North to Alaska...

Vikings

Left Spokane Thursday 6/8, overnighted in Kootenay National Park, then through Lake Louise to Jasper National Park and now, 3rd night, in an RV Park in Grand Prairie, Alberta.   After the first 800 miles, monsoon like rains first two days and nights, a bit of snow this morning not sure Mary Kay as excited about the next 1600 miles to Anchorage.  But sunshine today was fun and outdoor rugs dried out!

We see T@B's often in states...none so far up here.  No chance to try my solar panel yet...maybe tomorrow night.   Not a lot of cell phone service but satellite radio works well.   

We never get tired of the Canadian Rockies, enjoy the photos.
 
Kim and Mary Kay
ps...how are these bugs getting through all our screens?   

pthomas745

My XM radio stopped about Tok or so..but the drive was so fun I hardly noticed!

ClaudeA

Enjoy your trip.  The ride from Banff to Jasper was one of our favourite sections.

Tabaz

Here's a solution for the bug issue from Photomom:

http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/47441/#Comment_47441

Homebodyatheart

Have a safe and fabulous journey! We look forward to great stories at breakfast next fall!

Ratkity

Amazing trip! I bet you have some stories

P.S. The bugs just open the screens themselves. No one really knows when they got opposable thumbs. LOL.

Vikings

Another night with wifi...on Muncho Lake in northern BC.  Tomorrow Yukon Province.
Dawson Creek is official start of the Al-Can, their claim to fame. 
Kiskatinaw Bridge is only remaining original from 1942, just off current route. 
Boondocked last night and ALDE 'fan failure' required heating hot water on stove...today Spencer at ALDE had some suggestions (his encouraging words helped my mood), but bouncing along the highway fixed problem as boiler started up tonight!
Fort Nelson has an awesome museum related to the Al-Can Highway among other amazing stuff.
Wildlife and great expanse of northwest Canada continue to impress us.   Today 5 black bears, 8 Stone sheep, and 1 moose .  


Kim and Mary Kay

marknjudy

I'm enjoying this thread immensely. Please keep the pictures and commentary coming!

ericnliz

@Vikings, Be safe out there, great pictures! Keep 'em coming!

2Cougs

@Vikings - What a great T@bventure!  Love traveling along with you via your pics!  The Fall SpoT@b breakfast will be non-stop talk of all our fun adventures!  Be sure you are all keeping journals/logs.

Vikings

Wow...Canada is BIG.  Still amazed at the immensity of BC and Yukon. 
We are now about 1500 miles, or 2500 KM into trip.  Tonight in Whitehorse, and when pouring rain (actually had about 36 hours w/ no rain) we decided to eat out, and over next two hours sun came back. 
About 18 hours of daylight today, a week or so prior to summer solstice.  
Left Muncho Lake yesterday morning and first stop was at Laird Hot Springs...very cool.

Then we finally saw a T@B heading home...a white one with grey side panels.  If "you" check this let us know if you saw us. 
Think we saw a grizzly munching something along the road along with a couple more black bear sightings.  Also 4 bison (biggest mortality impact is car hits...they use the roads just like we do).
Next was Watson Lake...83000 signs...started by an injured soldier during ALCAN construction.  This wifi system not working too well....so you will have to trust me, lots of street signs and license plates.  And now photos out of order...

Last night at rudimentary Big Creek Campground...the fire smoke helped control the mosquitos.
Kim and Mary Kay
ps...bring a long handled car washing brush...TV and T@B very dirty...here in Whitehorse at Hi Country RV they have an RV wash but just spraying it ain't gonna' do it. 

pthomas745

I still have grime on parts of my car from the rainy road construction sections.....

Michigan_Mike

We drove up the same route, took the ALCAN highway all the way up to Fairbanks (also other routes and stops in-between) and drove the Cassiar highway back down.  We entered Alaska through Tok and enjoyed the trip immensely.  

So how is the amount of light up there at this time of the year (land of the midnight sun) as we were there in late July into August and there was virtual daylight all night long.   It was eerie walking around at night in daylight, seeing campgrounds and trailers and no one outside in the light.   It was quite an experience and it took some getting use to in order to fall asleep and get re-energized for the next day of travel!  

