Crossing the bridge across the Yukon while riding Dalton Road to the Arctic Circle is unique as it is not only a good bridge, but features a wood-plank surface and it is acting as the pipeline support bridge. So, as you are crossing this thing, be aware there are cameras and a P.A. system hanging from the lights on the bridge. There is also always an Alaska Pipeline security person nearby, waiting to tell you NOT to STOP on the bridge.
What a pity, all this way, and the first thing you want to do is take in the grandness of the mighty Yukon, and you can't, because you are actually in a sensitive security area. The reason they made the surface of the bridge wood is so that the chains of the trucks during winter could dig into it and gain traction. It is a pretty steep grade. Be aware, too, that mud collects on the wood and mixed with rain becomes very slippery. Just one more thing to worry about.
At the Yukon River, you have two options for gas. You may get it at the Yukon River Camp, just after the bridge on the left. (there is a nice interpretive center on the right, if you want to learn more about the pipeline). Also, 5 miles down the road on the left, there is the Hotspot Cafe, and you can get gas, a good burger and even a room if you so desire. That is it, folks. After that, you are part of the food chain until Coldfoot, 120 miles down the road.
After about 45 miles from the Yukon, you come across Finger Mountain, which are a couple of rocks that pass for fingers and a good, clean outhouse. The parking lot is big enough to land a plane in it, but there is usually no one around.
The Article Circle
After 60 miles of riding, and by this time you really have not seen a police officer or anyone else, you come to an unassuming sign: Arctic Circle. And that is where you will see that famous sign indicating that you are indeed at the latitude whereby during the longest day of the year, the sun never sets. After taking the usual pictures, feeding some mosquitoes, and trying to see that yellow dashed line in the sky, it is time to go back. This is a big free day, and you will have logged over 400 miles, much of it dirt.
On the way back, you can practice your tactics with the big trucks. Never park on the road, always off to the side of the road. (This may seem like funny advice, but one gets complacent when there is no traffic for over 30 minutes.) Always shield your face behind the windscreen when you cross a truck, since they are throwing gravel, and you will constantly get peppered by them. Always let them pass if they are riding right up your ARSE, but mind the soft shoulder, so you don't go skipping into the bush.
Yup, no Sunday Drive.
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