Alaska Bound

[bluevost]

Hey POGgers,

Long time no talk. Driving to Alaska has come up on the site several times over the years, and I want to invite you to "virtually" join Janet and me, along with Tuga and Karen as we travel the Alaskan Highway. I post a journal on a site hosted by MyTripJournal. It's complete with text and photos, I keep a drivers log, you'll see interesting sights, great boondocking spots, what a frost heave looks like, and of course all the touristy things along the way. Hopefully plenty of wildlife too. So if you would like to be notified via e-mail when I put up a new post, here's what you do:
send me an e-mail in the next few days, kenzittrer@mac.com
on the subject line put "journal"
include your first and last names and the e-mail address you want me to use
you'll receive an invitation, and follow the prompts.
We are leaving home on the 27th of May, but the official kickoff day is June 15, at mile 0 in Dawson Creek, BC.

See you in Kerrville,

"Klondike" Ken

[GDeen]

Alright Ken - this should be fun to follow, and instructive. Jennifer and I have Alaska high on our bus travel to do list. Look forward to learning and traveling vicariously along the way with you guys. Have fun!

[Coloradobus]

Have fun you 4... We will follow in your tire tracks next summer 2011.

[stevet903]

Awesome!! You will have a great time!! We did it last summer and would love to do it again. Let me know if you need any info on things to do or routes to take, places to stay, etc. One suggestion that I would make before you leave is to make sure that what ever you are towing has a bra plus some windshield protection or that you have some sort of gravel guard on the back of the bus, or both... You won't be able to avoid the construction and loose gravel. The gravel that gets kicked up will scour the front of the toad. You will see plenty of jury rigged solutions as you travel up there. Be prepared to come back with some battle scars on the front of your coach as well. I had one cracked lower and a good sized bulls eye in the upper windshield when we got back, plus some dings in the stainless. Might be time to break out your plastic shield.... My other recommendation would be to take care of any mechanical issues and scheduled maintenance before you leave - fresh oil change, new filters etc. Bring plenty of spares. Any item that you may be questioning, like tires or batteries, should be taken care of before you leave the US. Prices in Canada and Alaska are outrageous, and you'll find that getting parts and service can take days or weeks. One couple we know had an engine failure (Ford gas engine), and it took them almost 2 months to get it fixed and back on the road.

It's all worth it when you wake up in a spot like this..... and have to wash the bugs off the windshield AGAIN....

e:Alcan Hwy.jpg6608

[merle&louise]

Steve,

Thanks for the advice. I am taking oil, oil filters, fuel filters, air filters, along with my usual inventory of spare parts.

How much was the diesel per gallon. I looked on Flying Js website and around Winnipeg, Manitoba it was $3.80/gallon. How much more is it in the far North?

I have new tires all around the coach so I should be good to go with that.

What were the temps like at night?

Did you have any border crossing problems?

How was the cell phone service? Who is your carrier?

[stevet903]

Diesel prices seem to be what ever the market will bear, with the smaller and more remote areas the worst. Definitely worth tanking up when you find a lower cost option. We left Boston last June with diesel at $2.59. In the Calgary area it was .89/liter and ranged up to $1.29/liter (CDN). In some remote parts of Alaska I saw $4.59/gal. I used this in the Yukon - http://www.esc.gov.yk.ca/fuel.html Currently prices range from $1.08/liter to $1.29/liter. In Alaska, look for a store called Fred Meyers - they are in Washington and Oregon as well. Sign up for their rewards card. Fred's is kind of an upscale Wal-Mart, with food, clothes, small appliances, etc. Most of the Freds in Alaska have fuel, and with the rewards card, you get .10 off per gallon for every $100 you spend in the store (that's easy!!). Most allow overnight parking and have water and a dump station, so it's a good place to stop and replenish all of your supplies - get the smoked salmon spread in the deli. Actually, get two because it won't last long.... Stop at the visitor centers in the towns and get the area book - many have coupons for .10/gal discount on fuel at one of the local stations. I remember one for the Chevron in Tok, and if you fill up they let you overnight in the lot behind the station.
Temps were all over the map - most of the summer the nights were comfortable in the 50's and 60's - I don't think we ran the A/C at all overnight, and only a few times during the day. Days could get all the way up into the 80's, but it was never humid. We left in September when the leaves turned and the nights got down below freezing a couple times. Winter comes fast up there. If you can't sleep with the lights on, you'll need to get some blackout curtains for the bedroom. In June and July, it never really gets dark.
We never had any problems with border crossings - we tried to cross at smaller stations during the middle of the day. They seemed to be most concerned with bringing weapons (including pepper spray) into Canada. To a lesser extent, they also seemed to be checking for certain produce (cherries, potatoes, etc). We just ate pretty much all of the fresh vegetables before we crossed and then stocked up on the Canadian side. Make sure you have proof of ownership, registration, and proof of insurance for both vehicles and your passports. The amount of alcohol that is allowed into Canada seems to be very low. You may bring in one of

