Anchorage to Phoenix Bike Ride: Day 12

I called Tristian again and left another message in the morning. We ate breakfast and packed our gear. A helicopter took off about 250 feet from the gazebo before we left. We washed dishes in the gas station and then we rode out of Destruction Bay against a 15 or 20 mph headwind.

I cooked extra rice at breakfast and added butter for a snack during the day. Unfortunately, it fell off my trailer and I lost it. My Camel Back water bladder also fell off my trailer and got a hole in it. Kosuke brought me one piece of my Camel Back and Paul brought me the other piece and I gave them some dried apricots.

We had nice views of Kulane Lake and I stopped at the visitor’s center and talked to the girl at the desk. She knew Tristian and Avalon, our couch surfing hosts, and said we could find them in the bakery.

We got our first hot weather of the trip so I rode in just my chamois shorts and a T-shirt. It felt nice to ride without a jacket on.

After Kulane lake we rode up some hills and entered a new vista where Haines Junction is located. We coasted down a long hill and then rode another 5 miles and came to a 6 mile long hill. I had to stop on the hill to put on my jacket because I got cold coasting down such a long hill.

In Haines Junction Paul went to inquire about a medical clinic where he could get the rash on his foot looked at. He had been unable to sleep through the nights because his foot itched really bad.

Kosuke and I went to the bakery to look for Tristan and Avalon and we were given directions to the house where we would stay. Kosuke and I went to the highway and waited for Paul and we all headed to our host’s house.

We were excited to meet Tristan and Avalon and they were happy to see us. Tristan told us about his cycling adventures in Australia and New Zealand. We had an intense game of 2 vs 2 foosball. Then Tristan and Avalon went to bed and we washed up, ate, and went to sleep.