Step over the imaginary dotted line

What makes the allure of an imaginary dotted line so irresistible? I had flown through forest-fire smoke in a tiny prop plane, been jostled along a gravel road on a bus, and battled hordes of relentless mosquitoes - just to step across the Arctic Circle.

My husband and I were on a 12-hour expedition that departed from Fairbanks, 160 miles south of the circle. Aside from bragging rights and mosquito bites, what did we get out of the trip? Spectacular scenery, a chance to explore the fabled Alaskan tundra, and an up-close look at the controversial Trans-Alaska Pipeline System as it snakes across the wilderness.

Our nine companions hailed from as near as Anchorage and as far away as Italy and Japan.

Not being a fan of group tours, I'd resisted joining this jaunt. But after phoning a company that recently started renting cars outfitted for the gravel-covered Dalton Highway (the only way to get to the circle besides flying), I relented. Their comments were a bit daunting: "We give you two spare tires, but after that it's your responsibility," and "A chip in the windshield will cost you $40, but to replace the whole thing is about $400."

True, they throw in a CB radio, but the anticipated fun of uttering phrases like, "Ten-four, good buddy, this is my third flat tire," just didn't compensate.

The flight up revealed mountains of pine forests, giving way to vast rolling hills of emerald tundra marked with kettle lakes These are formed when the tundra is damaged, causing the permafrost to melt. We could have been flying over the putting greens and water hazards of a gigantic golf course.

Our guide, Tom, described the delicate relationship between tundra and permafrost, soil that has remained continuously frozen for at least two years.

"The sphagnum moss of the tundra is five to 10 inches thick and acts as insulation for the permafrost," he explained. "Just driving a truck across it can disrupt it enough to create lakes along the wheel tracks." Damage to the tundra sets off a chain reaction of permafrost melt, lake formation, tree growth - and eventually a different landscape emerges.

"We just crossed the Arctic Circle!" the pilot interrupted. His instrument panel and read 66 degrees 32 minutes on the global positioning system.

Dave brought the plane in for a landing 23 miles north of the circle, on a remote airstrip originally built to receive pipeline construction supplies.

The sign on a tiny locked hut proclaimed it as Prospect Creek International Airport, a remnant of the days when this was allegedly one of the busiest airports in the United States. Now Prospect Creek serves pumping station No. 5 on Mile 275 of the pipeline, which stretches from Prudhoe Bay in the north down to the port of Valdez in the south.

While we waited in the summery Arctic chill for our bus to arrive, Tom told us that the airstrip was built from packed gravel over Styrofoam blocks, which act as insulation to keep the permafrost from melting and turning the landing field into a swamp. The Dalton Highway was built much the same way when construction started back in 1968.

Before long, the bus rolled up and let off its passengers, who would return on the planes we'd come in. Tom took his place behind the wheel of the 25-passenger coach, assuring us that buses and trucks rarely get flats, because of their larger, tougher tires. "But if you're in a van, it's typical to get a flat at least once in each direction," he added.

As he launched into a wide-ranging monologue on everything from pipeline construction to natural history to gossip about the characters who ply the Dalton, I realized another good reason not to drive by ourselves. His stories made the long, bumpy ride come alive, whether he was unreeling facts (caribou will eat 223 types of tundra plants; a million barrels of oil a day are currently moving through the 801.2 miles of pipeline at 5.4 miles per hour), or spouting local lore.

An hour into the drive, we had our "on-the-ground" encounter with the Arctic Circle, which was marked by a turnout on the road, a large placard, and an outhouse.

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