Wednesday.    July 3

Orientation and Transfer Day

Writing this on the edge of the Arctic Ocean......the End of the Road.

A day of little activity.Just a quick dash down to the local store to pick up a few odds and ends, including a cream offering relief from mosquito bites. Haven’t got any yet but ‘Bi Ullamh’ . Passed by the’ Igloo’ Church a famous landmark in Inuvik.

Orientation meeting of the full gang at 10:30 after checking out of the rooms with bags and bikes lined up for transfer to Tuk. 32 cyclists and 7 staff with 4 going the whole way to Panama. Andreas the leader went through a typical day ( especially for those on their first TDA camping trip) and outlined the expectations and necessary attitudes.

My room-mate Ed from New York was still without his bike but a promise that it would come in on the 1:30 flight today. It did but it had been a worry for him since he arrived on Monday.After lunch all bags and bikes were loadedd on 3 vehicles with a few mini buses for us. A 3 hour drive lay ahead, the same 150km that we’ll traverse tomorrow in the opposite direction. It’s not a good idea to drive a proposed route; seems so long when driving. More about that road tomorrow.

Arrived here in Tuk around 5 to the end of the town and ceremoniously dipped the hand in the Arctic Ocean.....not too cold.

 The town is a remote fishing settlement which has only been linked by this highway in 2017. We’re the first TDA tour to start from here. It’s oil and gas that’s the rational behind that new road.All nearly ready here now for dinner on the edge of the ocean and then try to get some sleep in spite of the continuous daylight to be ready for a long demanding spin tomorrow.