Author: Henberta

Settling in for the evening at our camp in the forest, we heard an alert  about a coming cold front, expected to bring heavy rains and high winds.  Not wanting to be caught attempting a descent from the mountains with our high-profile rig in such a storm, we pulled up stakes and retreated to an inn in Alamogordo.

Parenthetically, this area is a pistachio-growing region.  The delicious and nutritious nut was first planted here with sources brought from Lebanon in the 1970s.  So glad they tried it!  And what beautiful colors…..

This diversion allowed for a bit of reflection.  A fellow named Roy and his partner provided us with some kind suggestions about our stay in Lincoln Forest.  Learning that our current trip would take us into Canada, they revealed that their own bucket list included an adventure beyond the Arctic Circle along the relatively new Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean…….

Whaaaaat?  A drive through British Colombia, the Yukon and the Northern Territories all the way to the northern coast of this continent?  Hmm….. we are already outfitted for a long journey…… heading in that general direction…… cool climate is always an attraction.  

The idea had an air of inevitability about it.

So here we go.  Will attempt this run over the weeks to come…. almost 4,000 miles one way.  Should be able to dally a bit, reach this goal and still be in Winnipeg by July 31!

The blog name is changing to “Along the Great Divide”, as our route will roughly track and take us over the Continental Divide a number of times.  (If you’ve never noticed, the Continental Divide cuts across North America and is plotted on most maps….. and if you’ve never asked or wondered, it is a topographic feature whereby virtually all of the surface and rain water to the west of the line ultimately drains into the Pacific Ocean; water to the east of the line drains into the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico.  Don’t ask me what you are supposed to do with this information……)

Stay tuned for more on our new adventure.

We found that Henry’s daughter Ivy had business in Farmington, NM as we made this decision to turn decisively north.  (She is the audit chief for a coal company; they were kicking off an audit at a nearby mining facility.)  So lucky timing and routing enabled us to meet up with her there for dinner and a visit.

Hoping to find a good spot to fly the powered parachute at one of our next stops in Colorado……

A last little memento from New Mexico to accompany us on the journey forward…..

Henry heard of a private airstrip near Delta, Colorado.  It was hard to find, and when we did, the entry to the premises looked rather forbidding…..

Always undaunted, Henry rapped on the door and we were welcomed with open arms by Richard and Becky (and their dog Rebar), who had recently purchased the property.  Their 120-acre place is atop a bluff overlooking a valley, with snow-capped mountains in the distance.  It features two rather overgrown airstrips,  as well as a home with fantastic views and several outbuildings containing an extraordinary collection of….. all kinds of stuff!  Henry found some kindred spirits….

 

Becky and Richard were kind enough to let us set up camp on their property, alongside the abandoned caretaker’s trailer, which (funny coincidence) contained some paneling that was exactly like some Henry used to make our closet doors back home!

Although a magnificent location, we did not take advantage of their airstrip to fly, as we were a bit fearful of what the sticker bushes might do to Henry’s recently-refreshed parachute wing.  We earned a little bit of our keep… Henry buried the remains of a critter that had expired not far from our camping spot….. and Becky got a handmade potholder!

We are so lucky to meet such interesting and friendly folks on our travels.  We said farewell, however, to move on to the next potential flying site.

A few shots from our transit through Colorado….

A late foray into Wyoming to an intriguing spot near Rock Springs…..the Green River Intergalactic Spaceport.  Not making this up…. here it is on the map.

And with an on-coming storm, we felt as if we were going to have a close encounter with a gigantic space ship/cloud…

What a majestic and isolated site! We took a few photos and set up the trailer for the night just before the storm hit.

Clear weather in the morning finally gave Henry the chance to fly!  (On his own this time…. checking out the refurbished gear and practicing his skills.)  A little bumpy, but worth it…

Next post we move into idyllic Idaho.

 

Idaho is a great state for many things….

 … one of which is recreational flying!  We usually look for small airstrips in remote communities for several reasons.  

First, it is preferable (if not mandatory) to have little to no wind when flying a powered parachute such as Henry’s.  Wind is usually at its lowest speed at daybreak and sunset, so it’s best to spend the night close to the field.

