North to Alaska 2011

[Catch and Release]

My wife and I are planning on a trip to Alaska in 2011 in our 40' MH with a tow vehicle. We previously drove the ALCAN highway in 2006 to Alaska. We love to fish and plan on fishing our way to Alaska as we did in 2006.

My wife has family health issues that we have been dealing with for the last 5 years. At some point my DW may need to depart the trip to deal with these issues. She does not want me to travel to Alaska by myself. If we were traveling with another couple she would feel a lot happier.

I am a retired Navy pilot and a retired airline pilot.Safety is important to us. We don't take chances. I drive the listed speed limit and am not interested in pressing safety just to get to the next destination.

If anyone is interested, please contact us.

Don

[Chickadee]

Don & wife:

G'morning from Mitchell, SD.: Ever since returning from our 1st trip to Alaska in 07, my wife, Lynette, and I have really wanted to get back up there. Who knows....2011 might be a good time !!

So what kind of schedule are you guys thinking about (ie., when ya thinking about headin out, when ya thinking about returning, what route are ya considering, etc. etc.). Don't mean to pry, but if folks might do some traveling together it's kinda good if they are a little compatible.

We're now real fulltimers since 05 (no house/no stuff, etc.) and are the kind of folks who simply like to putz along, poking into places and experiences we run into along the way. We now run a 45' MH towing a Honda Element (w. canoe on top! ) and sure do like to fish, although, we've also kinda gotten hooked on gold panning here and there....it's a HOOT!! We're in our early to mid 60's and travel w. 3, (yup THREE!!) cats. Wife was Director of Hospice & Home Care during her career, and after military, I worked as Director of various hospital departments (both clinical and management) for 20 yrs., then sold real estate as a Broker for another 15+ yrs. We're originally out of Duluth, MN, but now have residency in S.D., Lynette's home and family area.

Ah..well..., let's talk a little and see if anything develops for 2011.
OH!!....by the way....what's your wife's name???

Steve & Lynette

[Seajay]

Ok sailor ..... here is the deal ...
willa and I have been to Alaska back in 05 and we wanted to go this year but I had a small health problem and we would have gotten a late start so we figured we would wait till 2011 so we could ''do it right''...
Like you, we have the following interest.
FISHING. we carry a 12 foot port a boat on top of the Ford truck with a 5 horse Nissan in the back of the truck for power. We know most of the ''good fishin' spots'' along the Alcan and up in Alaska. We love to fish for trout, ''dollies'', ''grays'', salmon, and anything that will bight and we usually throw most of what we catch back in for some other fisherman to catch.
We do not travel in a ''hurry''. We have been passed by bears, snales, guys on bicycles and two guys walking the Alcan. Like you, we do the speed limit or less most of the time.
CONSIDER THIS.. We love to boondock on the Alcan. This may not be to your liking but we enjoy the freedom of boondocking and we will be glad to ''show you the ropes'' of same if we travel together.....
We are very flexable when traveling with other couples. We can go along with the crowd or make our own way as necessary. We are not above drinkin' a beer or a glass of wine or having a mixed drink as necessary but we can do without any of the above. I think we still have a fifth of Bacarti rum that is about a year old now.
Neither of us smoke but it does not bother us to be around smokers...
WE ARE NOT EARLY RISERS UNLESS THE COACH IS ON FIRE. We can schedule as others wish but we prefer to stay up late and sleep late and sometimes hit the road early and stop for breakfast along the road as necessary.
We enjoy a good meal at a nice resterant or hot dogs over the campfire as necessary.
We believe in ''STOPPING AND SMELLING THE ROSES''..... as we travel....
here is a suggested schedule we are considering for next year.
Since we are coming from NC and it might be simpler to just gather in Dawson Creek on or about the first of July, this is what I would suggest.
From Dawson Creek head out for Whitehorse and everything in between that is interesting. Stopping, looking, sniffing, and enjoying as we go.
North of Whitehorse turn right toward Dawson City, go to Gurties place for drinks and gambling and spend a few days in Dawson City for a good look around.
Cross the Yukon and head out for ''Top of the World''..........
Stop at Tok alaska for a moose burger. (good place on the right as you go in)........
ramble from there to Fairbanks and Ankorage, maybe do some flight seeing. go down the ''Turn again'' highway to Homer and all between and go to Valdese for salmon fishing. If they are running good you can catch them till your arms fall off. Been there ,,,,,,,,,Done that........ Twice.....
Amble all over Alaska. There are about 1500 miles of paved roads in Alaska and I think I have been on all of them. Take our time..... Look around..... HAVE FUN....... FISH IN THE STREAMS ......
Head down to Scagway. Real tourest trap but a beautiful drive. You guys can take the train up White mountain pass. We done that twice all ready. WE WILL WAIT... no problem ...... FISH SOME MORE IN SKAGWAY.........
We want to come down the Cassiar Highway going south. We have never done this and we want to try it. We will check ''conditions'' before coming that way.
This will probably be our last trip to Alaska so we intend to ''do it right''.

More info. We travle with three dogs .... Two papions and one Yorkie. All are friendly once you get to know them. None are agressave.....
Our coach is a 33 foot, gas powered v 10 Pace Arrow with a ford engine and chassis. I always have the coach checked out by my mechanic before a long trip and he ''fixes'' what is wrong with the coach before we leave.

As it stands now, we would probably be interested in traveling with you guys next season if our schedule and manner of travel might suit you. as the season comes next year we can workout the details as necessary and if we can not travle together for the complete trip, perhaps we could ''cross trails'' along the way at a certain time and place.

