Tjs Bigly Travels

National Lampoons Spring Break

I have a nostalgia for road trips. When I first got my license, and in the years that followed, me and my friends had more than our share of fun taking road trips, and astoundingly, we survived. Over time, those road trips with friends turned into romantic getaway road trips with my future wife. I vaguely remember the time period of B.K. (Before Kids), when spontaneity was a word in our vocabulary, and an overnight bag, full tank of gas, and some beer money was the only requirement. These days, a road trip involves way to much planning, too many bags, and way to many pee breaks along the way. It’s like going from Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road”, to Chevy Chase’s “National Lampoons Family Vacation”. Sadly, I can totally relate to Clark Griswold, and the pressure to get to Walley World, only to find the park closed.

That being said, the road trip bug got ahold of us, and we decided to take our spring break this year with the kids and travel the 2300 kilometres from the Yukon to Vancouver. We hadn’t been back for quite a few years, and this seemed like a great opportunity to drive down with the truck and trailer, camp along on the way, see family and do some shopping in the big city. Simple enough, but Northern BC and Yukon were still buried in several feet of snow, sub zero temperatures, and compacted winter roads. Regardless, we pushed on, and loaded two adults, two teenagers and one dog into the truck to hit the road. After digging the trailer out of the snow bank, and de-icing the roof, we assumed, very naively, that with spring in the air we were beyond the worst of the winter weather…rookie mistake, and quite frankly, we know better.

Nothing says fun like a long road trip in the backseat.

Instead of being a relaxing road trip, mother nature reminded us who is in control. On the first day on the road we had a tire blow out on the trailer, which was a pleasure to change at -15 degree temperatures; which then caused us to take a few hour detour out of our way to stop and replace the spare. From the Yukon to Prince George, BC we fought the weather; snow, ice, slush and kamikaze logging trucks. Let me assure you that a thousand kilometres of white knuckle driving sucks the fun out of any road trip. The next day leaving Prince George we got turned back due to a highway closure because two semi-trucks had collided head on, and shut the only road heading towards the Fraser Valley; so we turned around and spent another night in Prince George. By this point in the trip a motel was in order, so we could get showered up and regroup. Luckily, the motel owner was gracious enough to let us leave our R.V. in their lot, so we could drive to Vancouver with just the truck.

As luck would have it, the next day was smooth sailing, and we made it to our destination. We only had a few short days in the big city, and then we had to start the 2300 kilometre journey back home. The return trip from Vancouver to Prince George was uneventful, and we fortunately missed another snowstorm that had blown through the area the night before. We grabbed our trailer, and headed out the next morning, grateful to find that the roads were generally in pretty good shape until Meziadin Junction, BC, where things started to go down hill again. The remainder of the drive home was the same slog of snow, ice, cold and crazy truckers, capped off by a heavy snow storm when we finally pulled into our driveway.

So, what makes this worthy of a blog post you ask? The drive from the Yukon to Vancouver will take you through some of the most beautiful country Canada has to offer. There are two routes to choose from, the Cassiar Highway, that runs south from Watson Lake, Yukon; or the Alaska Highway, that runs east from Watson Lake, Yukon. Both highways will converge at Prince George if your destination is the Fraser Valley. I’ve driven both many times, but my preference is the Cassiar Highway, for no other reason, than I like the views more. This is just a personal opinion, the views on the Alaska Highway are also very impressive.

Any time in late spring through to early fall are perfect to drive this corridor. For obvious reasons winter poses some serious hazards; and at any time of year, these roads can be very dangerous. To help you with your planning, here is some free advice. Make sure you are carrying a spare tire, and know how to change it. That may seem obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people I’ve stopped to help that have never changed a tire. I once stopped for a despondent newlywed couple, only to find that hubby had an anti-theft lug on his beautiful rims, and he left the lug adapter back at his home in Michigan….not a good start to the marriage.

Plan your gas stops carefully, especially in winter. The distance between communities can be significant, and pay at the pump options are very limited in the north; depending on the time of year, gas stations can also close quite early. You also need to be wary of road signs, because even though they advertise gas stations, you may arrive to find them closed, out of business, or simply out of gas. I make it a practice of topping my tank when I can, even if I have enough to the next community just to avoid this issue.

