Fatbikers hit the ice road to tuk
Tourism company offers trip up winter road in its final year
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Friday, March 17, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
David Stephens has spent much of his life pedalling around the world.
Calgary-based journalist Tom Babin, left, and David Stephens ride fat bikes on Tin Can Hill on Tuesday afternoon. Stephens is planning a fatbike tour on the Tuktoyaktuk Winter Road from March 31 to April 15 through his business, Borealis Bike Tours Unlimited. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo |
The owner and operator of the Borealis Bike Tours Unlimited has traversed Canada to raise awareness about the environment, journeyed from Los Angeles to Denver and has biked extensively around Japan.
So when he heard the Tuktoyaktuk winter road is closing permanently this year in advance of completion of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway, he jumped on the opportunity to offer a tour.
He's offering to take interested riders along the 187-kilometre road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk from March 31 to April 5.
Although the trip is open to all, he warns it's not going to be a walk in the park.
"It's almost 200 kilometres in four days," he said. "It could be great weather; it could be a blizzard. There are other factors that some people might not have heard about, including grizzly bears coming out of hibernation and polar bears."
To ensure everyone's safety, Stephens said he plans to have two people on hand with appropriate rifles to ensure there are no dangerous encounters with bears. He also plans for there to be two support vehicles - one driving in front of the cyclists and one behind, which people can make use of during the ride if they need.
The group will return to an Inuvik hotel each night.
"Everybody will be shuttled back and forth each day from our start and stop points," he said. "That's a key thing. Everyone will get a quality night's sleep every night and a good amount of food."
Stephens moved to Yellowknife in 2013. When he turned 50-years old last November, he said he quit his day job at Overlander Sports to establish his tourism company.
Stephens requires eight applicants to go ahead with the trip - so it remains uncertain whether it will still happen.
But he said he is keeping his fingers crossed and hopes that people will see the value in making the journey with him.
