Yes, we’re still alive and kicking. After a week of focusing on school, I went to a Ladies’ Retreat in Dawson City for 3 days. I left a schedule and chore list for the kids, and with some trepidation, Estelle and I climbed into Lynn’s van with 11 other ladies on Friday morning. It had rained all night, and the roads were a mix of mud and slush. We hit a snowstorm and we crawled along. After a lot of fish-tailing and one hair-raising slide sideways, we made the 2 hour drive to Eagle Plains in 4 hours. The road eventually improved, and we reached our destination, 10 hours after our departure. PTL!
I had a great time, and enjoyed being with the other ladies. The topics for the weekend were issues that all women face, personally or by extension- low self-esteem, depression, and fear and anxiety. Lynn, Sarah, Annah, their friend, Charmaine, and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. I also enjoyed getting to know the Gwich’in ladies from McPherson. Caroline and Mary F. were elders, very quiet and very sweet, and neither one even made a peep when the van went out of control. (Lynn said in past years, some of the older ladies had never been past Eagle Plains.) Rosemary sat beside me on the drive to and fro, and the ladies all made fun of me when I was the only one who turned down Rosemary’s offer of a hardtack biscuit with butter. I found out you should not refuse a gesture of generosity! Annie and Mary M., bought Estelle a few things from a Dawson thrift shop, and Mary M. often had a joke for me. I got a homemade Gwich’in bonnet from Olive. Mary C. helped with the driving and I really enjoyed her company. There were other ladies attending from Whitehorse and Dawson, including the pastor’s wife, Maria, who met my oldest four at camp.
In our spare time, we went to the farmer’s market, and bought some fresh produce. Garden veggies are a treat wherever you are, but in the North, they are a treasure! We did some shopping around town, too, and it’s not a trip to Dawson until some placer gold jewellery has been purchased. We did not stay for the church service on Sunday morning, because on the phone, Paul told Lynn it had been snowing since we left and we might be hard pressed to make the ferry otherwise. So we hit the road.
Mary C. drove 5 hours to Eagle Plains and the roads were not too bad, but it was cold, windy, and snow covered everything. Lynn’s stretch of road was more precarious. Ruts, potholes, slush, wind and snow were the order of the day. I was riding in the back of Lynn’s 15 passenger van (a new perspective for me) and my body was rattled like a paint can in a mixer. Near the border, we saw a black wolf, standing in sharp contrast with the snow. A little further on, we saw men from McPherson with the spoils from their hunting trip. They had three caribou lined up in the snow and they were pulling them behind their snowmobile! I got out to take a picture. Or should I say 10 pictures, because I really wanted to get a good shot. Unfortunately, I did not notice the dial on my camera had been switched, and not a single photograph turned out. I was so disappointed. But it was neat to see. We made it to the ferry, and we were all so relieved to be in the homestretch.
But our trip wasn’t over yet. There had been so much rain and snow, the river was higher than usual. The ferry hands had considered closing the ferry temporarily but they wanted to keep it open for the many hunters who were out. They had just made new landings shortly before our arrival. Some of the ladies were alarmed by the water we could see on either side of the landing. Lynn approached the ferry, and we were soon stuck in the soft gravel. The caribou hunters were behind us and tried to tow us out, but we didn’t budge. So Morris, the ferry hand, pulled us out with the loader, resurfaced the landing, and he got in the driver’s seat to give it another go. He gunned it, and….we got stuck again. By this time, some of the ladies were burying their heads in their arms and grasping their seats. The loader pulled us out again, resurfaced again, and then Morris let the caribou hunters try to board the ferry. They revved up their 4X4 truck and were successful. They called out to Morris, “That van must be loaded!” Morris replied, “Ya, I think there are about 500 women in there!” Morris got in the van a second time, took the landing at high speed, and we were ABOARD! We all cheered and clapped to express our thanks.
We seemed to be in the clear, until we saw the landing on the other side. There was as much water as gravel. Morris stepped on the gas. Rosemary shut her eyes and turned her head. We sped down the ramp and-URCH!- we got stuck on the other side! But because of Morris’ forethought, the caribou hunters towed us off the landing in short order. We were soon back in McPherson, thankful to God for his provision and our safe arrival. And the ground under my feet has never felt so good.
Lynn dropped me off at 12:30 am, and most of the kids were up to greet me. At least their weekend went smoothly, but maybe I’ll save that for another day. God is good….ALL THE TIME.
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