I wake up with sore muscles (like every morning) from yesterday's climbing. Luckily once I get up and going it's always gone. Today I am heading towards Yukon River. Just a few more hills and I am there.


I make it to Yukon River by 4PM. Not beeing bothered to cross the bridge just now (even the bridge has a 6% grade) I wash off my mud covered face in the cafe at Yukon River Camp and ask for a water refill. The friendly women directs me to the soda station and says the lemonade tap will give tap water. No it didn't and so I am filled up with two and a half liters of (free) lemonade now. Things could be worse.


I settle down on the river banks to cook myself some potato mash. Just in time Dixie shows up, a nice woman I met 30 minutes before, and hands me some homemade salmon dip. You made my day (and my potato mash), Dixie! It was delicious!


After a few obligatory evening climbs (I have so much more energy in the evening since I figured out my nutrition routines) I set up camp on one of the maintenance roads leading to the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline. This 800 mile long metal snake transports crude oil from Prudhoe down to the port in Valdez and is the sole reason why the Dalton highway exists.