As we cycled out of Fairbanks towards Canada, kitschy tourist stops soon gave way to the wide open spaces of Alaskan wilderness. Smoky air from forest fires and the onset of almost daily rain presented some challenges. But the Alaska Highway still delivered majestic landscapes inhabited by fascinating wildlife, as well as a few welcome surprises.

We wanted to savor the experience of bicycle travel in the Far North, so we took seven days to cycle from Coldfoot to Fairbanks, Alaska. Multiple mountain ridges, clouds of mosquitos, forest fires, and a few missteps in procuring water all presented challenges. But the wildlife, landscapes, and sheer scope of the wilderness along the Dalton Highway were spectacular - a true cycling adventure.

Our Americas cycling adventure began with the 240 mile ride down the northernmost road in Alaska, the Dalton Highway (a.k.a., the Haul Road). With no traveler’s services, it’s considered one of the most remote roads in the world. We cycled across stormy tundra, the magnificent Brooks Range Mountains, and finally saw our first tree on our fourth day of cycling. Surrounded by incredible wildlife, we reveled in the vast expanses and solitude of the journey.

Getting to the start of any long bicycle tour can be an adventure in itself, and our arrival in Deadhorse, Alaska, was no exception. But after several hair-raising moments, we finally landed in one of the northernmost towns in the world. With an allure similar to an industrial colony on another planet, Deadhorse’s unique character was fascinating to observe. A quick dip in the Arctic Ocean and the chance to wander out on the northern sea ice, followed by close-up views of spectacular arctic birds, set the stage for our next adventure - pedaling southward on the Dalton Highway.

During 40 days in Anchorage, Alaska, we explored the city’s extensive network of bike trails. Ranging from paved paths along urban streams to root-infested single-tracks in the hills, we never tired of the natural beauty and varied terrain available for cycling in Anchorage. Seeing a few moose was certainly a highlight. But there were other surprises, like airplanes flying so low overhead you felt as if you could reach up and touch them. Next we’ll fly up to Prudhoe Bay at the very top of Alaska, and begin heading south by bike.

If you are a bikepacker, bicycle tour enthusiast, or lightweight camping connoisseur, this post is for you. Starting from the base of equipment that we used to successfully complete the Western Wildlands Bikepacking Route (WWR), we delve into the updates and changes we’ve made to our cycling gear for the long ride from Alaska to Patagonia. We’ve included some commentary on aspects of our kit that we think worked particularly well on the WWR, as well as a few items we’re keeping for this trip with some caveats. With all the additions and subtractions from our gear, we even managed to shed a bit of weight!

We’re laying out plans for another cycling trip, and we’ve got our sights set on a big one: a 20K+ mile (32K+ km) route from Deadhorse, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. After pondering lots of options, we’ve settled on a tentative route with a diverse mix of dirt, gravel and pavement. But there’s more to consider than just the direction of travel. Many sections of the route have limited seasons for comfortable bicycle touring. And some areas, like the Darien Gap, should be avoided for other reasons. In this blog we lay out some of the key timing and planning issues we considered, and how they could affect our overall bikepacking trip.