We considered and reconsidered and hemmed and hawed but ultimately trekked all the way to the North Slope and the flat, flat tundra that runs to Deadhorse.  Why?  A chance to see Muskoxen in the wild.  We hit paydirt.  A family of 10 or so including a yearling and twin calves emerged from the brush just for us.  They look a bit prehistoric and the calves more like a pig but with long legs than a cow.  We enjoyed watching them interact.  They make a weird grunting, snorting, growling sound.

A couple fox made appearances today too.  According to a local sheriff we missed a herd of caribou that passed through yesterday.  Bummers.  Still, we did see a couple on gravel bars and swimming the Sagavanirktok (Sag) River.  The road continues to be a bit of a challenge but nothing insurmountable.  We are starting back south.