Yes, I finally made it all the way up the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean! This journey was seven years in the making, including three failed attempts with two previous motorcycles, and two years of international border closings due to the pandemic! The village of Tuktoyaktuk in Canada's Northwest Territories lies at the end of over 500 miles of unpaved road. And while some of it was relative high-speed bliss, the majority was a challenge, and some parts were nearly impassable. Throw in days of extreme heat and wildfire smoke on my way north, days of nonstop rain on my way south, and my worst bout with stomach illness in a decade - and you have my most difficult motorcycle trip ever!
But the above photo serves as photographic proof. Mission accomplished! Of course, at this point, I was only half done. I had to largely retrace my route back to South Dakota - for a total distance ridden of 7,070 miles! Multiple locals in Tuk said mine was the only Ryker they had ever seen! Hardly an official first, I'll admit. But I'll take it!
