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03-04-2012, 06:17 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Name: Don
Trailer: Still deciding, but changing my mind from the Casita FD to the Lil Snoozy!
Texas
Posts: 237
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Alaska Al-Can Highway ?!? Workable??
I am watching a DVD series called "America's Scenic RV Adventures" The first program is called "Alaska: RV Adventure Of A Lifetime."
Early on they mentioned that the entire highway was now paved but you still should take cautions. From the video, every highway section they showed had a paved highway, although not divided like the interstate system. Still it had WIDE sides to allow for slower traffic to pull over for others to pass.
Also, when they were headed south back into Canada, at the customs station was a Scamp going through pulled by some type of mini-van.
BTW, this is a GREAT video series if you want to "get away" with some RVers without leaving home. They are all driving BORN FREE motorhomes on the trip. I'm watching it with Netflix.
So my questions are, has anyone driven the Al-Can highway to Alaska with Fiberglass? It is as easy as they make it look? Do you sill have to take extra precautions, extra trailer and TV tires, take cautions to protect the holding tanks, etc, etc.
Looks like it would be a beautiful trip, but I'm not sure about taking a new FG trailer and TV up there from what I have heard about past trips and dangers.
Any comments about it? Would you take a brand new Scamp or Casita on that trip?
???
Thanks,
Don
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03-04-2012, 06:46 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
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On my "Bucket List"!
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03-04-2012, 06:48 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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Alaska
We've done the trip but not with our Scamp. However based on our trip I would say it should not be a problem.
Like all long trips, it requires preparation. Depending on the route you choose, it should be all paved except for construction zones. There are plenty of construction zones because they only have the summer to repair the roads.
The roads are decent though they sometimes slope in the wrong direction.
You can not plan on doing lower 48 state speeds in Alaska but you are there to see things not drive thru.
Of course you can also buy the fantastic guide too Alaska, the Milepost.
I'd start with really good tires, probably protect the front of my rig and protect the front and bottom of my gray tank and plan on a few months.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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03-04-2012, 08:25 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
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Don, there is a previous thread here where folks who have done it gives some good info.
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03-04-2012, 11:17 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Don
Trailer: Still deciding, but changing my mind from the Casita FD to the Lil Snoozy!
Texas
Posts: 237
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H
Don, there is a previous thread here where folks who have done it give some good info.
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Carol, I knew there had been discussions before. But I read at least three fiberglass forums and several other RV forums. It's good reading to learn from people who have been there, done that.
Thanks for the link!!
Don
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03-05-2012, 12:13 AM
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#6
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Member
Name: Jude
Trailer: 1973 Honey Boler...
Alberta
Posts: 42
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Although I have not done the entire trip, I've done most of it and living in Edmonton, I know plenty of people who have. And... although it's not as bad as it was in the past, plan on having to replace your windshield after your trip. Unless the gods are with you, you will most likely get a few dings that'll scare the heck outta ya... It's inevitable when living with winter roads used by a plethora of big trucks.
Aside from that, it's a trip that's on my bucket list as well. It's beautiful unspoiled country and there's a lot of colour and there are many unique sites enroute to enjoy.
You'll be in wild territory. Visit tourist info booths and follow their instructions. Their are long stretches of road you don't want to be caught in the dark unaware, with a flat or whatnot, not that it gets dark for very long.
Hope you have a great trip.
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03-05-2012, 12:16 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: ,Bigfoot 25 foot plus Surfside 14 foot
British Columbia
Posts: 1,148
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ceilityme
not that it gets dark for very long.
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In the summer! In Winter it does not get LIGHT for very long!
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03-05-2012, 12:30 AM
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#8
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Member
Name: Jude
Trailer: 1973 Honey Boler...
Alberta
Posts: 42
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Only the brave would go camping in the dark of winter... lol
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03-05-2012, 08:53 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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One thing that surprised us is that there are virtually no 18 wheelers on the road to Alaska, actually relatively little traffic and I suspect there will be less considering gas prices. (I did notice that Alaska gas prices were no more than CA prices on Gas Buddy.)
We never drove at night and usually stopped early because there's just so much to see that's outside of our experiences.
We did take three windshield hits. Most of these hits are repairable and actually on our trip there were people parked here and there to repair the typical minor dings.
Alaska's a different kind of place and well worth a visit.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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03-05-2012, 11:52 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2000 Burro 17 ft / 2001 Toyota Tundra V8 2wd
Posts: 339
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I drove from California to Alaska almost 2 years ago. Technically it's all paved, but there is a great deal of road construction that goes on during the short summer months. So you do end up driving quite a bit on roads where the top layer has been removed, or driving on freshly tarred roads, roads with bad frost heaves, etc. My trailer got a bunch of little pits in the front from the flying gravel. The worst was the fresh tar, I thought it was mud until I got home and it took me hours to remove the dried tar with orange oil based cleaner. I would recommend coating the lower front of your trailer with wax, or Pam, anything that will keep tar from sticking to make cleanup easier.
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03-05-2012, 12:34 PM
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#11
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Moderator
Trailer: Fiber Stream 1978 / Honda Odyssey LX 2003
Posts: 8,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThomasE
I would recommend coating the lower front of your trailer with wax, or Pam, anything that will keep tar from sticking to make cleanup easier.
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This sounds like a post for the Camp Cooking, Food & Recipes forum. (sorry; I couldn't help myself)
__________________
Frederick - The Scaleman
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03-05-2012, 01:33 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2000 Burro 17 ft / 2001 Toyota Tundra V8 2wd
Posts: 339
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson
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I can't take credit for that idea, I read it somewhere and it works. Any non-stick cooking spray will keep bugs and tar from sticking, and it's easy to wash off with soap and water.
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03-05-2012, 08:24 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
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Use Pam, and even the highway construction workers will slip off without sticking...
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03-12-2012, 01:20 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Trailer: Bigfoot 21.5 ft (25B21RB)
Posts: 309
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In 2004 I was living in Alaska and decided to buy a new Casita. I drove all the way to the factory in Texas to get it. So the first trip the trailer was on was up the Alaska Highway, right out of the factory. I didn't take any special precautions and had no serious problems. It is a fully paved highway, except for the construction zones noted by others on this thread. In the spring there are a lot of frost heaves and potholes in some areas, especially in the Yukon Territory. A couple of years later I moved back to the lower 48 and again had no real issues pulling the Casita. Anybody that wants to make the trip should just quit worrying about the what-ifs and go for it. You might get a gravel ding or two, but it's worth it.
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03-13-2012, 05:40 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Name: Bob Ruggles
Trailer: 2015 Escape
Michigan
Posts: 1,537
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We made three trips to Alaska in a pickup camper. we got a broken window in the camper cabover. Happened in Montana. At Tok, I backed into a timber retaining wall and broke one of the camper jacks loose. Tho only issues we had unless you call squashed bugs and a lot of mud from construction. On all three trips we saw about everything there is in the way of camping including motorcycles with tents to huge trailers and motorhomes. I'd go again with our Egg Camper but my wife says three is enough. Go & have fun.
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