B.C. family paddling Mackenzie River 'completely hosed' by car delivery snafu
Family paddles 1,800 kilometres, then learns their vehicle is still in Hay River
A young family from Vancouver finished an 1,800 kilometre paddling trip down the Mackenzie River on Sunday, only to discover they're "completely hosed."
Kevin Vallely, his wife, and their two young daughters left their lives behind to paddle from Hay River to Inuvik, N.W.T., this summer.
Vallely organized the trip to help his family connect with nature, and disconnect from their iPads and laptops — but there was one piece of technology the family was hoping would greet them at the end of their journey.
"Basically we were supposed to have our vehicle meet us in Inuvik, and it hasn't even left Hay River yet, so we're completely hosed," said Vallely.
Vallely left the family's vehicle in Hay River in July, to be shipped to Inuvik as cargo with Northern Transportation Company Ltd.
However, this year the barge is delayed by one month, and is not expected to arrive in Inuvik until at least August 29.
'A major pain in the butt'
On Monday, Vallely flew from Inuvik to Hay River to pick up the vehicle himself.
He's now facing a 3,596-kilometre drive — south into B.C., through Whitehorse and up the Dempster Highway — to get back to Inuvik. He'll pick up his family, only to then drive 3,326 kilometres south to their home in Vancouver.
"It's a major pain in the butt," says Vallely, but acknowledges that "in the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge issue."
"I think about the communities we visited along the way that depend on these barges, rather than just me and my inconvenience."
Still a life-changing trip
Vallely says the delay hasn't tainted the 35 days the family spent paddling the Mackenzie River visiting people and communities.
He predicts the bigger challenge may be adjusting back to city life.
"You become more comfortable being out there, than not being out there.
"Even when things got ugly, or we had to get up super early when a storm was coming, or if we saw a bear, my family never gave up."
He says even his two daughters have learned how to unplug, and no longer crave their daily screen time.
"They are probably still going to love technology, but they've realized it's not the be all and end all, and that was the reason I did it."
