Well we are three days into our "year off" and camped for two nights at the amazing Liard River Hot Springs. The Road Schooling focus for the last three days has been on the number 24. Most of the learning has been done by parents on the firm but effective instruction of the supposed pupils. 24 is a fascinating number. It is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12. Of relevance to our current travels is the fact that it takes roughly 24 hours to drive from Yellowknife, NT Whitehorse YT. Most of those we spoke to who have done the trip with kids recommended three eight hour days. Due to some tardy mornings and a few extended stops at places like Dory Point for a snack and a game of catch and at Fort Liard for wedding gift shopping at the fantastic craft store, we (the parents) pushed the first two days to nine hours each. 24 is NOT divisible by 9, and it may be because if this that our children mutinied on day 2.
We pulled out of Yellowknife at about 10:30 am on Wednesday, August 7, 2013 - just as planned. We had hoped to get going at around 9:00 am but we ran into about ten people at Javaroma while ordering our last coffees and milk steamers. One final stop to stash some leftover things at our old house, then we were screaming down the highway wishing fond farewells to all the familiar sites. It was a wonderful, sunny traveling day and we saw bison and sandhill cranes on the road to Fort Providence where we stopped for gas and a water. After crossing the Deh Cho Bridge we pulled into Dory Point - somewhere we'd never stopped before for a stretch and a game of catch. At the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 1 - the ceremonial start of the round the world bit, we buried a time capsule that we'll dig up next summer as we return home from the southeast. But for now it was time to turn northwest onto the gravel road and the start of the Liard Highway.
I'd heard many horror stories about Highway 7, the Liard Trail. Fortune was with us this day, however as it was smooth sailing and well packed gravel the whole way. Forrest fires have been burning near Fort Simpson for the last few weeks and the Highway has periodically been closed to traffic. Even though the fires were still burning, sometimes right on the shoulder of the road, we were not required to stop. The scene was other worldly and made me think of what a southeast asian village must have looked like after a B52 bombing in the 1960/70s. We spotted a small black bear from the highway and we all felt bad for him given what was happening to his front yard.
By the time we were approaching Blackstone Park, the kids were seriously sick of driving. Pulling over for air and a walk was frustrating given that the park entrance had to be just around the corner. All was well when we got our tent set up and some grub in the bellies. The girls found a geo cache hidden a few days before by the Schwarz family and hid one of their own for Amelie and Leah's return trip. The Liard River was majestic with late evening mist blanketing the paddlers returning from their 10 day trips down the North Nahanni River. I was itching to crack a beer with them and get all the details on this must do northern odyssey.
The next morning, day 2, we stopped into Fort Liard for lunch and a bit of shopping before heading out to the B.C. border. The kids got a great kick out of standing with one foot in the NWT and one in B.C. This was the first of many borders we will cross so I'm not sure we'll stop to take the same photo each time.
After turning north onto the fabled Alaska Highway our progress was slowed by both construction and prolific RV traffic. Are there any retirees in the US who are not currently driving to or from Alaska in a Greyhound bus sized camper at 30 kms below the speed limit?
It was pouring rain when we pulled into the scenic Strawberry Flats campground on the shores of Muncho Lake. As Shannon was sleeping and Mira had stopped complaining about her upset belly, we decided to push on another 50 kms to Liard Hot Springs in the hope of a break in the weather. It was about 6:00 pm by this point and we were pushing our second 9 hour day. Muncho Lake is truly spectacular. Several times we tried the gets the kids to sit up and tale in the amazing scenery where the steep mountains spilled into a lake of the richest aquamarine colour I recall seeing. Muncho is like Moraine Lake or Lake Louise on steroids and without the hoards of tourists (just RV rubber neckers!)
The provincial campground at Liard is busy but clean and quaint. It reminded me of car camping at Barachois Park in Newfoundland as a kid. The kids were helpful setting up the tents but there was no way they were going to put off a swim in the natural hot springs that make this place famous until after supper. I must admit, it was worth the delay. Last year we visited hot springs in Costa Rica that had been fashioned into a series of water slides and pools and a swim up bar. Liard is very well done, but most impressive for its natural setting. A 500 m walkway leads your through an arctic jungle to the steaming springs. Tasteful change rooms and a platform lead you down into water which varies from lobster pot hot to bath water warm. It actually feels like you're siting in the wilderness - because you are. This is one of the most well done tourist traps I've visited and the kids had a ball telling people from all over the world about their upcoming travels.
This is where the mutiny occurred. "We are NOT getting back in the van tomorrow," they threatened. "We want to spend our whole year off here."
We managed to negotiate them down to two nights. Frankly, we were both sick of driving too and needed a slow day to rearrange our gear and chill. It still hasn't hit us that we are not on a two week vacation where every day counts. We need to be in Skagway by August 19 to catch a once weekly ferry to Washington, but other than that, who needs a schedule? That's exactly what we want to put behind us for a year. It felt great to deviate from the "plan" for the first time and just stay put at somewhere cool. We were all rewarded this morning with a close up view of a cow moose and her calf on the trail to the hot springs. We actually had to move down the trail because she wanted to cross right where we were standing. The kids just stared open mouthed as these graceful wild creatures passed by us in silence. Total northern exposure and probably more authentic than we'll see on safari in Africa. Lesson: If you get up early, you get to see cool stuff that everyone who is still sleeping misses.
Tomorrow we pack camp and head 6 hours down the road to Whitehorse. So far we are on time and on budget and everyone is gradually getting into the pace of long term indie travel. The kids are adapting to road schooling well. They don't even realize they're learning when they track mileage and expenses, write in their journals or kick dad's but in cribbage or backgammon. As for mom and dad, we learned today that both 3x8 and 4x6 = 24.