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RE: Border Crossing
The only thing I can think of is some of the crossings have a specific lane for RV's. As far as booze all I can say is claim everything when they ask. When I went across in July at 11:30PM they pulled me over to secondary inspection. It was myself, the wife and two younger kids. Not sure what they did but they told us to surrender all keys to the truck and RV and to go inside. Ten minutes later they came in and said we could proceed. It didn't look like they touched a thing so I'm guessing they listened and watched us on all of those hidden cameras/mics they have and were satisfied with what we said.
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halibutman214
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08/27/12 08:04pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Sure this has been asked before But....here goes
A great campground that is not a gravel lot is a place called Tolsona Wilderness campground just on the Anchorage side of Glennallen. It is a few miles off the highway but is in the woods and has w/e with a dump station in the campground.This is indeed a beautiful park. We had planned on staying 3 days but after one we could no longer take the mosquitos. Almost as bad as fighting them on the walk to Liard Hot Springs. We stayed for much of our trip at Kyllonens RV Park in Anchor Point for the exact reasons you ask this question. Close to all but enough space to feel like you were camping. Most of the State Parks have trees and space but.. no hookups. If you don't need to hook-ups I would go state parks all the way. PS As far as I know generators are fine in state parks. Seems like everyone had one and theirs enough foilage so you don't really hear them.
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halibutman214
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08/24/12 06:30pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Books for Alaska?
The Milepost is great if you really want a book that is so filled with irrelevant detail that it is just about impossible to glean any useful information from it. It is the travel guide equivalent to a garden shed or ladies handbag - The author just keeps chucking stuff in and never take any out and pretty soon you can't find anything even though you know it is in there someplace. Quantity takes precedence over quality.Sorry TL but I respectfully could not disagree more. My wife was my navigator on our trip that we just completed a couple weeks ago and the Milepost was the absolute best thing going. Yes there is some garbage in there, stuff that needs updated and things I would change BUT, for a mile to mile "whats coming up" it is unsurpassed right down to when the next turnout is coming up. This book was invaluable as well as providing some great history about a few things along the way. It made the trip go much faster and we certainly learned a lot more than had we made the trip without it. We were sketics when we left home but once we got the hang of using it this is the best thing going.
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halibutman214
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08/24/12 09:05am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Whitehorse YT
Glad to see that at least a few more noticed what a great place this is. As far as the moose poop stuff we were baffled as to what to get everyone until we saw the ornaments. Should they choose to hang it my entire family will have a little bit of Canada on their tree this year.
If you do choose to eat at Klondike Rib & Salmon Barbeque (even lunch) you can expect a bit of a wait and as for dinner it might be more than a bit. There were 27 people waiting outside at 8:00PM the night we were going to go. I did however hear the food was fabulous.
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halibutman214
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08/23/12 03:32pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Whitehorse YT
First let me say thank you to all of our Canadian neighbors and Alaskans. Your hospitality along the ALCAN hwy was unsurpassed. Not sure if it's because of the wilderness environment or what but what a great group of people. Now to Whitehorse. Just as we did, many people that travel this hwy get to Whitehorse and have one thing in mind, going to Walmart. Just as we did many people go to Walmart and hit the road again thinking this is sort of a funky little town when in reality this is one of the coolest towns in Canada. On our way back south we decided on a quirk to spend an extra day in Whitehorse after seeing a flier for a Yukon river tour. The tour was in the afternoon so we decided to check out Whitehorse. The REAL town of Whitehorse is not Walmart. The look and feel of it took us back years. We went to the museum as well as checking out many other things the town had to offer. The Yukon River boat trip was super. As we were walking around we saw an advertisement for a show called Frantic Follies. I'm the last person in the world that would go to any sort of show like this but know my wife enjoys stuff like this so I suggested we go (major points for me). The Frantic Follies is a turn-of-the-century vaudeville revue that depicts the entertainment seen by the pioneers of the Great Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. I was laughing from the first 20 seconds of the show right up until the end. It was unbelieveably good and I guess it's been playing for years.
The long and short of it is if your traveling through Whitehorse, there is much more there than Walmart. Do yourself a favor and plan to stop for a day or two or three. It's well worth it.
