Beavers, Mud, and the Arctic Ocean

A beaver caused a traffic jam in Dawson, Yukon. We drove the Dempster Highway into the Northwest Territories that day, marking our tenth province and second territory in the Blue Meanie. After almost fourteen hours through mountains, tundra, clouds, rain, and darkness, we rolled into Inuvik late at night.

The next morning, the van was smothered in mud and the day was cold and rainy. We grabbed a hot shower at the rec centre and gave the Blue Meanie a much-needed bath. At the visitor center, we met a happy group of fellow travelers. We tried local food and stopped by the Inuvik Greenhouse and cafe.

The drive to Tuktoyaktuk took us over the Mackenzie River Ferry. When we arrived at the Arctic Ocean, Mark took a moment to look at the water. In Chey’s words, “I’m not crying. You are. No one will ever be able to understand all the things we have seen. The people we have met. The experiences we’ve had. This trip has been so emotional and special to us.”

We spent time resting in Tuktoyaktuk, catching extra naps and having a home-cooked meal. A local legend shared amazing stories with us and our fellow travelers. One of us jumped into the Arctic Ocean—nothing like the ocean to make you feel alive.

The drive back down the Dempster took us through Dawson to Whitehorse. A dog wandered onto the bridge at Pelly Crossing as we passed through. In Whitehorse, we planned laundry, showers, and yarn before heading home, but the Blue Meanie had other plans.

We’d made it through the entire Dempster without a single issue, only to wake up to a flat tire from a slow leak overnight. Using our Motomaster jump starter and air compressor, we pumped it from zero up to thirty-six PSI to limp to the shop. The tire repair was not yet fixed, and we couldn’t afford another big repair bill, so we stayed another night hoping it would get sorted.

The Yukon sunsets were stunning as we finally made our way home.