Ahoy, my intrepid Chaos-Navigators! Shevanagons just went into overdrive with the arrival of my original partner-in-crime, Heather Northcott. Heather and I go back to the days when our baby blankets were practically sewn together. Our moms, sitting in our shared backyard, distracted by gossip and coffee, left us to our own mischievous devices to dream big, usually while getting into more trouble than you can ever imagine. So naturally, when Heather wanted to hop into Shevanigans for the big road trip, I knew we were about to dust off our old, chaos-attracting magic.
I picked her up in Anchorage—no leisurely two-month meander from Ontario like I had with my mom—nope, Heather and I had just two action-packed, carpe diem-filled weeks. We were women on a mission from the second we hit the ground. We started with a tour of Anchorage, capped off with a fabulous meal at a restaurant so charming it had a live ukulele and flute performance (yes, really). That night, we found ourselves camping at a site maintained by a gun club because… well, it’s Alaska! The next morning, we were off to the races.
We crammed a year’s worth of adventure into those two weeks, let me tell you. There were glaciers, mountaintops, forests, and even the occasional civilized campground (you know, for the luxury of a shower). Heather, once she mastered the acrobatic art of getting in and out of the van without falling on her face—a mishap that set me into hysterics —became our navigator extraordinaire. She had a knack for finding the coolest out-of-the-way spots to park Shevanigans. And while the landscapes around us were breathtaking, the real magic was in the endless talking as the miles rolled by; recounts of our misspent youth, our dreams, ideas, and more. We talked until our voices gave out. It was glorious.
Now, one thing I learned: Heather’s got some very understandable trauma when it comes to stick shifts and mountainous roads—and what do we find ourselves on? You guessed it: some of the most mountainous roads in existence! The Duffy Lake Road, in particular, tested every ounce of our nerves and Shevanigans’ mettle, but we came out the other side, victorious and with T-shirts to prove it!
Speaking of trauma, one day, we found ourselves with a truck practically riding up our tailpipe. We were mid-conversation about the driver’s obvious lack of patience when, out of nowhere, the car in the opposite lane swerved toward us. He missed the front of the van by a hair, but in correcting himself, he swerved back too hard and careened straight into the truck behind us. Suddenly, there were car parts flying in every direction, and before we knew it, the reckless driver sped off into the distance. We stopped to check on the poor truck driver, who was understandably shook up but assured us he was calling the police and was okay. Our split-second luck didn’t escape us – we knew how differently the day could have gone, so we hit the road again, this time with a renewed sense of celebration.
On quieter stretches of road, Heather read aloud to me from Pax—a book about a fox, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy until we ran out of time and never finished it. Now I have to track down the rest of that story because I need to know what happens to that fox! Luckily, we had plenty of real-life wildlife to keep us entertained, including a very memorable moose encounter.
So there we were, in a peaceful little campsite, minding our business when Heather stepped outside to brush her teeth. Suddenly she charges back in, toothpaste foaming from her mouth, exclaiming what I swore was “Scaramouche!” I half expected her to break into song like we were in a weird Bohemian Rhapsody moment. But, no, turns out she was trying to say, “There’s a moose!”—toothpaste and all. Naturally, I loudly whispered, “Why are you in here?! Get a photo!” I held onto Finn to stop him from scaring the majestic creature away, and Heather nailed it—getting a fantastic shot of a moose who looked like he was casually standing on our picnic table. I swear
The days were filled with wildlife and wild times, but our morning mission was clear: find the best matcha, decaf, or chai-like beverage on the west coast. We discovered an epic cafe that made their own milks, so good I could have wept. Add to that a cafe most incredible breakfast balls known to mankind, and mornings officially became our favorite time of day.
We also met some amazing people along the way—like the couple who cooked us dinner by a lake while their dog and Finn tore around like maniacs. We made it to Vancouver Island for a day and, in a classic travel oversight, marveled at how no one ever told us that Victoria was an hour away from the ferry stop. I mean, who knew!? We learned a lot on this trip—about geography, each other’s quirks, and life’s little surprises.
Of course, this trip wasn’t just about chasing adventure—it was about deepening connections. Heather’s family, once just names, now feel like mine too. Two weeks, thousands of kilometers, and countless memories later, our bond was strengthened in ways only possible in the tight confines of a 19-foot van.
They say travel broadens the mind, but it does more than that. It shrinks the distance between hearts, proving that it’s not just about the road you’re on—it’s about the people riding alongside you, Here’s to Heather, Shevanigans, and the most incredible, whirlwind, two weeks of friendship, adventure, and—of course— Scaramouche sightings!
Until the next leg of our journey, Sheilagh, Shevanigans & Finnigan