I also recommend you carry some cash. As travellers we are becoming increasingly comfortable with using credit cards, and assuming they are taken everywhere. Northern Canada is subject to frequent internet outages due to limited infrastructure. As a result, you can arrive in a community only to find their ATM’s, POS and Credit Card machines inoperable. The only salvation will be your stash of cash for this very situation.

Lastly, pay attention to the trucks. Semi-trucks travel these highways at an exceptionally high rate of speed, and they take up a lot of room on what can be narrow sections of road. I don’t mean to disparage truck drivers, but I do think that some of them travel the same roads so often they have a level of complacency and routine that can pose a real hazard; and trust me, the outcome for you in a passenger vehicle colliding with a semi-truck is at best, very bleak.

Keep in mind that, as a matter of etiquette, it is considered good northern form to stop for drivers in distress and ask if they need a hand; and I fully expect someone would stop for you should you be in that same situation.

Although the weather on this trip severely tested our resolve, experience and patience, as a family, I have no doubt that you will find the highway trip up the Alaska or Cassiar Highway a once in a lifetime experience. The views are phenomenal, there is an abundance of wildlife, and there are lots of quaint communities along the way. I highly recommend the trip, but maybe plan it for when the temperatures rise above zero degrees.

Tj’s Travel Tip #1: Best Pack

Having the right set of luggage can make all the difference when you’re travelling. Bulky or awkward luggage can make getting from place to place a nightmare; but after years of trial and error, I’ve finally found my favourite bag. The 80 Litre Osprey Pack has my vote for the best travel pack. This is a light weight, front load pack, with two convenient compression straps that allow you to cinch your bag to fit your gear, while giving you loads of room for expansion. When you’re not using it as a backpack, you can stow the harness into the back panel of the pack, making it easy to stow your bag without the hassle of having straps and gear dangling everywhere. I highly recommend checking out this pack, but whatever you decide, take the time to find a bag that meets your needs, it will make your travels so much more comfortable.

Start Your Engines!

I discovered something new a few weeks ago, and it led to a fantastic day. Regardless of where we’re travelling, we have always found it invaluable to pay attention to community advertising in order to discover local hidden gems, and the Yukon is no exception. The City of Whitehorse has done a great job of displaying poster stations on light poles in the downtown core, and many local businesses, like coffee shops, also have free advertising boards for people wanting to get the word out on things like community events, art exhibits, and local plays.

While grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, my wife snapped a picture of an upcoming snowmobile event that turned me on to a local resource that I didn’t realize existed. The Yukon Wildlife Branch of the Yukon Government was advertising a snowmobile event for anyone who was interested to head out and view Caribou at Coal Lake, towards Ibex Valley; not far from the local ski hill in town at Mt. Sima. It took all of about two-seconds to decide this was right up my alley, and after giving a heads up to my good friend, we shot the organizer a text and confirmed our attendance.

The organizer sent us the coordinates of where to meet, and the plan was to spend the day on the trail looking for Caribou, with stops along the way to talk about conservation work being undertaken by the Wildlife department, and also provide some trail and wildlife etiquette for snowmobile users when we head out on our own. This was a great opportunity to checkout some areas we had never snowmobiled, meet some new people, and venture out in larger group, reducing the risks should anything go wrong.

We got an early start to meet up with the group; we were fortunate that the starting point was only about a half hour ride from our neighbourhood, so we were able to get our machines warmed up along the way. I had coaxed my teenage son to join us for the day, and I’m sure he immediately regretted it. It was -25 C when we headed out at 0730 in the morning, and the cold, coupled with the early start left him cursing me for several hours I’m sure; but I’m equally sure the experience of riding through such spectacular wilderness and getting to spend some driving time on the sled will leave him with fond memories…eventually. Yes, they likely have a video game or 3D program that can replicate this type of scenery in the comfort of your home, but nothing burns the real life experience into your memory like fresh air and bone chilling temperatures.

Trent and Jason waiting for everyone to arrive

For me, this is heaven. There is something awe inspiring about the vastness of the Territory, the beautiful loneliness of snow swept hills, and the silence that falls over the terrain that allows the swooping sounds of ravens to echo as they fly overhead. I’m going to let the pictures in this blog speak for themselves, because words cannot give justice to the spectacular views the back country has to offer.

