We Did it !!!!!

We rode the Dempster past the Arctic Circle to Inuvik. At first I wanted to write that we conquered the road, but no one owns the Dempster. The road changed on the way up and back. Sections that were bad on the way up were good on the way down and vice versa. The locals tell us the road changes by the hour. It was sunny in Inuvik when we arrived, raining when we left. When the road gets wet, it gets slippery, when they are grading it, it gets ugly. The area had excessive rain for weeks and we got on days after it reopened but there were still repairing big sections. Rivers overflow and take out 75 feet of road. 

The road has two major mountain ranges and they are like nothing we have ever seen - I think any Arctic mountain ranges have similar characteristics. The photos give an impression of the scenery but you need to see it to get full effect. At the border of Yukon and Northwest Territories, a native family showed us how they pick cloud berries - that only grow at altitude in wet lands. Up here, everything is either raised road, rock or wetland. 98% is wet land.

In Inuvik, a native woman gave us smoke dried fish. An entire filet of fish is cut in a checker pattern and hung to dry. This process shrinks the flesh to small squares that are like jerky in texture and easy to break out. An elder native explained that when you have dried fish, you can travel for ever. They are proud of their traditions. The preservation process keeps a the fish skin in perfect condition so you can see what species the meat came from.

Sorry for not posting more - we are in Dawson City - there is little to none Internet or cell service in the north. Eagle Plains offers 100 meg for $5 since it goes over satellite. Also, we are traveling 12 to 14 hours per day. Here, the sun sets at 10:30 and there is twi-light til midnight. Up north, sunset is 11:30. I will post pictures when there is a bit more time and bandwidth.

My fellow travellers, Jeff and Cipi are ecstatic with the trip, scenery and camping experience. Cipi loves his hammock tent. Ahh yes - the Artic Circle photo - Cipi is actually beaming with pride and accomplishment. That's his "Rambo - damn I'm happy" look. 

Today, Chicken, Tok and Fairbanks Alaska.