pleasure of riding up on. Lots of moose, even a few moms and babies! Lots of bald eagles, musk oxes, caribou, and luckily no bears! Early on the Dalton we were out on the wide open plane and along came a lone caribou running down the road past us and headed south. It was hilarious. And then a really special experience when we were on one of the hardest days and stretches of the Dalton, I had begged and bartered with my ancestors and mother nature to please lay off the rain through the stretch that was sure to be the muddiest. While Ville and I were riding our bikes in what appeared to be a cloudy sky that was holding off on raining, we came right up on a huge Great Horned Owl sitting in a tree right near us. We stopped to watch it and it turned its head and stared at us for the longest time. Before we could grab a picture, it flew off. As we made our way up the road a ways further, the owl returned and flew right up next to us on another tree. As we stopped again, went to grab our camera yet again, it vanished. Thank you to my prayers being answered and our friend Carly (Carlys Kids) who was watching out for us.

Well friends, back to the road. Will try and update again soon and will get pictures on here when we are able to again. Stay tuned! And if you see a laptop out there looking for a very nice home on an epic bike adventure, let us know!!