Escapees March-April 2024

I could never imagine why someone would willingly traverse into such a harsh and unforgiving land. But once he also read The Comfort Crisis , we both gained the clarity needed to view their unique, dog-centric lifestyle from another angle.

start line of the world-famous Iditarod sled dog race. Meanwhile, Jim wasn’t about to haul our fi fth wheel back up the Alaskan Highway after multiple mishaps during our fi rst to the Last Froniter. So, we traded the luxury of our Arctic Fox fi fth wheel for the nimble nature of a Project M truck topper by Four Wheel Campers. Downsizing Created as a customizable and very affordable alternative to their fully loaded pop-up truck campers, the Project M is an ultralight shell weighing in at just over 400 pounds unloaded. Unlike a slide-in truck camper, you keep the tailgate on the truck since the topper is bolted to the bedrails. Surprisingly spacious inside once the top is up, the M is a blank slate with optional equipment and a footprint that allows you to design and build on-board facilities best suited to your camping style. For us, that meant adding solar power, exterior lighting, gear mounting rails and an awning. Jim also re-purposed recycled plastic panels into a small kitchen galley. The sink and water pump are plumbed into a freshwater RotoPax container attached to the interior mounting rails. He built cabinets for a Dometic refrigerator, removable propane stove and storage. In a matter of weeks, the Project M became our perfect vehicle for our journey out of the comfort zone. Getting Back to Our Roots The logistics of putting our full-timing lifestyle on hiatus and relocating for 12 months were complex. But packing our belongings into the truck camper was even more challenging. Reminiscent of our back packing days when we carried our home on our backs, gone were the little luxuries that fi lled our closets and cabinets. Instead, we each got one plastic tote and handbag to fi t our most essential clothing and personal items. The camp kitchen fi t into a small backpack and even our dog downsized her bed. In August we shipped two boxes of heavy winter gear to our temporary home base, then began the long drive up the Alaska Highway. This time, we were ready for it. Unlike our fi rst Alaska misadventure, in 2018, when our fi fth wheel suffered a broken leaf spring

“The quiet sounds of runners on fresh snow behind the steady breath of working dogs. The snow absorbs so much of the world’s noise that the sounds that fall within my bubble become profound soundtracks of daily life. Thoughts focus in to the dogs in front of you, and the trail you can see ahead. Nothing else matters for a few precious hours.” TCHiver

The Best Way to Feel Alive This kind of peace doesn’t come without a price. My friend has known that for years, but it’s a brand new discovery for us. Now we get it. Flinging ourselves into unfamiliar, uncomfortable territory is the best way to feel alive! Simultaneously stretching our mental and physical limits stirs us out of stagnation and into a more well-rounded life experience. When we put body and brain to the test, we develop a sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment that just can’t be bought. Not at any price. Most people cease stepping out of their comfort zone after they leave school and fall into the predicable nature of adulting. The common refrain among nearly everyone I know is “Why make life any harder than it needs to be?” But as The Comfort Crisis argues, there’s a real bene fi t to doing hard things on purpose. Enjoying a beautiful and rewarding activity that rocks your world only happens by consciously choosing to endure challenging, sometimes dif fi cult, and occasionally, extreme circumstances. As two people who had spent the last 16 years chasing the sun in our fi fthwheel, we knew it was time to get our hands dirty and cold. Within a few months, we signed a 12-month lease on a cabin in Willow, Alaska. It’s the dog mushing capital of America and the cabin is a couple yards from the of fi cial

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ESCAPEES Magazine March/April 2024