North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
- Thread starter akjimny
- Start date
Triple E
Senior Member
Re: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
I read everyone of your post last year and will continue to do so this year. I am looking forward to it. :approve:
I hope you don't loose your bumper this year. :laugh: :laugh:
Have a safe trip and let us know how bad the "break up" is.
I read everyone of your post last year and will continue to do so this year. I am looking forward to it. :approve:
I hope you don't loose your bumper this year. :laugh: :laugh:
Have a safe trip and let us know how bad the "break up" is.
TexasClodhopper
Senior Member
Re: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
What are ya waiting for?
What are ya waiting for?
try2findus
Senior Member
Re: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
Also waiting!
Also waiting!
akjimny
Senior Member
Re: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
Thank goodness everyone's okay down in Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, etc. I didn't want to clutter the forum up with my ramblings until we made sure everyone made it thru the storms.
Anyway, we spent the night in an Ohio Turnpike rest area. They have two, if I remember correctly, with RV electrical hookups and a dump station and potable water supply. The next day, April 19, we headed off thru Indiana and Illinois. At our lunch stop my Bro-In-Law discovered that the 4-way plug from the trailer to the motorhome had become disconnected and had been dragging on the pavement for who knows how long. Anyway, it was pretty much ground down to a nub. So we stopped in a Walmart parking lot, bought another plug, and spent two and a half hours in the rain and wind trying to get it fixed. Several blown fuses later we decided to find an RV repair shop. We ended up at 120 RV in Round Lake, Illinois. We got there shortly before closing time and the guys worked in the trailer for an hour (and several more blown fuses) before giving up having only restored the running lights. So we headed back up the Interstate thru rain, sleet, snow and hail and spent the night in a Wisconsin rest area.
Everything else went pretty good except for going up US 85 from the Interstate to US 2. US 85 is now a pipeline haul road for the oil fields and is covered in red mud and big, muddy trucks speeding to beat the band. Motorhome now looks like I just drove up a 50 mile dirt road.
We entered Canada just North of Shelby, Montana, and for the first time ever got the full inspection treatment. Had to pull the motorhome into a big garage, Had three inspectors go thru everything (pretty much), storage bins, slide out, suitcases - everything but a TSA pat down. But they were very polite and even displayed a sense of humor. Spent that night (April 22) in a Walmart parking lot in Airdrie, BC.
April 23 - Fort St. John, BC
April 24 - Watson Lake, Yukon
April 25 - Tok, AK
April 26 - Anchorage, AK
Somewhere on the ALCAN I managed to rip a fender off the trailer. Last year it was the rear bumper on the toad, this year the trailer. Every year I seem to lose a piece of my a** somewhere in Canada. Maybe there's a lesson to be learned here.
Anyway - grand total - Sebring, FL to Wysox, PA to Anchorage, AK - 5867.6 miles
And
$3385.01 for gas alone - not including campground fees, food, repair bills, toll road fees, etc. :angry: :angry: :angry:
But we are here now for the summer - if it ever gets here.
Thank goodness everyone's okay down in Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, etc. I didn't want to clutter the forum up with my ramblings until we made sure everyone made it thru the storms.
Anyway, we spent the night in an Ohio Turnpike rest area. They have two, if I remember correctly, with RV electrical hookups and a dump station and potable water supply. The next day, April 19, we headed off thru Indiana and Illinois. At our lunch stop my Bro-In-Law discovered that the 4-way plug from the trailer to the motorhome had become disconnected and had been dragging on the pavement for who knows how long. Anyway, it was pretty much ground down to a nub. So we stopped in a Walmart parking lot, bought another plug, and spent two and a half hours in the rain and wind trying to get it fixed. Several blown fuses later we decided to find an RV repair shop. We ended up at 120 RV in Round Lake, Illinois. We got there shortly before closing time and the guys worked in the trailer for an hour (and several more blown fuses) before giving up having only restored the running lights. So we headed back up the Interstate thru rain, sleet, snow and hail and spent the night in a Wisconsin rest area.
Everything else went pretty good except for going up US 85 from the Interstate to US 2. US 85 is now a pipeline haul road for the oil fields and is covered in red mud and big, muddy trucks speeding to beat the band. Motorhome now looks like I just drove up a 50 mile dirt road.
