joe b. wrote: The Norlite CG mentioned, IMHO, was one that didn't stay up with the changes in campgrounds that todays travelers demand, i.e. bigger spaces, WiFi, cable, etc.
### It's too bad that RVing, unlike camping, always leads to bigger, better and more. Bigger, better and more is not only expensive to provide, but leads to inclusive fee increases. By inclusive, I mean the CG still has to pay for the conveniences (heated indoor pool, etc.,) whether or not a camper/RVer wants them, so the daily rate goes up anyway. There is a $$$ theshhold at which campers just won't pay any more, so higher fees end up shutting out campers.
Hopefully once folks get more used to the idea of higher fuel prices and more efficient RVs become more widely used the travel will pick back up.
### How can one get used to the higher price of anything unless one can afford multiple increases (gas, oil, garage labour rates, campground fees, etc.,). Tourism decreased in a lot of places because of higher prices as people travelled less by staying closer to home or not camping for as long; a week instead of two weeks. As for the efficiency of RVs, bigger and better means heavier with bigger motors using more gas. Check 3-4 RV forums and read about how many have moved "up" to a bigger TV so they can pull their new trailer, usually a 30', or have switched to a 5er or a 40 MH.
Whichever way you look at it, RVers are shooting themselves in the foot and taking mom & pop CG owners down with them.
.
"Some are optimistic that Alaska will see an upturn in independent travelers as the country's baby-boom generation heads into retirement."
I believe those who are waiting for the Baby Boomer "Boom"
may be sorely disappointed.
Statistically speaking, the Boomers are in debt to their eyeballs,on average they have no hope of cashing in on the windfall real estate profits that many of their parents are retired on, and with ever increasing costs of living and travel, I do not believe that a carefree retirement is in store for a large percentage of boomers.
I know people don't want to here this gloom and doom scenario, but if you spend much time reading finance and retirement articles, it is a constant theme among financial planners and advisors.
Sea Dog, you've put the boot to the neck on this one. Boomer money is tied up in high-end everything, from housing to primary vehicles to toys (second/third vehicles, boats, plasma tv's), timeshares, vacations, a condo at the ski hill. For many, RVing just isn't up there, not even in a quarter million $ MH. Retirement planning has been out the window for many and now they're scrambling (working longer) to have enough money in retirement to be able to continue their current lifestyle. Maybe someone in the U.S. of A. can give us an account of the situation down there, but I don't think depending upon a specific generation to provide a lift is going to do it, certainly not one as spoiled and as self-centred as the boomers. Too bad. Beautiful places like Alaska and the ajoining Yukon Territory and British Columbia are places these people should be visiting, not taking a pass on.
We did the trip this past summer. 5 months and 17,000 miles. If anyone is interested, I kept very close track of expenditures and built a spread sheet to analyze them. If interested send me a PM and I'll send a copy. I averaged 20.11 MPG on diesel - $2916, not deal breaking figure for me, but $6000+ may change my opinion.
I discussed the lack of traffic with several Alaskans. RV park owners/operators, and shop owners, and eating establishments, most of the responses I received indicated a 30-40% down turn. It sounds like the paper, and State Government may be trying to minimize the problem. I felt that the traffic in July and August was just slightly more than I saw when I was working up there Feb-May 1998, with the exception of RV's. If the rental RV's, and caravans were taken off the road it would have been REALLY bare !
Dave W. AKA "Toyman"
KE5GOH - On 146.52
RV's ? What RV's ???
Apache Pop-up
Classic GMC Motorhome
07 Leisure Travel Sprinter
Do Boats Count ?
[quote=gmctoyman]We did the trip this past summer. 5 months and 17,000 miles. If anyone is interested, I kept very close track of expenditures and built a spread sheet to analyze them. If interested send me a PM and I'll send a copy. I averaged 20.11 MPG on diesel - $2916, not deal breaking figure for me, but $6000+ may change my opinion.
I discussed the lack of traffic with several Alaskans. RV park owners/operators, and shop owners, and eating establishments, most of the responses I received indicated a 30-40% down turn. It sounds like the paper, and State Government may be trying to minimize the problem. I felt that the traffic in July and August was just slightly more than I saw when I was working up there Feb-May 1998, with the exception of RV's. If the rental RV's, and caravans were taken off the road it would have been REALLY bare ![/quote] If I read your post right, you spent five months in your Sprinter? So...how was it for comfort, space, etc. [sounds like your gas mileage was great!].
Note: Due to invalid formatting, all formatting has been ignored.
Oh it's SO worth it to go!!! If you can't take the time off to travel there by RV, or afford the gas, here's an alternative:
Our first trip to Alaska was going to be a drive up and take the Marine Highway (ferry) down, but, as one RV campground owner in Anchor Point put it, "the ferry is great, but they want you to buy it!" So we decided it would actually be less expensive to take a cruise up the inside passage!! We then took the train from Seward to Anchorage, rented an RV for 2 weeks and explored Denali, Kenai, Valdez, the Denali "Highway" between Cantwell and Paxson (awesome!) and then flew home.
So even if you can't afford to take all the time to drive up, help out the Alaskan tourist economy and find SOME way to visit - it is SO worth it!!
One does not discover new continents without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time ~Andre Gide Devin and Maggie's Blog about fulltiming for a year! (or does that only count as back-to-back snowbirding?)
We did Alaska in 2004 with a 33' TT. 11,000 miles and $3000.00 in gas. Roads up there beat our trailer so bad we had to trade it in. Besides gas prices and roads, RV's are getting bigger every day. If we ever go back, it would have to be in a smaller rig. 24' max. The roads are too hard on big trailers. Last time I posted something like this, the State of Alaska started bashing me!
Bill
Bill and Bonnie
Northland Good Sams
2005 Ford F350CC,PSD, 2005 Cedar Creek 36RLTS
RVing since 1970
mackey wrote: We did Alaska in 2004 with a 33' TT. 11,000 miles and $3000.00 in gas. Roads up there beat our trailer so bad we had to trade it in.
Bill
I'm sorry, but I was also there in 2004, and the roads were not that bad. Yes there is some construction and yes there are frost heaves, but as long as you slow down and see the sights, you went there to see, you won't have any problems. Now we are passed by a few, every year that we're up there, that either think they are at the Daytona 500 or are trying to see all of Alaska in 2 weeks. Those I can understand having vehicle problems. The roads in Alaska are as good as any in the lower 48, that have similar weather and construction season.
Bob & Betsy(FishNFanatic) - USN Aviation Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 & "Oath Keeper Forever" '05 HR Endeavor 40PRQ, 400 Cummins W/ 540w/35A solar system -Pulling our '05 GMC Sierra LT, CC, Z-71, w/ 2010 Silver Rzr in back. Where the wheels are stopped
I feel the final nail in the coffin for the RV park owners in Alaska will be when the new Passport laws go into effect in 2008, thats when both US and Canada citizens will be required to purchase a Passport to cross the border to visit or vacation that is if they don't change their minds again and change and move the date up for the third time. Hopefully they will drop this asinine law altogether and let us cross each others borders just by answering a few questions.
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