Now I regret leaving my Thesaurus at home! There are not enough superlatives to describe this part of Yukon. As a local country song says, "Where do you go after Yukon?" The first two days on the Dempster Highway have revealed scenery beyond compare. The Tombstone Territorial Park unfolds jagged mountain peak upon peak, the scarlet fireweed lines the road, and clouds part to reveal further mountains, while the closer ranges are verdant green. We camped last night beside a chuckling brook surrounded by wild roses in bloom. (Okay, so if you are getting envious, it also rained several buckets and we set up the tent in the mud.)

Escaping the evening rain, we fixed supper in the common food shelter provided at each camp ground (oh, there is free firewood, also) and were delighted to share the space with a courageous and very interesting cyclist from Toronto who is cycling to the four corners of Canada; having covered the south, east, and west, he is setting out to the most northern point accessible by road, which is also our destination.

We're making great progress northward, passing the 64th, 65th, and 66th latitudes today. So far, the road has actually been far better than we anticipated, after hearing many horror stories. We have been alerted that what lies ahead may be a little more challenging, so we're planning to go slowly and only so far as McPherson, NWT tomorrow. Just a mere handful of miles (12.42, to be exact) remains until we cross the Arctic Circle tomorrow morning. As Ray says, this feels so unreal!