Great trip and the trip of a lifetime for sure!  

Vikings

Wednesday night we landed in Whitehorse…High Country RV Park.  Pretty nice with all the amenities though internet limited to 30 minutes per device.  Whitehorse is a funky and pretty neat town.  Wandered around downtown, enjoyed the river, and watched some First Nation peoples working on a dug out canoe.  The next morning we discovered the Bieringa Cultural Center, worth a stop. 

All along the ALCAN, more in Canada, significant number of WWII era vehicles and equipment are seen.  I again am impressed.



Thursday night was in Snag Junction Campground.  Basic but nice.  Almost full daylight at 11:55 PM.   It did get darker later.  No problems sleeping in T@B. 

6 official liquor stores in Yukon…but you can buy wine at Village Bakery in Haines Junction…just so you know.  

Lots of rain and gravel in last 200 miles but finally made it to Alaska Friday morning…about 2100 miles.   About 75 miles on either side of boarder, road has significant frost heaves which are “hitch killers” according to some.  Due to significant squeaking I finally stopped, and disassembled ball joint and stinger from receiver hitch to verify hitch not tearing away from TV.  It seemed solid so I ‘greased’ all wear points between receiver and ball mount stinger (wear points obvious) and ball/trailer joint with bar soap (yeah, I’m old school) and viola’, squeaking stopped.   Maybe I will get some real grease in Anchorage…

No large animals spotted in last two days…just lots of snowshoe rabbits, trumpeter swans, and one owl carrying dinner home.   Did see another T@B just after leaving Whitehorse. 



Just after entering Alaska the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center and Seaton Roadhouse Interpretive Trail both worth a stop (sunshine was nice too).  Seatons, who came from Alabama in 1949, set up a roadside gas station, lounge, cabins, etc., and survived until road realigned in 1966 leaving them off the beaten path.  I was impressed, realizing that even in 1967 this trip would have required much more grit, and maybe twice the time, though a 60’s era vehicle would have been simpler to keep running.    

Tonight in Wrangell-Elias National Park (six times bigger than Yellowstone), at Hart D Ranch, an RV “park”…real funky!  That is a salmon "scooper" behind trailer I think...put it in river, wait for salmon to fill up one side, rotate, fish slide out into your container while other side in water catching more fish. 

Kim and Mary Kay

ClaudeA

Thanks for posting.  It's bringing back great memories form 2013.  Did you see my sign at Watson Lake lol.

Michigan_Mike

Make sure you drive down to Valdez....  And maybe you plan to or are on that route now since you camped in  Wrangell- St Elias National Park?

2Cougs

Great log and pictures... I have loved following you this way!  Keep it up!

Vikings

Wrangell-St. Elias provided some hiking opportunities which coincided with sun...
Amazing mountains that happen to be everywhere. 
What started it?
While busting their butts they did have great views...
42 miles into back country (rough gravel road, fjorded 4 smaller streams) we found several in-dwelling residents along with small airplanes and runways...
11:30 PM June 17th...

The 18th we traveled south to southern Wrangell-St. Elias entrance, dropped trlr at campsite and drove 90 miles to Kennecott mine site...this is the glacier...and then mine buildings.
Up close in this photo...
All that grey is not mine tailings, rather it is glacier ice covered with rock, etc.  And while lower than mine buildings now, 100 years ago it was 100 feet ABOVE the buildings.  The big white part of glacier 4 photos above is to extreme right of this photo (you cant see it but explanation may help your orientation). 
There is a little town, McCarthy, with 50 winter residents and 350 summer residents to service tourists...hamburgers, beer and wine were quite good.  The 90 miles in, 30 pavement, 60 smooth gravel, may not be to your liking however a giant moose jumped out about 100 feet in front of us on way out...worth the effort?  Unfortunately he did not wait around for us to find out camera...
Braided rivers everywhere...this one flows into the Copper River, of Copper River Salmon fame. 
Finally the above mountains from the western side...
Tonight our second in Anchorage, in not the best but not the worst RV campground.  Tomorrow with pick up grandson at airport and head to Kenai. 

