Joe, you make a good point.
Last year the machines that take plastic cards (debit/credit) weren't working when we filled up at Toad River on the Alaska Highway. Having enough cash to pay for the fill-up let us continue our trip without waiting for the debit/credit system to get functional.
Even in Whitehorse the systems sometimes fail. The infrastructure isn't as stable in the north as in the south. There's been a few times the past year when it has been cash-only at retailers in Whitehorse.
Thus, I've taken to carrying a couple hundred dollars in cash all the time now, something I never did when I lived Outside.
