Lists

Today it is Monday, May 23 2016.  The Blog has been resting for a few years, following our return from Haida Gwaii.  I've changed the title of the Blog to reflect that we are no longer "Goin' For the Gwaii".  Instead, Linda and myself are preparing to depart on a roadtrip to take us through northern British Columbia into the Yukon Territory, and hopefully continue north on the Dempster Highway to the end of the road at Inuvik, Northwest Territories.  This road is being extended from Inuvik across the permafrost layers to end at Tuktoyaktuk, at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, and on the Beaufort Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean).  Because of climate change, the permafrost is a bit less permanent, so the highway project is experiencing delays and considerably more layers of gravel bed.  If we want to get to Tuk, we will likely have to find an airplane ride or a boat down the Mackenzie River - which I'd really like to do, but our limited budget may not allow it.  Several of my bucket list items include crossing the Arctic Circle, wading (or perhaps sticking my toe ) in the Arctic Ocean - so Tuk has become part of the bucket list.

Speaking of lists, we are in the throes of checking our preparatory lists of things to do and take.  We don't have a lot of room for food, but hope to camp most of the way, whenever and wherever possible.  So camping, fishing, and traveling items are all on separate lists.  We'll be traveling into grizzly bear territory (also black bears - and - who knows? - perhaps polar bears).  So we have purchased bear spray which reputedly will discourage a bear attack, although after seeing the movie "The Revenant", I'm not sure that pepper spraying from 15 yards a grizzly charging at 40 miles per hour is going to slow the animal down, and may only make me taste a bit spicier.  But we also have bear-bangers, which are pen-like flare guns to make a big bang and maybe scare the animal.  Just in case, our SUV is rigged out with a 4 inch foam layer so we can sleep in the car, and attach the tent through the back for a bit of room.  An SUV is hopefully a bit more protection for our sleeping times!  So stay tuned to the Blog to find out if we get eaten or mauled.

The first verse of the poem by Robert Service, "The Cremation of Sam McGee", begins....
There are strange things done in the Midnight Sun        By the men who moil for gold
The Arctic Trails have their secret tales       That would make your blood run cold!
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights       But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Labarge     I cremated Sam McGee.
So this is the inspiration for the new title of the Blog.  I also hope to have memorized all 13 versed of the ode, to be able to recite it when we get to Lake Labarge (which is just north of Whitehorse, in the Yukon).  I know that sounds a bit weird,  but I've always liked the poem, and I feel that such eccentricities may be forgiven on such a trip.

We will likely not leave for a few more days yet.....Wednesday or Thursday seem likely as our departure time, and then we should be adventuring our way in short hops for about 7 weeks, due home by the end of  July to allow us to dog-sit for our neighbours, who will be leaving for vacation at that time.  I expect that 7 weeks of mosquitoes and black flies may be enough for both of us, anyway.
So this posting is a "heads up" for those of you following the Blog, and a commitment from me to have a go at continuing and recording our story.  Next entry in a few days, when we depart.

This is our SUV tent hooked up to the car on a test run.