I survived the Dempster to see Dawson

We made it to Inuvik under sunny skies!

It just wouldn't be a blog without a flower picture.



Getting off one of the two ferries along the Dempster.





A view of the Ogelvie Mountain range.

Peek-a boo the moose sees you!

Ken shows off one of the Grayling he caught, notice the long dorsal fin.

Look very close and hopefully you can see it! After painting this garbage can a bear came and jumping up on it leaving it's paw prints. You can tell it is a grizzly from the long claw marks!

Dawson City and the Yukon River below, taken from the Dome.

The ingredients of wild plants used in Yukon herb tea. From left to right, Fireweed, Yarrow, and Labrador tea.

Ken and I at the Dome.

Gertie busts it out to a packed house.

Momma and her two cubs, on the road to 40 Mile and Clinton Creek.

Now that is a cinnamon bun!

I am happy to be on the water, motoring up the Takhini River in our Zodiac.

One more thing off my bucket list, I rode the Dempster! Not to say unscarred, my ego and nerves came away somewhat frayed. To start the whole trip off we drove the truck to the Tombstone campsite, 70 k.m. up the Dempster(Ken's KTM wouldn't make it on one tank of fuel from the highway to Eagle Plains, our first fuel stop as his bike doesn't get the mileage my BMW 650 does, we were carrying extra gas but that was for the chance he couldn't even make it to Eagle Plains... oh, and we drove to Tombstone because we wanted to camp in the park on the way home). As we were about to start out on the trip I dropped my bike, crap, it only received a few scratches to the pannier but I couldn't lift the bike by myself and needed Ken's help to right it. Then again, as we arrived in Fort McPherson the second day I went over in some loose gravel in the middle of the road, with a dump truck(a very large dump truck) barreling down the road on me. I was not physically hurt but once again Ken came to my rescue. As for my nerves...I love my husband but he like to ride fast, which is o.k. when we are riding two up but when I am riding my bike on gravel I tend to be somewhat more cautious. Needless to say I picked up my pace to keep up and though I made it back alive I didn't see too much scenery, it is a good thing we had travelled the road to Eagle Plans, which is just over halfway, together on our last trip and I was able to look around then. This time my eyes where glued to the road! Of course for Ken this was just a casual ride in the park! We took two days, camping along the way, to get to Inuvik with plans to stay a day or two but on arrival when we checked the weather we found rain was coming and we decided to leave right away the next day in hopes of avoiding the slick roads caused my rain. No down time me and unfortunately we didn't get to see everything we wanted, but we did enjoy an old time fiddlers dance on the evening we were there. The ride back to the truck was uneventful, in fact we almost made to the 660 k.m. in one day and Ken even got better gas mileage than he thought he would at the adjusted speed. I think it is safe to say we both had a good time but we were happy to see the truck when we got back.

We spent a couple more days camping in the park with Ken fishing for grayling and doing a great hike to the Grizzly Lake view point before heading out to Dawson City. Dawson City is still alive, well and booming with the gold business, as the price of gold raises so do the number of companies up here with the FEVER. As we drove the Bonanza Creek Road on a ride one evening, there were mines as far as the eye could see down every valley, up every creek! I don't know if I should say anything but apparently they are on the verge of uncovering the next Mother Load. Maybe, let's keep that just between you and me.

Diamond Tooth Gertie is also alive, well and still living in Dawson and believe it or not she and her girls are still doing 3 shows a night, two of which Ken and I took in and enjoyed just as much as the last time we were there. Having seen that and done that too it was time to head south in the direction of Whitehorse to stock up on supplies and do laundry, again!!! If you remember, the last time we were in Whitehorse we tried to do a Yukon River canoe trip but the weather was not on our side. This time we were not going to let Mother Nature rain(literally)on our parade, we stopped at the mouth of the Tahkini River where it meets the Yukon and off loaded the Zodiac and motored up the Takhini 15 k.m. Returning I rowed for a while, motored the last way and then went up the Yukon River for a while. It turned out faster and easier than canoeing the whole way and I got a little exercise.

Back in Whitehorse, shopping, laundry, fuel, Pasta Tuesday at Boston Pizza(yeh, I don't have to cook) and Shaun we will try to get in the bread pudding, even if it is to go! Next down to Atlin and if the weather holds we can ride the Canol roads.