What makes this such a great blog topic is the discovery of this great resource. Although we found this event from a poster put up by Yukon Wildlife, I learned they have a facebook page called Yukon Wildlife Viewing, and they provide free events throughout the year to anyone who is interested in attending. I found this event well organized, the information very enlightening, and the group leaders were well prepared for any eventuality; I have no doubt this would be the case on any events they were offering. I also think they are providing an invaluable resource to the public. Through these events they are helping educate people on how to move through wildlife habitats in a more respectful and responsible way, and they are helping to raise awareness about the environment we’re living in, and all of the creatures who call it home. If you are looking for things to do in the Territory, this facebook page is a great resources for ideas and upcoming events. https://www.facebook.com/yukonwildlifeviewing/

The big question you are probably asking is what if I don’t have a snowmobile. No problem; a quick google search will list a number of local companies who rent, and deliver, snowmobiles; and if you’re interested in something less adventurous, or don’t have a lot of experience, there is also a number of local companies who can take you on guided tours commensurate with your comfort and experience level.

The obvious question is where are the pictures of all the caribou we saw? Well, you’re looking at them. We got totally skunked when it came to spotting any. There were lot’s of tracks, so you know they’re there, but I can’t help but think a half dozen snow machines moving across the alpine might have given them a heads up we were near. For me, that wasn’t the point of going, I’ve seen my share of caribou, and the enjoyment of being out in the backcountry with good friends and family is more than enough to satisfy me; wildlife would be a bonus to an otherwise great day.

Many thanks to Carrie and her team with Yukon Wildlife who made this day possible, and for all the great information they provided along the way. This branch of the government is providing a great service to the public, and if you’re ever in the Yukon, take a moment to look up their facebook page and see if they are are hosting any local events that you can take advantage of; in the mean time, keep checking the community boards, they are a great way to get involved in the community no matter where your travels are taking you.

Check out this quick video heading through the alpine. Onwards

Welcome to the Yukon!

I’ve really enjoyed blogging for the past year on my travels, and sharing our overseas adventures with you. As you know, Whitehorse, Yukon is where I call home; and when I started this blog, in my first entry entitled Hello World, I promised to start sharing my experiences with you of living and travelling in the Yukon, Alaska, and all points north. I’m looking forward to showcasing what I think is one of the greatest places on earth, and hopefully, inspire you to check it out!

The Yukon is captivating. The awe inspiring beauty, pristine wilderness, and abundant wildlife, makes it a natural wonder, still relatively undistributed by human development. Through my blog, I look forward to eventually sharing all of the communities in the Yukon with you.

Before I start profiling communities and events, I think it’s important to draw your attention to the obvious…the weather. Although there are four seasons in the Yukon, you can break that down to two important seasonal descriptors; snow or no snow. Each of the seasons have their appeals, but to truly experience the north you need to see it with and without snow.

Personally, my favourite time of year in the Yukon is late summer, early fall; right when the leaves are turning colour, the air has the faint hint of chill, and you start to see a light dusting of snow on the highest peaks. It’s also the perfect time of year to harvest low bush cranberries from the surrounding hills, and you start getting excited for winters first snowfall while somehow forgetting how much you anxiously anticipated summer during the last spring melt. You’ll find that most northerners have a healthy, yet dysfunctional, love-hate relationship with the weather.

“The smallest desert in the world” – Carcross Desert

What’s most important is that each season brings with it unique seasonal experiences; like hiking, canoeing and camping in the summer, as opposed to snowmobiling, skiing and northern lights viewing in the winter. To truly experience all the Territory has to offer, you also need to explore beyond Whitehorse; although it’s a fantastic town, there is so much to see and do the further you venture out.

Lastly, one of the most appealing aspects of the Yukon, is its people. The Yukon is a mosaic of uniqueness, and you’ll find that you are free to be who you want to be without feeling the need to conform or fit in. In fact, the Yukon has a phrase that takes pride in this fact, “The Colourful Five Percent”. Yukoner’s proudly celebrate the eccentric and eclectic, which is one of the things that makes the community so culturally diverse. I would also be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention First Nations. The Yukon is home to culturally rich and vibrant first nations groups throughout the territory. To experience their cultural and learn about their history, many communities have culture centres that contain wonderful exhibits and artifacts, that are absolutely worth the time to visit.