Anyhow, this is all just ''pie in the sky'' right now but it is a basis for thought.
my e mail is
seajaycecil@yahoo.com
if you prefer to communicate with e mails or we can just talk on this forum ... Either way sir...........
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS GREAT NATION .....
GOD BLESS OUR VETS.... ALL GAVE SOME ... SOME GAVE ALL
God bless our troops and bring them home soon and safe ....

[Catch and Release]

Seajay,

Did you get my email?

Don

[Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43']

Seajay, if you started the 1st of July when would you expect to return? Trip sounds good...I've never fished BUT love to eat them. LOL

[Ernie n Tara]

Hi,
We might also be interested in taking this trip (a convoy?). We are a married couple (67 and 55) and travel with a pap. puppy. We are not experienced boondockers, but our 32' Pursuit gas (V-10) MH (towing a Jeep TJ - w/kayaks - both vehicles are 2006 models) is self-contained and we can easily expand battery storage if needed.
We do not full time, but commonly take 5-6 week trips and are certainly open to longer. Speed is not an issue; we are gradually learning to take smaller bites (currently about 250-300 mi./day or so).
Fishing is an interest, but not a passion at this point (used to be , but both burned out on it). We recently learned to kayak for Redfish (Our SOT's may not be ideal for AK waters) and plan on taking fly fishing lessons later this year.
We also both enjoy photography and a trip like this would offer great opportunities in that area.
We live in the country north of Dallas and are currently returning from a four week trip through ND, CO (jeeping to 14,000 ft.), NM and back to TX this WE.
If you think this might work, lets talk about schedules, other interests and how this might work.
Regards,
Tara & Ernie

[Seajay]

Concerning the July one starting date...... for us that is very optional. I use that because the last time we drove up to Ak. that ''leaving date'' from Dawson Creek worked out pretty well concerning the salmon run in Valdese.
As I stated, we intend to boon dock on the Alcan. Not every nite but often. Usually we spend the occasional nite in a campground to catch up on news and to ''dump the pottie'' and refresh water. There are ''water points'' and ''pottie dumps'' in some of the towns along the way also. Personally, I would consider an earlier departure date but I encourage everyone that has not done it to take the time to go to Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP, Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise and other points of interest even before you cross the stripe into Canada. There is a heck of a lot to see here in the states and lower Canada for that matter. To be honest, Willa and I have been to and seen all these places sometimes four times and our main interest is from Dawson Creek to Valdese and everything along the way there......Probably the complete ''turn a round'' back to Dawson Creek would be about three months ...... with probably six weeks in Alaska its self. All is tenative and nothing is written in stone. I urge everyone considering this trip to research it if you havent been to Alaska/Canada/the Alcan. there is a lifetime of stuff to see and a limited amount of life to see it in. Plan your ''want to does'' and underline your ''Must does'' like flight seeing in Ak. or the steam boat rides on the Yucon or gold panning in fairbanks or fishing in Valdese or just doin Nothing most of the time ..... I have been there three times and I would be glad to make ''suggestions'' to those who are interested. I do urge you to research and do what you like. It is not at all necessary that we all leave together or stay together as such. Essencially there is one road to Alaska. The Alcan.... and it is really hard to get lost because you are esencially going south or north on the Alcan..... that is pretty much it.... on one trip we left Dawson Creek and we ''ran across the same couples all along the Alcan''. sometimes it would be a few days and sometimes we would see them about every day as we travled. the letter I wrote initally was a ''guide line'' as to when and where i want to go and you should make a consideration as to where you want to go and what you may find interesting on the trip.
keep kicking this around and we will try to work a comprimise as necessary....
stay in touch .....

[Catch and Release]

I totally agree with Seajay about the research. The best is The Milepost. It is the most complete information source that I have found. In 2006 Abby and I drove a RV from the Winnebago Factory in Iowa to Anchorage. This was the first time we ever drove a RV and we used the Milepost continuously.

We left the factory on May 7th. We found along the way the departure date was a little early because many ponds, lakes and streams were still covered with ice and some of the RV campgrounds while open, had frozen dump sites.

Next year we hope to hit the Canada border around June 1st. The salmon season in Alaska covers several months depending on the species of salmon you are hoping to catch so the exact timing isn't all that important.

We didn't boondock on that trip because we were under time constraints for delivery of the MH to the rental company that purchased it. I agree with Seajay that boondocking opportunities abound along the Alcan and in Alaska which we hope to take advantage of as the situation dictates.

One time we pulled over just to stretch. I heard a noise in the distance down a rather steep slope. I climbed down to investigate and found a beautiful river in a deep ravine that could not be seen from the road. I climbed back up the hill got my camera and Abby and went back down for pictures. It was well worth the effort.

I really believe the more research a person does, it will increase the enjoyment factor of the trip.

Don

[Ernie n Tara]

Hi,
Just a thought; the Escapee's are having a 4 x 4 event in Idaho the last week in June. It is at a park on the bank of the Snake river (I believe - didn't take good notes, but the fishing is for salmon so it would be below the falls) and (reportedly) the fishing is very good during that period. We just attended this years event in South Fork, CO and found both the event and the people to be superior (about 20 rigs this year; next year is limited to 25). Don't have any details yet, just reserved a spot if we should decide to go. This might make a good starting point (and about the right date??) for the trip. I'm sure the park will have other spots if you don't wish to participate in the four wheeling. Thoughts/comments??
Ernie

PS In addition to knitting, et. al., Tara is a professional caliber singer; any players/accompanists??