* 1.5 litres (50.7 US ounces) of wine, including wine coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol, or

* 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of liquor, or

* a total of 1.14 litres (38.5 US ounces) of wine and liquor, or

* 24 x 355 millilitre (12 ounce) cans or bottles of beer or ale, including beer coolers over 0.5 percent alcohol (a maximum of 8.5 litres or 287.4 US ounces). We were a rolling liquor store when we went through. Barbara had put together a spreadsheet of the wine and liquor that we had on board. We handed it to the border guy and he laughed and told us go get out of there... I believe that it's important to be pleasant, honest, and make sure you tell them you are on the way to Alaska. It's worked for me.... More on customs here:

http://canadaonline.about.com/od/customs/Canada_Customs_and_Border_Services.htm

Cell phones??? HAH!!! Get a satellite phone if you want reliable coverage. We had Verizon and ATT. We bought a SIM card from Rogers in Calgary to get on a Canadian network. None of these worked while in Canada once you got very far north of Calgary and Vancouver. They would sometimes work in an area around a large town, like Whitehorse or Dawson Creek, but there are a lot of miles with no service. Prepare to be self sufficient for a couple of days (think water, fuel, and food) - if you need a tow it may take that long to get a truck big enough to your location. If you need to make a call, you may need to disconnect and drive to the next town - keep the toad full of gas just in case... In Alaska, ATT and Verizon work around the big cities - Anchorage, Fairbanks, Skagway, Homer, etc. I had a Verizon data card - It was slow in most areas - I think there was only 3G in Anchorage and Fairbanks. You'll find that you'll rely on campground connections for internet. Bring some DVDs, there's no TV either. My DirectTV stopped over the border. Around the larger towns you'll find that you may be able to get a mix of digital and analog signals, maybe two or three. Don't bother getting a Canadian plan for your cell phone, it wouldn't be worth it, and there simply is not enough coverage to justify it after the first couple days of travel.

[sawdust_128]

Have fun Ken. I hope it all goes well.

[Larry W]

Fred Myers is part of the Kroger chain so a Korger card will work for the fuel discount. Of course this many mile and this much fuel .10 off oer gallon is >>>>>.
Have a great trip. We lived in Fairbanks for 30 years. Made 11 trips over the road 1995 to 2000.

[merle&louise]

Steve & Larry,

Thanks for the info. Ken Zittrer told me about the satellite phone being the only thing that would work, but I just had to ask. Guess I was just hoping that the technology had improved from the last time Ken was up there. Ken is bringing his Iridium 9505 satellite phone and I have a SIM card so we should be go to.

I realize that the trip will be expensive, but it is a once in a lifetime trip for me. Guess we will just have to acclamate to the absence of cell, internet and satellite coverage. I don't think that losing those services will be all bad.

My coach has black out window shades so sleeping in a dark room when it is daylight out won't be a problem.

I hope we're ready - June 5th can't come fast enough. One more month!

[Larry W]

If you do as the north people you won't need black out shades. Just keep going until you are so worn out you have to get some sleep. How about a 11 PM tee time, in Fairbanks go to the midnite baseball game, bnest time to see wildlife is afdter midnite, you will get ti all sorted out. We found we did not need as much sleep in the summer time. Enjoy the north as it is totally different than the outside. ( Term used by Alaskans to denote the lower 48).

[Larry W]

I forgot the spell check

[Coloradobus]

Ken, Janet Tuga, and Karen. if you buy one piece of clothing and that alone, be sure to buy a mesquito jacket. It will be well worth the few bucks. Ours are hooded lightweight jackets with a sort of fishnetting on the under side of the arms for coolness, and across the face of the hood. It will make being outdoors at dusk 10:30pm to 2am that much more enjoyable.
In 2002, heading to Yellowknife NWT, we stopped for the night at the 60th parrellel provincial campground at the Alberta/NWT border, Max our oldest standard schnauzer was only 4 months old and he ran wildly back to the coach trying to outrun the mesquitoes.
Another item that is a must, is a portable Dust Buster. They are extremely efficient and a great way of vaccuuming up pesky mesquitoes that get in the coach, and you don't have to smash them on the ultrasuede ceiling to get rid of them......Suck 'em up,Scotty!!

