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Anybody have ferry tickets on the Matanuska?
If so, you might want to start thinking about contingency plans...
http://www.ktuu.com/news/state-ferry-hits-petersburg-seafood-plant-dock-head-on-050712,0,6911157.story
No word yet in if, and possibly how long, this might put that ferry out of commission.
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alaskan-rver
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05/07/12 09:57pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: N.C. To Deadhorse AK
Unfortunately, I'd say you timing will be off. Most campgrounds and tourist attractions close for the season up here no later than mid-September.
Trying to drive the Dalton Highway north of Fairbanks to Deadhorse in late September/October will be a crap-shoot weather-wise, particularly as far as getting across Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range.
We loose daylight fast in the fall up here in the north. Using Deadhorse in October as an example, we start the month with 11 hours of daylight, and finish the month with only 6 1/2 hours of daylight per day--and that light is flat light from the sun low on the horizon.
So, with few to no camping facilities and freezing temperatures, I hope you have heated fresh, black and gray water tanks--otherwise, you'll have problems using your RV's plumbing.
I'm not saying your September (and presumably into October) trip is impossible--it will just be very challenging, and probably not much fun. There's a reason most out-of-state RVers show up here starting in mid-June, and most leave no later than mid-August.
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alaskan-rver
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05/06/12 07:26pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Travel Trailer in Alaska?
One nice thing with a motor home, which you loose in a travel trailer, is access to the fridge, TV, bathroom, and toys while under way. While I agree with previous posters about the flexibility a separate TV and TT offer for multiple-day stays at a campground, for a trip as long as CA to AK, you are going to have a lot more "travel all day, stop for the night, and travel all the next day as well" sequences.
Plus; for something which will probably incur me the wrath of those with an absolute approach to safety; with a motor home, you have the option of piling the kids into a bunk and driving several hours before they wake up, for those occasional long days.
For your planning purposes, once you hit the north, don't plan on doing much more than 250-300 miles per day--particularly with kids along for the ride.
People make the trip up here in all kinds of vehicles. With long hours of daylight and no need for air conditioning, you'll probably find that you spend more time outdoors when camped up here, than you might in other locations. So, your living quarters are more for cooking and sleeping, rather than where the family will spend all day while camped.
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alaskan-rver
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04/22/12 12:31pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Looking for camp spot near anchorage for summer
How close to Anchorage do you have to be?
How are you defining "campground"? Do you want some kind of hookups, or is boondocking acceptable?
How frequently are you willing to move your rig? (Most public campgrounds have some kind of maximum stay limit).
Finally, can you clarify the last sentence? Are you looking for some work installing solar (a pretty narrow niche up here, by the way), or do you mean that you're rig has solar power, so you are somewhat self-sufficient.
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alaskan-rver
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04/06/12 11:49pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaskan Mosquitos
Only the female bites too. :p
...and we guys are left wondering what we did wrong, since she is now not talking to us!
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alaskan-rver
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03/03/12 08:45pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: to Alaska, to carry or not to carry
Solar might help somewhat on your trip up to Alaska, but will be virtually useless once you are up here.
Something to consider is how fast your engine's alternator (or AC-powered battery charger if you bring the portable generator) can recharge your house batteries. On this trip you may very well have successive nights of boondocking. This situation is where charge RATE starts becoming important, as you can get behind the curve and have a very difficult time catching up.
Let's say you consume 50AH out of your batteries each day from house loads, and you have a 100 AH battery bank. However, you can only recharge the batteries at 10A an hour.
Day 1: Drive all day, batteries fully charged (100 AH available).
Day 2: (100-50=) 50 AH in the batteries in the morning, but you only drive for 2 hours. You arrive at the at the campground with (50+ (10*2)=) 70 AH.
Day 3: (70-50=) 20AH left in the battery in the morning, and you only drive for 3 hours, leaving you with (20+(10*3)=) 50AH for the night.
As you can see, in this example, your heading downhill, and will require a LONG charge to get back up to 100% again.
All this is a long way to say that to boondock successfully, the key is often how fast your can recharge the batteries. In other words, if you have a stock 2-stage charger, the generator will be of marginal use, as it will take so long to recharge.
Other factors include:
- Having as big a battery bank as possible.
- Reducing daily loads.
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alaskan-rver
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02/01/12 10:44pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Dangers in the Alaska Waters
Keep in mind that the rivers up here are FAST--typically running 5 mph or better. As others have said, plan on sticking to lakes and sheltered coves.
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alaskan-rver
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01/31/12 09:04pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Bugs
In the lower 48, the prime campsite is a cozy one surrounded by trees. Up here those same criteria make the site virtually unusable. Instead, try to find a spot with a breeze (which also means no nearby trees), and if possible, park your rig facing into the wind (so that the wind "scrubs" past the doors and windows.
Camp for the vistas, not for privacy, and the bugs should leave you alone.
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alaskan-rver
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11/27/11 04:44pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Best ways to protect tow vehicle and trailer from gravel?
Are there mud flaps or "brush strips" that I should add to the rear of my tow vehicle? I have read that those "grass skirt" things sometimes don't work and sometimes even kick up rocks, if they hang down too low.
