Paul
A couple of thoughts on your plans. We ride the Dalton in 3 days due to time limitations and it's tough if the weather is dodgy but very do-able. You have given it 6 or 7 days and to be honest, I really don't know what you will find to do because there is precious little there apart from a road following a pipe and your time may be better employed riding in Kenai and Denali.
In Fairbanks. go to the Universtity of Fairbanks for cheap and basic rooms which are around $70 per night. Good cafe on the main drag at the entrance called the Sourdough with cracking Reindeer sausages!
You will have to book your rooms in Prudhoe Bay in advance and it will cost you $200 at
www.deadhorsecamp.com for a very basic room. Food there will be $20 per head for a good buffet. There is nothing to do in Prudhoe apart from the Arctic tour which again is bookable through deadhorse camp. This hotel is on the left hand side as you enter Deadhorse so be careful you don't miss it because it's not signed!! There is a post office for stickers and odds and sods and fuel. Be warned that teh fuel station is self serve and only takes credit cards. We always have issues here so make sure you have a couple of cards in case one doesn't work. There is a hotel called the Aurora where you can get food at lunchtime although it's only really for the workers. This is a huge building by the ocean as you turn right to the post office.
The hotel in Coldfoot is owned by the same people and the same price so my advice is to stay in Wiseman which is another 20 miles up the road. We use
www.boreallodge.com and you will get a basic cabin for $100. You will have to book in advance but the owner Heidi is very helpful and will always try to squeeze you in. She also works at the excellent visitor centre in Coldfoot which is opposite the services. If you stay in Wiseman which is a very interesting small ex gold mining town, make sure you fill with food and fuel at Coldfoot because it's the last fuel for 240 miles!!
Also, make sure you call in to the Hot Shot Cafe which is around 6 miles north of the Yukon crossing. Excellent milkshakes and the biggest burgers you've ever seen. Fuel at the Yukon crossing and then go to the hotshot for grub is my advice.
If the weather is good, you'll fly up and down but if the weather is wet, you will be in for a fairly tough time because the road conditions vary from good tarmac to thick mush which is like ice!! There is a corner called "Oh shit" corner for good reason as it's packed deep gravel! The temperatures also will vary from hot in some parts to snow on the Atigun and feezing rain near Prudhoe.....all on the same day so take good riding kit. Also, take as little kit as you can because loaded bikes are horrible on the road. If you want to camp up there, best of luck because you will be eaten alive by mosquitos!! I wouldn't bother so would ride with a lighter bike.
Before you ride up there, call in to see Dan and Shawn at wwwadventurecycleworks.com for a mileage map of the road and a blather. They are great guys in there and call in on the way back for a bike clean as it's cheaper and better than a car wash.
This is how I would plan it and you'll have plenty of time to see everything on and just off the road:
Day 1: Fairbanks to Wiseman 270 miles of mostly good roads
Day 2: Wiseman to Prudhoe 230 miles over the Atigun and across the tundra on very variable road surfaces!!
Day 3: Prudhoe to Wiseman 230 miles
Day 4: Wiseman to Fairbanks
A few tips:
Fuel where you can and take a spare can. Adventure Cycle Works will rent you one because running out will ruin your day.
Ride with minimum gear especially if its wet.
Watch the trucks and don't try and out think them. They run very quickly if it's dry and if they are behind you, let them past. The drivers are generally pretty good but get nervous behind bikes because of the road surface.
Take 100% deet bug spray because nothing else keeps the little fuckers at bay. they will bite through 2 or 3 layers no problem.
Be careful of road conditions because they change very quickly especially if it's wet. You may have to turn back if it's too bad!!
Enjoy the ride because not all that many get to Prudhoe for lots of reasons.