[merle&louise]

Great suggestions Jim, the Dust Buster idea is slick!

Are the mosquito jackets water proof?

I have heard that Muskol is a great deterent for mosquitos. We plan to buy some as soon as we get into Canada.

I was checking diesel prices last night: Flying J in Calgary was about $3.48 and in Anchorage $4.00 (no Flying J it was some other brand). That was about what I planned. Hope prices don't go crazy like a few years ago.

[Coloradobus]

Anther suggestion, don't where dark clothiing, mesquitoes are attracted to them. And, don't eat bananas, because our bodies process the banana oil in a way that makes us extremely attractive and tasty to those mosquitoes. And they are the size of gliders1;):eek:

[Jim Skiff]

More Alaska pictures of Ken, Janet, Tuga and Karen! Thanks for your sharing your journey with us!
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[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Looking good guys and gals, you all seem to look younger than remembered. Maybe it's the good Canadian air.

Did you have any trouble getting all your guns through customs:eek: :D

Keep the views coming, some of us will never go.


JIM:p

[truk4u]

Your really styling!!! Has Tuga and Karen run out of rice and beans yet?

[ajducote]

Hey guys and gals

Enjoy the trip for all of us that could not make the trip. Keep the pictures coming. I sure wish we were there.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

We were in Alaska last summer visiting (not with the bus). My cell phone with AT&T worked most all of the time. Remember guys, we have alot of friends in Homer and some have Prevosts, also. Let us hear from you if you need help while in that area. Safe travels and God be with you!!
Sandy

[Jim Skiff]

More great pictures from Alaska! Thanks guys.. way to fly that POG flag!


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[dale farley]

I see Ken's collapsible ladder came in handy for something other than getting on top of the bus. That POG sign looks nice so high on that post. Keep the pictures coming.

[ajducote]

Okay you guys, how about an update on how the Alaska bound POG members are doing? How has the trip been so far? Where are you guys at? Are you having a good time? ( I HOPE so)

[Ray Davis]

You can follow Ken and Tuga's trip here .... http://www.mytripjournal.com/WhereIsTheBus-2010, complete pictures and commentary.

[grross]

Ray,
Thanks for the link to their "pictures"

[merle&louise]

Okay you guys, how about an update on how the Alaska bound POG members are doing? How has the trip been so far? Where are you guys at? Are you having a good time? ( I HOPE so)

Andre,

The trip is going great! We are in Dawson City, Yukon tonight and tomorrow night. We will be in Tok, Alaska on Monday. Canada is BIG!!! We have traveled over 4,000 miles and aren't in Alaska yet!

Ken is the consumate trip planner; this guy is good. We have soaked in Liard Hot Springs, caught fish in Swift River (aka Mosquito River) and seen some beautiful scenery. Can't wait to get to Fairbanks, Denali NP, and Keinia Pennisula to do some halibut fishing.

Our rigs are holding up good. This is rough terrain; stretches of gravel road that is under construction. Ken has had 2 rock hits on his windshield so far; I guess I'm due for one soon. Diesel prices aren't too bad; the last price we paid was $1.12/litre or $4.48/gallon. Muncho Lake had a diesel price of $6.80/gallon but we both had plenty of fuel so we waited and purchased some down the road.

We have seen bear, mountain goats, sheep, bison, & porcupines while driving down the hiway. I don't find the bugs or mosquitoes bad but Karen does. I guess she is sweeter than I am.

Before I left home I thought that this would be the trip of a lifetime and it is turning out to be just that!

Having a blast!

[ajducote]

Tuga,

Sounds great! I sure wish I could take that trip. Have enough fun for all of us. Our trip is going well We spent all day Saturday site seeing in Santa Fe. Say hi to the group for us.

Safe Travels

[Jim Skiff]

67646765More great photos from the Alaska crew!

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[garyde]

It looks like you guys are having a great time. How's the roads and the weather? Keep posting and enjoy the ride.

[merle&louise]

Hi Gary,

We are having a great time. The roads are really good; 2 lane and you can drive about 60 mph most of the time. The only road that was bad was "Top of the World" highway; it runs from Dawson City to Chicken. It is dirt/gravel and is narrow and has a lot of curves. Our coaches were filthly dirty when we finished the 70+ miles of dirt and gravel. We drove it in the rain and at times couldn't see because we were in the clouds. Let's just say that this road is less than ideal.

