Finding friendship in the fog
Petersville Road, Alaska
Day: 68
Km Travelled: 10,930
Rainy days in a row: Don’t ask
When you're on the road, the little decisions feel like they have a huge impact. Perhaps it feels more influential because one choice, one road, one turn, could lead to (heaven forbid) a muddy recovery, (more likely) a mountaintop view you never anticipated, or (even rarer) an opportunity to turn strangers into friends. The remoteness of it all means friendships form quicker. Scarcity nurtures connection.
Before this trip started, when asked what I was looking forward to most, time and again I said 'people'. I've been looking forward to meeting other folks who are hopefully doing the same thing we're doing, fellow adventurous souls seeking to soak up the beauty of the remote wilderness. Now that we've been on the road for two months, I realize how rare those chances really are. We all know North America is big, and with endless roads to choose from, you might never cross paths with someone unless the universe allows it.
Thankfully, Alaska's offroading network is actually much smaller than BC's. There isn't the same plethora of fire service roads across the state like we have back home. Millions of ATV tracks, sure, but not roads wide enough for trucks. That said, Tom and I have stumbled upon a few ATV tracks that we successfully made it all the way through. We've fanned our feathers at raised eyebrows when locals have asked 'you took Envy there?', wide-eyed and astonished by our accomplishments. Yes, we did. We're ambitious. Brave. Tad crazy? Take your pick, we don't mind what you choose.
During our excursion up Petersville Road, cracking open a bubbly water and munching on our selection of beef jerky, Tom reminded me how rare it would be to meet another couple like us. Not a day later, around a random bend on that same muddy road, we bumped into a Dutch couple and their chocolate lab, Lewie, in their offroad rig.
I could see the sparkle alight in Tom's eyes when their Toyota Hilux came into view. With windows rolled down, rain splattering our elbows, leaning out to say hello, we discovered Patrick and Orla have been on the road for upwards of three years, doing exactly what we're doing. Exploring, living out of their AluCab camper, seeking nature any way they can.
We spent the rest of the day together venturing down muddy tracks and finished the evening off sharing stories around our small propane fire pit. Our attempt at making a fire was a bust. As a Canadian I was offended at how poorly it went, but even with fire in my blood, I can't light wet wood. And wet it was. In total, we've seen six and a half days of sun in a month. Our spirits were beginning to weaken, so stumbling upon our new friends was a welcome break in our cloudy mood.
Patrick and Orla are the epitome of humble travelers. Much like Tom and I, they started out on a six-month road trip, combining their love of travel with film and starting a YouTube channel sharing their experiences. It took off. Now, years later, they've travelled the world, making enough money on the road from affiliate marketing and sponsorships to do what they love and turn that love into work. AluCab rewarded them with their entire camper setup for their efforts. Great work, you two, is all I can say.
Soaked, and a little worse for wear, we treated ourselves to burgers and fries in Anchorage the following night, and said goodbye to our new friends as we started our journey north.
I believe all connections happen for a reason, no matter how fleeting. The universe gives you what you need. Amidst all the rain, the frustrations we've had with Toyota (see Blog #13), and time spent not really meeting anyone that we felt a kinship with since the solstice (see Blog #7), the road gifted us some brightness in the form of a new friendship. And for that, we're thankful.
Now universe… can we have a little sun back, please?
