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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Some have asked for "heads up" information.
Alaska Trip Lessons and Suggestions
Be happy and go with the flow!
Don’t watch the pump in Canada - just enjoy the experience of travel.
Many CGs are just stop over’s with little to offer.
As you head north don’t expect that a store, facility or camp ground will be open. If they are open don’t expect that they will answer the phone for information or reservations. If that happens great otherwise just go with the flow.
Don’t expect WiFi regardless of what is advertised or stated on the phone. The best yarn of all was Mile 0 in Dawson Creek “the oil companies are using all of the bandwidth for the entire city” said with a smile as he swiped the credit card. Great WiFi and help at the Dawson Creek visitor’s center.
Activate Verizon’s $15/month plan for cell/message service in Canada. Data plans are very expensive. One data option would be to buy a Canadian MiFi card (about $200) and data plan (about $30/month).
Avoid buying fuel in Calgary or Edmonton. Use Gas Buddy etc to find better prices. Sign up for AFD fuel using your credit card, you can do that at the first station. They have limited bulk stations but lower prices. If you have a small tank and cannot get from say Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson expect to pay $6/gal+ for fuel.
Use a Visa card that has no Canadian transaction fees. The PenFed Cash Rewards card gives 5% cash back on all fuel purchases in the US and Canada. A family member that served will qualify you or they have a non military buy in at low cost.
Anticipate that the internet could be down and you won’t be able to use your credit card and that includes fuel purchases – information from a Yukon local.
If you don’t like sleeping in Alaska with the sun out do something about covering your windows. Use foam, reflective insulation, tin foil, etc.
Take at least some tools for minor repairs. Take spare engine and gen filters and belts. Take as many supplies as you can from the US (lower prices) but be aware of the weight and border restrictions.
TV availability and quality will vary including none. But are you going to Alaska to watch the soaps? Take books etc for rainy days. Besides you’ll learn to go navive and just ignore the rain. BTW We got DTV in Whitehorse with our RF Mogul full array dish.
Expect rock damage on the road and smile if you arrive home with none. Expect road closures, even multiple day road closures especially early in the spring. Alternate routes could involve hundreds of miles. Rock damage from Fort Nelson to Whitehorse is especially acute. We started noticing how many local cars in Whitehorse had rock damage - it's kinda the norm.
If you must have full hookups stay home. If you must have 50A stay home. If you must have internet access and cell phone access at every stop stay home.
If you want to have a good experience, meet nice people who work hard to provide a good experience during the few short summer months then don’t stay home.
Fix all water leaks in the truck, car and rig before you leave.
The paved roads are not bad but it would be a good idea to have newer and better quality tires. Watch the road for hazards including frost heaves. One traveler blew 2 tires on a railroad and spent 17 days in Dawson Creek to have the 5er pin repaired.
Take your passports. Your rig could be searched at the border.
Consider limiting the daily driving. 400 miles a day on the Alaskan Highway in the Rocky Mountains may not be desirable. Besides the bison may be standing on the road apparently asleep and unaware of your desire to make time. :B
Have a great trip – we are.
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CA Traveler
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06/18/13 08:54am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Is there a better day of the week for the Dawson City loop? Perhaps less commercial traffic.
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CA Traveler
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06/17/13 09:25pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Teslin fuel: Diesel $1.42, gasoline $1.49
Most folks can't connect to the internet at Yukon Motel. WiFi only available in the cafe.
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CA Traveler
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06/16/13 04:59pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Fellow traveler said that Downtown RV in Watson Lake is the first WiFi since Prince George on 37. lol It's slow here but actually working which is nice since less that 50% (in our case) have working CGs regardless of what they advertise or say. Be happy and go with the flow...
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CA Traveler
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06/15/13 09:04am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Arrived in Watson Lake today. Both Campground Services and Tags CGs are closed. Baby Nugget at km1003 was recommended.
Fast Gas prices: Gasoline $1.44, diesel $1.39. Downtown RV Park will give you a discount for the fuel. WiFi at the office only with 5 bars. At AFD east of town diesel was $1.37. See prior AFD post.
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CA Traveler
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06/15/13 08:41am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
And very good WiFi at Toad River. Cable quality marginal but we got caught up on the news and then were outside beaver/moose/duck watching. Free firewood also.
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CA Traveler
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06/14/13 09:28am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Roll Call Alaska 2013
Hello everyone! I have our "Roll Call Alaska 2013" on the window with Ken and Robin. We left Iowa on the 5th and currently in MT. Looking to meet people along the way! Any last minute do's and dont's??? Don't look at the pump when you fill up in Canada. :B:B
Lots of good information here.
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CA Traveler
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06/14/13 08:41am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Have a great lake front site at Toad River. At least 9 beavers with several right next to the shore. Also 3 moose spent the afternoon entertaining us, 2 males and a female. Pictures click - see 6/13/13 post. A nice place to stop and only $26.25 for the site. Couldn't stay at a lake side site tonight so we're going to try Muncho Lake.
