Community Forums

twogypsies · 11-30-2012, 08:29 PM

We left Arizona with a cracked windshield in our Jeep. After 10,000 mi + on our Alaskan trip we returned to Arizona with the same crack and none additional! The secret is to just drive slow and move far to the right when an oncoming semi approaches. Sometimes we even stopped until it passed. Have a great trip!

tjd · 01-17-2013, 05:48 AM

I own a Monaco Vesta which is a front engine diesel and I see photos of RVs with a mess or film placed over the front of the RV to protect from flying rocks and gravel. What it that exactly? What products are out there on the market?

Tom

Ramets · 01-17-2013, 06:11 AM

We left Mesa, Az. 2nd wk. of May last year and arrived in Ak. end of May. Spent the entire summer there. Went up thru Mt.(Sweetgrass) and Edmonton to get to Ak. Came back the Cassier, across to Jasper, down to Banff(Ice Fields Pkwy.), and back in the US at Sweetgrass. Now we're spending the winter in Fl. A little over 10,000 miles total. Without any protection...not a ding on either the Coach(Dutchstar),or the towed. Already planning on doing it again in 2014.

tjd · 02-26-2013, 02:08 AM

We are leaving Arizona the last week in May for Alaska. How many miles would you think I can reasonable do each day? When we traveled from Phoenix to Ohio last summer I tried not to do more then 300 to 350 miles a day. I do not like getting into campground after dark. We stayed over night in truck stops/rest stops only 3 times for the trip last summer.

Also how is Homer, AK? We were thinking of spending a couple weeks there.

Lloydu · 02-26-2013, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjd

We are leaving Arizona the last week in May for Alaska. How many miles would you think I can reasonable do each day? When we traveled from Phoenix to Ohio last summer I tried not to do more then 300 to 350 miles a day. I do not like getting into campground after dark. We stayed over night in truck stops/rest stops only 3 times for the trip last summer.

Also how is Homer, AK? We were thinking of spending a couple weeks there.

Did Oregon to AK in the summer of 2012. We took about 12 days to leisurely get through Canada. Some if the things I remember:
1. 50A service is usually not available in Canada. 30A is the norm and we were lucky to get a 120v line @ Destruction Bay.
2. Try not to drive through Vancouver, BC as we found their signage to be very confusing. Whistler is beautiful but a rather tough drive with steep, winding roads. The ALCAN is an easier route as I recall.
3. Get a credit card to does NOT have "out of country" charges or carry a lot of cash. . I forget what they call those charges. Check out Capital One.
4. Try to arrange a cell/data roaming plan ahead of time. Remember that you will be in a "foreign country" so your usual expected conveniences may not be available. My usual monthly AT&T bill of $250 jumped to $450 with very little usage in Canada. If you are lucky enough to get Wifi, use the Viber App for calls/text if the recipient is also registered with Viber.
5. Be aware of Canadian/U.S. laws, especially for transporting arms and produce over the border crossings. Surprisingly, entry into the lower 48 was the most hassle on the U.S. side. They confiscated a lemon and potatoes upon boarding our RV ( did not allow us in the rig when they inspected). Keep the little stickers on your fruit and keep your vegetables in their original bags because the guards want to see where these items were grown. They were reasonably polite but we still felt violated.
Please don't get me wrong. We enjoyed the beauty of Canada and the friendliness of the citizens but we could not wait to cross the border into U.S. territory to use our phones, computers and credit cards as we have grown accustomed to.
Enough for now as it is hard typing on the iPhone.
Lloyd
Btw - Homer, Ninilchik, Soldotna, Seward, Tok, White Horse were great places to visit.

Ramets · 02-26-2013, 06:12 AM

As far as how far you can travel in a day, that will depend on the road conditions once you get on the Alaska Hiway. I wouldn't plan on 350 miles..oh, you can do it but it might turn into some long days. You'll hit the worst of the frost heaves in the Yukon, but they're really good at flagging them. Last year we hit some pretty heavy snow outside of Destruction Bay the last week of May, but it didn't last all that long. Also it was pretty rough between Tok and Glenallen. But really not all that terrible. Just slow down and enjoy the beauty. By getting up there early June the Wrangell mtns. and Mt. Sanford will be spectaculer with all the snow on them. It'll all be on the drivers side so it's really hard to keep your eyes on the rd. The best advice I can give is just enjoy all the beautiful vistas, and watch for critters.

twogypsies · 02-26-2013, 07:22 PM

We are leisurely travelers, stopping when we want to explore more of the area or just stopping for the night because it's just a pretty spot. There are plenty of gorgeus areas right off the highway for a free night or two..or more. We rarely make reservations choosing instead, to just stop when we want. The only reservations we did make for the whole summer was the 4th of July weekend in Palmer and 5 nights at Denali's Teklanika campground. We tacked on another 5 nights at Riley Creek c.g. in Denali without reservations but we got there early morning.

