Its the 13th of December 2014. We have been back in New Zealand for over six months now and things are ticking along. Though Will and I are currently living in separate cities, we are working hard to achieve some final goals that will put us in a good position for the future. We will be together again and in the same city after our wedding in April 2015 and currently we are in the throws of planning it which is why the final blogs have taken so long to write.  

Already it sometimes it feels like the trip was just a dream I as look back and think did we really do that? But this story this ‘blog’ will always remind us that indeed we did drive from Argentina to Alaska. An eighteen month monumental 70,000km journey that remains today the coolest thing I’ve ever done. I’m so proud that together Will and I achieved such a massive goal. I hate to say where theres a Will theres a way but anyone who spends a few days with him will realise that this is true and together we make an awesome team. No one else will ever understand what we went through, how we grew and the things we learnt. No one that is except Will the man I’m about to marry and the only man I would ever be happy to live in the back of a year 2000 Dodge Durango with. Scout is also a pretty amazing reminder of the things we did on the trip and one hell of a souvenir!

To all the people that in any little way shared our journey with us, it never would have been the same without you. Thank-you!

Rochelle & Will

THE END 

We were in LA and had seventeen days left before we would fly home and the trip would really be over. It seemed like a long time at first, as long as many peoples traditional holidays but we had a lot to do and were kept busy most days.

We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the boys Daniel and Tom who offered to have us back at their place in New Port Beach and when we arrived we couldn’t believe the little set-up Daniel had created for us in the garage. He had pumped up an air bed and made it up with sheets and pillows, there was a couch and a table all toped off by fairy lights on the ceiling. It would be our home and base for the coming weeks with Daniel and Tom as well as ttheir wo other flatmates Josh and Christina. Did I mention that the complex had a pool, a hot tub and tennis courts; these people were living the dream and we were pretty happy to be there with them!

On day one we decided to go to the supermarket as after all this traveling around America Will and I had had more than our fair share of burgers and 50 cent puddings and now we were both feeling a bit fatter for it, Will especially. We joined the Californian juicing band wagon and brought a whole heap of fruits and vegetables. They only had a blender back at the house but we made it work and enjoyed some slightly thick and lumpy ‘juices'. Most were tasty but a few we had to force down. Will drunk only juices for over a week but I still had a few proper meals. 

We also did a bit of touristing around while in LA. On our third day we spent hours in traffic to drive over to Hollywood for a look. There we found the Hollywood sign for a few photos and went for a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard to see all of the famous stars that make up the sidewalk. We did our best not to get ripped off by any of the hustlers that were all over the place harassing you for this or that but Will got sucked in by one guy and ended up paying a $10 'donation' for a rap CD. We also drove down the flashy Rodeo Drive and spotted a few very expensive cars but nobody famous. Attempting to google a few famous peoples addresses found us lost in the maze of homes on the Hollywood hills in search of Gorge Clooney’s pad but we didn’t find it and felt like we should have just coughed up and paid for a tour on one of the open toped minibuses we saw driving round everywhere. 

For the rest of our first week in LA we sorted out all of our accumulated belongings and listed the Dodge on Craig’s List. With no expectations of it actually selling we also searched for car wreckers and had great fun at a supermarket haphazardly driving a shopping trolly straight into the Dodge much to the worry of some on lookers who must have thought we were a little crazy. We also went on quite a few bike rides and runs to the beach with Scout to keep up our healthy campaign as well as playing a few games of tennis. I guess I should also mention that I had a job interview that week and a few days later I received a job offer. It wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be but it was a good job and money was what we needed, so I gladly took it.  

Over the weekend Daniel had a big party planned for his birthday and we were invited to celebrate too. The boys started the Saturday off with a trip to the donut shop where Will and I couldn’t resist and brought a maple bacon chocolate covered donut each! Next it was off to Nostrum Rack (an outlet clothing store) so they could buy some new digs for the party. It was quite cute watching Tom and Daniel shop together they were like an old married couple. Before returning home we stopped in at Costco and were blown away at what you could buy there, let alone how much you could eat just by visiting all the free food stalls! Will and I were wishing we had discovered Costco a long time ago. We brought some corn chips, salsa, sausages and of course plenty of alcohol. Back at the house our garage bedroom was transformed into a party room complete with an all American beer pong table (we would spend the night in the loft of Daniel's room). Later all dressed up in our new clothes Daniel ordered the biggest pizza that we had ever seen, one slice was still bigger than a dinner plate! Then people started arriving and we got lost talking the night away to all of Daniel friends and playing beer pong, it was a really fun night even for Scout who was so popular he crashed out by ten! 

The next morning we all felt a little grey but Tom and Daniel knew just the cure, a bike ride to the beach; stopping in for some delish breakfast burritos on the way. It was like we were living in an American movie set riding our bikes through the classic Californian beach streets with vibrant people everywhere. 

By the following Tuesday (or day nine) Will had managed to sell the Dodge! Some crazy guy from Chile wanted it and because he was Chilean he could buy it legally and everything. Will told him about all the problems it had but he was more interested in hearing about our trip in it. The guy spoke of his dreams of driving down to Chile himself and now he had apparently found the perfect vehicle. The guy was super nice and after a long hot day going to the embassy to transfer the ownership he even took Will to a little real deal Chilean restaurant and brought us a big box of genuine Empanadas! But best of all the guy was happy for us to keep the Dodge until we flew out in eight days time. Winning! What we didn’t tell the buyer was that we were actually going to drive it 780km to Flagstaff, Arizona for Overland Expo that weekend... 

Before heading to Overland Expo on our “final ever road trip in the Dodge” we deviated south to the city of San Diego to catch up with friends Eric and Jessica. They were the couple that first put us in touch with the guys in New Port and we originally met them way back in Peru. They had now both taken jobs in San Diego and had a nice apartment there. The one and a half hour drive to San Diego took twice as long as it should have due to the massive wildfires raging in the hills nearby the interstate. We saw plenty of fire trucks and helicopters buzzing around it was all quite exciting as well as a little scary. We arrived in San Diego around 3pm and while I was keen for a look around Will simply wanted to chill out at a local park and wait until Eric and Jessica got home from work at 5pm so thats what we did. 5pm rolled around soon enough and we eventually found the right apartment then enjoyed a lovely alfresco baked salmon dinner. It was always great catching up with people we already knew as we didn’t have to explain as much. We stayed the night at their place then after checking the fires hadn’t progressed any further and yet another hug goodbye we hit the road for Overland Expo.    

It was a long hot seven hour drive to Flagstaff Arizona where the nicest place to be was inside the air-conditioned Dodge. When we did finally arrive at Overland Expo we were blown away by how many decked out vehicles there were and thought to ourselves, are these all overlanders or just extremely expensive weekend toys? After checking in and collecting our free traveller passes we went looking for a place to camp. Immediately we met kiwi couple Ben and Emma of Flightless-Kiwis who had been in touch with us before they left NZ and were just starting out on their own Pan-American adventure. We chatted for a bit then planned to meet up again later. The camping field was filling up rapidly as hundreds (if not thousands) of vehicles rolled in and began setting up their campsites. We parked up and went in search of our other friends, it was an epic reunion when we found them all parked in the featured vehicle section! We had not made the featured vehicle cut but Brenton from Ruined Adventures and Luis from Lost Word Expeditions quickly convinced us we had to be there with the rest of the gang. So after sneaking the Dodge past the orange road cones, we settled into the featured vehicle section. It was filled with other real deal overlanders and really it was where we were meant to be.     

Over the next few days we meet hundreds of different people and saw all sorts of overland rigs, we dreamed about what we would what now, how we would have done things differently and participated in a few Q&A’s which were quite funny. Everyone was so concerned about trivial things but all they needed to do was get out there and do it. Not go to classes such as: Paranoid or Practical? Real Life Tips for Security on the Road or Overland Adventuremobile Building vs Buying. The classes we liked the best were those from the legendary Life Remotely crew. They were cooking classes using techniques from life on the road and once the cooking was done everyone got to do some eating! They even did a full on Argentinian BBQ which had the punters drooling all day as it sizzled and smoked over the fire.

On the second day Will and I signed up to drive a few different brand new vehicles through the purpose built off-road course. It was totally awesome and we couldn’t understand why more of the others didn’t have a go. In the end we both drove a Range Rover Sport, a Jeep Wrangler and a V8 Dodge Powerwagon pickup through the course it was so much fun, I even managed to get the Range Rover a little stuck on the mud slide until the fancy electronics kicked in and had me on my way. We would have loved to have driven our Dodge through the course if only it wasn’t so broken, and lacking, and… already sold. Will reckons if it wasn’t sold we would have just thrashed it for fun on the course until it was no longer. It would have made a good end to the story for the grandkids.

By Sunday we were done looking at expensive vehicles we couldn’t have, but otherwise we had had an incredible weekend catching up with old friends and meeting others we had until then only known though online traveling forums. The Overlanding community was alive and well and we were so glad to be apart of it. 

Our long drive back to LA was going well until once again one of our worn tyres gave up the fight. It was excruciatingly hot outside and we were lucky to just make it off the interstate and come to a stop in the shade of an underpass. Without our jack (which had gotten crushed in Alaska) we would have to rely on the kindness of others to help us out. That or walk under the burning sun to the nearest mechanic or gas station. We attempted to flag down a few vehicles but had no luck; twenty minutes later a Desperate Housewives type family towing a boat pulled over to offer a hand. The guy got their jack out and sort of tried to help but his cleavage bearing wife was stressing out about being late to pick up a new puppy so they left and said they would call AA and stop to help again on their return. After the family drove off an old guy it a beat up truck pulled up and asked what the problem was. Turned out he lived not far away and he went off to go grab his sons jack. He returned a few minutes later with a big mechanics jack and before long we were back in action it was our 13th flat of the trip. Please let there be no more! 

Back at Newport Beach on Monday Will went and got another tyre for the Dodge so at least it did have a spare if the new owner got a flat which was highly likely given how worn they all were. The buyer was pretty understanding of it all though considering the latest tyre was also a size smaller than all the others and yet a size bigger than the spare. Meanwhile I lounged my lily white Alaskan body by the pool feeling very pale next to Christina’s golden Californian tan.

