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RE: Tours and pets
We took our small dog with us when we went to Alaska in 2005, but never took her on a tour or excursion. We usually just left her in the trailer. She managed well, but if your dogs cannot last the length of your excursions many campgrounds have folks who will walk or feed your pets. Sometimes they advertise that they have pet walkers, other times you will have to ask.
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bee_46
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10/13/08 05:58pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska Caravans and HAPPY campers?
We have traveled to Alaska twice on our own and have enjoyed the freedom of doing exactly what we want. I did research the itineraries of various caravans to determine the prime tourist spots and then tailored our trip to our likes. We did connect with several caravans on our trip this summer as we came down the Cassier and those folks we talked to seemed to be enjoying themselves. One concern we had was what happened if you had trouble and the caravan went on ahead. We were told that you can tie up with a later caravan for that company and finish your trip with them. The folks we talked to said they had someone do that. So perhaps an earlier caravan rather than later would leave that option open. However you decide to travel, caravan or not, go. You will not regret the trip.
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bee_46
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10/13/08 09:22am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Telephone Service
We have Verizon cell phones and had no problem with cell service in Alaska in the cities and on the Kenai. There were stretches of road in the "middle of nowhere" where we had no service, but we had service along the Inside Passage, even to town of Wrangell, as well as all the large cities. There was no additional costs to using the phone in Alaska. Canada was a different story. We had no service in most of Canada and where we had service and had a call come in, as I was using the phone as our alarm clock, we incurred the roaming rate. We used Skype on our computer for phone calls in Canada.
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bee_46
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10/12/08 05:38pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska Highway
I agree with much of what lanerd said although we had no significant dings or dents on our TV or trailer. I would also suggust that you take the green buses into Denali not the brown buses. They are cheaper and go farther into the park and the drivers are very knowledgeable. They stop for viewing animals and rest stops.
Forgot to say that the green buses are from the park Wilderness Center.
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bee_46
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10/05/08 03:15pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anchorage to Homer in the winter
Alaskan-rver:
Thanks for the additional information about hotel availabity and the Fur Rondy. I'm not sure we can spring for the extra time in Alaska this winter after our 3 month trip there this past summer, but Fur Rondy sure sounds like a lot of fun. I am hoping to maybe get a glimpse of an aurora. On a very rare occasion we see them in Maryland, but you have to be very lucky to see one if they get that far south. The last time was five or six years ago and I missed them.
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bee_46
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10/03/08 07:47pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Gravel Road from Chicken to Tok
We drove the road from Tok to Chicken this summer (late July) and, except for an area where they were repairing the road, it was paved and in good condition. One of the better roads we drove. We did not go past Chicken, however.
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bee_46
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10/01/08 01:52pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anchorage to Homer in the winter
Thanks for all the input. We may just fly since car rental, expecially of a 4WD, will be much more than the airfare. We would then just rent a car for a couple of days in Anchorage. Having driven the curves along Turnagain Arm more than once I'm not sure taking a chance then is worth it if locals have trouble. We would probably be driving at night as well. We might also plan to be in Wasilla (or Willow) for the official start of the Iditarod rather then the ceremonial start.
Loggenrock: Might just come up to New Hampshire one winter to see your races. You are right it is a lot closer.
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bee_46
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10/01/08 01:14pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anchorage to Homer in the winter
PA12DRVR:
Thanks for the road information. We have to weigh the cost of plane tickets and the cost of a rental car. If the roads are usually passable, I will persue the costs. As for the Iditarod, I would really prefer to be at the finish line rather then the start, but since that will never happen I will take what I can get. I admire the dogs that race that distance. Not so much interested in the hoopla as seeing the dogs in action.
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bee_46
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09/30/08 07:32pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anchorage to Homer in the winter
There is something about photographing eagles at a dump that I find less than appealing although I know dumps are eagle "hangouts". "Fishing" in the dump is less work then fishing in a river. Cloning out the garbage in a picturentakes a lot of time. When we were in Prince Rupert, we happened upon the gentleman who feeds the eagles by the old docks and had quite an afternoon of photography. I believe someone mentioned the dump when we were there. We didn't go there.
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bee_46
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09/30/08 07:23pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anchorage to Homer in the winter
We are, indeed, planning to see Jean Keene and her eagles. I hope after 2010 the eagles' instincts take over and they continue to feed themselve. We spent 5 days in Homer this summer enjoying the eagles that spend the summer there, but the chance to see the large numbers in the winter is compelling and that opportunity will not exist much longer. We fell in love with these majestic birds on our trip to Alaska in 2005.