Secondly, airstrips that are regulated by the FAA are open to the flying public….meaning that we can access even gated airstrips with no attendant at any time of the day or night, and can park the trailer and spend the night on the property.  We are far away from the crowds AND often have a beautiful setting (such as Green River shown in the last post).

Finally, the fraternity of recreational flyers (and it is mostly male) is a very friendly and interesting group.   We don’t usually encounter others, but when we do they are almost always an engaging, friendly and interesting bunch of people.

Idaho seems to have a generous number of accommodating airstrips.  Here are three where we stayed over the last week.

Arco did not have such a beautiful setting…… but interesting landscape.  This was Robbie’s first flight of the trip.

Next was Donnelly, just north of Cascade.

A beautiful, deserted turf airstrip on land donated by a woman who immigrated to the US from Poland at the turn of the century, and became a flying enthusiast.

Loaner bicycles were available on the strip for people flying in for a visit to the area!

Such a lush place, full of wildlife (we saw lots of deer, including a group swimming across the river) …. popular with all kinds of sporting types.

Then on to Craigmont (previously known as a railroad town called Vollmer).

A few more photos from across Idaho…

Alas, adversity comes to us all – especially on long-haul road trips.  A pipe used to pump water to the trailer sink and shower blew out, requiring replacement and a day or two of drying out the contents of Henry’s locker.

And we spent the better part of a day at a Ram dealership service department in Lewiston, ID, getting some electronic warnings taken care of…

While there, we picked up still another new friend to keep us company on our way to the Arctic Ocean.

Next we go off the grid again for several days at the Dworshack Reservoir in Idaho for some canoeing and fishing!

 

Once the truck was successfully rehabilitated, we spent a few days (still in Idaho) at a very remote campground Henry stumbled across several years ago and really enjoyed……

We got to christen his new canoe…..

… take Flower (the flamingo) out for her first camping trip…

and enjoy a bit of damp weather.

This campsite is frequented almost exclusively by locals – many of them active or retired foresters or loggers.  Lots of fun visiting with them.  Bill taught Henry a new technique for cleaning fish.

Jim shared our campfire (and some of his own retirement dreams) during the worst of the rain….

Indie just wanted us to throw the stick…. throw the stick…. throw the stick….

Did we say Grandad campground was remote?  It took over 3 hours to cover the 30 miles each way from civilization….

On the way, we passed logging operations….

and saw some magnificent trees and flora…

including a quite striking toad and a pretty flower being invaded by a spit bug.

Treated ourselves to ice cream at the end!

One more stop and then off to Canada!

 

Still another resolve – a moratorium on the mundane chain motels that have multiplied in the past decades.  Farewell Fairfield Inn; sayonara Super 8; buh-bye Best Western; later La Quinta; toodle-oo Travelodge!  

Hello Mom and Pop!  What a joy to stay in locally-owned inns. No one pressures you to join the loyalty rewards program when you check in; toddlers are not necessarily flinging Fruit Loops all over the floor as you glop your own tasteless breakfast onto a styrofoam plate; and more often than not, the proprietor takes a personal interest in your satisfaction.  

When we need WiFi or crave a long hot shower, we will stay at a B&B or roadside motel rather than the trailer.  Have found great places (with the assistance of Trip Advisor), and they have been amazingly clean and comfortable….. and often had unusual or interesting features.  In Springerville, AZ, Reed’s Lodge had an art gallery featuring local talent.  At the Konkolville Motel (Idaho), the original owner started a cook-your-own steak dinner tradition for his guests that continues today; there is actually a plaque in his memory at the entrance.

The ambiance at the Creston Valley Motel (British Colombia) was charming and the owners so helpful and friendly.

In Boston Bar (BC), the Canyon Alpine Motel is quaint, the grounds maintained lovingly.

In larger towns, it’s almost impossible to avoid the big chains, but in isolated communities there are wonderful opportunities to experience something different.

Back to the travelogue, after a quick visit to my cousin John and his wife Joann in Sandpoint, ID….

We are finally in Canada!  O Canada…. oh boy!

We crept along the southern border of British Colombia, spending a hopeful night at an airstrip in Osoyoos….