Avoid the stiff rubber ones, as they kick up gravel when they drag the ground.
Would it make sense to put a vinyl "car bra" on the front of my SUV? I sometimes see them on expensive sports cars to guard against road damage.
Don't use a bra up here. The dust is fine and abrasive. It will get between your bra and SUV bodywork, and wear some of the paint away.
I am assuming that there is nothing I can do to avoid headlight and windshield chips, other than not following other vehicles too closely and staying to the right when there is oncoming traffic.
I've seen people use a scrap of carpeting across the windshield (held in place by pinching it between the two front door seals, to avoid windshield damage on towed vehicles and boats.
There's plenty of gravel up here, and not only in road construction sites. In the winter, they sand the roads instead of using salt, and sometimes some small gravel get applied to the road as well. In other words, the rock chip can strike at any time (including on paved roads in town), often even before you get up here.
And while we are talking about protective devices, what about some sort of window screen material to keep bugs out of the radiator -- would that cut down on airflow too much?
You're over-thinking this! Just make sure you have good windshield wipers and a full windshield fluid tank, and possibly a good gas station-style windshield squeege.
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alaskan-rver
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10/30/11 03:19pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: How is the 3G coverage in South Central Alaska
In response to a comment above, Alaska Digitel was bought up by GCI.
You've got two things working against you--mountainous terrain blocking cellular signals, and low population densities limiting demand for cell phone coverage.
Whittier--small town of only a few hundred population, at the end of a fjord. You'll have voice coverage (not sure about data) in "town", I think you'll lose it once you get a few miles out if you go on a College Fjords glacier viewing tour.
Talkeetna: Probably your best bet, as there are around 1000 people in the Talkeetna area, and it is flat.
Denali NP: While you'll have coverage in "Glitter Gulch"--the collection of hotels along the highway near the park's entrance, the mountaineous terrain will block signals once you get more than a few miles into the park. There are no cell towers in the park.
If you need to stay in touch with the outside world, probably your best bet would be to periodically visit WiFi hotpots (hotels, many cafes, libraries, etc.) for your email checking needs. Once you get beyond Anchorage and Wasilla, the data coverage will be spotty to non-existent on your itinerary.
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alaskan-rver
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10/16/11 10:45am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Drive it or tour it
...The Arctic Circle is past on the last 30-40 miles before you get to Deadhorse...
Actually, the Arctic Circle is a couple of hundred of miles south of Deadhorse, roughly 30 or 40 miles after you cross the Yukon River if I recall correctly.
Keep in mind that the condition of dirt roads varies tremendously, depending on how recently a road grader has passed over it. Condition reports more than a few days old give no indication on what YOU will encounter. The trick to many of these dirt roads is to pick your speed up a bit. For example, washboard that shakes the fillings out of your teeth at 20 mph often smooths right out when you get over 30 mph.
Whether you decide to take the tour or do it yourself, by all means try to do the entire route. Except for a sign and about a billion mosquitoes, there's really not much to see at the Arctic Circle. There's a nice little museum in Coldfoot, Atigun Pass is incredibly beautiful, and once you hit the North Slope, you may start to see things like muskox. Deadhorse has all the charm of an industrial park, but it's still worth a look. You can't drive to the Arctic Ocean, but you can take a tour through the Prudhoe Bay oilfield, which includes a stop where you can dip your toe in the ocean.
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alaskan-rver
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10/08/11 01:20am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska--Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?
In the northern hemisphere, the coriolis effect rotates draining liquids (and toilets) in a clockwise direction. Therefore, the fuel in your gas tank will want to drain out with a clockwise rotation. Any attempts to view Alaska in a counter-clockwise direction will thus require more energy to provide fuel to your engine, and have a negative effect on your fuel mileage. :B
(Edited to align my crackpot theories with the laws of physics)
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alaskan-rver
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10/03/11 07:59pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: installing bracket for tv
Mor-Ryde RV TV Mount
It sounds like you've already purchased your bracket, so this suggestion might not work for you. For my installation into an old tube-TV enclosure, I removed the outer-door and installed the TV on one of these brackets. The flat panel TV now fills the hole that the door covered, and stays out of the way. When we want to watch TV when parked, the bracket telescopes out, pivots, and tilts.
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alaskan-rver
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08/27/11 03:46pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Do I need a new Milepost?
Tony Lee--great post!
I'd say approach the Milestone as a huge collection of micro-trivia, for a trip which requires a lot of spontaneity. As said above, for commercial businesses, the Milepost only lists advertisers, so it is by no means complete. Many campgrounds and attractions forgo the extremely high Milepost advertising costs and instead cultivate and cater to a local clientele. It's not that they are anti-tourist, it's more what works best for their business model. Also, in case you have noticed by the frequent "world famous" superlatives, most write-ups in the Milepost are hardly unbiased--the advertisers write their own business description.
My recommendation is to use the Milepost as a high-level planning guide. ON that score, as far as the really important things, not that much changes between different annual editions. Let's say you are planning a leg of your trip from Tok to Valdez. A scan of the Milepost will tell you what kind of pavement condition to expect, some of the attractions along the way, and give you an idea of the (minimal) amenities available in the (very small) towns you'll pass through. True, it lists plenty of campgrounds in Valdez, but I'd also recommend searching other sources (other books, tourist info, Google, etc.) for further information and recommendations.
