Our F-250 land yacht is readied for a diagonal North American crossing. Tropics to tundra we’re leaving heat, humidity, comfort and convenience in our wake. At around 300 miles a clip, we’re moving slow enough to experience festivities around America 250 yet fast enough to escape the hustle and swelter of a USA summer.
The camping rig of choice is truck and teardrop. The truck packs solar panels with lithium batteries, a minibar, and a pantry in the forward cab. The teardrop trails with a king-sized mattress and bureau of clothes. The truck bed holds everything else like the kitchen, bath and living room (albeit some assembly required). We’ve tested this camping concept on a few short forays to mixed reviews. It felt like a combination of the best or worst of tenting and RV’ing depending on our energy level. Hopefully, it will grow on us.
When we tell people we are headed to the Arctic Ocean most assume we are cruising and want to share stories of their experiences in the ports of Alaska. They are confused when we say we are driving, and head cocked when we say it’s 6,000+ miles away. Why would we drive when we could cruise? In truth, we most likely will not make it to Alaska. That trip will remain for another day, another time of life. While Alaska’s population density is extremely low at around 1.3 people per square mile, where we are going the population density is one tenth that. Not only do few people visit the Northwest Territories, apparently they don’t live there either.
And so we drive to the corner of North America, where Canada’s land meets the northernmost sea. We hear that it is among the most pristine environments on Earth but that global warming is threatening its existence. That marine life is facing habitat destruction because sea ice is melting and glaciers are breaking. That less ice leaves it vulnerable to foreign encroachment and commercialization. Why go out of your way through the Panama Canal when you can cut through the Arctic? We hear Canada is spending $32B to upgrade its military standing in the Northwest Territories as caretaker of the Arctic. We wonder what that looks like. And we wonder what the people think about that. And along the way we’ll find out if Canada welcomes the inhabitants of a big American truck with Florida plates.
We are full of doubt that any of this is a good idea. The Dempster Highway eats trucks and tires like an athlete eats a bowl of Wheaties for breakfast. We are often winded bringing groceries into the house from Costco. Gas is well over $4 per gallon. Bears are having a record year. Is it too late to book a cruise?
After 16 road-tripping excursions in the past 8 years, we are embarking on season 33 in reality TV terms. Revisiting launch blogs like this one, we’re reminded that every journey begins with the premise that a change of scenery will do you good. That stepping out of routine and into unknowns is expansive. That wash, rinse, repeat may be good for hair, but not so good for hares like us. That we want to see our continent with boots on the ground and the road rushing under our wheels.