Unfortunately, the wind prevented flying there.  But we did get to visit the amazing Osoyoos Desert Railroad display, the most expansive and detailed model train exhibit ever…..  a couple of the scenes below.  The creators of this lilliputian world are immigrants to Canada who installed it in an industrial park on the outskirts of town among fruit orchards and vineyards.  To give a sense of scale, the human figures here are less than an inch tall….

One of the scenes even includes a teeny tiny bordello (complete with arresting cops)!

Brilliant!

From here, we press northward through BC toward the Yukon.  Phone coverage is already sketchy; internet service may be scarce; we will try to update as we can.

Time to devote a post to the wildlife we have encountered on the way!

Most animals are shy and hard to spot….. unlike in the early days of the First Nation people, when humans were sometimes the prey.

 

Most memorable encounter was with beaver at Boya Lake in BC, with impossibly clear water.

We were able to follow one along as he swam beneath the surface!

Moose are especially elusive, although we spotted several as we flew overhead, quietly browsing in marshy wetlands…… and found this giant print on the bank of the lake.

Like most deer, those racks on their heads are shed and re-grown every year.  Truly amazing!

We have seen white-tail and mule deer, and maybe a dozen black bears (usually ambling through a clearing on the side of the road), and a lone wolf in Idaho as we flew overhead.  Pronghorn in the American west, generally thought of as antelope, but their closest living relative is actually the  giraffe!  A few elk – this was the cutest…. Elkon John.

Bald eagles have been easy to spot, but not so easy to photograph.  Also quail, osprey, Canadian geese….. and this tiny pipit fledgling (playing possum) who had been hopping around our campground and was later reunited with his worried mom.

At the lake in BC, we were lucky enough to encounter a pair of loons and their babies, one of whom created a commotion when he was temporarily misplaced.

The wail of a loon is haunting on a quiet evening by the lake…. and they are so distinctive, with their stark black-and-white patterns!  The Canadians like them so much that they are imprinted on the dollar coin, which is commonly called a loonie.

Please note that Canada has no paper dollar bills, and has done away with pennies!  Still another thing to admire about this country!

In addition to the fish Henry caught in Idaho, he was successful in landing several good-sized pike….. rather scary with their dead shark-like eyes and razor-sharp teeth!

One more category of creature that is common to the landscape here…. the flying biting insect.  Mostly mosquitoes and deer flies so far, but soon to be joined by the dreaded black fly, whose bite can leave a welt the size of a golf ball!  Okay, maybe the size of a large cherry.  In any event, we are more or less prepared.

This has been our first try at adding video clips to the blog.  Hope they work out!

Happy US Independence Day!  Hope you escape the aggravation of political posturing and are able to celebrate all the traditions and history of which we Americans may be proud…. and more importantly, that we should honor.

We did not know that Canada’s national holiday was observed so closely to our own – Canada Day is July 1, commemorating the consolidation in 1867 of 4 British colonies (now Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) into a single (still colonial) part of the British Empire called the Dominion of Canada.  This was merely one step towards Canada’s complete separation from Britain, which did not occur until 1982!  We were happy to celebrate this delightful country!

Here is one little example of so much that is admirable about this place.  We stayed at a lovely provincial park in BC called Boya Lake, a busy weekend as Canada Day approached.  When a camping area was vacated, an attendant was there almost immediately to tidy, clean and RAKE the campground for the next user.  We are not making this up!

What pride goes along with this level of care!  Even the presence of previously-mentioned flying biting insects is attributable in part to the purity of the water and the cleanliness of the air.  The politeness of the people stands out as well.

Now we are in……

Beautiful scenery, such as this view from our small local hotel in New Hazelton and more lake views…

Yukon bursts into a fabulous display of wildflowers this time of year, including fireweed, so called because it is the first flower to appear after a wildfire.  (Enjoying microphotography with the iPhone…..)

Aspen trees are a glistening part of the landscape (although closer inspection shows they too bear the mark of tiny parasites).

The wonders of Canada are just slightly marred by their bizarre choice of a national dish….. poutine, its basic form a greasy concoction of French fries topped with a strange brown gravy and cheese curds.  From here, poutine can be dressed up with bacon, and maybe even a scattering of…… what?  A green vegetable?

The wise connoisseur might pair poutine with a refreshing beer or glass of red wine….. unless he is watching his figure.

Another weight-watching strategy is to share one’s poutine with a fellow diner who is having a light and healthful veggie wrap.

