Day 1 Finally Off to Tuktoyaktuk!

Sunday August 12, 2018
Day 1 of our Trip to Tuk!

Finally departing after many delays, obstructions and deviations from the plan:  visual corrections (N), MRI (L), emergency surgery (neither of us).  The heat wave and subsequent lethargy does not improve my ability to move quickly when packing the camper either.

My Tesla's bigger than your Tesla.

Now, on the road that stretches so far before us, the highways sign at Hope warns that Hwy 97 (ours) is closed north of Cache Creek!  Something tells me this trip may require more depths of patience and flexibility than I am normally prone to.  Luckily, we've plenty of experience with bumps in the road.  They are often the unexpected bumps we find most entertaining - in retrospect.

Heading up the Fraser Canyon, the camper is full of gear and supplies for a 2 month expedition.  We know that good coffee needs to come with us, plus our espresso maker, as well as all the fishing gear, paddling stuff, kayaks (yes, one's resting on our bed), and books and knitting we will need for the trip.

To make a good start, we breakfast at MacDonalds - a road trip treat!  Only 3766 km to Tuk!

Day 1, Part 2

The next sign of trouble when we reach Lytton, is the view of the normally green and lovely Thompson River roiling dark and chocolate coloured.  At Spences' Bridge, sure enough, there is a road block and a detour sign sending us east to Merritt.  We check online and find Hwy 1 is closed at Cache Creek due to a mudslide, and Hwy 97 is closed in both directions further north also due to a mud slide.  This means our detour route will take us to Kamloops, Little Fort and Bridge Lake before returning to our highway at 100 Mile - about 200 km out of our way!

The irony of this is not lost on us - not wildfires as we expected, but last night's rain has sent us off on this trek!