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halibutman214
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08/23/12 11:58am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Black water tank
I didn't think the ice trick would work either until I tried it once. On my 5er, after traveling most of the day, I tried to dump and the tank's drain was plugged. At the suggestion of another RVer at the dump station, I tried the ice. I bought 2 bags of ice and poured them into the black tank through the toilet. Then I immediately started driving. About 2 hours later I found another dump station; the black tank completely drained.
Maybe the trick was to adding 2 bags of ice rather than just one. That way the ice did not melt quickly. The other secret is to start driving immediately letting the ice slosh around in the tank.
I only tried the ice one time, the only time I have ever had a problem emptying the tank. It may not work every time, but it worked for me that one time. Don't knock it if you have not tried it.
RayNow we just know that had it not been for that ice it would have never drained. Too funny
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halibutman214
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08/14/12 10:29pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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The ALCAN Super HWY
Okay so after completeing my trip both North and South on the ALCAN and looking diligently for this pot holed, rut filled goat trail, I just didn't find it. Instead I found a road that for the most part you would find in any state in any part of the country when you traveled for over a thousand miles on a two lane road. Were there some bad sections, yes, and one really bad section on my way North but 3 weeks later the same section, while still gravel was smooth. They do an amazing job on these roads considering the elements.
As far as rock chips, I guess I missed this exciting event as well. I can see how it happens and why it happens and as with running out of gas "most" chips are of your own doing. When I saw 18 wheelers coming at me on a dirt road running 100+kmh I slowed and moved over. I also didn't draft them as I saw many doing. This highway can change rapidly but for a summer trip it is NOT what some would like to make it as being.
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halibutman214
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08/13/12 09:51pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Carrying Fuel.... I think not
Let my try to be brief .... if you run out of gas on the Alaska Highway you deserve it! There is absolutely no reason to carry fuel if you exercise even the smallest amount of prudence in planning your trip.
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halibutman214
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08/13/12 07:53pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Towmax tires on my 6774 trip
After just completing a 6774 mile round trip journey to Alaska I have several things I think anyone making the trip would find helpful. To not get anything confused I will make each post separate. I think this first post is crucial and that is the concern of tires. Let me try to sum this up in one sentence. If you leave with tires that have a load range that is rated anything less than at least 1/3 more than the loaded weight of your rig your asking for trouble. I have long been an advocate of Tow Max tires and don’t think they are any better or worse than others but I do think manufacturers put tires on that are barely legal for the weight they will carry and nothing is taken into consideration for the tremendous down forces created when you go over a whoop in the road or hit a pothole. For those that have traveled the ALCAN you know what I’m taking about. Over time this sudden weight simply breaks any tire down that was not designed for that extra weight. Keeping in mind my trailer is almost new one of my Tow Max tires made it 3602 miles and another one an additional 327 miles. The ONLY thing that kept me from having a blowout was my TPMS and let me tell you the first tire that went had complete belt failure in several places. I’ve never seen a tire that looked so bad and was still holding air. The second one only separated in one place but I caught it before it went any further. In my 3 hour wait in Watson Lake YK they invited me to take a look at the scrap pile and let me tell you, it was ugly! There were all brands and all sizes that looked pretty much like mine. They said most were attributable to speed which I readily saw but I can assure you at no time did I speed and in fact most of the time drove well under the speed limit but the whoops and bumps sneak up on you. You too will find yourself in this same situation if you choose to ignore the fact you more than likely do NOT have heavy enough tires. If anyone is interested the tire in Watson Lake cost $176 and the one in Fort Nelson $134.
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halibutman214
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08/13/12 07:27pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Mukluks?
Just a quick update. Went to the place we found in Clam Gulch today. WHAT A FIND! This lady started making stuff 25 years ago from animal furs her husband shot and has not stopped since. Her little shop sits next to her house which is located a couple miles outside Clam Gulch in the forest. The name of her company (which consists of her and now her husband) is called Howling Wolfe Furs and the stuff she makes is absolutely beautiful. We thought for sure we would have to have Mukluks custom made but as things turned out the one pair that my daughter absolutely loved fit her perfectly and the price was 1/3 less of those we looked at online. We also ordered a pair for our younger daughter. This lady makes all sorts of stuff from gloves to skunk hats which I nearly bought it was so neat. The experience in itself was worth it even if we had purchased nothing. These were just really great people and I highly recommend them for anyone wanting to purchase something like this. She also does internet orders.
