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September 19, 2009
Yukon Trip - Day One
Monday Sept 14th, 2009
The day got off to a slow start as I was attempting to install the ARB compressor that morning. I had finally decided on a location under the hood and had through the installation manual three or four times already (got the compressor four days before Nat returned to town with the truck). It seemed like it was going to be a relatively easy task, or at least that was what I must have convinced myself given that I was attempting it the morning of departure.
The first thing that went awry was the coupler that allowed the pressure switch and the quick release to be connected to the compressor. The threading wasn't manufactured to very good specs and wouldn't screw in well to the compressor's pressure housing. By the time I'd worked out that it wasn't going to work, I'd done a bit of damage to the threads in the housing. Next step was go looking through the garage in hope the landlord had a tap and die kit - luckily, he did. I cleaned up the threads I'd mangled, as well as the out of spec ones on the coupler and obtained a decent seal using a healthy amount of teflon tape. Ready for the next drama.
Everyone should have an auto electrician for a friend. Somebody with the patience of Job and willing to do the odd job for a case of beer... cause everyone else's sanity would benefit from that. Unfortunately, I've convinced myself that I'm able to do basic wiring and that there is little difference between having an understanding of what's laid out in installation manuals and the actual ability to perform cet tasks. Prime examples of my lack of hubris usually involve feeding wires through firewalls....as was the case here. I probably spent an hour trying to feed four little wires into cab through the firewall. I'd get one so far in and then only be able to get a fingertip on it from the cab side. The worst thing at that point was realizing that I knew the exact tool that would make everything go smoothly (a long handled pair of needlenose pliers) and also knew that I didn't have it. Every wire eventually made it to where it should but I can't say that they were coaxed there by kind words alone. The next step was mounting the compressor to the inner fender, which went well, as this time I had the proper tools - portable drill, socket set, the last of my patience. At this point, the only thing left to do was wire up the switch in the dash but I'd run out of time and it was well past the lunching hour (and I'd not even had time for a coffee yet). I left that job with the hopes someone at the Toyota dealership would be able to help.
Tools were packed away while tents, eskies (coolers), jerry cans, and duffel bags were packed into the truck. We stopped by the Jasper Brew Pub for lunch and finally hit the road around 2:30pm. The journey to Hinton was similar to our previous ones with the exception that we knew we were going much further down roads unknown - and that felt gooooood.
We turned off the Yellowhead and onto Highway 40 North. I was pretty surprised at how much elevation the road gains leaving Hinton. It seemed like the first hour was one long uphill. The scenery was refreshing with plenty of rolling hills, deciduous trees changing colours and a snaking river that danced loosely in step with the winding road. We thought of stopping in Grande Cache for a coffee but by the time we'd decided we'd already passed the last exit...so we were heading to Grande Prairie non-stop. Although beautiful, the scenery on the way to Grande Prairie is quite monotonous. Lots and lots of trees, with the occasional dirt road branching off, winding its way into the bush to an unknown number of camps for the oil or gas workers out frakking. The distance ivolved and the lack of substantial development reminded me a lot of the drive through Northern Ontarion and our journey cross-country last summer. We stopped in Grande Prairie and had a coffee and figured out our game plan for the afternoon/evening as we had to end up near Dawson Creek as the truck was booked for a major service at the second last Toyota dealership in the north. We had sunlight left so we decided to press onwards and northwards. The Northern Ontario deja vu appeared all the more accurate once we passed through town and arrived at the area that the town was named after (or something like that). To the west of the city is a helluva lot of beautiful, open farmland. It was like leaving the forests on Ontario, driving into town and then out onto the prairies of Manitoba.
We headed for a BC Provincial park called Swan Lake in hopes of dusting down for the night. But I'm jumping ahead cause I should mention that we filled up at the FasGas that's located just before the Alberta/BC border. This is the last place you'll find fuel prices that don't make you gasp. Onwards to Swan Lake - which we discovered after 5km's of dirt road was closed for the season. Really a shame, cause even in the dusk light it seemed a beautiful spot. In the usual habit that I always try and avoid but never do, we proceeded to drive on in the darkness to find a suitable spot for camp. We drove into Peuce Coupe and Nat pointed out a private campground that had $11 camping. Sold! The couple that runs it, lives there and they were quite nice. We were sent to a nice spot down by the creek/river and set up camp in the dark (I really hate setting up in the dark, Petzl lamps or not..).
End of day one
Posted by Dr.Unk at September 19, 2009 1:06 AM
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