Bundled for the weather – “cold and colourful”

I am very excited to be sharing my home with you….I hope my blogging describes this wonderful place in the manner it deserves, and I hope to convince you that if there is one place on earth you need to visit, the Yukon should be on the top of that list.

Belize

I feel inspired! As I write this post I’m sitting on the deck of my two storey beach cottage at X’Tan-Ha Resort in Belize. Dawn is slowly rising on the horizon, and turquoise water is twinkling with the reflection of the morning sun, while a warm wind is blowing through the palms creating a gentle sound that is uniquely peaceful and soothing.

This is our last trip of 2017, and a deliberate attempt to skip Christmas this year. Bah Humbug you say! My kids would probably agree. I’ve come to realize that experiences trump consumerism every day of the week and twice on Sundays; and we were feeling like the holidays were becoming more obligatory than celebratory. So we decided to mix it up, and go on an adventure. We planned the trip into three phases, inland exploration, beach relaxation and city life to maximize our time in Belize.

First stop was the twin towns of St Elena and San Ignacio. Only a two hour car ride from Belize City, these towns lie in the western region of the country near the Guatemalan border. The towns are separated only by a river, and without knowing they were different towns, you would assume it was only one. We decided to stay at the Midas hotel in San Ignacio, which turned out to be a good choice. It’s right on the edge of town, within walking distance of everything and had all the amenities we needed for our adventures.

The drive to the twin towns was spectacular, taking you along a highway that passes through small communities, farmland, rolling hills and lush jungles. You may read on various review sites that the highway is in rough shape, but I can assure you it’s fine. Although not to urban standards, coming from the Yukon, they are in better shape than I’m used to. However, they love their speed bumps; lots of them, and sometimes located in the middle of nowhere, so you do have to pay attention.

We had pre-planned our excursions prior to arriving. The first day is always an acclimatization day, where we explored the town and got our bearings. The next day was set aside for cave tubing and zip lining, followed by a day for the A.T.M. Cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) and the last for exploring two Maya Ruin sites.

The first two activities require some company bookings. The cave tubing is quite a bit off the beaten path, and we elected to complete the 7 mile tubing trip that takes you through five different caves connected by stretches of open river. To get to the first cave we were loaded onto old military transport trucks for the 45 minute drive through grapefruit orchards to reach our destination. At the very end, even the transporter got stuck. We disembarked, and hiked the last few kilometres through the jungle to the cave entrance. Once inside, we turned on our headlamps and began the journey. If you are claustrophobic, or afraid of the dark, this tour is not for you; and although you may think you’ll spend the whole time floating, there is actually a lot of paddling involved, so be prepared for a workout. It took several hours to complete all five caves, but it was a really cool experience. There’s something very serene and peaceful in the silence of the underground caverns. At the end of the caving we had a quick lunch of beans, rice and bbq chicken. It would have been a perfect lunch, except that we were then headed for zip lining on full stomachs.

This activity is my daughter through and through, she is fearless and enjoys the rush; always first to step off the platform. I, on the other hand, am not a petite individual and have visions of my carabiner snapping halfway across the hundred foot gully, or crashing into the person on belay as I come screaming in at mach four; not to mention, I’m doing this on a full stomach, which I highly discourage. In the end, everyone had fun, and no broken bones or air sickness.

The next day we headed up to Maya Walk Tours to participate in the Actun Tunichil Muknal tour (A.T.M.). This particular tour requires a licensed guide because of the sensitivity of this site, the challenge navigating it, and the need to preserve the archeological integrity of this location. If you do nothing else in Belize, this tour is a must. The artifacts and skeletal remains that are fused to the cave floor from years of calcification, suspended in place where they came to rest well over a millennium ago is awe inspiring. There is no surprise why this cave was voted as one of the top ten most sacred caves in the world by National Geographic.

