Figuring it out: From Fairbanks to Tok

Our days take on a structure that has nothing to do with alarm clocks and meetings. We take care of the basics and everything else takes care of itself. Mostly. What gets done gets done. What doesn’t, doesn’t. It’s a different sort of life than the one we left, but it has a good rhythm to it. We are figuring it out.

The miles in the morning come easy. After lunch, they are a bit harder to earn. Mostly, I just want to nap away the afternoon.

We stop at Hot Licks for ice cream then pedal out of Fairbanks during Friday afternoon “rush hour.” We need to get better with our timing.

We camp on Chena Lake with the tundra swans and sandhill cranes.

In the morning, more pavement pedaling.

An army convoy passes us. A dog chases us. We pedal on. Camp for the night is in the woods with The Bugs.

Delta Junction has an actual grocery store. Plums. Avacados. Barley tea. Yogurt. Fresh bread. Pickles. Don’t get distracted. Focus. All I need is HEET, mouth wash and peanuts.

I come out with HEET, mouthwash, dark chocolate peanut m&ms, yogurt, plums and an apple. The plums are surprisingly juicy. The apple is crunchy.

We race rain clouds out of town, pushed playfully along by the wind. 10 miles. 20 miles. Stop and camp at the Black Veterans Memorial Bridge.

We move on in the morning under a grey sky. A day later, we’re in Tok.