|
Main Page |
On the Road to Inuvik
|
Main Page |
On July 22nd, 1996, a dozen Volkswagen busses left Vancouver on a journey northwards to Inuvik, in Canada's Northwest Territories. In 23 days the drivers covered 8,424 kilometers, 2,703 on unpaved roads. The busses include everything from a 1965 split-window bus to Volkswagen's newest EuroVan camper.
The trip was organized by two participants of the Internet's Vanagon mailing list, Tobin Copley and Ron Lussier. In addition to the dozen busses scheduled to depart from Vancouver, another 9 busses joined the convoy enroute for the long trip up the Dempster Highway to Inuvik.
Along the way, the travellers sent back dispatches and photos, allowing web surfers to 'follow along' from home. This web site contains the messages and photos of the journey. It's a unique portrait of a widely varied group of travellers sharing common passions... their VW bus and a spirit of adventure.
27 August 1996
A guy we met in Inuvik has written up his own journey to the arctic. His
account is entitled Arctic
Summer
, has tons of
great photos, and is very much worth a look-see.
16 July 1996
Tobin and Christa are being interviewed by Shelagh Rogers on CBC Radio's Morningside about the Inuvik trip. Not only has the trip made what is undisputably the most popular morning radio show in Canada, but the Inuvik trip will be the lead story, leading off the three hour program. Canadians can catch the interview at 09:05 local time on CBC AM.
3 July 1996
A new team of drivers has joined the trek, and instantly won the prize for 'longest distance'. Ivette Martin & Jorge E. Pasarell will be driving their bus from Puerto Rico! (Well, they're taking a boat part way...) that's about the limit for cross-North-America driving!
20 June 1996 
Volkswagen has signed on as a corporate sponsor of the trip to Inuvik! All drivers will get an oil change before departing, as well as a spare air filter to use along the way. (Those dirt roads are very dusty!)
19 June 1996
One month to go! Soon I'll start adding some writings about how I feel as the trip approaches and how I'm getting ready.
I recieved a nice letter from Tony Darnell, who will be making his own
trek this summer,
from Atlanta to Inuvik,
spreading goodwill from the 1996 Olympics. (Though I just suspect he's only
going to Inuvik to find parking.)
22 April 1996
Volkswagen of Germany has named this
the number one site on their list
of homepages!
15 April 1996
The trip press release has finally been completed! (You'll find it under 'Information Resources'.)