Kim and Mary Kay

Kats

You are making me homesick for my adopted state! I am a New Englander, but my alma mater is the University of Alaska, Anchorage. Enjoy the Great Land, and keep posting!

Ratkity

Amazing!! Just awesome picts

ericnliz

@Vikings, What an awesome adventure! Thanks ever so much for sharing your amazing photos along with descriptions. Nice journal!!!!

Homebodyatheart

If you get to Valdez(via a lot of frost heaves BTW) take the ferry to Cordova, home of the Copper River, Copper River Salmon. Somewhere there is the Eyak cannery. They also have huts of smoked salmon, and other goodies. I toured it in 1990 when I worked on Prince William Sound for the summer. Amazing sockeye there! The main hotel is The Reluctant Fisherman. Good food, and a bit spendy. Back then no one locked car doors. When I asked my boss why he said "Where would they go? there is one road out of town and it dead ends at the Million Dollar Bridge." Not to mention that everyone knows everyone! I loved Alaska!

Michigan_Mike

Interesting!  I thought the mine looked familiar as it's been shown on TV with the McCarthy footage and residents who were either supportive or unsupportive of tours and tourism in general.  Obviously a lot of it is scripted, the guy who owns the hotel in McCarthy also owns the makeshift power grid and was behind allowing tourists access to the old mine and operations therein.  It looks like a beautiful area and appreciate you sharing your trip and photos!  

Vikings

The adventure continues!

Journal Entry 6/21 and 22

Anchorage Package Pickup

Our 11 yr old grandson Auggie joined us in Anchorage, flying up from Seattle unaccompanied…which made things interesting!

He came off plane smiling (we had passes to meet him at gate) and after a couple of hugs we headed to the exits.  Suddenly we were stopped by 3 stern looking women with more badges and walkie talkies than I had ever seen…surprising as we had not brought any “legal in Washington” marijauna with us.  

Turns out Auggie had taken off his coat that had a sticker on it identifying him as an unaccompanied kid, so flight attendants did not recognize and stop him from leaving plane as  unaccompanied kid.   I have to hand it to Alaska Air…the kid did not get far without lots of bells and whistles going off.  He claims he was not told to stay put, and I have to admit grandma and grandpa were not using their heads, I mean we had the package so why would we think about signing delivery receipt papers…yes, we had to return to gate desk, sign (sort of like Fed Ex?) and  get told again the errors we had all made…   Live and learn! 

Then it was off to Cabela’s to replace the 6th puny little pocket knife I always carry except when riding planes…since I was not getting on a plane I did not remember I’d be going through security to get to Auggie’s gate.   Yeah, I had lost 6 of these since 9/11.  Not using my head again….must be all the fresh air up here!   New knife much sharper!

We then took off to Seward…where it rained all day, was about 50 degrees, and grey, grey, grey!  We are in a waterfront city owned RV park…500 spots, 4th row back.  If sunny, like the picture in Milepost book, it would be great, but not so much now.  So you folks that have been here why do people come to Seward?  Fishing?  We are doing a zip line (why does a 67 year old guy have to do a zip line, oh yeah, the package we picked up), and tomorrow a whale watching boat ride (dramamine ready). 

It is now the next morning…and sleeping last night was an education.   Three across the CS bed is tight.  We had planned to put the package in the “lower” bunk (floor under table and slats) but Grandma worried we’d step on his head during nighttime bathroom trips (the primary reason we now have a trailer with bathroom…duh).  So it was three across, until about midnight when  I tried moving to lower bunk.  I had tried it at home, and I fit.  Last night not so much…turns out adding a 1.5 inch Thermorest pad and sleeping bag makes it tough to slide into that rather tight slot.  I finally got there, but 15 minutes later wanted to roll over, something else I had tried at home.   Remember that pad, turns out lower bunk was too tight to roll over without forcing slats up about 1 inch…nobody woke up but I now know Mary Kay was laughing and biting her tongue through entire process.  Yes, I gave up and returned to the sardine can like bed.  Tonight we are planning to rotate 90 degrees and let our feet hang over the edge.  Grandma and Grandpa are both 5’6” so only our feet will hang over and package is about 5 feet and will fit on drivers slide under TV.   Why didn’t we pack that tent?