Our last day in San Ignacio was dedicated for the ruins. We drove out to the Xunantunich ruins, which is only about a half hour from San Ignacio. It’s a beautiful drive that takes you within a few kilometres of the border. The signs are well marked, and once there you need to catch a small, hand cranked ferry to cross the river in order to enter the site. Once inside, it’s a short walk up the hill and into the primary plaza’s. As you enter you are instantly taken aback and the beauty of it all. The largest temple towers over all of the other complexes, and the entire grounds are lush, and green, surrounded by jungle on all sides. Unlike other ruins I’ve been to, these are unrestricted. You are able to climb the steep stairs, and ascend to the top of the temple. Once there, you are rewarded with pristine views of the plazas, and beyond. I have no doubt why this site was chosen, you can’t help but appreciate it instantly; and then you are left amazed at the accomplishment the Mayans achieved through the construction of such a city.

From Xunantunich, we drove back to St. Elena to visit Cahal Pech. These ruins are within walking distance of the twin towns, and are much smaller than Xunantunich, but equally impressive. The main plaza is surrounded by walls, creating a beautiful courtyard, anchored by the temple which towers above on one side. As with the other ruins, you are free to climb and explore all of the structures. The climb up to the top of the temple is challenging because a lot of the steps are covered with a layer of moss, so make sure to watch your footing; but the view from the top is worth the risk. I can’t say enough about these sites. The accomplishments and legacy left by the Mayans is incredible, and in my opinion, under appreciated.

After a spectacular stay in San Ignacio, we drove back to Belize City and caught a puddle jumper flight over to San Pedro Island, followed by a water taxi ride to the X’Tan Ha resort. I can’t say enough good things about this resort. It’s essentially a series of self contained cottage style condo’s on a small property quite away from town. Although there is a small restaurant and beach bar on site, guest are on their own for meals, drinks, etc… this is totally our speed! We pre-ordered our food ahead of time through one of the two local grocers who deliver, and the groceries were already stocked in the room before we arrived. The resort is so small, you barely notice anyone else, and you can easily slip into deep relaxation mode with unimpeded access to the beach, pools or ocean. Another unique feature is the coral reef about a kilometre from shore, the second largest in the world, and easily accessible by kayak. What makes this a great feature, is that it acts as a natural break water, so there are no rip tides, or big waves between the reef and the beach.

The primary form of transportation on the island is golf carts, and you can rent them everywhere. We picked one up from the resort and headed into San Pedro for the day. It’s a very typical tourist town, with lots of shops, restaurants and amenities. It was nice to get out for the day, and walk around, but it reinforced for me how much we enjoy our solitude away from the hustle and bustle. It’s a good thing that golf carts are the primary mode of transportation, because I would hate to see what an equal number of cars would look like in this tiny town.

Spending Christmas on San Pedro is exactly what we were looking for, and it was hard to say goodbye, but we booked a day and half in Belize City before going home in order to do a little exploring there. I had not heard a lot of good things about Belize City, and most locals we spoke to reinforced those opinions, but it was still worthy of a visit. In truth, I’m glad we did. We spent some time walking around the waterfront, and down to the cruise ship market area. Although not the worst we have experienced, I found the local vendors very aggressive.

We also made our way to the Museum of Belize, which is housed in the former prison, until the building was donated by the government for its current purpose. They have done a great job of dedicating the upper floor for Mayan exhibits, and the lower floors to local art exhibits, as well as a section documenting the countries history with slavery; which was quite powerful, and worth the time. Belize is a former colony of Britain, that was previously named British Honduras. I couldn’t help but reflect of the impacts colonization has had. Not only with oppression and slavery, but also the removal of historical antiquities for sale or display overseas. You can make a strong argument that this type of historical extraction has diminished the cultural identity and pride in most of the former colonies, but that’s a topic for another post. Suffice to say, the best museums aren’t always the biggest, but the ones that provoke the most reflection; and the Belize Museum did just that.

The next day on the cab ride to the airport we were having a friendly chat with our driver, and the topic drifted to the numerous police check points, and that they were looking for drugs and guns. When asked about gun problems, the cab driver happily pulled out his 9mm from under his shirt to show off what he carries for protection. I’m not sure what caused me most concern, the firearm or the fact he was driving with it out? Although it was unexpected, it was a good reminder that as travellers we always need to pay attention. In a future post I’ll spend some time talking about travel tips and tricks that you may find helpful.

That story aside, Belize was a beautiful country, and the people were very friendly and inviting. To really get the most of your trip, I recommend limiting your time in Belize City. You can check it out on your way to or from the airport when you arrive or depart, but take it from me, the authentic Belizean experience is outside of the city.