2009 Summer Motorcycle Trip: Day 12 – Wed July 1st

Sun all night. I woke once at 3 AM, and the sun was still clearly in the northern sky. I am camped on a wooden platform in a group camping configuration... several platforms in one area... a very social setting. Last night there were only 3 platforms in use. Today – tonight at the end of the day, all 6 platforms are in use. Interesting mix of people... 2 groups from Ontario including myself, Austria, Germany, Blain Washington, Tom from San Diego, the cyclist from yesterday I met on the ferry, and a father, daughter couple where she is educated in Guelph and dad is from BC. Anyway, made for interesting and versatile conversations from the various people and experiences.
I worked on my 3 digit combination lock on my saddlebag for the second time, trying the combinations to find one that worked. One fellow, a bit of a physic suggested 763 as the combination, which sorry to say did not work, but to my surprise, when I got to 376, (after over 600 other trys) that worked!! Same numbers, different order. Strange! I reset the combination by the instructions to match the other bag and had no further trouble the rest of the trip, but was extra cautious when closing the locks.
Daryl and Karen from Calendar Ontario made good friends to hang with today. Traded some photos, went to the Canada Day parade at noon, a free BBQ and fish roast, burgers and hot dogs. Sat at the Legion and had a beer, got a ribbon given as the most northerly legion in Canada, visited the visitors center and got a certificate for completing travel of the Dempster Hwy, and turned in my completed "passport" for a survey and entered the contest.
Sat and watched some live music, visited & toured the Inuvik Greenhouse – interesting project from a older relocated ice rink building converted to a greenhouse where they grow food from April to October. Plots available for members at $50 plus 15 hours volunteer time to take care of all plots.
Lots of mosquitoes here.... especially when the wind settles down and the sun lowers (doesn't disappear). 11:30 pm now... looks like 6 PM for sun position back home in mid summer.
Tomorrow I will leave Inuvik for the drive back towards Dawson. Good day, good town, lots of energy here, parade was great, Canada Day spirit is alive and well in this remote part of Canada.
I truly enjoyed my stay in Inuvik.