Take the time to slow down and explore during your trip. There's so much more to discover besides what is in the Milepost.
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alaskan-rver
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08/27/11 03:15pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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E450 Recall for Cruise Control Fires--Where is the fuse?
About 4 years ago Ford has a recall of many E-450 chassis to address a fire in the cruise control system. Apparently they inserted an inline fuse into the cruise control system. Does anyone know where to find that fuse?
I've lost the horn and cruise control on my 2000 E-450. I just went through hell replacing the steering wheel clock spring, and it didn't fix the problem. So, I'm now wondering if that inline fuse blew, but I don't know where to look for it. I'll replace the horn relay tomorrow and see what that does. Thanks.
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alaskan-rver
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07/31/11 07:47pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Removing Steering Wheel Column Shrouds and Igntion Switch
Thanks for the tips. The ignition switch is now out.
I definitely removed the negative battery cable at the beginning, in order to de-arm the airbag. Just to be safe, I even disconnected my house batteries!
For anyone searching this topic, the place where you push in order to release the ignition switch looks almost like a set screw on the ignition cylinder casing, on the right rear of the ignition cylinder. As you look down the ignition switch from the key's perspective, it would be at around 7 o'clock.
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alaskan-rver
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07/31/11 12:06am |
Tech Issues
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Removing Steering Wheel Column Shrouds and Igntion Switch
The horn and cruise control quit working on my 2000 E-450, so I'm in the midst of replacing the clockspring. (The clockspring is one of those pieces you wonder if it wasn't the first thing installed on the assembly line, and then the rest of the vehicle built around it!). I've got the steering wheel removed, and the two (upper and lower) steering column shrouds moved partially out of the way; but can't fully remove them because the gearshift lever protrudes through the upper one, and the steering wheel tilt lever and ignition switch protrude through the lower shroud.
Anyway, I've managed to remove the old clockspring assembly and associated wiring harness, but now need to fully remove the lower steering column shroud so that I can connect a plug in the new harness to the ignition switch. The challenge is that the visible part of the ignition switch (that black round thing with the ears, where you insert the key) is larger than the hole in the shroud. Does anyone know how to pop off this outer piece of the ignition switch, without damaging it? I removed the old plug with the shroud still in place, and damaged the plug in the process--but it's part of the old clockspring assembly, so it doesn't matter). However, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to fully remove the shroud before trying to connect the new plug.
Thanks in advance.
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alaskan-rver
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07/30/11 10:01pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: What a rip-off. Two-star park for a 6 star price
... Wal Mart under construction and no room in parking lot. ...
Pretty sure Anchorage is officially a No Overnight Parking town....
I'm not sure what gave you that idea. For those yet to visit Anchorage...
The south side WalMart (near Dimond and Old Seward) should be OK. The midtown Walmart (A street and Benson Blvd) is being remodeled, and currently a disaster zone. Avoid it.
There's another WalMart and Sams Club in northeast Anchorage, near Boniface and the Glenn Hwy, I think.
Across the street from the south side WalMart and Dimond Mall is another large parking lot. People seem to overnight in front of the Sports Authority store at the south end.
Most Fred Meyer stores allow overnight parking. You can find them in Eagle River (north exit), Muldoon, Midtown (Old Seward and Northern Lights), Dimond Blvd and Minnesota, and Abbott Road and Lake Otis.
Since they tore down the one good campground in order to build another strip mall, there really aren't any noteworthy campgrounds in town.
If you came to see Alaska, don't spend too much time in Anchorage. It's a nice place to visit, stock up, and fuel up--but the real scenery is outside of town.
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alaskan-rver
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07/22/11 01:03am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska fuel prices
Gas prices in Alaska seem to be regionalized, and are mostly driven by the distance from the distribution network. The main fuel refinery is in North Pole, and they tanker train much of the fuel to Anchorage.
Anchorage and Fairbanks fuel prices are usually the lowest in the state. For what it's worth, right now they are in the $3.90-$4.00 range.
Mat-Su Valley (Wasilla, Palmer, Talkeetna) prices are typically 5-10 cents above Anchorage prices.
Richardson Highway (Delta Jct, Glenallen, Valdez) prices are usually around 50 cents higher than Anchorage, as are gas prices around Denali National Park.
Prices up the Dalton Highway (Coldfoot and Deadhorse) are usually around 75 cents above Fairbanks prices.
If you venture further out, prices off the road network are usually dependent on the wholesale price paid when the fuel barge delivered. For example, I was in Nome on business last month, and their fuel price was $5/gallon, where it had been for almost a year.
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alaskan-rver
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07/17/11 11:08am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Heading into Denali National Park?
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/deep-sewage-denali-national-park
So, to summarize, apparently your options are:
1. Hold it, or
2. Since it's well documented that bears s**t in the woods, so can you. Hold it, there are no woods around Eielson Visitor Center, so see option #1.
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alaskan-rver
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07/13/11 09:05am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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