I finally made it to Alaska - Page 2

rpiereck · 08-27-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC2000

Illegal to sleep inside your car in Canada? I wonder what the reason behind that is ? But they'll let you take your chances outside with a rifle. Id probably have holes all thru my tent the first night, shooting at every noise thinking it was a monster grizz..

LOL, to be fair the only larger animals I've seen in this trip were one bear (the one in the picture), one moose (so far away that I didn't bother taking a picture), and three swans. I'd be more afraid of the swans, those are some mean birds! There was a US Forest service dude named Brett on the boat and he gave us a lecture on bears, including how to avoid surprising them and what to do if you are faced with one. The main thing it would be to NOT sleep with your food in the tent. Leave all your food at least 100 feet away, preferably hanging in a bag from a tree limb. Don't leave your food in your car as bears will go through glass to get to it.

BTW, OT: I hope you guys like my new avatar, used to be that wandering bug, now it's more... how can I say... nice.

TC2000 · 08-27-2008, 09:02 PM

+1 on the new avatar! Is she the indian

Kinda looks like Lindsy Lohan

rpiereck · 08-27-2008, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC2000

+1 on the new avatar! Is she the indian

Kinda looks like Lindsy Lohan

It is Miss Lohan, I like redheads

Frank Patrick · 08-28-2008, 09:27 AM

Great Pics- What was the longest stretch you had to between petro stops?

Quicksilver · 08-28-2008, 01:48 PM

Welcome to The Greatland!
Your photos were great, and the places you've been familiar to us...we've come up both by vessel, by plane, and by the AlCan. Each way has it's attractions...viewing the alpine terrain on a clear day is it's own kind of treat!
Our run up the AlCan was in 2005, and there might have been 5 miles TOTAL of gravelled/under construction stretches...the rest was high standard paved, high speed two lane highway. Our trip was in August, and we probably didn't see a hundred cars from Mile 0, to the Alaskan border, and no troopers period. On our last leg, going down into Skagway to catch a ferry for Haines, we had to crank out a long day to make the ferry...setting the cruise control for 87 mph (couldn't get it to 'keep' higher settings), we made 879 miles in an 11 hours driving time day (6 to 6, with stops for gas and quick lunch)...the FXT is a great road car!~
Enjoy your stay (the Silver Gulch Brewery is not far away!)...
-Quick

rpiereck · 08-29-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Patrick

Great Pics- What was the longest stretch you had to between petro stops?

I think close to 200 miles, so not too bad. There are a few major villages in Yukon, like Haines Junction and Beaver Creek, that I'm sure will be open all winter long, but most of the tiny ones will close for sure. If doing the trip on winter I would bring at least two 5-gallon cans of fuel along.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Welcome to The Greatland!
Your photos were great, and the places you've been familiar to us...we've come up both by vessel, by plane, and by the AlCan. Each way has it's attractions...viewing the alpine terrain on a clear day is it's own kind of treat!
Our run up the AlCan was in 2005, and there might have been 5 miles TOTAL of gravelled/under construction stretches...the rest was high standard paved, high speed two lane highway. Our trip was in August, and we probably didn't see a hundred cars from Mile 0, to the Alaskan border, and no troopers period. On our last leg, going down into Skagway to catch a ferry for Haines, we had to crank out a long day to make the ferry...setting the cruise control for 87 mph (couldn't get it to 'keep' higher settings), we made 879 miles in an 11 hours driving time day (6 to 6, with stops for gas and quick lunch)...the FXT is a great road car!~
Enjoy your stay (the Silver Gulch Brewery is not far away!)...
-Quick

Thanks, I have been ejoying my time here in Alaska so far, the weather has been nice the last three days, with temps in the high 60s during the day, dropping to low 40s at night. I am dedicating the weekend to house hunting, and I think I may have found a great home already! And yes, as you mentioned, no troopers around. The only time I saw a RCMP police car was in Beaver Creek, and the trooper was having lunch in a restaurant, not driving anyway.