Tonight we are in Fairbanks at the River's Edge RV park. We sat out on the river in lawn chairs and enjoyed the view. Ken & Janet are going to Barrow tomorrow - the high temp will be 37 degrees. Louise and I are going to pass on this one; we like the 65 degree temps here in Fairbanks.

It take some getting used to only covering 200 miles a day, but to be perfectly truthful it is kind of nice. We stop to see things along the way like a meat market that makes sausage out of elk, buffalo, and any other kind of meat that you could want. Ken knows alot of neat places to stop and see.

We'll keep posting.



In Tok, AK we heard a fellow play guitar and sing songs about Alaska. It was right there in the campground and was kind of cool.

The only downside is there is no satellite TV. We have an Apple TV so we have something to watch. It was a gift from a good friend of mine before we left home. It has proved to be a Godsend; in Canada and Alaska there is no reception in most areas. The CG have cable TV, but as you know there is rarely anythng good on.

[Pete]

Tuga, I wonder if you taught them how to make Buffalo Boudin at the sausage place. Might start a new food item. Keep having a great time, and keep posting during your trip.

[merle&louise]

Pete,

We bought some elk ground meat and buffalo sausage. I was surprised to learn that elk meat can be easily burned on a grill. Since it doesn't have hardly any fat it will quickly burn. I thing that we will mix some Jimmy Dean pork sausage in with the elk and make burgers. I have done that with vinison and it is good.

We took a river boat cruise this morning; saw how natives lived hundreds of years ago. Salmon was their primary source of food in the summer and moose, elk, and caribou was hunted in the spring and fall. During the winter they relied on food stored from the warmer months.

We also saw the Alaskan Bowl company. They make wooden bowls out of birch wood. The bowls are beautiful and really expensive: how about $1900 for a set of 7 wooden bowls. I told Louise we would continue using paper plates.

Alaska is awesome!

[JIM KELLER]

Hey Tuga, What time does it get dark up there and what time does the sun come up ?

[rfoster]

Tuga and Ken et al: Thoroughly enjoying the post and pix. Keep them coming. I have a request - What are the high temps and low temps for the day?/days?

[merle&louise]

Hey Tuga, What time does it get dark up there and what time does the sun come up ?

Hi Jim,

It really doesn't get dark; it just gets like dusk. Sunset would be about 1AM and sunrise would be about 4AM. We have day/night shades on all of the windows and they are great! You just have to go with the flow and don't sweat it. You get used to it in about a month. It doesn't bother me much, but Louise is still not happy with it. She's getting better though.

To make matters a little worst we are on Alaska time which is 1 hour earlier than Pacific time. We are 5 hours ahead of you.

Alaska is great; if you've never been you owe it to yourself to come and see it. It is awesome. I would come back in a heartbeat.

[merle&louise]

Tuga and Ken et al: Thoroughly enjoying the post and pix. Keep them coming. I have a request - What are the high temps and low temps for the day?/days?

Hey Fast Roger,

The high today in Fairbanks was about 76 which is considerably hotter than other towns. Tok was in the high 60s and Dawson City was in the mid 60s. The lows are usually in the low 50s and high 40s. The climate has been delightful. We had some rain today in Fairbanks, but for the most part it has been clear and beautiful. Blue skies and a slight breeze. I was concerned about bugs and mosquitoes, but the only time we have encountered them was when we boondocked next to a river or creek.

Fairbanks is the most northern point that we will travel to in the coaches, and oddly enough it has been the warmest! Who knows! Monday we leave for Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley (renamed Mt. Denali). This for me will be the highlight of the trip. I have decided that I am going to climb Mt. Denali. It shouldn't take more than a week or so. Louise told me to bring a jacket! You'll read the headlines in the Bristol newspaper "Coonass climbs Mt. Denali".

Ken bet me $100 than I couldn't do it. So I'm on!

Miss you guys!

[rfoster]

Yall just keep on having fun!!

100 Bucks. Gor for it - take his money. He's got more where that came from.

Ken: How is the new roof coating performing? Can you tell a big difference? Are you ready to recommend it?

thanks from a
Poor old bus guy still working for diesel fuel.

[bluevost]

Hey King,

There is a noticeable difference in the heat inside the bus. Nick and I put on 2 thick coats of TempCoat, in a couple of places it's hard to see the rivets. We painted all the way to the clearance/marker lights in front, and I think that may help keep the overhead stereo/electronics a little cooler too.