On the 20th of May or day sixteen Will and I left Scout at the house and went to Universal Studios. We had planned to go last week but I wanted to wait until the Jurassic Park ride re-opened. It was a whirlwind day of fun at the theme park where we made it our mission to see every show and go on every ride as efficiently as we could and hardly waited in any lines. We both thought the Transformers ride was out of this world, it was so good it was hard to tell the difference between what was on the 3D screen and what was real as we were shot through different sections. The Water World stunt show was just as good as I remembered it being fifteen years ago and little had changed in the Studio Tour but we still really enjoyed it. By 3pm we were ready to leave, it was after all Scouts last day with us until back in New Zealand.  

The following morning we were up early and drove across town battling to keep the wobbly Dodge straight on the highway to meet the man from Pacific Pet Transport. The pet exporter had two dogs to export that day and we literally couldn’t believe it when he said both of them were called Scout and both of them were Golden Retrievers! The other one was going to Australia so we really hoped they didn’t get them mixed up. It was a sad moment saying good bye to Scout and we couldn’t wait to see his big brown eyes back in NZ. 

Back in Newport we felt a bit lost without our constant companion but there was no time to waste we had to get packing! The packing wasn’t going so well though and it became evident that we would need another checked bag. Thats after already buying two extra checked bags brining our total to five plus our two already overloaded carry on bags. Will brought another online and we borrowed the neighbours travel scales to make sure we were within the limits. 

That afternoon the Chilean guy came with his son to pick up our Dodge. $1,200 dollars and a few photos later and our home for a year and a half was gone for good. It all felt very surreal. For our final evening of the trip we went out with the boys and their friends for epic 60 cent chicken wings and $10 cocktails it was loads of fun and we couldn’t have had a better last night in LA. Cheers Guys!

Despite having all day to pack the last day of our Kiwi-Panam adventure was a mad rush; by 5pm we had every bag packed to within a few grams of the limit, had tidied up the house and then loaded everything into Daniel’s BMW. It was a 45 minute drive to airport according to google so with over an hour we thought we would have heaps of time but we had forgotten about rush hour traffic. Daniel promised us we could still get there in time but then we realised the BMW was low on gas and it was possibly my fault… I had taken the Beamer out that morning for some last minute shopping. I needed a dress to wear to a friends wedding back in NZ the following week and I’d found an awesome one but that was besides the point right at that moment. Daniel took it all in his stride and pulled into a gas station and filled up calm as ever then proceeded to weave in and out of traffic to get us to the airport on time. He pulled up perfectly outside the correct terminal and after a incredibly sad good bye to a guy who had become a genuine lifelong friend we ran inside. 

We checked in and with relief the combined total of our bags came in at only a few hundred grams under our total limit. One lady made me weigh my carry on which was, quote “substantially over the limit”.  She told me to take some stuff out which I pretended to do and then in the rush I stuffed it all back in and moved on. We then watched our bags get x-rayed and then opened and searched. They had quite a time pulling all our bits and pieces out to get to the bottom of one bag only to discover the snow chains and in another they were undeterred by five layers of plastic bags to discover it was maple syrup in the bottle we had carefully wrapped. We watched to make sure they put everything back in and then went to find our gate. The flight was already boarding and before we knew it we were onboard the Air New Zealand 777 homeward bound! Only then did it start to sink in the trip was done, finished, over. In thirteen hours time we would be home, back to the real world but also back with our families. I morned the loss of our simple freedom but we had many things to look forward to back home. We were excited to say the least. 

A feeling of euphoria swept over us as we walked through the arrival gates and we had the Go Pro rolling as we set eyes on both of our families for the first time in one and a half years. We both gave everyone a big tight hug and Mum and I blinked back a few tears but finally we were home! 

Rochelle & Will 

Will thought we should end the blog in Deadhorse but I always loved books that told you a little more about what happens afterwards so thats what I’m going to do. The Dodge with all its problems was still drivable and we really wanted a vehicle for our time in Los Angeles so the plan was to drive the 5,300km to LA in twelve short days (the entire drivable length of New Zealand is only 1600km). This meant driving all day everyday for the majority of that time, though we had scheduled in a few stops to visit people we had met on the way up. 

Leaving Fairbanks we had big driving ambitions but we also knew our friends the Overland Birds were due to cross into Alaska the same day. We kept a look out for them and tried to keep in touch as we both traveled in and out of wifi zones. It was in the evening close to the border that we finally spotted the Land Rover and after a bit of a chat on the side of the highway we decided to camp together at a nearby quarry. The Dodge dutifully clambered up the old overgrown road of the quarry and the Birds with their new BF Goodrich tires followed not far behind. After about five minutes of manoeuvring into the perfect flat spot Neil immediately got out and started muttering concerns for the drivetrain after not locking the centre diff. Honestly… Land Rovers… Will and I smiled at each other we would have never done anything or seen anything if we were worried about a bit of off roading. We did however graciously accept Niels offer to cook us dinner while we caught up on each others travels under the crisp cloudless evening. In the morning we said our good byes once more and hit the road in opposite directions. 

Crossing back into Canada was no problem, then came the hours upon hours of driving through the vast Yukon territory. Our determination to reach the turn off for the Cassiar Highway meant breaking a promise to ourselves about not driving in the dark or in snow storms. Unfortunately this evening brought both but we took it slow as the snow came drifting down heavier and heavier. At some stage before midnight the Cassiar turnoff came into view and a convenient rest area provided our accommodation, efforts to get gas before bed were in vein as the gas station was closed. 

Up at dawn we had a quick snowy breakfast and began down the Cassiar Highway, the snow had already been ploughed but we still had to be careful. Eventually we outdrove the boundary of the nights snow storm and the ground become clear with fresh spring growth shooting up. Making the most of this spring growth was a black bear that we pulled over and watched for a while. He seemed friendly enough and certainly looked cuddly as he meandered along the roadside. We couldn’t help but get out of the Dodge to get a closer look. At one point I stood a few meters away for a photo that I later posted on Facebook and received so much ridicule for it that I had to delete it. Yes it looks like we were guilty of being stupid tourists who got too close to the bear... 

On the 25th of April we continued south through Prince George stopping only momentarily to sell our ski gear to the Kamloops Consignor Sports. Usually they sell sports gear on your behalf but the guy was very understating and offered to buy our gear outright. We couldn’t believe the price he offered us either, buying the gear and reselling it had worked out much cheaper than hiring. It was 5pm when we left Kamloops and we could have stayed with Brad and Julie who were in town visiting their daughter or we could have stopped in at Shelly and Ron’s in nearby Merritt but we had a schedule to keep and that meant crossing back into the US that evening. We made it to the Huntinhgdon border around 10pm after spending up the last of our Canadian dollars on dog food and booze. There was a bit of a queue at the border so we attempted to use up our remaining Canadian 3G data by calling our parents for a catch up, both were glad to hear that we were making progress and so far the Dodge was running well. The US was happy to have us back in the country for a little longer so we pushed on until reaching the Bellingham Walmart to spend the night. 

In the morning we were amazed to see over thirteen other vehicles of all kinds parked in the carpark with people obviously sleeping inside of them. It was however a very picturesque place with leafy green trees dotted all around and a feeling of springtime excitement in the air. There was everything from flash buses towing trailers, to old 1970’s RV’s and the likes of us in an SUV. Some were up and stretching their legs or walking their dogs and some like us made the trip into Walmart to use the bathrooms and buy breakfast. 

We only made it one and a half hours further south to Seattle that day as I had a job interview the following afternoon to prepare for. I did a heap of preparation and the interview was delayed a few times but I felt that I interviewed well. A week or so later I found out that I didn’t get the job mainly because I couldn’t start as soon as they wanted me to but it was their loss I had another interview arranged for when we made it to LA. While in Seattle we were again welcomed into the home of kiwi family the Templeton’s, who cooked us dinner made us drinks and enabled us to have a general clean up of the Dodge and ourselves. Another fun household… another set of goodbyes.      

In Portland on the 28th Will dropped off his Sorell winter boots to see what could be done about the cracked rubber. I walked Scout outside in the now 25 degree heat while Will explained the story inside. I was skeptical about them having them fixed or replaced in time for our flight less than a month away but once in LA Will chased them up and in the end a brand new pair arrived via courier a day or two before we flew out. Since then we sold them online back in NZ as Will had no need for them anymore. Also in Portland I brought some much needed jandel’s and also splashed out on some new running shoes, Will got a treat too in the form of a nike head band to keep his ever growing hair out of his face. He looked lovely!

Again we slept in a rest area and in the morning hit resume on the cruise control before turning the air-con on high as we cruised southwards on the massive interstate 5. We saw thousands of RV’s on the road as the summer camping season was gearing up, at one point Will spotted a bus towing a Ford Raptor which then had two flash quad bikes on the tray! Americans and their toys we exclaimed but really we were just jealous.    

By the 29th we had been driving for seven days it was like a full time 12 hour job, wake up have breakfast, drive, have lunch, drive, take a pee, drive, dinner, drive more, stop, sleep, repeat. Lucky that evening we made it back to Ewan and MJ’s sunny home near the beach in San Francisco! Here we took the chance to unwind and enjoy the weather. Starting by stripping of all those layers we had been wearing since Alaska and going for a run in the sunshine! It was crazy hot for Scout who couldn’t just take his coat off but we helped him to cool off under the hose or in the ocean. Will and Scout even played a spot of basketball, I tried too but Scout was too good at getting the ball off me. We had a fabulous time at Ewan and MJ’s who again looked after us like family but we also wanted to spend a little more time with the Riedinger family. 

We had to be in LA by the 4th of May for Scouts first export vet check but that still gave us a few days back at Camp Turlock staying in our favourite trailer. When we pulled up to the Riedinger house we saw a classic old GMC pickup in the drive and wondered who’s it was. Turns out Alex had brought it after her brother Zach a car salesmen had a guy trade it in on a newer model. The pick up was in mint original condition though and parked next to the American flag it epitomised everything that is America and we loved it! Alex even let us drive it! Scout passed the time bobbing for balls in a paddling pool while we spent our days shooting bows and hanging out. We had a BBQ one night over at Zach’s house, ate way too much and then watched a game of basketball.

Sunday the 4th came around all too soon and it was time to say good bye once again. We had almost had enough of good byes but it was a necessary part of the trip. We sure were sad to be leaving Turlock but eager to begin Scouts export and continue our journey home. We gave our best wave as we puled out of the driveway and with that we were on the road again. 

Rochelle & Will 

Deadhorse wasn’t the kind of town that everyone had heard of, (not even some Alaskans) but for us it was the place we had been continually driving towards for the last eighteen months. Now all we had to do was drive the infamous 414 mile Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Deadhorse. Driving beyond the Arctic Circle in a broken beat up old Dodge Durango may not be everyones cup of tea but we wouldn’t have changed a thing. The end was in our sights!

