"The freshness, the freedom, the farness"

7 years ago, it seemed like everyone in my life was moving away and on to new and exciting things. My university town had been a safe little nest, and having stayed in that nest longer than most, it was time to break out. My little world had been so small for so long, and then all of a sudden, friends and acquaintances who had always been just steps away, were now scattered all over the country, and the world (myself included).  It's been amazing to see where people's lives have taken them, and getting to visit them - that's my favourite part.

I have been promising to visit my friend Rian since she moved to the Yukon.   A promise that has been unfulfilled for longer than I'd like to admit.  This February the wistful hopes and dreams of going to visit became a reality when a friend texted me: "I was just looking at the mileage I have earned and I have enough to fly to the Yukon for free!!" I replied soon after: "I have enough too! Let's do this!". 

And with that, a plan was made. Tickets were booked. We packed our bags. On September 16th, we were on our way.

Of course, travel selfies were a must.

After 20 hours of travel, my first thoughts I had as we exited the airport were not positive: "Oh my gosh cold."  "Is it snowing?"  "Why am I wearing sandals?"  Thankfully it wasn't snowing, and I had proper footwear packed away for later.  But as the shock of "we're-really-not-in-New-Jersey-anymore" faded, all I could think of was the air.  It smelled good.  It tasted good.  I found myself gulping it back like water.  

That night we stayed in the coziest little AirBnB, a tiny cabin called The Bunkie just outside of Whitehorse.  It was just perfect. There was a 3-legged dog named Dr. Pepper and an outhouse where you put your TP in a paper bag for burning. We learned later that you can extend the life of an outhouse by not putting toilet paper in it.  Now you know too. 

The drive from Whitehorse to Dawson City was a long and beautiful one (hence the video I previously posted) and was a pretty fun part of the trip.  We had a budget and didn't want to pay insurance for an extra driver, so Meaghan (my hero!) drove all 533 km.  I did my best to be a good co-pilot.  Feeding her snacks, opening her lip balm, and singing the entirety of  Taylor Swift's newest album.  At one point we passed by a sign that said "You are Now Leaving the 911 Service Zone"  We still don't really know what that means, but we're glad we didn't have to find out.

We stopped at almost all of the marked scenic lookouts.  One of the best was at Five Finger Rapids.

It was actually this beautiful everywhere.

It was here we met some others who were having their lunch at the sole picnic table.  They asked us to join them, and in only a few minutes of chatting we realized they knew who we were going to visit. They were so friendly, and they gave us some great advice on what to do. My favourite comment from one of them was: "Lots of people live off grid, but Rian and Chris take it to a whole new level."  In a few hours we would find out for ourselves what that meant.

To get to their house, you drive 20 minutes out of town, park, walk for a few minutes, and then canoe across a pretty fast-moving river. I've always been impressed by my friend Rian, but seeing her maneuver canoes full of dogs, gear, some city-slickers (us) and a baby all while laughing is awe-inspiring.

Best and most "Canadian" commute ever.

After being shown the ropes of the Johnson-Lougheed-Smith homestead (Don't wash the dishes with drinking water, don't let the fire go out on a cold night, decaf coffee is in the redbag and shouldn't be brewed in the milk frother, and most important - sing on your way to the outhouse if you want to scare off bears) we felt right at home thanks to our hosts and never wanted to leave.  I'd give up indoor plumbing in a heartbeat to stay there forever.

The next few days were just the best.  We got to meet Rian's awesome partner,  her kick-ass kid and her dogs. 

We knit and read books. 

Rian read "The Gruffalo" many times to a captive audience... And Maggie.

 We drank coffee and picked berries. 

Picking lingonberries. We put them in a pie.

We drank whisky by candle-light.  We taught Maggie to high-five. 

High Five!

We explored an abandoned gold camp.  

In November 1966 the price of gold dropped and production ground to a halt.  People were told to stop work and everyone put down their tools and walked out.  The whole compound is a huge time capsule.

 We were toured around town.  We drove up to the top of the Dome and were snowed on.

Our last night in Dawson City we saw a beautiful display of Northern Lights.  It was a perfect way to say goodbye.

Aurora Borealis.  I was agog.

There seems to be a joke that people who visit Dawson City either never leave, or if they do - they spend the rest of their lives plotting  how to get back.  I can't put my finger on what made such a strong impression on me.  I was only there for a week. Only a taste of what it means to be there.  The best description I have seen is this: The freshness, the freedom, the farness." It's from The Spell of The Yukon by Robert Service (full disclosure, I found that featured on the Yukon Tourism website) and who better to describe the indescribable than a poet.