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halibutman214
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08/01/12 10:29pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Captain Patties Clam Chowder Recipe?
Hoping someone might have a recipe that could come close to the Chowder they serve at Captain Patties in Homer. Did a search and thought sure I would find something but no luck. While EVERYTHING we had there was delicious I especially loved the Clam Chowder and what better way to use the remainder of our freshly dug clams.
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halibutman214
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08/01/12 12:09pm |
Camp Cooks and Connoisseurs
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RE: un-plated trailer to Canada
I had the same question last year and had no problem crossing nor on my return trip. If you bought the trailer new in Oregon then you recieved a sort of registration with it that you should carry with you. If you bought it used then you need to have Bill of Sale with the trailer VIN. I carried a Bill of Sale but was never asked for it. What does this mean for you... be ready to produce any documentation they ask for. Two weeks ago I crossed into Canada at 11:30 PM thinking I would get across quickly when there was little traffic. Much to my surprise they pulled me over for a secondary inspection however after only 5 minutes they came in and said we could proceed. You get what you get at the border but if you go prepared you should have no problem.
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halibutman214
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08/01/12 11:42am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Clamming in Ninilchik
If you ever even thought you might want to try clamming then GO! We went for the first time ever yesterday and had a blast! My two girls, while having a little trouble pulling the clam gun out, thought it was almost as good as our halibut trip and like one said, "it's almost like searching for buried treasure". The clams were big and tasty. We got 60 which is only the limit for one person but it was more than enough for a couple meals and some to freeze. One word of warning however, at least for Ninichik, there are mud flats and there is a reason "most", people walk around them. After sinking to nearly the top of her boots my wife was able to extract herself before a coast guard rescue became necessary.
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halibutman214
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08/01/12 11:27am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Al-Can hwy
All I can say is there must be two ALCAN highways. I just completed this same trip up 5 days ago and the absolute worst section of highway I encoutered was Interstate 5 in Tacoma Washington. The area between the Alaska border and Haines Junction was not the best but the speed I drove was based on road conditions and I had NO problems.
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halibutman214
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07/30/12 04:34pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Mukluks?
We found someone in Deep Creek which oddly enough is only 20 miles North of where we are staying. Her prices are reasonable and she custom makes each pair. We're hoping this might work out.
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halibutman214
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07/29/12 10:45pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Mukluks?
Good question Sue T. She might be happy with fake fur but they need to say Made in Alaska or Canada, which may make it even harder. That is our definition of "genuine". Looks like this place in Whitehorse is HUGE! Thanks
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halibutman214
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07/29/12 12:07pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Mukluks?
After a six day trip from Oregon we arrived at our destination in Anchor Point unscathed. The roads were not even close to being as bad as some would have you believe but more on that later. Right now, we are looking for a place to buy some genuine Alaskan Mukluks that my daughter desperately wants. I found a furrier in Anchorage, but while she's saved a lot of $ this is not exactly what we had in mind. Anyone know of a place in the Anchorage/Kenai area that has these? Thanks
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halibutman214
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07/29/12 11:40am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Maxxis tires tread coming off
This is laughable! When they're Maxxis you guys can actually come up with some valid ideas as to why they may have failed.
I don’t know what is so laughable about it. Unless you take pleasure in reading about another’s problems…
So laugh all you want if it makes you feel better…Not sure I even want to respond to this. If you were somehow able to extrapolate what I said into thinking that I would find someones elses problems funny then surely you would not understand my telling you once again, "When they're Maxxis you guys can actually come up with some valid ideas as to why they may have failed". Let me help... if they're Maxxis they fail for a real reason and if they're not it's becasue they're chinese. You sort of get it now.
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halibutman214
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06/20/12 04:00pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Maxxis tires tread coming off
This is laughable! When they're Maxxis you guys can actually come up with some valid ideas as to why they may have failed.
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halibutman214
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06/20/12 08:25am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Crabbing in/around Homer
Clicky to public Facebook album of us clammingLove seeing the kids out there. That's what it's all about. Though it will be a little late in the season it looks like we will hit some -3 tides so hopefully we can do well. Thanks
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halibutman214
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06/20/12 08:09am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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