Our journey up north had begun. Jeff and I were attempting the Dempster Highway with hopes of reaching the distant Tuktoyaktuk. I hadn’t heard of it until Jeff mentioned it during our travels two years prior, when we explored the Top Of The World Highway in the midst of the Covid era. We set out on Sunday, August 27th.
Before our departure, we ensured our animals were well cared for. Our two love-car-rides dogs, Penny and Baru, in tow – both rescues and now best buds. In Jeff’s truck was a perch which had once been Penny’s favoured spot. But now, Baru, that cheeky lab, often claimed it for himself. Penny, ever assertive, wouldn’t hesitate to take her spot back when she felt inclined. Jeff had spent countless hours perfecting our setup for this journey. Word had it that the Dempster was challenging to navigate, with the threat of flat tires due to the road’s shale. Yet, its reputation as one of Canada’s pristine terrains intrigued us.
Jeff had fitted a new set of 10-ply tires and brought along two spares. One tire was in the usual place, and the other went on the back on a handy rack that Jeff had found online during his research. Our trailer, which had seen numerous upgrades over the years, now boasted tires that matched the truck’s, a heavy-duty axle, and useful fenders hand-crafted by our friend and craftsman, Chris. It even flaunted a paint job matching the truck’s hue – an attention to detail that I found both amusing and endearing – I don’t even want to bring up the lights at the bottom! lol This teardrop trailer was ready for any challenge. Equipped with one large and two smaller jerry cans for gas attached to the truck, we felt prepared.
Given the wildfires encircling Yellowknife, we chose to route through Whitehorse in the Yukon. Our initial aim was Dawson City, a place where we’d made fond memories two years earlier. Though the borders now allowed for passage into Alaska, that was only our Plan B this time. Suspecting the Top of the World highway might be busier than our last visit, we decided against it unless integrating our alternate plan.
We began our road trip at 10 AM that Sunday. Though fatigue from his recent night shift weighed on Jeff, the allure of the road reenergized him. With four weeks at our disposal, we hoped our journey would span about three weeks. After hours on the road, punctuated by the low-line smoke of the NWT fires, hunger led us to a quick and easy KFC. Its offerings, however, proved too salty for our tastes. As the day went on, we searched for a campsite and chanced upon the Riverside Golf Course in Valleyview, AB. A swarm of pesky mosquitoes denied us the pleasure of the scenic views and warm summer evening, driving us into our trailer. The following dawn, we resumed our journey, eager to seize the day.
