The North

Hey, sorry for the wait between posts. It has been hectic, crazy, awesome (one band at the Dawson Music Festival coined the term Dawsome) month. I think Nathan (A friend I met in Dawson that basically put the stamp on the entire month up north) put it best that it is like the Blues Brothers. Things just happen.

I left off being bored at Canadian Tire in Whitehorse. After that was a rainy cloudy climb up a mountain in Kluane Park. The peak was called Decoeli Peak. Hmmm, it seems so long ago but I remember it was wet, cold. I left on the trail at about 9 pm, camped at the base and then summited the next morning. I was already exhausted at that point and it was a tough, dangerous scramble up to the top. From the top you are supposed to be able to see the highest peaks in Canada, Mt Logan and about 4 of the other highest but as soon as I got up there, the clouds socked in. Wind, rain were in store for me. Me, not thinking much of anything, did not pack anything but an apple and camera to the summit. It got cold and disorienting fast! Guessing my way down back to my bag was tough and nerve racking but I made it to discover a herd of sheep had taken over the grazing area where I left my bag. It was a nice end to the climb but I still had to hike out. It was a cold, wet hike out. I had planned to stay another night or two out there but for some reason, my motivation was gone. Maybe I was thinking on to the Dawson City Music Festival. But you know things happen for a reason. It was because of my lack of motivation to keep on hiking and camp out there that led me to the Dawsome experience that was about to play out of the next few days.

Just everything fell into place over the next few days in Dawson. I had thought I would just show up and volunteer, get a free ticket to the weekend. Turns out they didn't need any volunteers so I was a bit down. Anyways, it is a long, complicated, once in a lifetime experience that led me to meeting some great friends, a ticket, a place to stay, and most importantly, memories that will stay with me forever. The music festival put a cap on everything that the Yukon and the north in general are about.

In terms of the music, well...... I don't remember seeing much, but a few bands stand out. If I could recommend seeing anyone live it would be the band Headwater, out of Vancouver. They were in Atlin as well and again just life loving people playing music. A Whitehorse based band really capped off the weekend. Sasquatch Prom Date played two shows at "the pit". The locals bar. A rockabilly band that brought everything that was needed to the weekend. The festival ended with a canoe full of ice and beer, bbq ribs and meat balls at the VIP party afterwards. Well, then a swim at the pool and some breaky and tobasco sauce at a restaurant.

The actual weekend though didn't end until the next day (Tuesday) where we had to say our goodbyes to Nathan, Jesse, Alan, and Emily. Really, they were the reason the weekend happened. It brought out everything that the Yukon and Alaska were about.

But still another week to go before I had planned on heading to Prince Rupert. Where else to go but Chicken, Alaska. I made there after several attempts to leave Dawson City left me right back at the campground. A flat tire and mulling over whether to repair or get new tires left me in Dawson for a few more days where all of the transients I met over the past few weeks all congregated in the same campground at the same time. But Ol' Betsy got 2 new, cheap tires. Hopefully they hold out for a year or two....

But on to Chicken, Wrangell St Elias Park and back to Whitehorse where all roads seem to lead. I was pretty sick during this stretch so there was a lot of loafing around creeks and lakes just reading and such.

But back to whitehorse where everything came to an end. It was tough to leave Whitehorse. I had picked up a hitchhiking couple and dropped them off at the Robert Service Campground just outside of Whitehorse. Just walking around that campground and running into sooo many people I had met previously and had shared experiences with really made it tough to leave. But it was time to go, time to try something new.

The North to me was not so much about the wild, untamed land. It seemed like all roads led to the same place, all people went on the same roads to the same place and were all in the same head space. The North was about the people. About the 30 000 or so awesome people all looking out for each other, all with one goal in mind and that was and is to enjoy life in all its wonder.

There was a lot of people time and socializing but it felt like it had runs its course for me. It is time to get back into myself and the trees and such. So a long 2.5 days of driving in the heat lead me to Prince Rupert where Naomi had finished her own adventure living in a kayak for a month. A short month she describes it as and I would too. July has already come and gone!

Anyways, I should probably go and not abuse the "free" internet service at the hostel I haven't paid for. So yea back in B.C. Loving the smell of the ocean, the tall big trees, the foggy mornings and sunny afternoons and just enjoying the coast again!

I would love to hear from anyone, how their summers are going. Let me know! I had hoped to get a picture or two up here but I am feeling lazy and did not feel like sorting through Ol' Betsy trying to find a cord I haven't used in a while so hopefully next time!

Anyways, I hope august is kind to everyone!