These could have been my last driving experiences

...for the foreseeable future.

I chose to spend my last six months or so left in Canada in the Yukon Territory way up north, and I've picked up a few experiences from here, driving and otherwise.

I made the long drive up from Vancouver BC by way of the Crowsnest Pbutt into Alberta and then through Calgary, Banff and Jasper National Parks and up the Alaska Highway all the way to the Yukon, about 5500km in total, a long way to drive in the cramped chickenpit of a Mazda MX6. Traversing the Kootenay Pbutt in minus 5 degree snowy weather at night in a car with a busted thermostat (running stone cold) is another experience. :P}

The scenery, especially when the snow is around, is just plain gorgeous up here. On top of that, I think I've just been plain lucky in terms of cheating the Grim Reaper twice since I've been up here. Once I skidded while driving through giant snow-slush-mounds on the Alaska Hwy, and corrected twice, partially swinging into the oncoming lane for a brief period. About ten seconds later - on a remote stretch of highway between Watson Lake and Teslin during the "off season" no less - a giant juggernaut comes flying down the highway in the other direction. Maybe not a painfully close call, but a close call nonetheless. I think those mounds of snow and slush that permeate parts of the North during the "spring thaw" are in many ways worse than the ice itself, which isn't so bad to drive on. For the most part it was comfortable to cruise on the gritted ice at about 75 to 80 km-h, and that made me the slowest dude on the road (though you don't encounter too much traffic anyway most of the time).

In June I wrote off my old Mazda driving on a poorly maintained section of bush track in the Pelly Mountains. It could be because I took a curve a bit too fast, but I'm not sure. The road gave way on me. Ages ago this happened to me in B.C. on a poorly maintained piece of unpaved road when I was moving at walking pace, so speed isn't always the primary issue, but here's a tip: driving the speed limit won't always save your arse. I was observing it when I "crashed and burned". Being stupid can kill. Speed in itself doesn't and I'm still convinced of that. Anyway, the old Mazda (which I planned on getting rid of anyway before leaving Canada) was as good as totalled - roof and glbutt probably repairable but not worth the trouble - but I got out of the wreck totally unhurt, not even a bruise. Seat belts are nice, folks. but washed their hands of me when they realized that I was driving sober and no one else was involved. It's not that easy to hit other cars in the rural Yukon after all, no matter how determined you are!

Legally, my old Canajun visa expired on August 31, so I had to leave Canada, which I did... by renting a car and driving across the Border to Haines, Alaska for my first ever US driving experience in my life. one before that) with a 3.1 V6 and gunkbox, the first gunkmatic I've ever driven. (No, I didn't stab at the non-extant clutch!) Actually, I didn't find this car all too horrid, except for the somewhat woolly-wallowy steering feedback and handling. That would be the first thing I would have changed if I could have. The auto wasn't all that inspiring, but was okay. But I understand late model GM autos to be relatively good, and if that's good I'll stick with my manuals, thank you very much. :} I used gears 3 and 2 for descending longer, steeper hills at first, but once I got used to the car I just used D and let the car speed down 'em. :} High beam headlamps were lousy on this car, and that can be a little hazardous at night when moose are jumping in your way from the bushes!

Yukon speeding tix are $25 for 15 km-h over the limit and $75 for 50 km-h over. More than 50 over is $150 or $200 if in a school zone (!). Detector use is banned and the fine is $125 with confiscation as evidence (the defendant can get the RD back on acquittal or first-time only conviction, if he-she so wishes). But for what use a RD in the Yukon? I didn't bother with my V1 basically, for obvious reasons. And no, I've still never been ticketed. :} "Muggins" actually broke a new record in the old MX6 (for what it's worth): 190 km-h in a 90 zone (nearly 120 mph in a 55, yanquis) on a clear, straight, good downhill stretch near Stewart Crossing, Y.T. for all of about three seconds. Whooptidoo, big deal. :P

Gotta be outta here, back at a later time. *waves*