Straycatkid · 08-30-2008, 06:22 AM

Amazing. I am so envious. I'm longing for my own Alaskan journey that likely won't happen for some time. Thanks for the report and great pictures.

CabinDude · 08-30-2008, 11:12 PM

Welcome to Fairbanks. Just in time to get settled in before winter. If'n you need anything, shoot me a PM. Sounds like you may have a lead on a house, but a word of caution would be to do a very thorough inspection of anything built between 1978-1982. Many of these pipeline houses are pure junk with 2x4 walls and roofs on very poor "foundations".

Cliff51 · 08-31-2008, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CabinDude

Welcome to Fairbanks. Just in time to get settled in before winter. If'n you need anything, shoot me a PM. Sounds like you may have a lead on a house, but a word of caution would be to do a very thorough inspection of anything built between 1978-1982. Many of these pipeline houses are pure junk with 2x4 walls and roofs on very poor "foundations".

I agree. A house inspection by a professional is an absolute must.

rpiereck · 08-31-2008, 02:31 PM

Thanks Cabin Dude and Cliff, it's nice to hear from some of the Arctic veterans here! The house I'm looking at was built less than five years ago, was built with energy efficiency in mind, has 12" walls and 18" ceilings, faces south on those hills on the north side of town. The house is off Skyline Drive by Farmer's Loop. Before I move in the military housing inspectors must approve the site, but I think I'll have no problem with this house.

08-27-2008, 09:02 PM	#17 (permalink)
TC2000 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Delmont , Pennsylvania Posts: 424 Gallery: 18 iTrader: 0 / 0%	+1 on the new avatar! Is she the indian Kinda looks like Lindsy Lohan __________________ Whoop-dee-Doo for my Subaru!!

08-28-2008, 01:48 PM	#20 (permalink)
Quicksilver Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 1,044 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Welcome to The Greatland! Your photos were great, and the places you've been familiar to us...we've come up both by vessel, by plane, and by the AlCan. Each way has it's attractions...viewing the alpine terrain on a clear day is it's own kind of treat! Our run up the AlCan was in 2005, and there might have been 5 miles TOTAL of gravelled/under construction stretches...the rest was high standard paved, high speed two lane highway. Our trip was in August, and we probably didn't see a hundred cars from Mile 0, to the Alaskan border, and no troopers period. On our last leg, going down into Skagway to catch a ferry for Haines, we had to crank out a long day to make the ferry...setting the cruise control for 87 mph (couldn't get it to 'keep' higher settings), we made 879 miles in an 11 hours driving time day (6 to 6, with stops for gas and quick lunch)...the FXT is a great road car!~ Enjoy your stay (the Silver Gulch Brewery is not far away!)... -Quick __________________ 2004 FXT 4EAT - Platinum Silver Metallic

08-30-2008, 11:12 PM	#23 (permalink)
CabinDude Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 86 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Welcome to Fairbanks. Just in time to get settled in before winter. If'n you need anything, shoot me a PM. Sounds like you may have a lead on a house, but a word of caution would be to do a very thorough inspection of anything built between 1978-1982. Many of these pipeline houses are pure junk with 2x4 walls and roofs on very poor "foundations". __________________ 2008 Forester 2.5X 5MT

08-31-2008, 02:31 PM	#25 (permalink)
rpiereck Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Last Frontier Posts: 312 Gallery: 5 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Thanks Cabin Dude and Cliff, it's nice to hear from some of the Arctic veterans here! The house I'm looking at was built less than five years ago, was built with energy efficiency in mind, has 12" walls and 18" ceilings, faces south on those hills on the north side of town. The house is off Skyline Drive by Farmer's Loop. Before I move in the military housing inspectors must approve the site, but I think I'll have no problem with this house. __________________ 50 characters is too little!!

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08-28-2008, 09:27 AM	#19 (permalink)
Frank Patrick Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pasadena Posts: 20 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Great Pics- What was the longest stretch you had to between petro stops?

08-30-2008, 06:22 AM	#22 (permalink)
Straycatkid Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 113 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Amazing. I am so envious. I'm longing for my own Alaskan journey that likely won't happen for some time. Thanks for the report and great pictures.