The day before we set out to drive the Dalton we stocked up on food supplies, drove round a million different places looking to hire a CB radio and brought a massive bottle of champagne for the coming celebrations. The guide book and plenty of websites recommended a CB radio to communicate with the big rigs and keep out of their way but even after inquiring at Carlile trucking (the original ice road truckers) we couldn’t get hold of one. Turns out you could buy them at Walmart, but even for $80 we couldn’t justify it, in four days time we wouldn’t need it and it would become just another thing to get rid of before we flew home. We did however have four cans of tyre goo in case of a puncture which was fairly likely given our worn mismatched excuse for tyres. There were plenty of other things people said we would need but we had moved far beyond that. Like any other phase of our trip we expected some adversity but knew we would always be able to over come it, one way or another. 

On Friday the 18th of April at 10:45am we rolled out of Fairbanks due North. Ten minutes in we stopped and filled up the water tank from a fresh water spring before continuing on. The weather was a mixed bag that revolved between blazing sunshine and blizzardous snowy fog as we drove. The first stretch of road is actually called the Elliot Highway and this must be followed for 130km before turning off left for the Dalton. We took a break in the weather to climb on the now bare roof of the Dodge for some photos next to the Dalton Highway sign then moments later we were in a total whiteout. When Will got out to take a photo of us on the bridge over the Yukon River neither of us even noticed that the bridge was on a down hill angle until we crossed it on the return run. 

We took driving the Dalton seriously and slowed right down and pulled over every time we saw a big rig speeding towards us, many trucks were even passing us, these drivers knew the road like the back of their hand and had a job to do so we kept well out of there way. However we were surprised when a guy in a fleet pickup signalled for us to pullover as he came up to pass. We stopped and he did too. After introductions he told us he thought we had an issue with our rear axel as it was wobbling in a strange motion. We had a look around underneath but couldn’t see anything so Will jumped in with the guy and followed behind while I drove. It was quickly obvious to Will that the rear left tyre wasn’t spinning true and another closer inspection showed that our tyre wall was beginning to fail and had bulged in one place out like a herniated disc. After a bit of discussion Wills theory was that we should just drive on it until it fails and get as far as we could before using the spare, our tyre goo couldn't fix this one unfortunately. So we thanked the guy and waved him off putting the issue to the back of our minds.   

Later that afternoon around 5pm we reached the Arctic Circle. With plans to get a cheeky naked shot of us in-front of the sign we were testing camera angles, however a bus load of tourists pulled up right behind us so we waited around for them to leave. They took their time though and all wanted to chat with us about our journey. One lady even said she owned a Durango and was glad to see how tough they were. Not wanting to dampen her sprit we kept our mouths shut about all the problems we had had with ours. Soon enough the tourists left and with the camera ready we striped off in the truck before dashing out for a few chilly photos. Thankfully no body saw us and I’ll never let Will put those ones online! 

At 7pm we pulled into Coldfoot, popolation 10. Coldfoot is roughly half way along the Dalton at mile 174 (280km) and is one of only three places you can get fuel with the others being at the Yukon River crossing (at the very start) and in Deadhorse itself. We may have been following a pipeline that transports over 700,000 barrels of oil each day but that oil still has to be refined and then transported back to Alaska on tankers making it some of the most expensive gas in America at $4.80 per gallon (Still not bad by NZ prices which averages USD $6.15/Gal). We felt like one of the big boys fuelling up next to the huge rigs and famous Carlile trucks. But inside a sign on a table put us in our place by separating the ‘truckers’ eating area from the ‘public’. There is not much to Coldfoot other than the gas station, a few hardy individuals and some basic accommodation so we opted to continue on a little further.  

An hour later we pulled into a rest area beside a frozen river. Scout was glad for the freedom and I cooked dinner while Will inspected what remained of our tyre that was just holding together. I don't think you would be able to camp there during the height of summer but we were the first tourists of the season so no one bothered us other than the roar of a few eighteen wheelers barrelling past in the late night daylight.

The next morning we got to work driving north again and soon passed a sad looking sign that marked what was once the northernmost spruce tree, at least it was until some guy cut it down. Now its just the most northern dead spruce tree. Around 11am we reached the notorious Atigun Pass. We didn’t have a radio to see what was coming the other way but what we could see was clear so we cautiously made our way up the steep curving incline. A rig passed us near the top on a straight section so there was no drama though we could see how there could be if either driver was at all complacent. At the top we were met with an endless view of snow covered mountains cut only by the black of the road and its grit sprayed shoulders. On the long straight that followed we passed a convoy of rigs hauling several portable buildings, they looked like a cumbersome load and we thanked our lucky stars that we didn’t meet them on the pass.   

Later when the pipeline was close to the road we got out for a better look and were amazed to see how huge it was once you got near it. It really was a colossal piece of engineering, it was even able to handle movements of the earth by sitting on these huge sliders that allowed in some places over 2m of displacement. When we stopped we also had another look at our tyre which now had big chunks of rubber missing but was still inflated so we kept on driving.   

Thirty minutes later near pump station 3 our tyre gave up the fight and blew out. It was a sound we had become all too accustomed too but we came to a nice controlled stop on the icy road and with no one around initiated the tyre change sequence. This being one of many flats we were pretty well practiced or so we thought… Will placed the jack and wound it up I then started breaking the nuts and screwing them off. I had two of the five off when suddenly the Dodge slid backwards and promptly rolled off the jack and came to a holt. No one was hurt and lucky the tyre was still on but the jack had slipped on the icy surface and had been crushed by the axel rendering it useless. We were now stuck there unable to change the tyre. When we saw to rigs coming our way without trailers we didn’t expect them to stop given they were probably on the clock but as our luck would have it they did stop and offered to lend us their jack. They were both men of few words but they helped us get the tyre changed using two jacks. We also had the Dodge fully chocked so it didn’t roll anywhere this time.

The road was soon a solid sheet of ice and we had a difficult time driving. We couldn’t use four wheel drive as the spare tyre was a slightly smaller diameter than the others so it aways tried to spin faster when they were all locked together making for a very unstable ride. So down to two wheel drive and almost no tread had us sliding around even at 40km/h. Then it happened; all in slow motion the wheels started sliding and refused to be corrected and we bumped off the road, somehow backwards, into the shallow snow filled ditch. I was furious at Will for losing control again but looking back there wasn’t much he could do about it. A Carlyle eighteen wheeler carrying a load of drill pipe saw it all unfold, stopped and amazingly offered to pull us out! Using our famous green tow strop he first attempted to pull us from his front but we couldn’t quite clear the ditch. The Dodge just dragged sideways on its belly. We decided to try a pull from behind and Will set to changing the tow points while I filmed. The ensuing traffic jam had 30 ton trucks locking their brakes up to stop in time even on the long stretch of road that gave you plenty of time to react. The pull from behind was eventually successful but looked horribly rough on our poor tires.     

We were back in action and only a handful of miles away from Deadhorse but I wasn’t in the best mood. My nerves had been frayed by yet another misadventure in the Dodge and I took it out on Will. Thankfully Will pulled over before we got to Deadhorse and told me to pull my head in. I recomposed myself and the excitement started to build as we saw some clusters of portable buildings in the distance. Then before we knew it we had arrived in Deadhorse! 


I almost forgot to look out the window so set was I on following the guidebook directions to the “Welcome To Deadhorse” sign outside the general store. We parked right in front of the sign at 7:38pm on Saturday the 19th of April! We took a breath and looked at each other in wonderment WE HAD MADE IT! With the camera rolling we jumped out, waved the NZ flag around, high fived, hugged, kissed, laughed, cried and covered each other in champagne in front of a few onlookers. We both felt on top of the world and we literally were!!! 

It had taken us 499 days and 75,000 km, 100s of break downs, +38°C to -20°C, from Argentina to Alaska and a dog in-between but we had made it through 124 degrees of latitude! 

After we calmed down a bit we went to check out what the general store had to offer. The girl at the counter was super friendly and we got the feeling she would have told you anything if you talked to her long enough! She gave us the low down on the place and the wifi password, she even told us where to park overnight so that we could still get wifi in the Dodge. She lead an interesting life doing month on month off flying in from Texas. Her job in Alaska seemed to consist of taking orders for chewing tobacco and other luxury items for the oil field workers. There was also a well stocked souvenirs section and I picked up a pair of “Trans-Alaska Pipeline” sweat pants while Will opted for a Deadhorse t-shirt the same as the sign. Next on the agenda was to see how much further we could drive. We were well aware that you couldn’t drive all the way to the ocean as the road is permanently closed to private vehicles due to security concerns. There was a tour you could do but it was a bit expensive and possibly wasn’t even running that time of year. However we did make it all the way to the barrier arm and snapped a quick photo before retreating. 

Later we filled up with gas again this time a crazy $5.51/Gal and then it was time for dinner. I had ambitious plans for a celebratory meal including streaky bacon, steamed sweet corn, instant mash potato and gravy with a side of fresh bread. It took a while to make outside in the numbing cold but was totally worth it accompanied with what was left of the champagne. It was 10pm and we had just hopped in the Dodge for the evening when Will checked the Yellowbrick and saw that my parents had sent us a message of congratulations. It meant a lot to us to know that both of our parents had been right there following us on the tracker for those final few hours.    

Before we set out the next morning we went for a leisurely drive around all the six or seven roads that make up Deadhorse. Will posed for photos with some of the huge specialised equipment like the giant articulated tractor on tracks, the massive mobile land rigs, and the funny little pod vehicles on fat slick tires. At 12:30 we started on the long road home. I was taking it easy in the drivers seat on the way back and six hours went by before we made it to the Atigun Pass. As we approached the down hill side of the pass we saw an overturned eighteen wheeler on the sharp bend. With no traffic in sight we stopped for a closer inspection and soon realised that it was one of the rigs we had passed yesterday hauling the portable buildings. The portable building was now a destroyed pile of rubbish at the bottom of the hill. We took a few photos and curious had a look inside the cabin of the rig before moving on. Twilight approached around 8pm and we started seeing a few animals out grazing so we had to keep our eyes peeled for any near the side of the road. Back in Coldfoot we went inside for a hot dinner and a well deserved beer. Secretly we were hoping we would meet some truckers but the place was quiet until just as we were leaving a trio of truckers came in and we chatted with them about the overturned rig. One guy explained that it wasn’t the drivers fault, that the load was very unstable and caught a lot of wind. They said the driver had his doubts about transporting it but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Apparently the truck was being righted as we spoke and would be all cleaned up in a few hours. With daylight still on our side we drove on until 11pm then pulled into an elevated rest stop and set up camp.  

