We were 82 miles from Canada and we were anxious to finally reach the border. As we rode next to the Tanana River we went up and down large glacial sand dunes. The trees were spruce and cottonwood. There we saw the hardest diurnal rainfall to date but it lasted a short time.
A vision popped into my head of me with a gas mask on in a jungle using insect poison to eradicate millions of bugs. As we were riding bugs would swarm around our heads, following us, biting us, flying into our eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. There were so many bugs that I felt like one of the caribou up north that drowns themselves to escape the mosquitos.
I was listening to the audiobook Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. As I was reaching the climax of the book where John Galt, the leader of the intelligent heros, addresses the masses and explains to them why the leaders of society have gone on strike. I heard a noise that sounded like a bear off in the woods making a grunt but I was focusing on the story so I didn’t pay attention to it. I was riding with my hood up and head down when all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something black move. I turned to my left and below me was a little Asian face of a guy my age saying “Hello!” It scared me half to death.
It took me a minute to pull out my headphones and collect myself. A Japanese cyclist named Kosuke had caught up to us. He’s ride was from Anchorage to Vancouver, BC. We rode together and I introduced him to Paul.
Kosuke said he had not eaten since lunch the previous day, but we soon reached Northway Junction and he bought food. Kosuke had only brought curry and Ramen to eat and he said he would take a break to eat and then meet up with us. Paul and I kept riding.
After 90 minutes Kosuke caught us and joined our group. Kosuke had started the day in Tok, so it would be a 92 mile ride for him to reach the border. He said he had been riding 65 miles per day but he was happy to have found companions so he wanted to stay with us.
We enjoyed getting to know Kosuke as we rode. He and I both liked the movie Spirited Away and we both looked forward to drinking beer when it was next available.
We came into some big hills and Kosuke was getting tired. Kosuke and I reached the last gas station before the border and we waited for Paul.
Paul arrived and we made a last push for the border. Paul and I were excited to reach Canada.
We reached the US customs station and stopped to take a picture but the officers told us to leave. Took a quick picture and left. We then stopped at the international border and took pictures.
We rode on 1.5 miles and found a flat place to camp right beside the road. Kosuke set up his tent next to ours. We gave him some of our beans and pilot bread, he thought it was delicious. Kosuke had lived in Texas for 6 months and said he liked Mexican food.
We went to sleep, but neither Paul nor I slept well, we were on uncomfortable rocks.
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| Almost out of Alaska. |
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| We met Kosuke. |
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| Paul and Kosuke riding. |
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| Rain clouds. |
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| Paul, Kosuke, and me. |
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| U.S. customs. |
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| The Alaska and Canada border. |
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| Goodbye Alaska. |
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| Hello Canada. |
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| Into the Yukon. |
