B.C. man's drive of a lifetime on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway

Dan Cassan saidhe was itching to drive across the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway, long before it opened.

But it wasn't enough to justdrive through it he wanted to be the first.

It was a goal Cassan had since visiting Inuvik, N.W.T., in the summer.

"I always said that once the highway would open to Tuk, I'd be here for the opening and driving .... [as] one of the first ones," said Cassan.

So Cassan, a retiree from Tumbler Ridge, B.C., brought his two dogs to Inuvikon Oct. 27 before the ferries closed.

He stayed there, waiting for the highway to open.

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The big day arrived on Nov. 15, and Cassan and his pooches made their way to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Afterwards, he hopped in his vehicle and drove.

"The road was great," said Cassan. "It was in good condition the whole way."

Cassan said he and his two dogs were the first tourists to drive across that day.

Since then, Cassan said hedrovethe highway a handful of times, and sawa lot of wildlife: including wolves, ptarmigans andArctic foxes.

Cassansaid that he's having so much fun in the area that still hasn't left.

He'll be heading back home next week from Inuvik, but not before he experiences one more thing.

"I want to see the reindeer herd coming down, so I'm waiting for that."

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