By lunchtime on Monday we had officially conquered the Dalton Highway and were back on real deal pavement. Leaving the Dalton Will spotted a pipeline inspection helicopter out to make its weekly flyover of the pipeline. Sections of the pipeline are also routinely inspected on foot and via vehicle as well as having mechanical ‘pigs’ sent internally through the line to preform a variety of checks. We arrived back at the DeCorso’s cabin that afternoon and discovered that the cabin was already booked for that evening. We were a little sad but could hardly complain as we had already managed three free stays with the DeCorso’s so we said our good byes to the family and thanked them for their hospitality. Then we loaded up the Dodge with all of our stuff we had left there and then headed into town to see what we could find. Will and I went round in circles for a while about what was best to do. Should we sleep in the car and just shower and wash our clothes at the laundromat or should we fork out for a motel? In the end we stayed at a Super 8 Motel where for $79 we had a nice clean room, washing machines down the hallway, wifi and a free breakfast. We smuggled Scout in the back door past the security cameras and put on three loads of washing then enjoyed lovely hot showers without having to worry about emptying the water tank. Will went out and grabbed takeout for dinner before we Skype called each of our families to tell them about our top of the world adventure and that we were back safe and sound.

We woke up early the next morning so as not to miss the free breakfast, then we orderly packed up the very full but clean Dodge and set about finding another tire to replace the one that had failed. Will bartered with a guy at a place we found through google and soon enough we had another well used mismatched tyre to get us back on the road. We didn’t bother replacing the jack given the sad state of the Dodge. We didn’t like our chances of selling it and thought it would end up as scrap metal in a few weeks. 

All we had to do now was drive 5,000km to LA in twelve days SURE!    

Rochelle & Will

Will and I were tossing up whether or not we should go to Anchorage given we had booked our flights home and now for the first time on the trip had set a amount of days left. It will just be another big city argued Will, but to me it was a place I always thought we would visit. When we first dreamt up the trip it was Anchorage that we were going to fly to and buy the vehicle. Then when our plans changed and we decided to drive from south to north, Anchorage was always going to be the final destination, the place we flew home from after making it to Deadhorse, so in my mind we couldn’t just skip it. Once we decided we would go we then had to decide when we would go to Anchorage. I thought we should go on our way back to LA after Deadhorse but Will was having none of that to him Deadhorse was the symbolical end to what had become a year and a half’s worth of traveling and that was simply it, the end, there would be no more touristing around after that. So it was settled after hiking the Stampede Trail we would spend three days in and around Anchorage before looping back around to Fairbanks and then up to Deadhorse. 

We arrived in Anchorage on Sunday the 13th of April and were immediately sad to see so much rubbish littering the side of the highways and rest areas, once hidden in the winter snow banks the snow was now melting and revealing the extent of other people’s laziness. Michelle DeCorso said they clean it up in the spring but why was it there at all? Our first impression of Anchorage didn’t get any better when we went to a neighbourhood park to give Scout a run only to find the park had a dodgy vibe to it with a couple of homeless people asleep on a grassy bank. We did however spot a moose wandering around the park. It was only us kiwis who found the prospect of a moose in a town park photo worthy while the locals walked passed as equally unfazed as the moose itself. I was hoping the rest of our time in Anchorage would be better but the day was lost on us. We went to Walmart for some supplies then ended up having a lousy dinner at a nearby Taco Bell because it had a good wifi connection. We sat there until about 11pm researching things to do in Anchorage as well as other bits and pieces. After brushing our teeth in the bathrooms of the Taco Bell we parked the Dodge between some other big rigs and settled in for the night. 

The next morning I was determined to give Anchorage another chance so we planned to check out the Anchorage Museum. We had decided not to pay for 3G internet in Alaska which made navigating more difficult but eventually we found the museum, paid for the expensive parking down the road and walked over to the museum. This is precisely when we discovered that the museum is closed on Mondays and it was a Monday, gurrr! Annoyed we consulted the Mile Post and found there was an information centre in town that was open seven days summer AND winter. A well meaning old lady at the info centre loaded us up with brochures we didn’t want and then recommended we hire bikes and ride the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail that follows along the coast of the city. The Alaska Native Heritage Centre sounded cool but was only open Thursday through Sunday. Once again we had arrived in a place during the wrong part of the week. We decided to check out the bike hire that we were promised was open. There we hired two bikes and had to sit through half an hour of being told about the bikes, how to use them and where we could take them before we were set free. The guy had no fat bikes so if we encountered snow on the shaded parts of the trail it would be like riding through sand but we were just glad to be out doing something. We packed a lunch and set out with Scout running beside us. Until I came to write this blog I had completely forgotten about this bike trip maybe because we didn’t take any photos or maybe because it just wasn’t that memorable. It was an ugly time of year for Anchorage with the snow almost gone there was just grit, melted snow puddles, rubbish, brown grass and closed signs. We biked along the costal trail getting stuck a few times in the patches of slushy snow that remained. At the end of the trail we decided going through town on the return would be easier, we kept to the footpaths because of Scout but this wasn’t much safer. At one point we had to take evasive action as a lady in an SUV looked down at something and drove off the road and up the curb towards us. Luckily we were watching her and had time to get well out of the way as she swerved back onto the road!.     

I can’t remember what we had for dinner that night but soon enough we found ourselves back at the Taco Bell this time we discovered we could still get a good connection if we parked directly outside so we whittled away the evening there interrupted only by a guy who came up to the window and asked all about our trip as he planned to do it one day too. Just before bed we went inside, ordered a six pack of cinnabons (like round mini cinnamon donuts) ate them then used the loos and brushed our teeth before retiring to the Dodge.

Back when we were in Fairbanks Michelle DeCorso told us that the most beautiful part of Alaska was to be found south of Anchorage towards Seward and Homer. We knew we wouldn’t make it all the way to Homer in the day we had left but on Tuesday morning we set out to visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre 79 miles along the stunning Seward Highway. The Wildlife Conservation Centre was a 200 acre drive-through park which had different animals in huge enclosures. We saw wood bison, moose, foxes and lynx but the highlight was the grizzly bears. They were massive despite recently coming out of hibernation and we sat and watched them for quite a while until the crowds started coming. Scout thought it was all very exciting and we had to make sure he stayed in the car; even so he crooned his neck right out the half down window to get a look at everything. The park also had a new sky walk over the black bear enclosure that would have offered a really different viewing point had the black bears been awake. Returning back along the highway we stopped at the small ski town of Girdwood for some lunch. After lunch we were tempted to have a shower after a seeing a sign saying “Girdwood Laundromat, voted #1 in America, Laundry services, showers, internet, ATM, food, beer,hair salon, massage therapy” it sounded good and it was nice but we weren’t prepared to pay $12 each for a shower! Later back in Anchorage on the Taco Bell internet we looked for a good place to have dinner. Michelle had recommended we try Alaskan Halibut at the Glacier Brewhouse but that was a bit too expensive so with the help of google I found another option at Momma O's Seafood Restaurant. It was a gem of a place, a genuine diner selling a smorgasbord of local Alaskan seafood. I ordered the salmon and Will the Halibut but we both thought the Halibut was the best and the service was fantastic. The southern gal at the counter gave us free refills despite the sign saying ‘no free refills’ and she asked all about our trip. Then she hollered to her friends “these kids been driving from South America and living in that tiny beat up Durango out there, can you believe it?!”  We thought our home was quite large ourselves. After dinner it was back to the Taco Bell for some more cinnabons before teeth brushing and bed.

On Wednesday most of the tourist stops were open so we checked out the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum and gave the Anchorage Museum another chance. The Aviation Heritage Museum was a bit dated and could do with some new blood judging by the old guys running it but it was still filled with interesting films and info about flying in the Alaskan mountains and the huge float planes or ski planes used to transport supplies to all of the remote locations of Alaska. Will certainly enjoyed wandering around a few of the bush Cessna’s parked up at the airstrip outside. Anchorage Museum was worth the visit with information and displays on everything from Alaskan oil history, it's earthquakes, its native people as well as a cool interactive technology section, where we both had fun playing with the bubbles. That afternoon it was time to leave Anchorage. Rather than drive back to Fairbanks the way we had come we decided to take the Richardson Highway instead and this turned out to be a great decision as the landscape was absolutely staggering. First Will spotted some Dall sheep way way up on a sheer face. Then we must have gained some elevation as we were back in a winter wonderland of deep power snow stretching as far as the eye can see, spoilt only by a few snowmobile tracks that showed the crazy places they could get to. As we drove on singing to Luke Bryan we saw snowy lake vistas and spotted a few holiday cabins tucked in-between the rolling hills. Later we stopped to cook dinner at a lookout over a river, life was good as we blasted our country songs and threw the ball for Scout. It didn’t even matter what concoction we had for dinner you couldn’t wipe the smiles from our faces. 

After dinner and with plenty of day light left we continued on and the views just kept taking our breath away. About two hours later and at a lesser altitude just as the sun started to throw pinks and oranges across everything the wildlife came to life. In the space of forty five minutes we saw eleven moose all of different sizes and colours just grazing along the road or even on the road, it was truly amazing. Not long after passing a large army base with the evening turning dark we pulled off the road up a track that led to a small plateau. After checking we weren’t encroaching on army ground we happily setup for the night. The next morning we would be back on the main highway we had been on before and hit Fairbanks before lunch. We had our fingers crossed the DeCorso’s cabin would still be free - we could really do with a shower!

Next stop Deadhorse AKA: the end of the road! 

Rochelle & Will

Will and I had always been inspired by the movie ‘Into the wild’, sure it had some dark moments but the true story of Chris McCandless unrelenting search for freedom and adventure had always struck a cord with us. We had both seen the movie several times, most recently in Turlock around christmas though neither of us had read the book. After doing extensive research we were under no illusion about the risks involved in hiking to the magic bus (Chris McCandless final resting place). We weren’t going there in the hopes of some life changing do or die journey like some of the people we had read about, our Pan-am journey was thrilling enough as it was!     