The magic of Canada has not missed the attention of some of the most acquisitive and wealthy folks in our universe, however….. 

Long live Canada and the Canadians!  May they never compromise on all the qualities that make this place and its residents so special.

 

Airstrips in Canada are much like those in the US…… the small ones are amenable to campers with aircraft (even ultralights like Henry’s) and they are often located in interesting spots.

Near Prince George, BC, the Beaverley airstrip is used by local skydiving enthusiasts.  A doggie day care facility is also on the property.

Dease Lake’s airstrip was more sophisticated (asphalt), and used by fire control folks, local flyers, and helicopter and fixed-wing aerial tours.

Always intriguing views from the air…..

We camped for the better part of the last week or so, which accounts for my mostly grisly appearance….  that, and being handed a fresh fish to prepare for a meal (not a challenge I willingly would take on).

At least the intrepid fisherman cleaned it…..and in such a picturesque setting.

Poaching as a cooking method did not turn out too well; the most successful meal was mixing it with breadcrumbs and olive oil for fresh fish hash (I guess).

Nothing gets wasted (at least not in this group)…… Not even when a portion of the meal ends up (unintentionally) hitting the dirt.

Sometimes as a special treat, we have a meal “out”, as we did at this cafeteria in a temporary building that is primarily intended for the loggers in the area.  Great fresh broccoli soup, by the way!

Sometimes I get to help with the heavy lifting, but Henry really enjoys doing it himself.

After all this, we found a charming B&B in Carmacks, where we have been catching up on communications and taking long hot showers.  From here, we will head north toward Dawson City, and from there to the northernmost part of Yukon and into the Northwest Territories, staying at airstrips and campgrounds over the next week or so.  We hope to find a comfortable place with internet service in Inuvik for a break before the final thrust up to Tuktoyaktuk, on the edge of the Arctic Ocean!

Just when we think we are blazing a challenging – if not new – trail, we are humbled by stories such as the one from this couple from Colombia, who are really out there…..

…. having travelled from Florida to Dawson City (now on their way back again), carrying all of their equipment and gear with them on a single motorcycle, camping out as they go.

 Yee-haw!  They admit that it is a young person’s journey.  More power to them.  We suggested they might want to try a cargo ship when they’re ready to slow down a bit.

Happy trails to all!  More (we hope) from the other side of the Arctic Circle!

This may look like it came off a travel brochure – but it’s an actual fortuitously-sunlit photo of the Dempster Highway, which stretches from just outside Dawson City in Yukon Territory, across the Arctic Circle through Inuvit in the Northwest Territories, and finally to the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.  The last stretch to Tuk just opened in late 2017; it previously was only accessible by plane or boat.

Speaking of which, my cousin Dani and husband Allan actually blazed the trail to this part of the world when they went through the Northwest Passage on the first large cruise ship to do so in 2017.  Their trip was amazing, seeing so much of the beauty of the Arctic waters, as well as the tiny communities who welcomed tourists for the first time!

Our road trip in contrast is on the gravel and dirt highway that is built up at least 4 1/2 feet above ground……. Otherwise, its permafrost base is subject to thawing, which would break up and buckle the driving surface.

Just a few miles before we got to the start of the Dempster, Henry noticed signs of a large forest fire off to the west.  We pulled over into a nearby gravel pit to watch, and ended up spending the night.

Quite a breath-taking view it was – a show of nature’s raw power –  and yet so common now in the western parts of North America, as weather patterns depart from their long-established norms.

Since summer in the far north means daylight extends through the night, we were up into the wee hours watching…. this photo taken at 12:30 am, just as the sun dipped a bit below the horizon –

The morning after this diversion, we embarked on the almost 900-kilometer (560-mile) trip one way to one of the northernmost points reachable by road on this continent.  Lots of people are prepared for extended stops, breakdowns and multiple flat tires!  Hopefully Henry is too!

We have to admit that the extended daylight hours have taken their toll on both of us; with sun beaming down, it’s easy to get caught up in the day’s activities; then Henry’s deep-seated fear about “burning daylight” means that we have to get up as soon as he notices that the sun is still out.  O Sleep, I miss you heartily!

