Alaska trip 2012

mikelutestanski · February 29, 2012, 05:59:55 AM

Hello, anyone Alaska bound this summer? We are contemplating the journey.
Regards. Mike

Mike in GA · February 29, 2012, 08:02:45 AM

Wow, that's bound to be exciting! Wish we could join you. Best of luck, and keep us all posted on your great adventure.
Mike in GA

Ralph7 · February 29, 2012, 08:53:20 AM

Depends on how this spring goes, as I travel North.

Seayfam · February 29, 2012, 09:10:50 AM

You should think about driving down to Homer if you make it to Alaska.
I would really like to see that bus of yours

we could play show and tell with the busses.
Besides that, Homer is one of the most beautiful places in Alaska. Oh yeah... I have A boat.
You will have A fun trip, just bring a lot of money for fuel. It is 4.83 as of yesterday.

billy6941 · February 29, 2012, 10:12:46 AM

I live in Soldotna, about 75 miles north of Homer and fuel is about $4.80 here. In Canada, you will pay between $5.00 and $6.00. Whitehorse, YT fuel prices are 1.399 per liter......Bill

chev49 · February 29, 2012, 03:36:43 PM

Clam Gulch is much nicer than Homer... or Soldotna for that matter... HAHAHA...
Actually I like crooked creek...

In Homer you can visit my sister, Mary Kay, and have her daughter give you all haircuts in the mall...(well sorta a mall for homer)

akroyaleagle · February 29, 2012, 04:40:14 PM

Go online and buy the current edition of MilePost magazine. I think it will answer all your questions.

Just be careful early May or before, and September or later. The Canadians are an independent bunch and just because it says the are open from May 15 to Sep 15 doesn't make it so. They go home from AZ or depart for AZ when they feel like it.

Joe Laird
Relocated Alaskan
27 trips on the Alcan and/or Cassiar.

belfert · February 29, 2012, 04:46:56 PM

Wasn't Teresa (camperbrat) planning a trip to AK this year, or is it 2013 she is shooting for?

David Anderson · February 29, 2012, 06:20:12 PM

Our volunteer builder group www.vcbuilders.org has a building project in Wasilla in July. There are about 15 RV couples signed up to go, and my wife and I are thinking about going. It would be the chance of a lifetime for us. The fuel cost would be about $6k

I've heard the road through Canada is pretty tough on suspensions and windshields. True, or not?

David

Seayfam · February 29, 2012, 06:34:59 PM

The road is very good for the most part. The worst of it is from Hains Junction to the Alaska border. I'm going to say about 100 miles of gravel and the largest frost heaves you have ever seen. most of that section you will be traveling 25 to 35 MPH. My bus is a veteran on the Alaska Highway. We do plan on going south to Idaho in the fall.

It looks like there are a bunch of us down on the Kenai Peninsula. Maybe someday we can get a small bus rally together up here?

gumpy · March 02, 2012, 04:54:53 PM

We're making plans for this summer, but right now, the bus is not in them! We're planning to trailer the motorcycles to Prince Rupert and get on the ferry there. Looking like
the first week of July we'll leave MN. We'll hit several stops along the inside passage and end up on the mainland AK either at Haines or Skagway, or in Whittier, depending
the ferry schedule. Will be spending a couple weeks with friends in Palmer helping them get some heat in their bus and doing some fishing with them. Not sure about
other plans and places yet, though I'm keeping Gary's offer of a bus and boat in mind

and hoping to see Tom in Ketchikan and others along the way.

I'll be getting in touch with some of you guys along the way soon for tips and pointers of where to stop and how long to stay, etc.

We did the Alaska Highway in 2005 with the bus, towing an Explorer. It was an awesome trip. The In-Laws came with us in their pickup and trailer. The roads through Canada
were fantastic. No problems with that at all. Take your time. Don't rush it. We planned for 300 miles a day. It worked out perfect. One day was 400. One day was 75. If we saw
something we wanted to see, we stopped and saw. When we got tired, we found a place to pull off and stayed the night.

If you would like more details, email me or call, and we'll talk.

craig

pvcces · March 02, 2012, 11:02:53 PM

Hi, Craig.

If you keep us posted, I'll see what I can do filling out your stop here. We're getting ready for a trip in a few days and plan to be back before the tourist season starts.

Take care.

Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher
Ketchikan, Alaska

mikelutestanski · March 05, 2012, 06:48:19 AM

Hello all,
Thanks for all the info. Present plans call for a short stop in Pittsburg after leaving Florida. Then on or about may 30 leaving Pittsburg heading west . We will try the northern route and head for Alaska. Probably be there mid or late June. We will coordinate and see where we can be to visit those in Alaska. This trip we want to take in all the sights and enjoy the visit. No hurries ,no worries just a ride in the park!! We'll be happy to show the bus to anyone who is interested.
Regards and happy bussin. Mike

P.S. We are train buffs so we do try to visit and ride where possible..

bobofthenorth · March 05, 2012, 11:03:58 AM

If you end up going through Fairmont, BC there's a former coal burner on about 5 miles of track - you can go for a ride on it at Fort Steele. I don't know squat about trains - all I remember is that this one was converted to oil. Its a lot of years since we stayed there but Fort Steele was a good visit complete with actors in period costume doing all sorts of pioneer crap for the tourists - the highlight for the kids was that they got to help churn ice cream. Somewhere there there's also a couple of static displays including a train that ran on some kind of rack and pinion drive down the centre of the rails - I may be mixing that part up with the RR museum in Revelstoke - the one that takes you for a ride is definitely in Fort Steele. But I guess that means if you want to look at trains then Revelstoke is worth a stop too. We haven't done the museum run much since the kids grew up.

Seayfam · March 05, 2012, 01:08:22 PM

Mike,
We are train buffs also. I was also going to mention Fort Steele in BC. We always travel to and from Idaho through the Canadian Rockies. Fort Steele is one of our stops along the way. Fort Steele is a restored 1890's heritage town. The steam engine there is a really fun train to ride on. I have been on it a few times and always like it. I believe it is the train that was in the old Jackie Chan movie. You can Google Fort Steele for any information.

Another train ride I like along the way is in Skagway Alaska. Skagway is a must if you are traveling the Alaska highway. Very neat town with lots of history. They have a Narrow-gauge railroad there that will take you on a 1/2 day ride from sea level to 3,000 feet up the White Pass Summit. This is a train ride I will never forget and the last time I rode it was 3 years ago. The cost was $100.00 then. If you decide to go to Skagway, Make sure your brakes are adjusted before going in there.