Northern Travels

cruiserpilot · Jul 25, 2019

So only have a couple of pics on iPad but I’ll put them all up. I drove to Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik to Tuk almost twice. N & S Canol roads.
1000 litres of diesel, average price 1.41/ litre. Ave 11.4 litres per 100. Winch motor failed, bummer. Rear tire bracket fatigued and tire fell off rear, hence the second trip back to Tuk to look. Lucky I found it, about $600 to replace! Truck was spectacular. Ran up some wicked mine roads and saw more animals than I could have imagined. Missed the Port killers by less than a day out of Dease Lake. Count my blessings, drive slow by the crime scene, saw it all. Cops everywhere. People were rightfully scared. I carry 3” mag Sabot slugs - handy. Not so scared.

cruiserpilot · Jul 25, 2019

seapotato · Jul 25, 2019

Cool pics. Did you go for a quick swim in the arctic ocean?

I imagine it would be...refreshing. :lol:

I had to google what a pingo was

cruiserpilot · Jul 25, 2019

no Swim in Arctic Ocean, but did get to help with butchering a beluga in Tuk. The local kids were swimming in the ocean, and throwing blubber to feed the seagulls. Pretty entertaining! I ate raw muktuk and boiled, once was enough. They use the pingos as directional markers, important nav aids.
I did swim in the Ogilvie River, after 9 days it was nice and necessary. The beauty of the openness up there is beyond words. Toyo’s took a real beating, paid for themselves.

GTSSportCoupe · Jul 25, 2019

Great pictures Jon, and sounds like a very successful trip. Glad to hear the truck did great except for a couple minor things. I was wondering if you had passed by those Port Alberni kids...

Quite the big tread marks leading up to that bench by the ocean. One of those big mitsubishi/isuzu camper trucks or something....?

Diesel Cruiserman · Jul 26, 2019

Looks likea great trip... Got the fright full call when you were in the middle of know were with cell reception and your truck would not start..glad it finally did for your sake.. would of been a long day or so out their..

cruiserpilot · Jul 26, 2019

GTSSportCoupe said:
Quite the big tread marks leading up to that bench by the ocean. One of those big mitsubishi/isuzu camper trucks or something....?

No idea. Lots of F250 rental rigs from everywhere @ about $1800/week!

Diesel Cruiserman said:
Looks likea great trip... Got the fright full call when you were in the middle of know were with cell reception and your truck would not start..glad it finally did for your sake.. would of been a long day or so out their..

Still pathetic wiring on this truck. I'd pay to have it completely rewired properly. Only weak link on the beast.
Not letting it stop me, next trip is going to be far more fearsome and offgrid.

decoco · Jul 26, 2019

Love the trip the truck and 73 in the back.

Lovely

cruiserpilot · Jul 26, 2019

The 73 is from a guy here on mud lives in Smithers. Didn’t connect, he was busy and I wasn’t waiting around
Next time I’ll stop for longer. Defensive driving is paramount, and don’t run over wildlife.

slowandsteady BJ · Jul 26, 2019

Awesome Jon. I truly love the north. The Dempster is amazing, hope the bugs weren't too bad, you hit it mid-summer when they can be ferocious.

I too have backtracked looking for a rouge spare tire off the back of a 60..... good times.

Rigpig · Jul 26, 2019

Cool trip! I was working at a diamond mine a couple spring/summers ago, north west of Yellowknife. Not quite as high up as you were but cool country just the same.
One day i'd like to make same trip up there.

cruiserpilot · Jul 26, 2019

I’ve now seen the Dempster in three seasons, spring maybe in a year or two. One nice thing is coming home with a truck and only having to wash sand off the bottom. Have to say I’ve never come home from a northern trip with as clean a truck. But the dust was miserable Ft McPherson and all the way north. Ugh

cruiserpilot · Jul 27, 2019

Got to finishing servicing the truck today. Carnage - winch motor, gave it up first try. Guess it gets a lot of use especially with the compressor which runs off the same motor. $435! New driving light lenses, one took a direct hit, goner. Windshield took a single shot on the Dempster 24 kms in, size of a golf ball.
Tires-everyone knows I like Toyo MT’s and I sipe them in Duncan. They chunked pretty bad over the Dempster and Tuk roads. Tire guy in Inuvik who welded my tire bracket back on recommended not siping tires on these roads. The short term use or local use of siping is good, but long haul over these roads and the wear really showed. So won’t sipe the next set. Learning experience, and had a couple of long discussions about it with a couple of guys with decades of northern road experience.
Also on the recommendation of Mr Rob, I put clips on my tester and I bought 10’ of dual wire and made a 10’ tester with clips for jumpers and long reach testers so I can sit in the cab and test stuff using keys and switches. Good ideas. Last thing, am I the first guy to realize that used oil filter can be stored in used air filter until they both go to the dumpster? Crazy, perfect fit!