June 2022 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter
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A few years ago, we said farewell to an amazing adventure in Jasper National Park (Alberta, Canada) and began our hasty, if somewhat reluctant, turn eastward to the coast of Maine hopefully arriving before things got too crazy at our seasonal sea kayaking jobs. We glanced longingly at the sign pointing north-westerly that simply read, “Scenic Route to Alaska.” Someday, we thought, as summer commitments always seemed to get in the way of completing that drive...until now. After 3 years and a tragic pandemic, that took so much more than our travel goals, we are beyond grateful to have our health and this opportunity to explore!
In typical Shari & Hutch fashion, while we have gotten closer to tagging our 50th state, distractions and detours abound on this Alaska – Canadian Highway. From stunning campsites along beautiful lakes, to rushing rivers cutting through rugged mountains, to a bakery in Tetsa River, which claims to be the cinnamon bun center of the galactic cluster (they are 100% accurate, BTW), there’s just so much to miss if you go fast. That's just not in our playbook. Along this solitary road through the boreal wilderness of northern British Columbia and Northwest Territories, we’ve crossed paths with several other RVers bound for Alaska. It’s been fun to see them again and again as we leapfrog over each other while marching to our own drummer. While the road may be lonely, the travelers upon it certainly are not.
Before crossing the border, we wondered if we would find the kind of rural camping and boondocking that we like to do when we travel reservation-less in the states, or would we be forced into commercial RV lots and sprawling (and expensive) provincial parks, as we’ve seen in the eastern provinces? To our delight, we’ve discovered hundreds of small parks with a handful of sites ranging from FREE to less than $15 US, as well as thousands of places to pull-off the road and grab some shut-eye. Much like the western US states, western Canada offers a lot of wide open spaces – and yeah, you can probably camp there.
Our pace has allowed us side trips, as well as to keep our cameras rolling – check out the latest video from Weeks 2 & 3 of our journey below. If you missed Week 1, check it out here. While you’re there, hit the subscribe button on our YouTube Channel and turn on notifications, so you don’t have to wait until the next newsletter to see what we’ve been up to!
"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place." - girlgi.com
This one really speaks to me, Hutch talking here, because I have been pondering for some time what I call "sticky places." These are the physical or metaphysical places where, for a variety of reasons, I (we?) become stuck. These might be of our choosing, or of our circumstances, but getting unstuck is something I really love feeling in both body and mind. For me, there is nothing like seeing new parts of the world to facilitate this. It has a downside though, in that the further I go, the further away I feel from the places that I used to call "home." It's like we drop little pieces of our heart everywhere we go, and yet our hearts still feel full.
Crossing the US-Canada Border in Your RV
There are so many reasons why people choose to stay home over taking their bucket list trip. While talking about our travel plans with an RVing couple a few months ago, we were surprised by their hesitation to cross into Canada even though they wanted to see what was on the other side. We have crossed the border at least 8 times in the past 10 years, we informed them, without issues.
Part of our mission is to remove barriers to sustainable travel through education – whether that’s how to install a solar-powered system on your RV or the best way to find a campground on short notice. We want people to get out there, see some of this amazing continent so that they will want to help save it for future generations. We made this video, “Make Your Canadian Border Crossing Easy,” with these folks in mind. In 5 minutes, we will answer most of your questions and provide links to all the official website resources in the video description. Don’t let a little misinformation keep you from seeing what your heart longs to see!
Highlight of the Month: An Incredible Journey!
With the exception of a long bike ride here or a kayak trip there, we mostly travel motorized. But this month we met an individual who has turned slow into a lifestyle. Oliver Tic, and his travel companion, Carlitos are walking to Alaska, Prudhoe Bay, to be exact, which is the northernmost terminus of the road in Alaska... WALKING!
Where did he start? Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina – the other end of that road at the southern tip of South America. Walking, laughing, and sharing inspiration wherever he goes. They plan to finish the road in August before flying back to Europe where they will begin saving and planning for the next big walk. Follow along at https://www.facebook.com/oliver.tic.
June is still National Camping Month!
Hey, it’s National Camping Month, don’t cha know? Even if you haven’t set up your tent or taken your RV out for its first 2022 adventure, the summer has just began, so there’s still time to get out there. Here are just a few resources to help you reach your summer camping goals:
1. Favorite Camping Apps we use nearly everyday: The Dyrt PRO, Boondockers Welcome, Harvest Hosts
2. Solar Road Warriors article – Meet other RVers who have harnessed the power of the sun!
3. OTZI Grill Product Review Video – Check out our Recipe of the Month for even more inspiration.
Recipe of the Month - LEBANESE BABA GANOUSH (GHANOUJ)
From the produce aisle, the shiny skin of a lovely purple eggplant caught your eye. In a fit of healthful optimism you reached for it, and were inspired to do something amazing. Grilled slices, with halloumi cheese perhaps? But alas, it idled in the back of your produce drawer and that shiny skin now resembles the paper bag in which you carried your baloney sandwich to grade school. Don’t throw it away, throw it on the grill! It’s perfect for this recipe, and oh, so easy!
Good News for the Environment!
Starting in May, we decided to shed some light on some positive environmental news, while still recognizing that we, as inhabitants of Earth, have a llloooonggg way to go. In recognition of World Oceans Day in June, we want to highlight one small win for a sea mammal that is near and dear to our hearts…the Hawaiian Monk Seal! In 2013, while volunteering on an organic farm on Kaua’i, we lived just down the road from a very remote beach where 1 of only 2 baby monks seals were born on the island that year. In the past decade, and with significant cooperation from local and tourists alike, this endangered species is making a strong comeback with 1500 monk seals now accounted for among the archipelago. Read more here, and find out how to get some positive Eco News in your inbox, too.
Next Month - Alaska!
We will highlight our Glacier Bay National Park sea kayaking camping adventure and The Rendezvous in the Range boondocking rally.... so stay tuned!
Parting Shot -- This image taken from the shores of Heart Lake near Chetwynd, BC is just too great not to share.
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See you on the road, and be sure to honk if you see Hamlet rolling through your town!
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