Driving western Canada

□ Day 10 (21 Feb) Yellowknife → High Level

We had a breakfast of bread and cereal at the motel and left. From here to High Level there are almost no places to eat lunch, so we bought it in advance at McDonald's in Yellowknife. Today we went back along the road we came by. No refuelling for over 300 km. We may have been getting a bit bored of the unchanging road with no towns or anything.

We crossed the Mackenzie River, and up to here all was well. But just before the town of Enterprise, there was an accident. It was at a point where a similar long straight changed into a gentle right-hand curve. There had been no oncoming cars for a while. The speed was set by cruise control, with no need to adjust it. The driver must have dozed off for a moment. When we noticed, the right wheels had slid down the slope of the shoulder and the car couldn't be controlled. He stamped desperately on the brake, but the car ploughed into the snow wall at the roadside. When the car stopped, the bumper had broken off. Reversing just spun the wheels and we couldn't get out. Then a car stopped for us and towed us back onto the road with a rope. We were saved. And the car moved. But the radiator had been damaged, and coolant seemed to be leaking. We bought coolant at the shop in Enterprise. When we somehow reached the motel in High Level, we were truly relieved.

Dinner was KFC. We ordered the 15-piece Barrel set. It was just the right amount for four.