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bee_46
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09/30/08 06:25pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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Anchorage to Homer in the winter
Having just returned from a three month trip to Alaska this summer, DH is planning on returning to Homer this winter to photograph the eagles that winter there. Is it better to fly from Anchorage to Homer or are the roads on the Kenai usually passable in the winter for driving from Anchorage? Also we hope to time our visit to Homer with the start of the Iditarod in Anchorage. Does anyone know how difficult is it to get hotel reservations for that weekend or how far in advance I need to make those reservations? We will not know until after Thanksgiving the exact week we will be going to Homer. Any input would be appreciated.
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bee_46
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09/30/08 06:01pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Tell me about Alaska.......
We have been there three times. First time on a cruise, second and third by car pulling a trailer. We are planning a fourth trip possibly this winter to see the eagles in Homer. We have not seen all there is to see along the road system, much less the areas only accessible by air. If you go once, you will go again. The state just calls you back. There is always something else to see or do. Here is the link to our blog from our three month trip this summer.
Alaska 2008
Unfortunately we had no control over the weather there this year. Even with the rain, it was still a great trip.
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bee_46
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09/30/08 05:30pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Back from AK
We, too, traveled to and from Alaska this year without a flat tire, windshield ding, or major tie-up on the roads. Our only tie-ups were waiting for pilot cars in construction areas. Our trip was very similar to Terry 25 except we did the Alaska circle the other direction, Fairbanks first, Valdez last and we did not go to Dawson this time. Here is our travel blog: Alaska 2008
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bee_46
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09/20/08 08:20pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: What is up with US Customs?
We crossed both ways several times this summer on our trip to Alaska and back. The only crossing where we were sternly questioned at length was when we drove into Skagway for the day, and the U.S. custom's agent asked us more questions than anywhere else. I believe he was also the only one who scanned our passports. The least concerned agent was the one at our final crossing back into the lower 48. Most agents, both U.S. and Canadian were very pleasant and friendly. On our two trips to Alaska we have never been asked to open our trailer.
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bee_46
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09/19/08 03:56pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska bears when and where
We saw black bears in Ketchikan this year. The bears were starting to come down to Herring Cove to get salmon when we were there in mid-June. I believe the salmon run there was a bit late as it was in much of Alaska this year. The number of bears showing up each evening was just starting to pick up as we had to leave. This was the area we met the locals looking to see the bears.
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bee_46
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09/18/08 06:54pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska Travel Caravan/by yourself
We have gone twice by ourselves and prefer the freedom to spend extra time some places and leave early or skip others entirely. For our first trip I did research caravan itineries online to get a feel for things to see and do and then tailored the trip to our likings. We often found others in the campground to socialize with and compare notes with as we traveled and often ran into them in other campgrounds along the way. We did talk to folks who were with caravans who were having a good time, but it was not worth the extra money to us. We never felt the need for the added security. Alaska and Canada are just a safe as anywhere in the lower 48 and probably safer than some places.
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bee_46
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09/18/08 03:58pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: How many nights camping this summer?
We just spent 90 days on our trip from start to finish. Of those, 57 were in Alaska (4 additional in Stewart, BC just outside of Hyder). The rest were getting there and returning. We had a wonderful, if rainy, trip.
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bee_46
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09/18/08 03:49pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska Checklist
We did nothing special for our trip to Alaska. We just used our usual check list for any camping trip. When we took our little dog three years ago, we did make sure we had a full supply of her dog food as she was on an unusual prescription dog food and it was hard to find even in the lower 48. I did try to "dust proof" our pots and pans so I did not have to scrub them all every time we traveled over gravel roads. We found that anything we ran out of or needed was available.
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bee_46
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09/07/08 03:49pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Need advise on choosing a tour company for Alaska
We have traveled twice by ourselves, but ran into three caravans toward the end of our trip this year. After talking with those folks with the caravan we did find out that if you have trouble and get left behind you can join a later caravan with the same company coming through. They had someone join them from an earlier trip. Thinking along those lines it might be wise to pick a trip earlier in the schedule rather than one at the end of the season or at least check out if that is a particular company's policy. Most of the folks we talked to with the caravans were enjoying themselves. We just choose to be more flexible with our schedule.
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bee_46
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09/07/08 10:03am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Alaska bears when and where
Those triplets are on their own this year. One came down to the creek each of the four days that we were there in August. He was never successful at catching a fish when we were there, however. It did not stop him from trying though.
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bee_46
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09/03/08 07:18pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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