With luck I will add some zip line and cruise photos…but wanted to feel the sympathy you are sending my way about now…ok, ok, you are just laughing!!!   Me too! 

2Cougs

I am laughing!  Good for you to make it work... A trip of a lifetime for all three of you!

ericnliz

@Vikings, Thanks for the good chuckle from another fellow Spokanite! I'm laughing mostly from the "been there, done that" syndrome, from the knife at the airport, to the sardine can with the grandson! You're on an adventure all three of you will cherish for years to come. The laughs have just started, the memories will be forever! Thanks for sharing, and remember....they DO sell tents at Cabela's!

marknjudy

Great story! I have to say, I am enjoying the two travelogue threads that are running right now - this one and the one about 1st vacation (or something like that). We should have more of these!

Vikings

Perhaps I was too hard on Seward…while not blinding you could almost tell where the sun was on Thursday, June 22.  Another older T@B has been parked here but have not seen owners.  500 sites in this Seward city campground, though not all for RV's.  
As you can see the sardines fit in the T@B nicely when upright.  

We had a great zip line experience.  The package guy loved it and Grandma did well too. 
 
On Friday a cruise to Holgate Glacier was well worth the cost:  Bonus points for those who can spot the T@B, (photo from cruise boat deck) in forest of motor homes,

sea otters,

sea lions,

Orca’s, yes, zoom required...

and even three North Pacific Humpback Whales were spotted.  No documentation of humpbacks…you will have to trust that I did see the flukes going down.
The glacier was impressive…zoom photo and you will see a 30 foot boat within 500 feet of ice which gives more perspective on size.  

The return trip was a bit boring for the package, but I am proud he has learned to nap like Grandpa.
Saturday morning Mary Kay saw some blows from our campground, and you can see the weather has improved immensely.   Was I too hard on Seward earlier? 

Zip line guy told us about a salmon weir just a couple of miles from Seward and we found it Saturday AM.  Turns out they just count the salmon there, and perhaps limit number into Bear Lake, though not sure why.
Look hard and you will spot several salmon heading upstream 50 feet below the weir shown above. 
 
We then did a short 1 mile in, 1 out hike to toe of Exit glacier, again within miles of Seward.  


After that it was off to city of Kenai on the west side of this peninsula.  Tonight is just beautiful, not a cloud in the sky…well maybe there are some still around 10,000 ft. Redoubt Volcano, across the bay.  Sundown is at 11:39 and with no clouds this will be a bright night.   

This Russian Orthodox Church has been here since 1894.  

On towards Denali tomorrow.   We hope weather holds so we can see it! 
Kim, Mary Kay and the "package"

pthomas745

Good luck in Denali! 

There is a "tidal bore" event on the Turnagin Arm the next two evenings.  Not til about 5:30 or 6 pm, so it may not fit in the Denali drive schedule. 

http://www.alaska.org/advice/alaska-bore-tide

Homebodyatheart

@Vikings your wonderful posts and pics are bringing back so many happy memories for me, and showing me things I didn't see in Alaska, too! Thanks! When you took the boat tour from Seward what was the name of the glacier you went to? We sailed to Mears glacier once a week all summer, the only ones there, and it was amazing, especially when it calved! I did take a tour to Talkeetna and saw the spirit houses in the cemetery. Interesting place! Again, thank you!

Vikings

pthomas...did not see tidal bore because through area about noon...but tides were way out so we can understand how a wave might develop, something I did not know about.
Homebodyatheart...Holgate Glacier, but saw many others also...but up close and personal to Holgate.  We also did not make it to 
Valdez...turned east at the road to McCarthy/Kennecutt.  

To those interested in the tipping of the planet...aka daylight change...last night clear, sunset was at 1130 pm and rise at about 4 am, and virtual daylight all night long...sun came up on same side of trailer as it set on...

Kim and Mary Kay