Ken

[Jim Skiff]

From Tuga : " I was taking a picture of some spruce trees and this darn Grizzly bear walked in front of the camera! "

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and another

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[Kenneth Brewer]

Ruined those three pictures. A shame.

[JIM KELLER]

That's Funny .

[Pete]

I bet he had Karen get out and scare him away

[michaeldterry]

For those of you not subscribed to receive notification of updates to Ken & Janet's Trip Journal - you're really missing out on something special! To receive an e-mail notification when Ken updates the journal (usually every 1 to 2 days), follow this link: http://www.mytripjournal.com/WhereIsTheBus-2010 and then click on "Request Updates". Fill out the short form (Name, e-mail address, preferred language) and click "Submit".

Soon, you'll be receiving an e-mail notification each time there is a new journal entry! The pictures Ken & Janet post on the journal are incredible and the commentary is interesting & enlightening! It makes me want to say that "it's the next best thing to being there"! :rolleyes:

[bluevost]

Hey POGgers,

We had quite a day touring through Denali National Park. Saw lots of wildlife, AND Mt. McKinley, which I'm told has been officially changed to Mt. Denali. Most of our grizzly sightings were a couple of hundred yards from our shuttle bus, so photos are a little grainey. Enjoy!!

[lloyd&pamela]

Looks like you are having a great time, keep sending the photos.

[Coloradobus]

Ken and Janet, Tuga and Karen. so sorry to hear about Janet's ankle, oohh, ouch, that smarts. AND all those screws and plates, and splints and bandages, and staples and of course you need Duct Tape. Gueess you have better insurance than we do, ours would have prescribed aspirin to sleep, a sledge over the head for antisthetic, and duct tape to hold things together. Glad to hear Paramedics in the middle of Alaska are 10 minutes away.
We wish Janet a speedy recovery. I was on crutches for 18/1/2 months, yes months,, so if you need any pointers, Janet, you have our number.

[Pete]

Ken & Janet, so sorry to hear of Janet's accident. We know it is just a bump in the road for you two, and you will continue to have a great trip. Let us know if we can do anything to help. Janet, make sure Ken does all the work and you just supervise.

[garyde]

I was surprised to here about Janet so I read your Journal. Man that sounds like one heck of a break. I'm happy to hear she is doing well. Knowing Janet, a broken ankle won't slow her down. Enjoy
and thanks for taking the time keeping us updated with your trip.

[Danss]

Those Alaska hills are must be tuf! Climbing one of those hills is where my wife first realied that she had kidney failure which led to 2 transplants etc. etc. etc. She is doing fine now!! Dan & Jo

[truk4u]

Hang in there Janet, now Ken will have to pamper you even more than usual!

[parksincpp]

Poor Janet!!! I had a foot injury last summer that took me out for 10 weeks, no fun. Hang in there Janet. I just love the picture of her smiling from ear to ear in the basket. And Ken documenting everything in film. Try to have a good rest of your trip, safe travels.

[truk4u]

Keep your eye out overhead, as Jdub and 7 other planes will be over flying you on their way to Fairbanks this week.

[bluevost]

Hey POGgers,

All good things come to an end, sort of and end. Tonight we had our last evening meal together, it's been over 6 weeks since we met up in Dawson Creek, BC. Tomorrow night we will be on the ferry to Skagway. Friday we take the White Pass & Yukon train up the canyon and back, and then we part ways and head home. Tuga and Karen heading to Louisiana, and Janet and me to Washington State, and south on I-5. Janet has been getting along much better, she wants to thank everyone for their kind words and prayers.

It's been a real adventure for sure,

Ken

[merle&louise]

Karen and I would like to thank Ken & Janet for planning such a wonderful tour. We have seen many sites in Canada and Alaska in an efficent and timely vacation.

The scenery that we saw today (Three Guardsmen Mountains) traveling from Haines Junction and Haines was magnificent! This last RV park is a beautiful little park in Haines and is a perfect ending spot for a perfect vacation. Ken is a great vacation planner; he considered all of our needs as well as our guests - Cricket and Annie Huemann.

I didn't know what to expect on a trip to Alaska. I can truthfully say that this is the best vacation that I have ever had. Anyone who is planning a trip to Alaska needs to talk to Ken. He is truly, the man!

Thanks Ken & Janet!

[truk4u]

Janet,

Nice boot, but since it's black, how can you see all the signatures?:D