Finally managed to snap a photo of a moose just down the road at…. only partially appropriately….. Two Moose Lake.  We took that as a good omen nonetheless!  (Not a great shot, but they are quite elusive!)

A fair number of folks on the highway – almost all of them in RVs or campers; some on motorcycles, and a pathetic few on bicycles loaded with gear.  I salute the determination and stamina of the latter, if not their good sense.

Not everybody is prepared for the roughness of the road – this poor schmuck’s tires were fine, but the lug nuts holding the wheel on his little car suffered stress fractures!

We were unable to find a campground or turnout to spend the night; instead set up camp on a little bluff and huddled inside while a heavy rainstorm with high winds swept through.

We thought the rain would improve the drivability of the road, but unfortunately it turned the surface into a sticky gray mess that this hapless fellow on his bicycle just could not negotiate.

Natural beauty of course….. the confluence of a couple of rivers, one with a heavy mineral content, a flower called cottongrass that is in rampant evidence across the tundra all the way north….. and an apple we had as a snack.

A bit past the half-way point to Inuvik, we crossed the Arctic Circle, where we were made welcome by a curious Arctic ground squirrel.

The Arctic Circle is at latitude 66 degrees, 33 minutes, the point at which the sun does not fall below the horizon on the longest day of the year (June 22).  From here we are in the Arctic, what some call North of 60……

Past the Arctic Circle, we entered the Northwest Territories….

There is supposed to be a bountiful caribou population, but none have appeared, except this guy.  (Apparently they spend their summers further to the east….)

Our first stay in the Arctic was the community of Inuvik, the “old” terminus of the Dempster Highway.    We spent a night there at a crappy (but still local) motel.

And then departed for the ultimate goal…..

The tundra was not as barren as expected, but dotted with small lakes and ponds, surprisingly green and scattered with cottongrass wildflowers in the summer months.

What an astonishing population of flying pests!  This photo, taken from the (closed) car window, almost captures the impression of swarms of bugs, in the near, middle and far distance, simply waiting for the door to open so as to swarm into your eyes, mouth and nose and alight on exposed and covered skin.

Once we reached Tuktoyaktuk, we felt compelled to go to the only local eatery to sample the indigenous dish, beluga whale, served both as raw chunks of blubber and as smoked flesh.  It’s a big deal culturally – First Nation people have special permission to harvest the whales and teach their children about the significance of this foodstuff and its preparation…..

The uninitiated have different reactions to it…..

(Please note I am wearing a sweatshirt which I acquired in Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America….. the span of two continents away.  Didn’t even notice this until just now…)

A major goal was to take the powered parachute out over the tundra…. Henry spent a lot of time on the phone trying to get permission to fly from the local airstrip, including a lengthy conversation with the airstrip manager, Darrell.   He explained that although not a major airport, the location had strategic significance as an early warning point for North American defense systems.  We pretty much concluded that we would not be able to fly here.

Later in the day, we recorded our journey to this northern point….

and dipped our toes in the Arctic Ocean.

Henry built a small fire on the point, then went to chat with a fellow enjoying an outing with his family.  As Henry returned, I said to myself, “Hmmmm, he just met a guy who knows Darrell.”  When he reached me, Henry said, “So, guess who I just met?”  I said, “A guy who knows Darrell?”  Henry said, “No, that was Darrell, and we can fly tomorrow morning!”

And so we did, over the distinctive geological features called pingoes, formations of ice that poke up through the permafrost…

Here’s a photo we took of Tuk from the air; the red circles from left to right show where we dipped our toes in the Ocean; the restaurant where we ate blubber; the point where Henry met Darrell and the Bed & Breakfast where we spent the night!  A small town!

It was a magnificent flight… here are the happy adventurers:

And – just in case you are curious about some of the mechanics involved with flying the powered parachute, here is how you take the air out just before you pack your chute…..

In any event, we achieved our goal of traveling to this place that we had not even heard of a few weeks ago…..

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

We returned to Inuvik and spent a couple of nights at an inn that does dog-sled outings in the winter.  They exercise their 35 huskies in summer by harnessing them to ATVs a couple of days a week for a run!

Our return down the Dempster was under cloudy skies, the truck and trailer somewhat the worse for wear because of the rough going, but intact and still functional…..  just like us.