Dawson City – here the team drinks the “Sour Toe” Cocktail and wonders the old gold-rush town and gear up the motorcycles before they leave. They then depart to the iconic Dempster Highway – This anticipated highway sits on two mountain ranges, the Ogilvie and the Richardson mountains, with the small oasis of Eagle Plains Lodge, in between. A grueling 800km’s of vast emptiness as they travel through Canada’s tundra. The team makes it to the Eagle Plains Lodge.
15Jul.2011
Leaving the Northwest Territories behind the two riders followed by their support head to Fort Nelson, BC marking the start of their journey up the Alaska Highway. Following the historic highway in extreme cold weather, and snow conditions they’re rewarded with buffalos running next to the motorcycles and scenic mountain passes. The team is welcomed into the Yukon and explores the hospitality and unique nature the Yukon has to offer.
15Jul.2011
Joe’s motorcycle has sustained much damage, and the team pulls together to make the motorcycle rideable for Joe. From Fort Chipewyan, day two of the ice road, is the most technical yet. A grueling pace is set to conquer the harshest 55 kilometers the team has covered. Falls, patience, and determination are tested to the limits as they ride north westward to Fort Smith for the night. The next leg, has excellent road conditions for the long 480km leg from Fort Smith to Hay River. The team rejoices in their luck, until the cold -30 C plus bitter wind chill and humidity start to take its toll as they continue on to Fort Simpson.
15Jul.2011
The team continues on to Canada’s oil producing capital Fort McMurray, with a much needed rest before tackling one of Canada’s least traveled ice roads. The first of two major winter roads (ice roads) begins 60km’s north of Fort McMurray. The riders prepare themselves for their greatest challenge yet. Between rough snow patches, empty road slow speed crashes, and a life threatening crash into a large semi, will Joe be able to continue on, or will this be then end of his journey?
15Jul.2011
The team is now in northern Alberta. With a mix of cold temperatures, winter conditions, and northern Canadian culture, this Episode features classic Canadian pond hockey, snowmobiles, ice fishing, and historic fur trading towns. RWC: NORTH team member Paul Mondor gets to visit a french Canadian settlement in northern Alberta and makes him remember his own childhood growing up in French speaking Quebec. They head on to Slave Lake where the team tries their luck at catching pike at minus 30 below, ice fishing on Alberta’s largest lake.
15Jul.2011
The team travels on from Merritt, to the pristine Wells Grey Provincial Park. Finding more and more snow, they venture north eastward to Jasper, through snow, ice, and freezing temperatures as they battle the elements. Episode ends with the group experiencing all the visual wonders of Jasper National Park in the winter. In Jasper, the adventure suddenly becomes even more real as the threat of a severe winter weather warning has the team on full alert for their longest leg yet. Battling through temperatures of -30 C, the team heads northward into Northern Alberta.
15Jul.2011
The Curbsyde team meets in Victoria, British Columbia to prepare for the journey ahead. The motorcycles are armored up, and Paul says some words of wisdom to the team and touches on what they can expect in extreme cold climates. There’s a quick send off for the crew, as they get ready to depart on the 6 week, arctic adventure of ‘Reconnecting with Canada: The North’. In this episode we follow the team as they begin their way northward from Victoria to Merritt, through the treacherous Coquihalla pass and one of the year’s most dangerous snow storms.
14Jul.2011
The push to Tuktoyaktuk. From Dawson City, the team has traveled up the harsh Dempster highway to Eagle Plains, and continues to the arctic circle then on to Inuvik. They explore the vast emptiness as they travel through Canada’s tundra, to arrive in Inuvik where they discover this northern town’s igloo church in Inuvik. Then it’s the final ice road, from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. An unexpected failure and an triumphant finish, the team reaches Tuktoyaktuk to enjoy the hospitality of the friendly inuit village and reflects on what this accomplishment means to them.