First contact for us: gandalf42 Mike and Pat Lindsley? in the adjacent site.
A neighbor reported gasoline is $1.69 here and Pink Mountain.
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CA Traveler
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06/14/13 08:28am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Special Fuel Notice – Saving Fuel Costs
In Fort Nelson the GGG CG sent us to AFD Petroleum (off of highway 97) and they gave us a $0.13/liter discount as a new customer. This is a card lock station and the attendant set up a password for our PenFed credit card and we also get 5% cash back.
We also now have a list of AFD stations in Alberta, BC and Yukon. Stations that we will be using include Watson Lake, Whitehorse and Dawson City. There are no posted prices at the pump.
Otherwise Fort Nelson fuel: gasoline $1.56, diesel $1.49. One traveler with a small tank paid $1.69 ($6.24 US with exchange) on the way to Fort Nelson and another said that is the Toad River price. So enjoy the trip and don’t watch the pump!
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CA Traveler
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06/13/13 10:18pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
DC to Ft Nelson today. Still looking for the toad as it disappeared in the mud! :B:B Some light rain and then sunshine this PM in 3G CG. Marginal internet access in this CG. Cable is not SD - it's a lot worse. :R Maybe we'll go to the bar and watch the hockey game there as it was much better quality.
Diesel: $1.49, gas $1.56. CG said to go to nearby AFD for fuel. Like a cardlock but they take CCs. No posted prices but we'll try it tomorrow after touring the adjacent fort/museum. Tomorrow we'll be in Toad River.
BTW If you have a small tank and have to fill between DC and Ft Nelson expect that $1.69 ($6.24 US) for gasoline is a fair gouging price! :S
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CA Traveler
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06/12/13 08:29pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Removing self levelling Dicor
Use a propane torch to warm (to hot to touch) up a putty knife.
Please don't use a torch. An electric heat gun!
DITTO!!!!!
Do not ever chance using an open flame!Guys your on a roof using the torch to heat up the putty knife. Hopefully using it in a safe manner. Safety is just as important using the propane stove etc. JMHO.
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CA Traveler
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06/11/13 03:31pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Observations:
Dawson Creek: Gasoline $1.36, diesel $1.29
CG and fuel prices jump in the Calgary and Edmonton area.
Don't expect WiFi at a CG regardless of their advertising or what they tell you. One CG wanted $5 for 24 hour access. Another said the tech would be there on Tuesday (this was Friday). And the biggest yarn of all comes from the Mile 0 CG in Dawson Creek - "the oil industry is using all of the bandwidth for the entire town" said with a smile as he processed our credit card. And I'm typing this at the DC visitors center while apparently the rest of the town doesn't have usable access (except for credit cards)... And on the phone they all had WiFi. :B:B:B
Best Dawson Creek CG: Mile 0, next Northern Lights and skip the other two.
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CA Traveler
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06/11/13 03:15pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Anyone else in Dawson Creek today and tomorrow?
Is our fuel plan reasonable? Grand Prarie, Dawson Creek (71 miles), Ft Nelson (282), Watson Lake (322), Whitehorse(274).
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CA Traveler
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06/10/13 07:31am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Diesel: Grande Prairie, AB $1.15
Gasoline: Grande Prairie, AB $1.28
At Country Road RV in Grande Prairie. Dawson Creek tomorrow at Mile 0 Campground.
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CA Traveler
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06/09/13 05:43pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Haven't met any of you yet but have gotten some comments on our toad sign -
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo134/catraveler/IMG_0668_s_zpsedc35132.jpg
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CA Traveler
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06/08/13 08:26pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......
Diesel $1.14 in Red Deer today. We're in Stony Plain for the night as we couldn't get into any CGs in the Edmonton area.
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CA Traveler
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06/08/13 07:43pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Roll Call Alaska 2013
Headed to Calgary today. Someone recommended a internet prepaid access card for the laptop somewhere on this long thread. Was is one for Telus or what do you recommend and what stores carry it?
Thanks
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CA Traveler
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06/05/13 08:03am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Directv DVR continuously resetting when no signal from sat
Under settings my HR24 says Software: 0x6d8 5/30
How about disconnecting the coax, power off/on and see if it works OK?
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CA Traveler
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06/04/13 04:11pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: hwy 1 from san fran to las angeles?
SF to Carmel on 1 is 2 lanes but not bad. Use the above comments to judge your comfort level.
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CA Traveler
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06/02/13 05:13pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: hwy 1 from san fran to las angeles?
SF to Carmel on 1 is 2 lanes but not bad. Use the above comments to judge your comfort level.
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CA Traveler
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06/02/13 05:13pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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