We set out at 8:30am on the 10th of April having slept in the Dodge the night before at the trail head. The weather was clear and calm but still so cold you couldn’t stand around for long and as we made our way the crisp dry snow crunched and squeaked underfoot. The trail it turned out was not a single route in fact there were multiple tracks running through the trees and we could see that some had recently been used by dog mushers and snowmobilers. We followed what seemed like the main track and at a crossroads we checked the phone GPS and followed the one that seemed to head in the most likely direction. Later we broke out onto an expansive open plain within a valley of snow capped mountains. We could just make out the formidable peak of Mount McKinley - also know as Denali - in the background. It felt like we were in a scene from the movie as Caribou grazed ahead of us. Scout soon got wind of them and was off on the chase, we let him go knowing he would never come close to catching up with the well healed Caribou.

Just before midday we arrived at the first river crossing, the Savage. We had not received any warnings about this river so were surprised to find that rather than being frozen solid there were large sections of open flowing water. It would be a certain death trap to try and cross the chilly open water especially due to the heavily overhanging snow banks on either side. After heading upriver a little bit we found a 20m wide section of ice that was still apparently frozen. We assessed the situation while Scout played unconcerned on the ice bridge. We had had little experience with spring ice but knew of the inherent dangers. It was decided that I being the lightest would carefully cross first. The ice seemed to have a surface layer overtop of the base layer and this thin surface layer was cracking underfoot making us both nervous. We jabbed the ice with our ski poles and everything seemed ok so dispersing my weight by crawling on all fours and pulling my pack on a rope behind me I made the crossing; and it was absolutely fine! The photo of me doing that still horrifies my Dad though. Will followed similarly behind with no drama and we continued on. Interestingly there were no footprints or tracks on the other side of the Savage…

About an hour later we arrived at the notorious Teklanika River but crossing that was no problem as far as we could see it was still frozen solid in both directions. There was a bit of surface melt and at one point you could hear the water rushing by underfoot as we crossed a bit of a dip before reaching the far bank but again it was fine. With the river crossings over we stopped for some lunch and I some snow angel making. As well as his lunch Will ate more than his share of the white chocolate and macadamia cookies but we still had plenty of food. After lunch we continued on but with our legs becoming tired and our packs becoming heavy we stopped several times to have a snack and just take it all in. Though we couldn’t stop for long without getting cold and shivery. It was ten minutes since our last stop when Will suddenly realised with a shock that he had left the camera behind hanging in a tree. There was nothing to do but drop our packs and go back for the camera. Without our packs we felt light but somehow more vulnerable and we joked about what we would do if we met a bear or wolf.

Back at our packs we pushed on a bit longer but our energy had dissipated. We decided to make camp when we saw a small frozen lake around 5pm. The flat surface of the lake was an ideal spot for the tent. We cleared the snow and put up the tent, Will even used the ice axe to make some holes for the pegs and by adding a little water he ingeniously froze them in place. Darkness wouldn’t come until after 11pm but a deep cold unlike any we had experienced before was setting in quickly, even Scout with his thick coat seemed to be feeling it. We gathered up some branches and lit a fire about 20m from the tent while heating up our ready made Walmart dinners on the cooker. Scout crashed out by the fire and we tried to keep warm but the thin dry sticks burnt almost as fast as we could put them on. We enjoyed a thick sugary hot chocolate for dessert then packed up our things. We didn’t have a bear canister to store our food like we had had in Yosemite so we put our food into a trash bag and slung it as high as we could into a tree. Unfortunately the spruce was rather bendy and our food only ended up about six foot off the ground which I’m sure a bear could reach, but it would have to do it was 7:30pm and time for bed. 

Last time we had sept in the tent with Scout he was much smaller and it was a lot warmer so it would be an interesting night. Will and I both squashed fully clothed into our sleeping bags and were quite comfortable laying on our 2 inch thick thermally insulated Therm-a-Rest's, however because our Therm-a-Rest’s are mummy shaped and taper at the foot that left a gap in the middle of us at the foot end. We put Scout there on a jacket but by the amount he was moving around he was still feeling the cold coming up from underneath him. At some stage in the night Will jammed shivering Scout into his sleeping bag, it was a super tight fit but both were toasty warm. A few hours later Wills discomfort out weighted the warmth and he kicked Scout out. I felt sorry for Scout so let him sleep basically on top of me for the rest of the night. Even in the tight space with all the clothes we had on and Scout on top the freezing cold eventually crept through us and no one had any real sleep.     

It was even harder getting out of bed in the morning, yes it was cold in the tent but it was much much colder outside. The need to pee finally got us both up but each of our boots had frozen solid and were almost impossible to get on. After much frantic grunting, pulling and twisting we finally had them on. For breakfast we had cereal with milk powder and sugar added to some hot water creating a warming hearty meal. After breakfast we packed up but before we could get going we both had to do some boot readjusting now that they had thawed out and become more malleable. I changed into a thick woollen pair of socks to try and warm my feet up while Will tried taping hand warmers to his frozen toes. It was almost 11am by the time we set out but we had walked two thirds of the 32km trail already so there was no rush. About 30 minutes later we started seeing some large paw prints only this time there were no sled tracks with them; so we could only assume they were wolf tracks! The prints were huge, at least three times that of Scouts. We kept an eye out but didn’t manage to spot any wolves. Later in a small valley with a hill on one side and trees on the other we came across some bear prints, it was exciting following them along the same path we were on but soon they turned off into the trees. We kept our eyes peeled and realised we had never before in our lives been so excited by foot prints but we didn’t see any wildlife just some other moose and snow hair prints.

It felt like we had been walking for yonks and our shoulders were feeling the strain, the bus surely couldn’t be too far away we hoped; but according to the map it was still a distance further. In this remote patch of Alaska we felt nervous anticipation as we entered a tightly wooded area knowing that this would not be a good place to meet a wild animal so we tried to make as much noise as possible by clapping and talking out loud. With the map now indicating we were very close we had the camera rolling as we rounded a bend and finally caught sight of the bus, my first reaction was amazement followed by a little sadness at the condition of the bus. It was littered with hundreds of bullet holes and a number of the windows had been smashed out. Some people had even cut down young green trees halfway up their trunk right outside the bus. We had a quick check to make sure there weren’t any bears sleeping inside then went in for a look. Despite the buses dilapidated state we could feel the history that surrounded us. Back outside we had a late lunch and made a plan. No way were we spending another night in the tent when we could be inside the bus with the fire roaring even if this was the same bed Chris McCandless had passed away in. We gathered wood a few hundred meters down the nearby frozen river cutting only old dead trees and hauling them back to the bus where Will split them into smaller logs. We also found a clean patch of snow and collected it into a rubbish bag so we would have clean snow available to melt for water. Next we hung up our sleeping bags outside in the sun to let them dry out a bit. With the work done I took some time to look around inside the bus.    

There we signs of the people that had visited everywhere, from names written in black vivid all over the walls to to amount of food that had been left behind to ensure that no one again would go hungry there. There were several log books where people had expressed their thoughts on Chris and his story as well as sharing their own story of how they came to the bus. Many talked about their trouble crossing the Teklanika River while others had come on snowmobiles, ATV’s, rafts or even mountain bikes. We were surprised to read several entries where the person had brought no tent at all. There were also some messages from Chris’s sister about her thoughts on Chris, the bus and the choices he made. The place did have a sense of wonderment about it I thought to myself. While looking around I had a bit of a clean up and collected a bag of rubbish there was a fine line between leaving things behind that could be useful to others and leaving behind trash. I was just starting to read the first few pages of a copy of ‘Into the Wild’ that was lying around when I see Will walking around naked outside! He called out that he had just had a wash with some warm water and was now ready for some fresh clothes and some dinner. The cheek of him, literally! 

While I cooked dinner Will lit the fire and we sat warm and comfortable in the bus with our socks, clothes and boots sizzling as they dried. After dinner we both wanted to read the ‘Into the Wild’ book so we started reading chapter for chapter aloud to each other. There were many things in the book we didn’t know about such as the moose hunters who discovered Chris’s body 32 days after his death had actually driven their jacked-up pickups across the Teklanika river then continued on ATV to the bus. We also questioned Chris’s keenness to live on such little food, the book talks about how Chris prided himself on how long he could live on a simple bag of rice. We read the book by the fire well into the evening and it was almost midnight before we decided to go to bed. Will closed the bus door as securely as he could and had an arsenal of weapons beside him including an ice axe, an axe and bear spray, but still it was a little spooky being there with most of the windows out instead covered by old tents and tarps which flapped in the breeze. 

I had always wanted to see the Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis but we usually went to bed before it was dark and you needed a clear night to see it. But here at the magic bus all tucked up in bed we looked out the one unbroken window up at the dark, clear night sky and finally saw the unbelievably majestic, dancing green of the Aurora. It wasn’t bright judging by some of the photos we had seen previously but we couldn't have been in a more fitting location. We watched it grow a little brighter and flicker before disappearing and leaving a fait green hue across the sky then suddenly it was back again always moving mesmerising us as we fell asleep warm and cosy with Scout beside the fire. 

An hour or so later we were both woken bolt upright by Scout barking ferociously at something like we had never heard him bark before. I tried to ignore it and think of the many things other than large wild animals that could have spooked him. Will however was on edge and had to check things out with the flashlight before laying back down. Strange sounds filled the air but we were tired and sleep came eventually with Scout having retreated under the bed but still growling lowly.

In the morning we knew there was no time to muck around, we planned to walk the full 32km back to the Dodge that day rather than spend another night in the tent. We discussed the nights event over breakfast and Will will always tell the tale more exciting than I will as he’s convinced Scout was barking at something in the woods. After breakfast we packed up and as we were about to boil our second pot of water for drinking when the cooker ran out of gas. Conveniently others had left a propane cooker there so we got that going and despite the long walk ahead I crammed the bag of rubbish I had collected into my backpack. Given all the empty bug sprays and other rubbish lying around I could have easily collected ten bags more so we suggested it to others in the log book. Almost ready to leave we couldn’t help but write our names on the wall before heading outside to get ’the’ photo. The last photo ever taken of Chris was one he took of himself sitting outside the bus, it was later found still undeveloped in his camera along with a number of diaries from his multi year journey. Our photos wouldn’t be quite the same as his was taken in the summer but we got pretty close.  

