To the End and Back

Eagle Plains and Beyond

For virtually my entire ride, everyone told me that I’d better hurry because “Winter is coming.” You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. It’s only mid-August for God’s sake. Now I know that when people in the know tell you what’s going on, believe them.

I rode into Eagle Plains on the first full day of rain. Luckily, the amazing woman in charge of the Highway on this section of the Dempster allowed us to sleep in the garage under shelter. From there on out, because of the harsh conditions, Peycho and I rode together. We holed up in another abandoned house on a lake for almost a full day waiting for the rain to stop. As it turns out, this “crazy” Bulgarian is indeed different, but in a very eccentric and endearing way. He follows his own rules and lives on the fringe without hurting anyone. I learned more about the history and politics of the Serbian people and their surrounding neighbors than I’d even imagined on this trip. Who knew that I’d be downloading a book about the Ottoman Empire on this trip.

Inuvik

We finally made it to Inuvik. The Mackenzie ferry stopped running because of high winds. Luckily, they made an emergency run about two hours after we got there so we were lucky to jump aboard and make it to the other side to continue the ride to the end.

We slept outside of the community center for 3 nights. Every morning the First Nations janitor would leave the front door slightly ajar so we could come in and use the restroom and showers. A true gem of a person.

Tuktoyatuk

Dang, because of snow, mud and freezing rain, we couldn’t ride to Tuktoyakuk. So, we did the next best thing and hitched a ride. I also met up with my friend Linda from Seattle who was also in Inuvik, and the three of us got a ride together with the same family.

Back to Dawson

All three of us were lucky to hitch a ride back to Dawson the following day…two loaded bikes plus three people PLUS all of their stuff. Unbelievable. It took us a full day to get back to Eagle Plains – the half way point.

It was now snowing and the roads were a foot of slippery mud. A semi jackknifed closed the northbound route and there was a critical accident that briefly closed the south bound traffic in the morning. A huge group of travelers were now stuck in Eagle Plains and who knew for how long. Folks cooked together outside, people shared their food with us and invited us for beers, heck- the family even offered Linda and I the extra bed AND, we shamelessly took it. It was a true moment of community and solidarity that none of us will soon forget.

 Finally, the road was opened south and we all made it back to Dawson city safe and sound.

The Dempster was epic. There are other stories that I would love to share with you over a glass of wine or a cold beer or just a good cup of strong coffee, but until then the journey continues. Each segment is equally magical and challenging and pushes me to a new normal. Stay tuned for the next installment as soon as I get back into WiFi land. I can’t wait to tell you what happens next.

Thanks for participating in my journey from afar. It’s comforting knowing friends and family are out there rooting for me.

Hugs,

Denise