GREAT ALASKAN HOLIDAY SPRING ADVENTURE 2013 IOWA/ALASKA

The only levelers are some blocks of wood they provide.

SkiCruiser will be your expert on cell service because she also had to keep in contact with work on her previous trips. We only used cell phone in AK where our Tracfone worked the best.

Chemicals are furnished.

Have you gone to mytripjournal.com? I found it very easy to use, and a great place to read the reviews of others. If you want to read more journals, check these out: http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-United_States-Alaska

Just went to the RV show in Atlanta. We are so stoked about the trip. Can't wait. Met 2 couples that have made the trip to AK. Picked up good tips about boondocking, frost heaves, etc.
We do have a couple of questions...
Do the motorhomes have power levelers?
How much of the trip has limited or no cell service. Currently, we are with AT&T. I will have to work some and need to be availalbe to clients. Am wondering if I should just rent a sattelite phone for the month? Has anyone done this and what was your access?
Are the chemicals furnished for the motor homes or do we just pick up at Wal-Mart? It seems so much is furnished, just didn't know?
We just received a letter that there is only going to be 2 orientations this year to try and expedite the departure time of the motor homes. Yeah!
My sister-in-law did a dry run on her packing this past Saturday. She successfully kept her bag under 50 pounds (41).
We found that Gander Mountain opened a new store over in Auburn AL. Have made a couple of trips to get rain gear, new coats, etc. Everything is on sale, so make some great purchases for the trip.
In the last couple of weeks, have read every journal that I could find to gain information. Can anyone share the pros and cons of the different journal sites?

Welcome Cecil & Ann:

We leave on the 10th, too! Is this your first trip north with GAH? See you in MSP!

Cheryl

Hello Everyone,
Also have received contracts and looking forward to trip. Leaving 10th. Plans are still to head north to Moose Jaw SK, then west to Banff, Jasper, Dawson Creek, etc. My plans have two 2 problems, Long 1st day and long Last day. My flight will Arrive in MSP airport befor 11 AM, then after turning in MH our flight out leaves just after midnight.

Cecil and Ann

Hi RV'RS:

We have driven 28, 30, 31 & 32 footers and have averaged about 8 1/2 miles per gallon and the length has not made a difference! Hope this helps!

We have also done the route you have described twice and it it doable! The first few days we hit it hard since it's mostly interstate. Some years the wind has been the hardest thing we have faced other than snow and blizzards in northern BC. Once we make it to Alaska we are able to spend a couple days in one spot but usually only stay one night at each location. We usually only spend 16 or 17 days on the trip before we head home! A cruise back south sounds awesome! We would consider it, but since we both still work, three weeks is about all we can take at one time.

We received our GAH contract for a 31' (17days) leaving May 10th. Plan to drive through SD (Mount Rushmore)thru Glacier National Park, up through Banff, etc. For those of you who have made this trip before, is it realistic to make the trip in 17 days and this proposed route without "wearing ourselves out" each day. We have a cruise booked and have to turn in the motorhome on day 17. Trying to decide if we need to skip some of the U.S. touring. Also, what mpg can we expect with the 31'?
Your comments and sharing of your prior experiences are appreciated.

cr 180

I just started our trip planning for our Iowa to Alaska trip with a GAH 28'. We also leave on the 12th so that makes at least two of us.
This is our first time to make this trip although we flew to Anchorage 5 years ago and rented a unit from them for three weeks. It was glorious. Granma Carol is wealth of knowledge and I will be checking out the others. Thank Goodness I found this forum. I'm usually pretty good on "winging it" but didn't dare do it on this trip.

Happy New Year Grandma Carol!

Got our contract from GAH last week! It will be time to leave for MSP before we know it! We have not decided on our route yet! Every time I pick a new route, part of it doesn't open until June. So, other than the Cassier I'm still working on which way to go!

As for the grocery store in Forest City, we have never stopped there. We always seem to end up at a Walmart Supercenter somewhere along the way.

Will miss seeing you this, since this will be our last GAH trip, for a few years at least, since there are a few other places that we want to see - like the Four Corners area and Italy.

Have a great summer!

SkiCruiser - what are the musts that we need to advise these newbies on the GAH trip to pick up at the local grocery store near the Winnebago factory? I was thinking today about how wonderful their sausage is! Wasn't there something else we made sure we stopped there to get? (And I sure do agree with you about the great info we've gotten from Sue.t - as well as Murray!)

Sue T,

Not a nuisance at all! I so much enjoy your pics and info about your Yukon! Since I have to work even when I'm on vacation, I look forward to the pristine silence and limited connection to the outside world when I am in the Yukon. It is the one time on vacation that I truly love. Being a Florida girl even the spring in the Yukon is chilly for me. I can't imagine the winters. Kluane, Boya, Meziadin are places that we have stayed in due to you're website and someday when we retire I hope to try out some of the other places you have introduced me to! Thank You!