With one final look we left the bus at 10am and set an early strong pace. We made it back across the Teklanika River no problem and soon came across two guys on fat bikes. These are snow bikes with super fat tires to help float on the snows surface. Their tires were also studded so they could keep traction on the icy patches. They told us they were biking to the bus and also that one of them had fallen part way though the ice bridge over the Savage River. They didn’t seem too worried about it so neither were we as we pressed on. At 3.30pm we arrived at the Savage River and while it did have more surface melt it was still pretty solid and we both walked across it feeling no need to crawl this time. Even though we took a shorter route through the wide open plain the last 10km seemed to take forever! We were exhausted and stopped frequently. Finally just before 7pm we made it back to the trusty Dodge. We were too dirty, tired, hungry and cold to face a night in the Dodge so we hit the road towards Anchorage in search of a Motel. We used the Mile Post guide book to look at a couple of places but they were all too expensive, so we drove a bit further and settled on a $90USD room at a simple lodge. We took all of our dirty gear into the room and smuggled Scout in under Wills yellow down jacket, then spent the next hour cleaning and sorting out everything as well as putting on a few loads of washing. By the time we had finished the place hardly resembled a motel room, we had the tent strung up to dry along with our sleeping bags and other jackets as well as all of our gear. I then indulged in a steaming hot shower while Will went in search of dinner. He returned with a takeaway burger, chips and lemonade from the restaurant and we finally had the chance to relax on our individual queen beds! Will was soon asleep and I followed not long after. 

Our magic bus trip had been everything we hoped for exciting, inspiring, difficult, yet successful. It will become just one of thousands of tails we will retell in the years to come about this trip but defiantly one of the special ones. 

See you on the road to happiness…

Rochelle & Will     

At the DeCorso’s cabin we had decided that we would defiantly hike the famous Stampede Trail to the magic bus. We had heard mixed things about the trail especially from Alaskan locals who saw many foreigners risk their lives to cross the Teklanika River in their pilgrimage to the bus. Some Alaskans felt that foreigners came unprepared and unaware of the risks involved in the hike. In summer there is the swift flowing Teklanika to cross and in winter there is sub zero temperatures and changeable weather. It was rapidly transitioning into spring during our time in Alaska but we had been assured that the river was still frozen so as long as we were prepared for the cold we felt we could do the hike safely. We made a deal; if the river wasn’t frozen we wouldn’t be crossing it, no way were we wading through swift hypothermia inducing water. 

With that, we settled into the DeCorso’s cabin for the weekend and planned to head out on Monday. Following the Stamped Trail we would continue south to Anchorage before looping back around to Fairbanks for the final push north to Deadhorse.  

Over the weekend we made a few trips to into town for food and supplies as well as preforming a service on the Dodge in the car park of the Walmart. Lucky we did because it needed a top up of pretty much everything. Brake fluid, power steering fluid, engine oil and coolant. Back at the cabin it was really nice to have our own space and kitchen rather than intruding on someone else’s place and it was all amazingly free! Mark and Michelle usually rent out the cabin for $172 (NZD) per night but as they didn’t haven’t any bookings they offered it to us fellow overlanders free of charge! We did feel a little bad about this though as we know the diesel in the heater wasn’t free nor was the water from the tank that was filled once by a water truck while we were there. I welled up at the DeCorso’s kindness when they flat refused our offer to pay for our stay.

As always we had a few house keeping jobs to do so we spent Saturday on the computer, I even applied for a job back in New Zealand and we finally booked our flights home. On the 23rd of May, just over six weeks away it would all be over. We also purchased Scouts crate online that he would fly to NZ in and had it sent to our friends in LA. Having the crate sent to LA meant that we would definitely be driving back to LA rather than flying. We just hoped the Dodge would make it, Alaska isn’t known for its kindness to vehicles. We also had a big clean out of the Dodge and got rid of a few things we wouldn’t need or be taking home with us. It was great to be able to get all this done while Scout roamed free outside with the other dogs. He would disappear sometimes but with a few loud whistles he would always come hooning back.

On Saturday evening we went over to the DeCorso’s house for a drink and learnt more about Mark, Michelle and their six children, as well as their two dogs. We heard all about their road trip through South America with their big Ford van and trailer during which they too had been humbled by the generosity of strangers and the open friendship’s travellers often form. As well as this the DeCorso family had lived in Mexico for a few years. We were highly impressed that they managed to raise six well rounded kids and at the same time travel all over the world. Though Mark did say Michelle was an expert budget flight finder. Michelle also told us a bit about her work with remote native Alaska villages and the daily struggles of their lives. Though we were surprised to learn about the Alaska Permanent Fund which is an investment account set up by the state in 1976 to which oil companies pay 25% of their profits. This compulsory payment is designed to benefit all Alaskans with the knowledge that the oil will not be around forever. Each year a Permanent Fund Dividend is paid to every Alaskan who has been a resident for more than one year. In 2008 the dividend was a record $2,069 but usually averages around $1,100. While at Mark and Michelle’s I also spotted a map book of Alaska and had a look through it for a topography map of the Stampede Trail. I found one and asked if I could photo copy it but no fuss Michelle insisted we tear the page out and take it with us, so we did. Both Mark and Michelle had a few words of warning about the Stampede Trail as well as a heap of advice for things to see and do around Anchorage afterwards. 

On Sunday morning we organised the stuff we would need for the trail and I went to the laundromat down the road to do some washing. As I sat there waiting for the machine cycle I wrote some blog and contemplated the coming end of the trip. It had been a mammoth journey with many highs and lows and now here we were so close to the end, what would happen next? With the washing done and the Dodge spick and span Will went into town alone to do some jobs. This was always a bit worrying… I never knew what he might come back with. This time it was three McDonalds apple pies and a DVD about duck dog training. We spent our final evening at the cabin watching the dog training DVD or “dog TV” as we called it. Even Scout found the DVD quite captivating especially the trainer who kept exclaiming “atttta boy” or “good dawwg” in his heavy southern drawl. 

On Monday the 7th of April we woke to a few inches of fresh snow and dark cold skies, in the warmth of the cabin it was easy to believe we would also be warm on the Stampede Trail so we stuffed our packs full of all the gear we would need including survival blankets, hand warmers, and plenty of trail snacks. We then made a final stop at Walmart before heading out in the late afternoon. The sky looked ominous and the forecast was for more snow the next day with clear weather following that; nothing we couldn’t handle. 

It was a 2.5 hour 116 mile drive to the start of the trail which then leads up a wide valley surrounded on three sides by Denali National Park. The roads were wide and straight and we cruised along at a reasonable speed despite the snow coming down. We were still going quite a lot slower than the big 18 wheelers who would fly past us. Our tyres were badly worn though and I cautioned Will to slow down a couple of times. With the lack of traffic and wide straight roads Will had been making use of the cruise control, after slowing down to pass through a small settlement that included only a lodge with a pub and a gas station, Will then then hit resume again back on the straight. Heres where everything went wrong. After maybe 10 seconds of accelerating the Dodge decided it wasn't doing so fast enough and so down changed into third gear... Instantly on the icy road the rear wheels let go doing about 50mph (80kph). Will did his best to correct the massive slide we were rapidly going into, one way then the other, nearly had it then no instantly it became obvious we were heading off the road - sideways - still doing nearly 50mph. Next thing everything went dark and the world went into slow motion as we impacted the snow. We didn’t realise immediately but the Dodge had performed a complete roll and then and end over flip landing on the drivers side facing the way we had come on the opposite side of the road. So yes we had rolled the Dodge… but we were both wearing our seat belts and were totally ok - Scout too!

With some extreme luck we had came to a stop in about 1m of snow and barely 1m from the tree line, no doubt the snow had helped to slow us down and cushion our landing. The once spick and span truck was now an absolute disaster more resembling the inside of a tumble dryer. Will tuned off the idling engine then paused for a quick selfie before waving ok to a passer by who was following us and saw it all happen. His name was Mike and he helped me force open my door which was currently facing skywards and thus very heavy. We then climbed out and surveyed the damage, everything on the roof had been torn clean off and the remnants littered the snow around us. We picked up a few things grabbed our phones and wallets then hopped in with Mike who offered to take us back to the lodge to call a tow truck. There we two tow truck numbers on the wall in the lobby of the lodge and we called the one recommended by the waitress. Then we called Mark DeCorso and told him what had happened, he offered to help in any way he could but we knew he had his own stuff to do so we told him we were ok. It was just nice to know we had someone there if we really needed them. Mike took us back to the stricken Dodge and with nothing more he could do we waved him on his way with a big thank you! It was about 7:30pm and freezing cold but we collected the contents of our roof into a pile of stuff and I managed to climb back into the Dodge to get some gear while we waited. Without insurance we just hopped the tow truck arrived before the police did.      

While we were waiting another car likely rubber necking at us careered off the road right in front off us and came to a stop with its bumper into a small tree. We stood dumbfounded for a second before running over to check that they were ok. The occupants were a native Alaskan father and son who were perfectly fine and didn’t seem all that worried. Hearing we had already called a tow truck they hoped they could get a locals discount as they said they only had $40 to their names. Their car was still drivable but was stuck in the deep snow. Half an hour later the welcome sight of the tow truck guy came into view. It wasn’t a tow truck as we had been expecting, instead he had a big american pickup with a 4WD tractor on the back of a huge trailer. Will and the guy started by attaching our famous green tow strop to the belly of the Dodge then linked that to the winch cable which was around a tree on a pulley, meanwhile I filmed them and my fingers froze. A few seemingly wheel buckling moments later and the Dodge was righted! Will started her up and despite a fair bit of oily smoke the Dodge roared into life. Our Dodge had triumphanted against the odds once again! In the blue twilight the tow guy then cleared a path through the snow with his tractor and then with much effort dragged the Dodge back onto the road. We wasted no time paying the guy then shoving everything into the Dodge and strapping the stuffed ski box onto our now slightly concave roof. The father and son had also been pulled out so we crammed into the Dodge and limped off happy to have come away from the incident so lucky. 

We made the decision to return to Fairbanks and put the Stampede Trail on hold. Driving incredibly slowly with all four eyes on the dark road we made our way back to the DeCorso’s cabin, Scout rode shotgun on my lap as the back was chokka. We arrived after midnight and Mark came to see how we were before we all headed to bed. The next morning we set to work cleaning up the Dodge, we started by taking everything out and giving it a vacuum and wipe out then we pored a few jugs of hot water into the door jams to melt away the compacted snow that was stuck in them. We then put a heater in the Dodge for a few hours to melt the remaining compacted snow as it was a balmy -10 outside. The C pillar having taken the brunt of the roll was bent a little so we had lost some head space above where we sit in bed and the drivers side mirror had been ripped off. Without a rear vision mirror we needed the side mirror so we made a list and drove into town to get some glue and other things. Back at the cabin Mark lent us his heat gun and some tools. Will heated up the plastic before setting a clamp tight over the epoxy’d repair. Waiting for it to dry we sorted through all of our stuff and asked Mark if we could leave everything we wouldn’t be needing at the cabin until we passed back through on our way back to LA, without the roof box it was almost impossible to fit everything in otherwise. We also called our parents and told them what had happened, they took the news well and after seeing the photos they were just glad we were ok. We also put some photos on Facebook and received many comments about the dangers of using cruise control on icy roads, in fact the next day we even saw a sign warning about it, go figure. 

