Day 6: Alaska to Mexico Marathon Rally Adventure

Day 6: Alaska to Mexico Rally 2023 - Fort Nelson to Dawson Creek: Battling the Woodsmoke Haze"

The morning brought a familiar sight, as a haze of woodsmoke hung in the air, a testament to the wildfire that had flared up in the neighboring valley. Thankfully, we didn't need to reroute, and our day promised three Regularities and an intriguing rally Test.

Our rally day began with the "Railway Arrivals Regularity," a challenge that took us down an actual railway line. Fred Gallagher, renowned for his inventive rally ideas, pushed the envelope again with this unique endeavor. To add an exciting twist, the timetable revealed that latecomers would need to yield the right of way to the "Yukon Mail Express." Lee Harman and Winston Conyers, however, missed the train, as they had an appointment with a tire fitter.

The rest of us continued our journey down the tracks, passing the wildlife-rich Kwadacha provincial park, where bears, wolves, and lemmings roamed freely. Our path led us to the Time Control and lunch at the Buffalo Inn in Pink Mountain. Russ Smith and Jamie Turner, who had arrived earlier to set up the clocks and checksheets, enjoyed a bowl of beef and barley stew before Roy and Rachel Stephenson arrived with an unusual problem - their Mustang's steering wheel had detached. Roy had improvised a solution to get them to the car park, but it was clear that the "nut behind the wheel" needed some attention.

The second Regularity, spanning 30 kilometers of Gundy Road, presented a unique challenge as it alternated between muddy and bone-dry sections. The choking dust and loose gravel made maintaining the average speed quite the task. The third Regularity alongside Inga Lake was a bit less demanding, but it still required our full attention as the dirt road undulated through thick woodland.

Our journey then took us to the Northern Lights Raceway, a place more accustomed to jet aircraft and drag cars. This time, it hosted the "RtG run what you brung rallycross" test, giving the facility's manager something exciting to add to their social media pages. It was an exhilarating and unconventional addition to our rally adventure.

As we rejoined the main road, warning signs reminded us to be on the lookout for wildlife. Some of us were fortunate enough to spot a family of bears strolling through the bushes as we descended toward Fort Nelson, alongside the Tetsa and the Muskwa Rivers.

After a relatively late night the previous day, the sweep teams had a relatively light workload with only a few minor issues to address. Ivan Pusnik and Boris Gruzman's Saab had a coolant leak that needed plugging, Mike and Lorna Harrison's Volvo had a window requiring attention, and the headlamp switch on Philip and Lyndy Blunden's Holden needed some soldering.

The feeling of emerging from the wilderness began to set in. The Woodlands Inn and Suites in Fort Nelson, our gracious host for the evening, did an excellent job of taking care of us with great food, a well-stocked bar, and a functioning laundromat.