We entered Canada just North of Shelby, Montana, and for the first time ever got the full inspection treatment. Had to pull the motorhome into a big garage, Had three inspectors go thru everything (pretty much), storage bins, slide out, suitcases - everything but a TSA pat down. But they were very polite and even displayed a sense of humor. Spent that night (April 22) in a Walmart parking lot in Airdrie, BC.
April 23 - Fort St. John, BC
April 24 - Watson Lake, Yukon
April 25 - Tok, AK
April 26 - Anchorage, AK
Somewhere on the ALCAN I managed to rip a fender off the trailer. Last year it was the rear bumper on the toad, this year the trailer. Every year I seem to lose a piece of my a** somewhere in Canada. Maybe there's a lesson to be learned here.
Anyway - grand total - Sebring, FL to Wysox, PA to Anchorage, AK - 5867.6 miles
And
$3385.01 for gas alone - not including campground fees, food, repair bills, toll road fees, etc. :angry: :angry: :angry:
But we are here now for the summer - if it ever gets here.
RE: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
Jim
Thanks for the update. Quite a trip almost 600 miles a day
I was down to Fl. for 3 weeks just before you left to go to AK. I don't blame anyone from getting away from that Heat and Humidity in early April. I drove thru severe weather in the pan handle going down just missed the tornado I guess it touched down about 20 miles to my west ,but hit some hurricane force winds with rain.... Visited relatives in Fl & Ga 3400 miles trip $1605.00 in Gas. W/O the toad.
The Kings should be along shortly hopefully it will be a better salmon season this year. Hope you have a Great summer fishing and visiting. I know you have excaped the heat of Florida for the summer.
Did the Canada's customs ever till you what they were looking for?
I Still would like to head up to Ak
Time will tell
Jim
Thanks for the update. Quite a trip almost 600 miles a day
I was down to Fl. for 3 weeks just before you left to go to AK. I don't blame anyone from getting away from that Heat and Humidity in early April. I drove thru severe weather in the pan handle going down just missed the tornado I guess it touched down about 20 miles to my west ,but hit some hurricane force winds with rain.... Visited relatives in Fl & Ga 3400 miles trip $1605.00 in Gas. W/O the toad.
The Kings should be along shortly hopefully it will be a better salmon season this year. Hope you have a Great summer fishing and visiting. I know you have excaped the heat of Florida for the summer.
Did the Canada's customs ever till you what they were looking for?
I Still would like to head up to Ak
Time will tell
akjimny
Senior Member
Re: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
Canadian customs mentioned everything - drugs, excessive money (I wish) kiddie porn (but they never looked at my laptop) and guns. They wanted to know how many guns I own and where I kept them. I told them all were in my gun safe back home except for my 12 gauge bear gun, for which I had already completed the customs form.
As I said, they were very polite and it wasn't really a torture session. They didn't make us take the covers off the motorcycles or Boss Lady's wheelchair, which really would have been a pain in the a**. They didn't even ask about all the medications (and I mean a BUNCH of meds) that it takes to maintain Boss Lady and me. But I guess they figured we were old and all that stuff was necessary (it is).
It could have been a lot worse, but I think their customs folks are pretty well trained to spot anyone they suspect of transporting anything illegal. I think we were just the next one in the queue to be inspected - nothing special.
Kings in May, Reds in June, hopefully some Halibut and Silvers somewhere this summer and I'll try to get enough to bring to the M&G in October.
Canadian customs mentioned everything - drugs, excessive money (I wish) kiddie porn (but they never looked at my laptop) and guns. They wanted to know how many guns I own and where I kept them. I told them all were in my gun safe back home except for my 12 gauge bear gun, for which I had already completed the customs form.
As I said, they were very polite and it wasn't really a torture session. They didn't make us take the covers off the motorcycles or Boss Lady's wheelchair, which really would have been a pain in the a**. They didn't even ask about all the medications (and I mean a BUNCH of meds) that it takes to maintain Boss Lady and me. But I guess they figured we were old and all that stuff was necessary (it is).
It could have been a lot worse, but I think their customs folks are pretty well trained to spot anyone they suspect of transporting anything illegal. I think we were just the next one in the queue to be inspected - nothing special.
Kings in May, Reds in June, hopefully some Halibut and Silvers somewhere this summer and I'll try to get enough to bring to the M&G in October.
try2findus
Senior Member
Re: North to Alaska - The Rest of the Story
Glad you had a safe trip!
Keep us posted on all of the fun you are having!
Glad you had a safe trip!
Keep us posted on all of the fun you are having!
