Sides of the summit

Within one hour of being exactly 31 days, rolled the rig to a stop in our driveway, hit the eject button and exited the driver's seat after...

10,843.2 miles

When we learned that there were a bunch of tourists on their way to Tuk because the road had opened, we briefly considered sticking to the back country, fishing and hunting, and blowing off the crowds. But, we'd come too far to not achieve the objective and were glad we did.
The fact the road was closed upon return and we were forced to camp several days and gather local provisions was more fun, and frankly more memorable, than standing at the Arctic Ocean. Didn't just verify that we were well prepared or that all things happen for a reason...
Robert Pirsig waxed eloquently about how mountain tops were simply points in space, meaningless without the sides traveled to reach the summit, the furthest you could go...
Once the explorer embraces that the sides define the summit, the journey is the destination, then there are infinite possibilities.
Traveling to a point in space and sharing a picture of "arriving" tells little of the story.
We learned many things along the way, too many details to convey... but a few general areas merit discussion.
Like compatibility - how many people do you know with whom you could spend 4 weeks contained in about 160 cubic feet without killing each other, much less managing to have fun?
Or preparation - we spent 18 months planning, adding items then deleting, trying to consider every possible contingency and then provisioning for the unexpected. Not sad the tire chains went unused, but...
And, as much as we tended to fuss about them, the people met along the way were an important aspect of adventure. At least the local folks were.
Now we're back in the real world, unpacked, wading into the piles.
Will we "Go Back?" Well, there's still those 200 clicks of Yukon highway we haven't explored; some nice grayling streams; the ptarmigan and the beer.
But, we also know there's no repeats. Can't step into the same river twice, eat the same meal again, see the same sunrise or vast and epic scenery.
Next quest will likely be new roads ... if we can find them.

Turned on truck audio system just south of Dallas for the first time in weeks and one of Canada's best exports, Rush, was in the CD player. Perfect conclusion...

Time stand still,
I'm not looking back but I want to look around me now.
Time stand still,
See more of the people and the places that surround me now.

Because we can...

Backtracking the pioneers

The North Platte was the superhighway of western expansion and we followed it almost all day, from Casper through Ft. Laramie to Ogallala (didn't stop to haggle with Clara over horses though).
Did stop in Guernsey for Ranch Hand breakfast, as big as a grill guard and finally, some green chili!

Went past Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluff, beacons on the horizon that took days for Mormons and '49ers to reach, but just an hour or so for us...

Burf! briefly made the transition to a Nebraska Cornhusker but got over it...

Eventually shut down in Oakley (as in Annie, not shades) KS. Disappointed the Plainsmen were away vs. Norton, so no Friday Night Lights, but discussed local sports and 8-man football with a former referee while enjoying a buttery ribeye and Dorothy Lynch salad dressing at the Buffalo Bill Bar & Grille.

Moved from bears and grouse to antelope and prairie dogs to cows and cows, so must be getting close.
Definitely be in front of a TV before the Horns take on the Cowboys!

Ok, now we're really leaving...

Harrison, ID is a gem and lodging, food and folks all highly recommended!

Pleasant morning rerigging on the deck overlooking Lake Cour d'Alene

Chose the route along the St. Joe (duh) for our exit and wet a few more flies...

Then on to the ID/MT border along ID-50, a beautiful drive if you ever have the opportunity.

Idaho 

Straddling the line 

Montana 

Shut down in Missoula which is a college town full of cool people and hipsters now, but found a steak and local brews. Almost had to whack a surly bartender but he came around eventually and may even come hunt pigs one day - we have such winning personalities.
Perfect brunch at the Iron Horse Cafe & Pie Shop in Three Forks, MT.

Raspberry blueberry and key lime raspberry 

For interstate routes MT picks tempting River valleys like the Yellowstone...

Any WY has the Bighorns...

Plus, Sheridan, one of my favorite towns in America has growler filling stations.

Hot Streak IPA  - feel like we've been on a hot streak for a  month. 

Shut her down in Casper at a motel across from Gruner Brothers Brewing ... what're the odds?

All good and the jalapeno burger even had some kick! Good to be back in the land of spice!

Good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise we'll have left these cool mornings and mountains behind and return to God Bless Texas today!

Taco Tuesday - because we could

Traveled towards the US border through the Okanagan River valley which we learned is as fertile as the Napa or Central Valleys. Grapes, cherries, apples, pears, apricots, and all sorts of veggies.

Crossed the border at exactly 8,300 miles and ended up learning as much about the CBP agent as she knew about us from swiping our passports, like being from Florida and spending time in Del Rio and SA.
Crossed the mighty Columbia River Valley and Grand Coulee Dam on our way to Idaho- even found more Luckies at the Dam Smoke Shop.

Burf! perused the extensive library and selected the St. Joe River for our ID exploration so we stopped at Blue Goose Outdoors for licenses and the obligatory $25 in flies which also came with some good intel, so we headed upstream.
Stopped at the Calder Store for Taco Tuesday, smoked in the bar because we could and got even more precise river info.

Although access was challenging managed to match the hatch and score a pretty little cutthroat!

Left 'em rising 

Returned to Calder for another smoke and got just a classic response to request for burger and fries... "It's Taco Tuesday, you want em hard, soft, or salad?"
Didn't want to impose on the guys eating at the end of the bar, so asked if they minded us smoking and they said only if they could have a Lucky which led to another hour of beer, stories, laughter and even a pilot vehicle back to our hotel in Harrison!
Shaun and Kennnny were good guys, but we've met good folks everywhere.
Because we could...

