Oh Boy, getting a bit stretchy the last miles. But no wonder: we’re in a parallel timezone. There but here and vice versa. The plan: we are in Florida anyway. Why not paying the Daytony Bike Week a short visit. And take a Goodbye Pic at the beach. A bit of swapping, dragging, racing. And done. But first: getting there:

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See you in Eustis, Gainesville, Daytona Beach.

We received a lot of letters in the last hours: why a post about Aerostich? Because this Duluth, Minnesota (N 46° 46.190 W 92° 07.175) based outfit American-made the special overalls (not the jackets, btw, these are by Canada Goose) for the Ice Road Riders, to the specifications from the Wrecking Crew. On the last trip to Patagonia, we also used Aerostich equipment, and based on the good experiences made there, we came back for more.

Better than 30 hours in the truck: late check-in, early check-out. Sleeping in the hotel gives the Wrecking Crew strength and pleasant odoriferousness.

Smelling good is important, because today the Wrecking Crew pays an official visit to Aerostich , manufacturer of fine motorcycle-suits and international distributor of motorcycle accessories. The Wrecking Crew were welcomed by charming Lynn Wisneski, standing in for Aerostich’s boss Andy Goldfine, who was out fishing. Lynn took the visitors on a nice and entertaining guided tour along the production lines of the famous Roadcrafter motorcycle-suit.

It’s quite logical that at Aerostich there are some details from the design and the production that are not meant for the general public. See our entertainment-programm in the meantime.

For all those who might not be so familiar with Aerostich, for example because of the lack of a motorcycle: it might give you an idea how famous the Roadcrafter among bikers is that it was copied with duct-tape by an obviously slightly misguided fan:

To get an idea, here’s the original:

And then there it was again: the road called for us - erm, it roared. Time to say goodbye. And thank you. To Lynn and all the others at Aerostich, the guys and gals that kept us warm at 40 below.

And then:

Breakfast in a hurry, the schedule for today was packed: execute shopping list , final adjustments to the bikes, kick it, out of Inuvik, onto the Dempster Highway as far as possible, maybe as far as Dawson City. The first stop to shop was right next to the hotel. The Wrecking Crew had shopped there already, some anti-freezing stuff like gloves and balaclavas. But the silicone wasn’t up to Paul’s specs. Thanks anyway.

Inuvik wouldn’t be called Biker’s Mekka of the Mackenzie Delta if there wasn’t another hardware store right round the corner. Paul got the silicone of his choice: Ultra Copper Silicone, the brake cleaner as well. Meanwhile Herr Schmidt was preparing the other vehicle, the Mobile Support Unit, as almost every day. For the Wreckers the mission was: get them things running, goddammit: gasket off, clean, gasket back on, silicone on top, cover back on, torque everything down and off we go.

As Herr Schmidt finally shows up, to check how the bikes are doing, he meets three guys in Army-Outfit who are filling up their Pickup. Filling up in these parts means to fill the 250l-reserve-tank in the back of the truck as well. Or the two reserve-tanks like the guys in the army-outfit have. Why you wearing army stuff? Ah, so you’re army guys. Canadian Air Force to be precise. Hey, want to take a look at our bikes?

And these army guys are in the garage for two microseconds and the Canadian Air Force goes: “Whoa, a Panhead, whoa a Shovel”. Respect. OK you’re a biker as well, Fat Boy, oh and more:

Sir, yes, Sir, nice meeting you, Sir. But off we go, you know, Call of … Duty, erm, the other D-word: Dempster!

That’s the stuff legends are made of: one ‘48 Panhead, one 2006 Shovelhead, a merciless Wrecking Crew, -35 degrees C and a road that leads across the frozen Beaufort-Bay up the Mackenzie-River. After getting familiar with the icy track the Wrecking Crew gets a grip on the conditions and scoots smoothly across a widescreen Nothing on top of a totally frozen bay - the only way to reach Tuktoyaktuk with roadgoing veehickles, the last town at the edge of the universe - and - to leave it again.

Just figure yourself in your trusty long johns, with plenty of swinging room inside. On the outside it’s -35°C in Tuktoyaktuk, or it was yesterday on my weatherwidget. See picture. Thats a cool -50°C wind chill included. OMG, my nose feels pretty brittle already. The good news is, the temperature will rise to sauna like -24°C the next couple of days.

Two Harleys potating-potating on solid ice through mindwhipping white wonderworlds. That’s how the Wrecking Crew intended it to be.