The mirror fix worked a treat and with our packs still ready to go we set out the following day to begin the Stampede Trail second time round.

Rochelle & Will 

So we had driven approximately 60,000km over 16 months through15 countries but finally we would be starting the famous Alaska Highway! Here the road would lead us onto the final destination of our trip, Alaska. It was both sad and exciting, would the Dodge actually make it all the way after all this driving? Only time would tell... 

On Friday the 28th of March we woke up in the Walmart car park of Dawson Creek and set out to explore the town and learn more about the historical Alaska Highway. First up we found the Northern Alberta Railway Park home to the Mile 0 Cairn, the Visitors Centre and the Dawson Creek Station Museum. Unfortunately for us the Visitors Centre and the Museum were closed as we were a few weeks away from the official start of the tourist season but we still got our photo of the famous Alaska Highway sign despite the sun direction making it tricky. Afterwards we had a quick look around the Dawson Creek Art Gallery, we didn’t think much of the art work but as we were leaving we discovered their collection of photos from the construction of the Alaska Highway hidden in the stairwell. It was amazing to see all the old equipment they used and the treacherous conditions they worked through. Eager to learn more we turned to The Mile Post (a detailed guide book we had brought about all of Alaska and northern Canada's highways) and it recommended a stop at the Alaska Highway House in the centre of town. We drove over and found it was closed for lunch. We were torn between wanting to wait for it to reopen and leaving to start the highway. We contemplated what to do over some left over pizza and before long the doors were reopened. We were really glad we stayed in the end as the displays were second to none, the film very informative and the staff incredibly friendly. Here’s a little of what we learnt about the construction of the Alaska Highway:   

The Alaska Highway or the Alaska-Canada Highway (or ALCAN) was ploughed through in only eight months during 1942 for the purpose of connecting the contiguous United States to Alaska through Canada. This was to enable the delivery of supplies via road during World War II. The highway was originally 2,700km (1,700mi) long but as of 2014 it has been reduced to 2,230km (1,387mi) due to constant reconstruction that has rerouted and straightened a number of sections. Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway starts at the crossroads of several other highways in Dawson Creek, BC, Canada and runs north west through the vast Yukon before crossing into Alaska and ending at Delta Junction where the highway connects with other established roads in the United States northernmost state. 

From Dawson Creek we headed north and 76km later arrived in the small snowy town of Fort St. John. The Mile Post guide book recommended a visit to the North Peace Museum so we popped in and for a small donation we had a look around the quaint old fashioned museum with little individual displays depicting scenes of days gone by. Before long we were back on the road and then as the afternoon progressed into the evening we started looking for a place to camp. Will spotted a side road off a road that lead to a oil rig site and found a spot to camp. We promptly got stuck in the snow on the unploughed road but before we made too much noise trying to turn the Dodge around we went for a walk in the hopes of spotting some wildlife as the sun began to set. Will being ahead was fortunate enough to spot a large moose next to a pump shed but it escaped my eyes. Back at the Dodge the sweaty work of shovelling snow and then putting on snow chains kept us nice and warm while our dinner cooked and before long we were fed and tucked into bed. 

On day two of our Alaska Highway traverse we put in a few more miles before stopping in at the famous Trappers Den Wild Life Emporium on the outskirts of Fort Nelson at mile 278.4 (448km). Hailed as a "unique Northern Gift and Souvenir Shop owned and operated by a local trapping family” we had to have a look. Inside we found all sorts of things from intricately carved antlers and $800 wolf furs to humongous snow shows and hunting attire. Will brought his Dad a book about big game hunting in the Yukon and we took a few photos before moving on. 

In Fort Nelson we were in need of a wash and some lunch so we cooked up a feast of Brad and Julie's left over pulled pork in the car park of the rec centre before heading in for a soak in the hot tub and a shower. We wanted to announce to the world of Facebook that we were on the Alaska Highway so went looking for the regular free wifi and power point inside the Rec Centre but couldn’t find either. We could solve the wifi problem by linking the laptop to the 3G on the iPad but we still needed power. I think I forgot to mention that the inverter died a little while back. We think a fuse burnt out given the strong burning smell coming from it one day (amazingly a fire was one thing we still hadn’t had to deal with from the Dodge). Back outside walking to the Dodge we realised we could easily plug in the laptop! In fact there were plugs everywhere out here because everyone had to plug their vehicles in to keep them warm in the cold weather! After making our Facebook post we mucked around the closed Fort Nelson Heritage Museum across the road to give Scout some time outside then continued on.

As we drove we kept our eyes peeled in the hopes of spotting another moose or any large wildlife. I was driving and suddenly Will yells “MOOSE!!!!”. Like every other tourist dose but that the guide book says explicitly NOT to do I vaguely checked there was no traffic behind me before slamming on the brakes and reversing back up the road to hang out the window and look at the moose. That lasted a few seconds before it bound into the cover of the trees. Scout thought it was all very exciting and was starting to learn to look out the window in the same direction we were to see what was going on. Later at Mile 357.5 (575km) The Mile Post description of “fabulous hot cinnamon buns” had us stopping in at Tetsa River Services and Campground to try a cinnamon bun for ourselves. Despite the price we weren’t disappointed, the huge sticky cinnamon buns were to die for and we brought another one (which was enough for us both) and some bread for the next day. 

An hour later at 8pm it was still as bright outside as it was in the middle of the day so we pulled over to stretch our legs and have a play on a picturesque frozen river. We slid around for a bit and revealed in the beauty of it all before continuing. Around 10pm at mile 442 just past the Northern Rockies Lodge we spied an old moose sitting in the snow and moments later we found our first Bison also just sitting in the snow by the road. A few miles further and just shy of the Liard Hotsprings we pulled into a rest area and tucked in behind some big skip bins for the night. It was well past 11pm when the sun finally set and it got cold fast. We made sure we wrapped ourselves up warm and Scout too, even though he didn’t seem very impressed by his new bed time outfit which included an old T-shirt and a neoprene vest we had brought him from Sportsmans Warehouse. 

On Sunday we woke to clear blue skies and after a quick breakfast we pulled into the renowned Liard Hotsprings. We weren’t the only ones looking to get an early morning swim as we saw several people had spent the night in their vehicles there. Some also with their dogs but without the luxury of two thick sleeping bags nor tinted windows so everyone could see them in their slumber. We nipped down the icy board walk and got changed in the changing sheds as quickly as possible in the freezing cold. The relief was immediate as our toes burned in the heat of the thermal waters. We were in what is known as Alpha pool, there is/was a Beta pool too but after two tourists were attacked and killed by a black bear in 1997 the board walk to Beta pool was removed and in 1998 50 bears in the area were culled. We pushed the bear attack to the back of our minds and took in our postcard perfect surroundings. One side of the pool had been tastefully developed with wooden changing sheds on a deck and wooden steps leading into the pool, while the other side of the pool had been left undeveloped and natural. The floor of the pool was a nice clean gravel and there were several strategically placed concrete benches in the pool to sit on. The hair on our heads may have been frozen but we were toasty warm as we chatted to an older couple who had a few hundred travel stories from back in the day to tell us. Even a few from good old NZ. Back at the Dodge in a fresh set of clothes we had some lunch; meanwhile Scout attempted to chase a squirrel that kept escaping up a tree and taunting him with its chatter.  

We drove on a bit further until we discovered a local heard of bison meandering down the highway. Again like tourists the world over we stopped in the middle of the road for a gawk and a few thousand photos. We must have seen about 100 all up they were such amazing animals. Some right in the middle of the road totally unconcerned by the trucks rolling past them, while others were using their huge powerful heads to move snow and uncover the tufts of grass underneath. As we were driving Will and I were wondering what the heck the ploughed track was on the side of the road, it certainly wasn’t fit for vehicles. Then we put two and two together and realised that it had been ploughed to try and encourage the bison to walk on the ploughed track rather than on the highway. It was good in theory but only worked about half the time. We were also told how you had to be very careful when driving at night in bison territory as they keep their heads lowered so their eyes do not reflect in the headlights like the eyes of other animals do. We still had a lot to learn about driving in Alaska and now as I write this from back in NZ I can say its taken me a while to remember that I’m unlikely to hit a bison or deer while driving at night here!  

Around 7pm we entered the remote Yukon province and half an hour later at mile 612 (984km) we arrived in the town of Watson Lake. The main attraction of Watson Lake is the Sign Post Forest. Started back in 1942 by Private Carl K. Lindley who put up a sign giving the name and distance to his home town. The attraction now boasts over 100,000 signs and covers several acres. We didn’t have a pre arranged sign to add to the mix and we racked our brains trying to think of something in the Dodge we could part with and scribe our names into but came up with zilch. Instead we had to settle for a look around, in doing so we found quite a few other signs from New Zealand and other far away places. We would have hung around in Watson Lake until the next day if the Northern Lights Centre had been open, but as I mentioned before we were still a few weeks away from the tourist summer season so we pushed on until we came to an unused quarry up a steep hill. Our camp spot was well hidden from the road but not the icy wind so after cooking dinner we went straight to bed. 

Day four on the Alaska Highway began with a trip to Rancheria Falls at mile 695.5 (1119.3km). The guide book said it was a 10 minute walk but the trail was covered in a meter of snow. Will put on his snow shoes and rather than struggle behind him I decided to put on my skis which... also resulted in me struggling behind him argh! The skinny board walk didn’t help either! I tried some skijoring by holding onto Scouts lead but the snow was too deep for me to slide easily and so it didn’t work. Eventually we made it to the frozen waterfall and had some salami and cheese on crackers at the lookout before returning to the Dodge. A few hours later we passed through Teslin Lake and crossed the Nisutlin Bay Bridge which is the longest spanning bridge of the Alaska Highway. It has a grated surface so you can see the water underneath you as you drive across, pretty cool and very beautiful.   