The trip down...

Reaching an apex, a peak, pinnacle or mountain top provides some nice views, photo ops, and satisfaction.
But the climb up and careful descent define the journey. The is no peak without the sides...
After such a special morning in the Stellako we wandered downstream to a more isolated bend, but despite the "country club" conditions and fish hitting the surface, just couldn't hook up again. Changed flies 3 times and had fish jumping OVER my line to get what Nature was sending along.
Couldn't decipher it but couldn't complain either...

Thus began the worst part of any trip, the actual directional change committed to (gasp) return. 

Not that we don't really miss home and family,  but that realization that fun things are being stowed for travel just kinda sucks. 

To ease the transition found Crossroads Brewing in Prince George, BC - their charcuterie and dinner may have actually been better'n the beer.

HAD to do rig maintenance this morning and got KalTire to do oil change and tire rotation. Prolly waited about 600 miles too long as the tires had been taking a beating...

Wandered and turned where Burf! directed which found us one more opportunity to restock fly boxes...

And fish one more stream, the strong Adams River.

Which finds us in Vernon, BC with about 8,000 miles behind us and 2,000 or so to go...

Somewhere, over the rainbow

So, here's an observation...if you're not so excited about the game you're playing that you can't sleep, you might need to find another one...
Oscar's Fly Shop in Smithers (conveniently affiliated with the craft brewery) sold us one-day permits for the Stellako River, a Classified trout and salmon fishery (think Blue Ribbon Stream) about 2 hours from town. Friendly lady even drew us an access map.
Even though we were dead asleep by 20:30, woke up at 22:30, 00:30, 02:15, and finally gave up, turning on the coffee pot at 03:30. Despite a motel full of fishermen, we were first out of the parking lot.
When we reached the Stellako there were already 3 other cars parked and anglers flailing the water...
We stuck to our usual comfortable streamside rhythms, taking our time to read the signs and look for sign.

Even walked across the bridge to check the north shoreline and saw the deep fast current past the pilings.
We left the south side for the locals and wandered across/under the bridge.
Burf! turned over a stone and found a nearly-ready to emerge mayfly nymph. With shaky hands switched flies, let our some line and roll cast it near the piling. As the current took the nymph downstream got a solid strike!
Two misses later finally hooked a rainbow! Jumped 3 times, raced across the current,  straining tippett limits before it dashed into the rocks and cut line, fish and fly gone... even the locals at the lodge deck above us and across the river groaned!
Sat on a rock in the river, smoking a Lucky and watched Burf! fish until my nerves settled enough to tie on a new fly...

New nymph made three passes through the target area before another hook up!
Worked that fish carefully into the current and away from the rocks for several jumps and maybe five minutes, mindful of that 5X tippett, before it came to the net, posed briefly for a photo, shook the fly and returned to the cold water...

Kneeling in the water, watching it swim away was the perfect opportunity to take a quiet moment to once again offer Thanks for so many blessings!
So, if it matters to anyone, that feisty rainbow was slightly over 14". It doesn't matter to me - it was the reason we traveled over 7,000 miles in three weeks, in fits and starts, meeting folks and learning along the way...for that 5 or 6 special minutes with that glorious fish, it all came together.
Sat the rock for another Lucky, without another cast.  Got Burf! into the spot so he could play too while I watched from the bridge...

As we were leaving a young Canadian wildfire fighter pulled up and admitted he was just starting out fly fishing. Gave him the right nymph and showed him just where to set up.

As we drove out across the bridge, the guy from the lodge was already standing there...

Territorial or Provincial, some thoughts

After packing out of Nugget City, YT it was just a few miles to the British Columbia border. We stopped to reflect on 2 weeks north of 60°, realizing there were only 200km of Yukon roads on the highway map we haven't explored, not including the hundreds of miles NOT on any map.
Pretty good reason to return especially when noting the stark contrast between YT and BC, as evidenced at the line.

Welcome to Yukon...

Welcome to BC! Please don't do this or that; No (fill in the blank); Refer to Regulations 

Provinces in general have more pavement, regulations, people, revenue, but not necessarily more connectivity, so that's not so bad.
Provinces have destinations for wine, fishing, shopping, tourism etc, but since the journey is our destination, we chafe a bit at the development.
Although we tend to prefer the Territories, Provincial ingress and egress are necessary by vehicle. Guess that's just a price we'll continue to pay, grudgingly...

Country club access to Blue River

Read the regs before entering the water...

Canyon Creek at Cottonwood River confluence 

Yielded a new personal best grayling after a long battle in the strong current. Per the regs, this 18" fish is almost 10 years old! And back in the water...

A little lake fishing in Dease Lake in BC weather...

Then along Telegraph Creek Road to the Tuya River Gorge and more grayling.

Since we're Non-Resident Aliens, much of the waters along our way south were unavailable to us, but at least the scenery was nice.

And then, finally, after 4 days, civilization and reconnecting with loved ones to verify our safety.
And embrace the more cultural aspects of our travel rhythm.

First Cast Lager? Session Ale? Nitro Coffee Lager?
So many decisions...

It's 7:30 in Smithers, BC and OU still sucks.
But at least the bartender found college football on Canadian cable...

With the Territories in our rearview but more options for our growlers, we bravely face the swim upstream through the masses...