alaska trip 2016

rusty · March 31, 2016, 06:05:34 AM

Yes the trip to Valdez is worth it. If you get there take a day trip on the LuLu Belle out to columbia glacier. The trip was billed a 7 hour trip but it took us close to 9 hours. The captain will give you your moneys worth. You will see some unbelievable sites, lots of wildlife, he stays at the glacier for an hour, and he will go to where the whales are. Also the man talks about things from the time you step on the boat until you get off. The day we were there we ran along side the Northwestern for a ways. Looked like Sig was hauling salmon that day.

Safe travels
Wayne

Bill B /bus · March 31, 2016, 05:02:54 PM

Made the Alaska trip in 2001. Short trip as our youngest was on summer vacation before Junior year in high school. Schedule was 3 weeks to Alaska, 3 weeks there and 3 weeks back to Maine. Obviously the trip was fast in the beginning and the end. ie Wednesday morning left Wall SD at 1030 EDT, pulled into the driveway in Maine at 003 EDTSaturday. Glad no log books were involved. We didn't see Haines or Skagway. Valdez is a not to be missed. Top of the World is pretty spectacular.

Our plan for this trip is a more relaxed. Leaving Rio Grande Valley mid April. Entering Canada first week of May. Alaska first or second week of June. Hard date is September 15 in Bremerton, WA for a crew reunion of the submarine Halibut. Then back to Texas via (maybe) the Balloon Fest in New Mexico.

Bill

Brian Diehl · March 31, 2016, 06:32:28 PM

Quote from: rusty on March 31, 2016, 06:05:34 AM
Yes the trip to Valdez is worth it. If you get there take a day trip on the LuLu Belle out to columbia glacier. The trip was billed a 7 hour trip but it took us close to 9 hours. The captain will give you your moneys worth. You will see some unbelievable sites, lots of wildlife, he stays at the glacier for an hour, and he will go to where the whales are. Also the man talks about things from the time you step on the boat until you get off. The day we were there we ran along side the Northwestern for a ways. Looked like Sig was hauling salmon that day.

Safe travels
Wayne

Brenda and Hector of islandgirl.com also highly recommended the LuLu Belle trip out to the columbia glacier. Thanks for the reminder.

chessie4905 · April 05, 2016, 08:44:42 AM

They are having a sale on their videos till the 15th. Great deal and you won't be disappointed with all the pictures,info and narration. I don't have anything in these videos or the presenter, but highly recommend them after viewing them.
http://www.rvadventurevideos.com/

gumpy · April 05, 2016, 01:39:15 PM

Quote from: Brian Diehl on March 31, 2016, 06:32:28 PM
Brenda and Hector of islandgirl.com also highly recommended the LuLu Belle trip out to the columbia glacier. Thanks for the reminder.

We did the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier when we were there. It was well worth the money and time.

Don't take your bus through the tunnel. Not worth the extra money. There's not really much else to do in Whittier.

dtcerrato · August 08, 2016, 02:05:00 AM

I know this topic died about 4 months ago but its been alive for a couple of us these last few months. We left FL on May 16. In GA we realized that the coolant was being pressurized that the toad was being bathed in antifreeze. We also had a compressor fail in Atlanta rush hour. I almost turned back but the wife was screaming Alaska or bust, so we pushed on. In IN we put a new 4 valve cylinder head on. A coolant o ring & an adjacent cylinder fire ring had failed allowing exhaust gas to enter the coolant. We replaced the head because of crack between valves. The compressor failure was caused by a bad drive gear. After leaving IN we realized we were making oil. It took a spell to pinpoint the problem and changed out a few fuel crossover tubes (also created 2 forced oil changes). In IL the starter failed. After our 1st oil change in ND it was fair uneventful sailing through Canada into Alaska until a few weeks ago when the blower seized up and exploded. Thankfully it didn't send anything into the cylinders but we removed a lot of shrapnel from the air boxes. We learned that breakdowns are not a negative thing in Alaska. The blower sat us along the Seward hwy in a pullout for 11 days. In that time we had a royal blast running around with the toad seeing many places we probably wouldn't have. In fact we had so much fun we can't wait for our next breakdown (not really) LOL. A week ago when returning to Tok to start our return trip home we had such an empty feeling about leaving this great adventurous state that we came into a stall pattern & are awaiting to close on the purchase of a small parcel. Only then can we leave with the thought that an Alaskan journey doesn't have to be a once in a lifetime journey! We got bit, real bit. Not just from the Alaskan mosquitos but the grandure of this great last frontier. It has shed many years off our psychie and has us wanting to do things we haven't in a long time. The only way to weather a winter is in a permanant structure, not an RV, not even a bus @ -50. So until we can get a structure built, which may never happen ~ we'll just return in the bus for another round of "this is too good to be true stuff". We hope to leave by the last week in Aug to start our return trip home, if we don't do it voluntarily we're sure that the onset of winter will do it for us...

DoubleEagle · August 08, 2016, 07:00:38 AM

I really must congratulate you on your excellent attitude, many people would have given up after all those mechanical troubles. Many people on this thread don't recommend the trip as being worth the big bucks involved, yet you thrived on it. Outstanding!

luvrbus · August 08, 2016, 07:47:47 AM

It's worth the money for most it all depends on the individuals,we enjoyed it but I have no desire for another trip that one is off our bucket list.We have friends that live in AK I would like to go to visit but haven't done it.
Joe Laird has made the trip to Anchorage 20 times over the years in his and Frankie's Eagle.
Joe and Frankie even held a rally one time in Anchorage lot of people made the trip (we didn't). Canada is on our list for next year we want to see all of Canada not just the western part.
Asking our Canadian friends is that wise we know you guys have a lot of untamed territory and we want to see it

lostagain · August 08, 2016, 09:04:20 AM

Clifford, lots to see in Canada. Beautiful country. You are welcome to stay here for a few days. Lots of room. We'll point you to some sights nearby. And the dollar difference is to your advantage now. Lots of american tourists here this year.

JC

dtcerrato · August 09, 2016, 05:29:55 PM

Thanks Walter, We appreciate that... Still up here having a blast!

dtcerrato · August 10, 2016, 01:05:29 AM

Couldn't possibly give up on an item that has been sitting in the bucket list for over 35 years, no matter wtf happens.
That's our story & we're sticking to it.

DoubleEagle · August 10, 2016, 06:32:41 AM

And it's perfect timing, the Alaskan mosquitoes don't carry Zika virus.

dtcerrato · August 10, 2016, 09:22:07 AM

Now thats a good thing otherwise we would have it! That would be the ultimate repair! I have enough brain farts as it is...:~)

dtcerrato · August 10, 2016, 11:58:22 PM

I met a young man at the library in Tok AK today while Wi Fi ing. He was on a bicycle from Argentina, on the journey for 4 years and covered over 24,000 miles. He was headed to Prudhoe Bay! Hope he doesn't get caught in winter... His name is Guillermo Federico Solar. He has a Facebook page _ Protector Ushuaia Alaska. He is an awesome person & that is awesome stuff! Wanted to share that...

DoubleEagle · August 11, 2016, 06:06:10 AM

He must be carrying some spare tires with him, that is one long bicycle trip!