By 6pm we were almost in Whitehorse but we were afraid if we went into town then we wouldn’t find a place to cook dinner so we pulled into a recreation area and boat ramp on the shore of the still frozen Yukon River. As we drove in we noticed a guy in a beat up old Toyota Tacoma shovelling snow from underneath his tires parked just out on the ice. We were quite experienced at getting stuck ourselves so knew he must have been stuck. We offered to give him a tow back onto the gravel which he greatly accepted. Good deed done we cooked up some one pot wonder for dinner while Scout entertained himself out on the ice with an empty plastic milk bottle. Later that evening we arrived in the town of Whitehorse and headed to where else but the local rec centre. It was super busy for a Monday night and the place was filled with mix of rather interesting people that made us hit the showers soon after arriving. Afterwards we drove down to the Walmart to camp the night. 

Wills Facebook post sums up the next morning pretty well "It's been a productive morning... Ran out of milk so had MacDonald’s for breakfast, went grocery shopping and now doing some laundry. Off to the Whitehorse library soon for some power and internet time.” We spent the whole day the the library before going to meet Dan Greg creator of wikioverland and website http://theroadchoseme.com for a beer. Dan had driven the Pan-Am over 2009-2010 in his Jeep Wrangler and was now in the early stages of planning a trip across Africa. We had a few beers and some food while swapping travel tales. Once again we were shown how travel can turn strangers into friends in moments and we hoped to see Dan again at Overland Expo in Arizona. We were currently toying with the idea of driving back to LA after making it to Deadhorse as then we would have a vehicle in LA to get around in, we wouldn’t have to ship all of our stuff home form Alaska and we could take the Dodge over to Arizona for one final hoora at Overland Expo. We had just been invited to attend the expo as VIP travellers meaning free entry to the event and a chance to catch up with a few good friends from the road. Will and I were also contemplating walking the Stampede Trail near Denali National Park (Alaska). The problem was that there was a river crossing to overcome in order to make it to the famous magic bus. We had heard that the river was still frozen but we were a bit unsure, spring was rushing closer everywhere. Even the length of daylight was increasing by a huge eight minutes per day. In the end Dan convinced us to hike the trail, he had hiked it himself at the start of his Pan-Am trip and rated it as one of his highlights. We loved the film ‘Into the Wild’ based on the true story of Chis MacCandless journey of self discovery that ended at the magic bus so decided we had to make the trek ourselves. After saying good bye to Dan we returned to Walmart for the night and saw a few other RV’s there too.

On Wednesday 2nd of April we for some crazy reason declined the offer of a shower at Dans work asking only to fill up our water tank. Filling up our tank had become a real hassle as all the outside taps had been shut off for the winter (to keep the pipes from bursting when the water expands as it freezes). After filling up the tank we strolled around the river frontage and had a look around the huge old SS Klondike paddle steamer on display. We also did some retrieving training with Scout and he was really starting to get quite good at it. We had these things called bumpers that we would throw for him to retrieve and then get him to come back and sit beside one of us then give the bumper. He had it about 80% down depending on the amount of other distractions. A bit like writing this blog I sit down to write it and then a whole hour goes by and I’ve been so distracted by other things that I’ve only written a few lines. 

We spent the rest of the day driving north and stopping to look at whatever caught our eye in the endless landscape of the Alaska Highway. Sometime in the evening we stopped off at another old quarry up on a hill just because we could. We had brought some cheap CD’s from the Walmart back in Whitehorse so we had some sing along country music from Luke Bryan pumping and Will was hoofing the bumpers way into the quarry for Scout while we both danced around. The trip was nearing it’s end and we had almost made it, we were happy and there was nothing more to do than live in that very moment. Life on the road was close to the ultimate freedom. 

We should have camped there that night but there was still so much light left in the day we pushed on. A few hours later we past the town of Beaver Creek, a quick look at the Mile Post guide book revealed we were quite close to the border and while desperately looking for a place to camp we accidentally left Canada. We hadn’t anticipated crossing the border that day, the Dodge was a mess for one so before officially arriving in Alaska a few miles away we bulldozed down a snowy road to another abandoned quarry. Only this time we got properly stuck in the snow. My elation from earlier in the day was quickly fading as we got to digging ourselves out and hoped no one would tell us off for being there. Like things always seem to have a way of doing, it worked out fine and we slept the night there undisturbed. Then with the chains on in the morning Will worked the Dodge hard and it slowly grunted back up the snowy incline to the road.  

In the morning we brushed our hair and tried to make ourselves look less like homeless people who lived in their car. We weren't expecting any problems at the border so it came as a surprise when the border officer said we could only enter the USA for two weeks as the six month visas we had spent so much time and money getting apparently included our time in Canada. We had spent 3.5 months in the US and 2 in Canada so according to their rules that was 5.5 months of our 6 months gone. We had interpreted the visa wrong and were under the impression we would receive another 6 months when we entered Alaska. I was devastated but Will wasn't having a bar of it. He parked the Dodge and went inside to see what was what. The border guy laid it all out to us while his female colleague stood at her office door-way and agreed with him saying there was no way we could get an extension. Will pleaded our case, being mainly that we had to go back to the US so we could export Scout home with us and he had to be 9 months old before we could do that. It was difficult to convince her because we hadn't yet booked our flights home but eventually she came around and after making some phone calls we were granted an extension giving us until the 23rd of May to be out. Phew!! The other option we had thought of was to take the Alaska marine (ferry) highway back to the US as then we wouldn't have to leave the US again. This would work but we would then be marked as overstayers and have difficulty if we ever returned to the US. 

Border dramas over we took some photos and a short film of us with the ‘Welcome to Alaska’ sign before moving on. Later in the town of Tok at mile post 1279 (2058km) we stopped in at the public library for some wifi. Most importantly we needed to contact Michelle DeCorso an ex overlander who had been posting on the overlanding Facebook pages with offers of a free place to stay in Fairbanks. I had already been in contact with her during the previous months and by the sounds of it we had struck it perfect as their cabin that they usually rent out to holiday makers was unoccupied so they offered to to us for free! We were pretty excited to be staying in a real Alaskan log cabin! 

With The DeCorso's ready for us that evening, we took the chance to call Wills family for a catch up then popped across the road at the Liberians recommendation for a gander inside Burnt Paw Gifts and Cabins. They had all sorts of treasures and Will and I ended up purchasing an Ulu or traditional Alaskan knife, one for his family and one for my brother. Of course a week later we saw them in another store for less than the price we'd paid. But you can’t win them all.

Mile post 1387 at Delta Junction marks the end of the ALCAN highway so with a nostalgic feeling about finally having completed this epic highway we pulled in to get a photo with the sign and reflect on the last weeks adventures it was 9pm on the 3rd of April. The evening was drawing out but the excitement of being in Alaska kept us going the last 150kms to Fairbanks. After getting lost a few times and knocking on one wrong door we eventually found the DeCorso’s snow covered property and were warmly welcomed into their cosy cabin. It was heaven and the biggest place we had had to ourselves in ages. We had to be careful to conserve the tank water and keep the diesel heater on low but we both jumped at the chance to have a long over due hot shower then promptly hit the hay.  

Rochelle & Will

PS: We have been back in New Zealand now for over 4 months and both are back working full time. It's certainly a change from life on the road but we feel fortunate to have found jobs again so easily. As I write this blog and relive the trip of a lifetime it’s 4:33am and I've got 3 more hours of my night shift at work at the hospital to go…

After leaving the Emond's we grabbed a few groceries and topped off the gas tank before heading north past a gigantic beaver. After a photo with the beaver we turned west at Dawson Creek towards Powder King. Emotions were running high as there hadn't been any new snow and after being so spoilt for pow in southern BC we weren't really sure how keen we were to ski icy conditions like we had done at Revelstoke. We arrived at dusk and it was mighty cold outside, we hummed and harred in the Dodge for a while about what to do before deciding to go inside and see what the deal was with the hostel and bar. It turned out that the bar was about to close and that the hostel was pricy even just to sleep in the car but use the hostel facilities. We decided to sleep in the car and use our own facilities by heating up some curry in the car park. This meant our accommodation was now free! 

In the morning there was almost no one else in the car park and the glistening freshly groomed empty trails lured us in. We attempted to make a cool little film of me getting out of bed all ready to go with my ski boots and helmet already on. The idea was I'd ‘wake up’ then get out and clip my skis on and ski off. It worked in theory but I'd forgotten to do my pants up and you can see that they are undone and hear Will crack up when we both realise. 

After our movie making and breakfast we forked out $58 each for the day passes and headed up the chairlift. At the top we took in the view then raced down the main run. With no line we were back at the top again in no time. After several runs we had even managed to find a few pockets of powder and filmed a few runs. We then hit the T-bar for a few shorter runs before stopping off for lunch. 

Over lunch I had this great idea to film me taking off then throwing my tatty old pink bra into a pine tree that was filled with bras thrown by others as they passed it on the chairlift. Will agreed to film me but it was almost a disaster as it looked like I'd timed it wrong and the bra would fall to the ground. But at the last moment it landed on a branch and stuck in place! I was stoked that's one way to get rid of an old bra! Bra throwing over, we did a few more runs and they called last lift just as the groomed trails and slight slopes were starting to get boring. But overall we had had an awesome day and were very glad we had decided to ski. 

That evening I drove us back to Dawson Creek. As the sun was setting I saw a large animal run across the road about 200m in front of us it freaked me out a bit as our headlights weren’t exactly the best so I opted to drive slower. We could not afford to hit anything like a moose. This combined with the rutted road and our terrible suspension meant the Dodge was lurching all over the place. So when a SUV caught up to me I slowed down even more to let it pass but to my surprise it didn’t pass so I thought I had better speed up again and drive closer to the speed limit. As soon as I didn’t this the SUV lit up with blue and red flashing lights and of course pulled me over sighting erratic driving! I was worried because we didn’t have any insurance but the cops were lovely and said they couldn’t understand our Chilean registration but that it seemed all in order and after checking our licences they just wanted to hear all about our trip. It was a big relief but quite strange, all they did was ask me if I had been drinking to which I said no and explained about the animal I saw. In New Zealand I would have for sure been breath tested to confirm that.   

Finally back in Dawson Creek we went for a swim and shower at the Rec Centre and then found some dinner. I had a pulled pork Subway sandwich for  while Will had his all-time favourite from Pizza Hutt being Hawaiian pizza. We camped at the local Walmart that evening and other than me finding out that Will had ordered $700 worth of gun accessories and a the arguing that ensued we had a quiet night. 

The next day we would be starting out on the Alaska Highway!!! Whoop Whoop!! 

Rochelle & Will