Category Archives: trails

Jo talks travel on CBC’s Candy Palmater Show

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Wow … that was fun!

This afternoon I got to sit in the studio and talk about my favourite Canadian destinations on The Candy Palmater Show on CBC Radio.

It was tough to whittle the list down (I could have gone on - and on - for an hour rather than the 12 minute time slot I had).

You can find the link here to the CBC spot and the audio: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/candy/the-candy-palmater-show-for-june-30-2016-1.3659588/workin-for-the-weekend-getaway-travel-writer-shares-her-favourite-canadian-destinations-1.3659697

Thanks CBC. And Happy Canada Day!

Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race

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The hoopla is over for 2015. The final team has crossed the finish line. Tons of dog food were consumed and the calories torched (one estimate is that the average sled dog burns 6,000-12,000 calories per day). The tents that sheltered teams of handlers and support crews have been dismantled and packed away. The thought of camping in minus 30C weather is something not for the faint of heart.

Being an observer at the 2015 Yukon Quest – the toughest sled dog race in the world – was an awe-inspiring event. The 1,600 km (1,000 mi) route connecting Whitehorse in Canada’s Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska, traces the historic wintertime land route followed more than a century ago by prospectors and mail carriers. The race was named the Yukon Quest, to commemorate the “highway of the north” – the Yukon River – the traditional route to the gold fields of the Klondike. Anyone looking for a 20-minute schooling in the fascinating history of the Klondike Gold Rush will find it in the mesmerizing National Film Board film, City of Gold, narrated by Dawson City native, the late Pierre Berton.

The Yukon Quest sled dog race is one of those iconic celebrations of the north. Sled dogs provided a rock-steady, reliable form of transportation and this race celebrates that legacy. The people of the Yukon and Alaska know winter; but more importantly they know how to embrace winter. They bundle up with layers and get outside – dogsledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Joining in is the only way to go.

I found myself in the Yukon in February. At first it seemed like an insane idea but in short time I was drawn into the Yukoners’ joyful embrace of the long, chilly season. And following the Yukon Quest was a large part of the fun. It’s a must-do for anyone who wants a true Canadian winter experience.

Looking for a primer to the Yukon Quest race? Look no further:

  • The Yukon Quest has been run every February since 1984 and attracts teams from around the world.
  • The race takes about 9-12 days to complete, depending on weather, trail conditions and team speed.
  • Few sports call upon such a challenging requirement of endurance and isolation.
  • The mushers must successfully complete qualifying races within the previous 42 months to enter the Yukon Quest.
  • The race route runs between Whitehorse and Fairbanks, with the race direction alternating from one year to the next. In 2016, the race will begin in Fairbanks and end in Whitehorse.
  • The teams leave the starting chute at two-minute staggered starts. At the start line, those puppies are chomping at the bit to get running!
  • Dawson City, YK is the halfway point and teams must take a mandatory 24-hour break. The dogs eat and sleep. The mushers eat and sleep.
  • The teams begin with 14 dogs. If a dog is withdrawn from the team there are no substitutions allowed. It is rare for a full 14-dog team to complete the entire race.
  • The dogs are monitored at checkpoints by a team of veterinarians who come from around the world to be a part of the race.
  • Every musher I saw was first and foremost attentive to the safety and health of his/her team. The connection between musher and dogs is endearing.
  • There are many opportunities to watch the action: at the starting gates, along the route on frozen lakes, at checkpoints and in Dawson City at the mandatory layover.
  • Unplanned circumstances can play havoc with the race. In 2015 it was a slew of misadventures from jumble ice on the frozen river to a female dog going into heat during the course of the race. The mushers are experts at problem solving on the fly.

There are also many outfitters who provide novice mushers (that would be visitors like you and me) with their own sled dog experience. I mushed with Sky High Wilderness Ranch and it was a great experience. A complete list can be found at Travel Yukon.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Where land and sea meet

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It would have been a mistake to look at a map of the stretch of barrier islands to the south, turn around and head back north to the comforts of the Outer Banks’ “larger” communities, like Nags Head, Kitty Hawk and Manteo. As lovely as these villages are – and they are great places to visit – things got really interesting the further we drove south into the heart of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

First, a little geography: Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a long, pencil-thin stretch of barrier islands (Bodie, Hatteras, Ocracoke) with the dunes of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the water of Pamlico Sound on the other. It’s largely land under the watch of the National Park Service, so gets a high level of environmental protection. There are several historic villages scattered along the way (not part of the NPS land) with large beachfront homes and all the amenities of a smaller town.

We’ve already written about the shifting sand and the close watch residents keep through hurricane season (June - November) but the real highlight is what’s not along long stretches of this pristine coast. The NPS has preserved wetlands for migratory birds (hike along a boardwalk at Pea island National Wildlife Refuge), historic lighthouses and miles of remote sand beach.

In the water, dolphins played. On the shoreline, a few fishermen planted their long rods to cast from the surf and the occasional walker doffed footwear and strolled barefoot along the sand. No shops. No go-carts or mini-golf. Not even a single vending machine. In the NPS campgrounds? No electrical hook-ups and cold water showers. Ink-black skies at night. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it sure is ours.

The Outer Banks are infamous as the Graveyard of the Atlantic – a testament to the dangerous shoals that claimed many a passing ship (the estimate is the waters off the banks holds more than 600 shipwrecks dating back centuries).

Craig took the ranger-guided hike up the black and white striped Bodie Island Light Station. The view from the top was great over the long dunes and the salt marshes that are a perfect stopover point for birds migrating north-south along the Atlantic Flyway. Bodie Island Lighthouse was built in 1871, is 214 steps and on a clear day you can see 30 km (18 mi) from the top. Its flash pattern is 2.5 on, 2.5 off, 2.5 on, 22.5 off (just in case you were wondering) and it still uses an original Fresnel lens. The grounds of the lighthouse are dog friendly (but not a climb to the top).

A little further down the road we stopped at the candy-cane striped lighthouse that most people associate with the Outer Banks: Cape Hatteras Light Station. The National Historic Landmark is the continent’s tallest brick lighthouse (a climb up Hatteras is 248 steps, equivalent to a 12-storey building). The grounds of the lighthouse are dog friendly (but not a climb to the top).

The iconic lighthouse also made it to many a newspaper front page in 1999 when the National Park Service moved the entire brick structure 460 m (1,500 ft) back from an encroaching sea. The sands continue to shift but they say the move should keep the tall building safe for a good long time.

In Hatteras Village we ate dinner overlooking a dock filled with fishing boats and had a seafood meal that set the bar high for the remainder of our trip. The chef at the Breakwater Restaurant buys local: shrimp, scallops, grouper, flounder, tuna and it shows in the taste on the plate. We ate our fill of steamed shrimp the size of a toddler’s fist that were flavour-packed, meaty and didn’t suffer a bit from being dipped in melted butter. On a quest to embrace grits, Jo ate a delicious main of Shrimp & Grits (and yes, it did the trick – now a convert) and Craig had spicy, blackened chunks of yellowfin tuna (the catch of the day) wrapped in soft wheat tortillas and served with sides of black beans, rice and a pineapple chutney. Dessert was one slice/two forks of Peanut Butter Pie – a rich and creamy PB centre topped with dark, chocolate ganache.

Like we said, the bar is set high.