So, to answer your question about how far can you drive in a day, we can drive 50 miles or 150 miles. We didn't do more on this particular trip because there is so much to see and stop for and because you won't be driving interstate speeds. You'll be going slow - or should go slow so you won't damage your vehicles.

You asked about Homer. We absolutely love staying at the city park on the Homer Spit. It's cheap and the views are awesome. Lots of activity there to watch. Have a great trip!

tjd · 02-26-2013, 10:22 PM

Thanks for the replies...

The main reason I asked about Homer is because I was shooting to make it there by July 4th weekend and I wanted to make reservations for that week.

Also I need to make sure I plan enough time to get back to Arizona. We need to be back here by July 21st since my son starts school the next day.

sdennislee · 02-26-2013, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjd

Thanks for the replies...

The main reason I asked about Homer is because I was shooting to make it there by July 4th weekend and I wanted to make reservations for that week.

Also I need to make sure I plan enough time to get back to Arizona. We need to be back here by July 21st since my son starts school the next day.

Homer is busy on the 4th. If you are there on the 4th be sure to walk up town and see the parade.

Drove down from Anchorage last year with friends and the kids for the 4th, had a great time.

Stay on the spit much nicer than any of the sites up on the hill.

tjd · 03-02-2013, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdennislee

Homer is busy on the 4th. If you are there on the 4th be sure to walk up town and see the parade.

Drove down from Anchorage last year with friends and the kids for the 4th, had a great time.

Stay on the spit much nicer than any of the sites up on the hill.

I made a reservation at Heritage RV Park for 10 days during the Fourth of July. Not to happy they make you prepay the full amount ahead of time but at least I can get a full refund if I cancel 24 before we get there.

There a few things I want to plan ahead on or maybe I do not and just worry about it when we get there.

1.) Fishing Charter
2.) Flightseeing Tour
3.) More fishing

twogypsies · 03-02-2013, 10:52 AM

One year we were detained a few days by road closure because of a fire in June. Another year the road washed out - another long delay. With reservations that far in advance, hope you encounter no delays. Good luck on your trip and good fishing!

pagosajoe · 03-02-2013, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjd

Also how is Homer, AK? We were thinking of spending a couple weeks there.

You'll love Homer. Spectacular scenery, so many outdoors things to do. Lots of shops on the Spit as well as on Pioneer Avenue downtown. You chose the right RV park.

We lived in Homer for decades. Take the Danny J wooden boat across the bay to Halibut Cove - great seafood restaurant there (The Saltry), and art galleries as well. There are many charters to take you halibut fishing - you can't go wrong.

Homer Alaska Charter Association, halibut and salmon fishing charters

Don't miss the 4th of July parade - Tom Bodett got lots of ideas about life at the end of the road from the parade that found their way into his books. Tom used to live in Homer back when, and promised to leave a light on for ya.

Be sure to see the Alaska Islands and Oceans Center in Homer:

Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center | page

And don't miss the Pratt Museum - excellent exhibits about Alaska, its wildlife, and the Valdez Oil Spill:

Pratt Museum: Arts, Science, and Culture of Kachemak Bay, Alaska

You can't go wrong with some great restaurants:

The Homestead Restaurant: Serving Homer, Alaska’s Finest Cuisine

And for a funky place, this is where the locals go:

Cosmic Kitchen - Homer, Alaska

Don't miss the Lands End Resort - grab a glass of wine or your favorite beverage, sit outside on the deck, and watch the fishing boats pass by within 100 feet - and you may see some whales too:

Hotels Homer Alaska - Land's End Resort beachfront hotel - Lodging at the end of the Homer Spit

I could go on, but then you'd think I was a member of the board of directors of the Homer Chamber of Commerce...which I was.

Enjoy!

tjd · 03-11-2013, 05:55 AM

The secret to traveling to and from Alaska by RV - YouTube

Just saw this video that was just posted on a travel tip when coming back home from Alaska.

RV735 · 03-11-2013, 07:16 AM

We used John Holod Adventure RV DVD s to plan our trip to Alaska as well as view it at each of our stop as we traveled. There is information on road conditions, activities to explore in cities, parks, and eateries along the way. Camp grounds to use, Glaciers to see, fishing in Homer, flightseeing, as well as traveling on the Inter coastal Waterway. Again See our blog RVGR8escape It follows the two DVD s: RVing Alaska and Alaska's Inside Passage.

We have also used other DVDs that John has produced with compressive travel and exploration information: East Coast, Gulf Coast, Rocky Mountains, Eastern Canada, and Route 66 (we will be using this one next year)