I've got a big badass SUV

[Honda]

Just let me show you minions how it's done.

https://x.com/PicturesFoIder/status/...jwEI4tS0Q&s=19

[UTAH]

A serious off roader would have snorkeled the Range Rover.

Hunter

[FredK]

A serious off roader would have snorkeled the Range Rover.

Hunter

I'm not sure a serious off roader would drive a Range Rover.

[UTAH]

Wifey and I did a Landy event down in Moab when I had a LR Defender (V8, winch, racks, et al.). The attendees were rich people who'd have their vehicles shipped/delivered wherever they wanted. They thought nothing of rolling their Landy down a hill. They'd just tell their staff to bring another from the truckload of Landy's they brought with them. I was the only owner there who actually drove to Moab, offloaded, and drove back home. I take pride in myself for never rolling any of my off-road vehicles.

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

No offense, but I regard Range Rovers as the ultimate pucky do da (my term) vehicle.

On a trip back south from Inuvik in the NW Territories we arrived at the Arctic Red River ferry landing behind a new Range Rover already there. It was a fully puffed up model with all the official accoutrements they could find including the official roof rack with the official cover and the official spare tire cover. It was providing passage to 2 middle aged couples---all sporting the latest fashions from REI. There was complete conformity to their newly adopted image, it provided entertainment as we waited

They stayed inside on the crossing and took off after landing on the other shore. Where we got off the ferry there was a lineup of bald eagles standing along the water line---at least 10 standing wing to wing. The pucky do das never paused a moment.

Fast forward about 8 or 10 hours and we stop in the only "service area" on the Dempster at Eagle Plains and the RR is parked in front of the motel/restaurant. We went in for a cup of coffee and found the pucky do das having their dinners and spending the night there. The place is small, so overhearing their dinner conversation was our entertainment.

Between last seeing them and Eagle Plains we had seen multiples of eagles, brown bears, arctic fox, caribou and ground squirrels. The prevailing whine coming from our travel mates was that they had not seen any wildlife and they were soooo disappointed

We finished our coffee and got back on the road without ruining their day further


The "regulation" Land Rover

[UTAH]

Taking a look at Inuvik, I'd probably do the Great Northern Arts Festival - with the opportunity to see interesting art and cultural events. I had no idea such events were going on. And, being it's held in July, the weather should be decent. The amount of precipitation they get is remarkable, as it's seven times what we get here. Pics of the area show plenty of water - which freezes and is passable in Winter.

I didn't see mention of alcoholic beverages. We had a friend living in Barrow, which is a dry town. I wouldn't be surprised if Inuvik is the same.

You have been to some very interesting places, Dave.

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

Inuvik is an interesting place--and one that deserves to be understood. It is not a "natural" town that propagated organically, it is a government construct of mother Canada. It was built by Canada with the primary purpose of consolidating government services in the far north into a central point which would allow both improving the level of services to more people at lower cost. At the time it was the "end of the road". Driving to the most northern town of Tuktoyaktuk only became possible year around with the construction of an all weather road a few years ago.

Inuvik has a regional hospital, social services offices, regional airport, school and some nongovernment employment opportunities, primarily working in the gas fields close by. There is a rather spartan hotel---but the rooms have showers I will admit that it could become depressing, especially in the winter--which is l-o-n-g!

Part of the plan for Inuvik was that local residents would move to Inuvik from their native settlements---I think that plan mostly failed to materialize. Most of the housing seems to be occupied by the medical staff (hospital) and social services workers.

Below is a photo of a typical government constructed home in Inuvik. To protect the permafrost all services run above ground and the houses are elevated above the surface to avoid heat transfer into the soil.

BTW, Tuktoyaktuk, means "looks like caribou" in the Gwichʼin language. The only Gwich'in word I mastered but got the perfect foil to use talking to a indigenous hunter---he was not nearly as impressed as I was

[UTAH]

Excellent info about Inuvik, Dave. The place has such an interesting historical past as well as significant cultural relevance.

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

I forgot

I didn't see mention of alcoholic beverages. We had a friend living in Barrow, which is a dry town. I wouldn't be surprised if Inuvik is the same.

Inuvik is not dry but some surrounding settlements are. Both in Canada and Alaska individual settlements can vote themselves dry. It does not work and actually might cause more problems than it avoids because they end up making home brew that often makes them sick. Alcohol might be a curse for some of us but it is a travesty for the indigenous peoples.

You have been to some very interesting places, Dave.

I have been very lucky However, I have suffered multiple childish attacks of jealousy here which unfortunately has now limited my sharing.

[UTAH]

Yeah, we saw how prohibition was sporadically ineffective in our county - as well as notoriously selective.

The friend of ours in Barrow was a heavy drinker himself, as well as a LEO. He died 20 years ago as a result of alcoholism. He knew exactly where to find alcohol - cause he was drinking heavily too. Interestingly, he was really into diving - putting together a team that did underwater searches for dead bodies. The toughest part of it entailed hacking through ice after auguring a starter hole. I teased him about it by pointing out it was probably the worst diving experience a man could come up with.

Hunter