miles driven per day?

[zippyphil]

So I have been making my "itinerary" with google maps for a while now, I have been breaking up my overall trip into 300 mile legs. This would only be driving time, not including any stops along the way. This trip will start in Florida and go to fairbanks, AK. I am planning on visiting National Parks along the way.

1st major stop Mount Rushmore National Memorial 3-4 days
- Denver, CO 2-3 days
2nd major stop East Entrance - Yellowstone National Park, N Fork Hwy, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 5-7 days
3rd major stop Glacier National Park, West Glacier, Mt 3-4 days
-Banff
-Jasper
Following the Alaskan highway into Fairbanks,AK.

So I guess My question is really about 300 miles a day. Do you think that would be pushing it too hard in on day? Should I only factor 150 miles? I am not under any time restraints and this would only be a guide to follow.

I have not crossed the borders since the 80's in Maine. What should I expect crossing the border going from Glacier to Calgary?

-Zippy

[2gypsies1]

...but if you fly to Alaska you're missing out on awesome stops in Canada and the Yukon. The first time to Alaska we took the ferry and rented a Class C. The second time we drove the whole route and enjoyed it so much more.

[wintersun]

I don't look at miles but at hours per day behind the wheel. I try to keep it to 4 hours or less and on average we spend 2-3 hours per day during a 2-3 week trip. 6 hours is the absolute maximum time unless we have to get across a "no man's land" where there is not much in terms of options as to where to stay other than a truck stop parking lot or a Wal-Mart type of big box store and that is something we will never do.

If the distances round trip are going to be more than 4,000 miles we fly to a location where we can rent and RV or if an RV is not available we will rent a car and stay at inns and bed and breakfast places. Add up the fuel costs to drive across the country and back again and compare that to flying and renting and the costs will be nearly the same but you avoid all the time driving along the highway in places you do not particularly care to be. We have rented RV's in Alaska and in Canada and it was without a doubt better than driving there and back in any vehicle.

[2gypsies1]

Getting across the lower 48 Plains you can do 300-400/day without stopping for siteseeing if you drive interstates. However, once you cross Canada, don't plan on more that 150/day, if that, and if you really want to take in all there is to see enroute to Alaska. There are so many gorgeous places to see in Canada and the Yukon before you even reach Alaska. Most travelers sitesee as they go instead of backtracking after parked. This will drastically shorten your driving miles. Sometimes we even drove 50 miles from one place to another.

Have fun planning - that a fun part of the whole trip.

[mabynack]

zippyphil wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
Be aware that your RV is unlikely to be built for an Alaskan winter.

Call you be a little more specific please. The holding takes will be heated. I'm sure there is mrudimentary

I am originally from new England and am familiar with cold weather and snow. I can't take the heat in Florida another year!

Someone had suggested I post and read the alaska page. I read the majority of all posts. I also searched Google "how to prepare your RV for an alaska trip" that gave me some ideas, they seemed rudeamentry. I may not have thought about the extra tires, (Mounted) and the likely damage your RV or toad could suffer because of the frost heaves and gravel. Carrying extra gas seems sketchy because of safety and storage, but seems logical.



Zippy

Sounds like we have a lot in common. I'm from New England originally and live in Florida. I also miss cool weather and seasons.

I've done a little cold weather camping in my fifth wheel and the issue I had was with water. I had to fill my freshwater tank and completely drain the hose every few days. I usually dumped the waste tanks right after I showered because the water was still warm and kept the hose flexible. Make sure to drain the hose or it will freeze up.

Most RVs don't have insulation rated for much below zero. Water lines freeze and so will lines under the sinks unless you keep cabinet doors open at night. Plumbing exposed to the outdoors will freeze, too - like an outdoor shower.

[zippyphil]

right you are allworth. i may have actually found a friend that would let me stay in her house or live in her garage that huge an will allow me to park inside of that. that may work out.

zippy

[Allworth]

If you winter Alaska in an RV, be sure to post an easy to find notice inside the RV listing your next-of-kin.

[zippyphil]

this is really a great posting. i am SOOO looking forward to this!

[agesilaus]

Some of that info, like the unpaved road and needing extra tires may be outdated. They have completely paved the entire Alcan at this point. They do go thru yearly road repair after winter and you will run into that on the way. That's why I suggested asking in the Alaska/Canada forum since those people have up to date info and not: "I drove the Alcan 10 years ago..." info.

There are also a lot of travel diaries/blogs available. Search Google for "Alcan travel diary" and you'll find a lot of them. Some are useful others not.

There are two books that almost everyone recommends:

Mile Post 2014

And this one:

Alaska Campgrounds

[zippyphil]

agesilaus wrote:
Be aware that your RV is unlikely to be built for an Alaskan winter.

Call you be a little more specific please. The holding takes will be heated. I'm sure there is mrudimentary

I am originally from new England and am familiar with cold weather and snow. I can't take the heat in Florida another year!

Someone had suggested I post and read the alaska page. I read the majority of all posts. I also searched Google "how to prepare your RV for an alaska trip" that gave me some ideas, they seemed rudeamentry. I may not have thought about the extra tires, (Mounted) and the likely damage your RV or toad could suffer because of the frost heaves and gravel. Carrying extra gas seems sketchy because of safety and storage, but seems logical.



Zippy

[mabynack]

My usual plan is from 400-500 miles per day. I start out at about 8 a.m. and start looking for an RV park at 4 or 4:30 p.m. I usually have a quick stop in the middle for fuel and a sandwich.

I enjoyed the area around Mt Rushmore and spent a week there. I drove out to Custer State Park and got some great photos of buffalo and wild burros. Bear Country in Rapid City was also a highlight of the trip.

[Jim_Shoe]

I did the Cincinnati to Fairbanks trip over 10 years ago, crossing into Alberta, Canada at Sweetgrass, MT.
Expect potholes. A little crack turns into a big crack when the crack fills with water and freezes. The traffic turns the big crack into a pothole and the road crews spend the short summer temporarily fixing them. Fact of life.
If you expect hookups, better do your homework first. CGs with utilities are rarer than in the states once you get past Edmonton. Such a short camping season. Oddly, I found some CGs with just 20A and 50A. No 30A. So take dogbones if you run on 30A.
Miles/Kilometers per hour are on your speedometer, but bridge clearances are in Meters. Make a cheat sheet, or at least know how high your rig is in Meters.
Convert some $US to $CN at your bank before leaving home. Once you're a couple hundred miles north of the border, don't expect businesses to know the conversions.
Tim Horton's is the Canadian Starbucks, and they're everywhere.
Don't worry about gas even though its sold in Liters per $CN. They pump the gas for you - no choice. I walked into a deli to buy some lunchmeat and it was priced in $CN per gram. So I just ordered 8 slices, but that's a nice cheat sheet to have as well.
Finally, read the customs regulations before you leave home. Example: No handguns - period. Same thing returning, except its food items. Mostly fresh fruit.
Do not lie to the customs officials as you cross the border. I saw some poor soul taking everything that wasn't permanently attached to his RV and spreading it out on the ground. The Canadian customs official asked me if I'd ever been fingerprinted. I told him maybe when I went in the Navy, but I wasn't sure. My index fingerprint was on the passport - duh.
OTOH, clearing customs into AK and back into CN, I barely had to slow down before being waved thru. Same returning to the US at Sweetgrass. But don't count on it. Be prepared.
One other thing. Once I got past Edmonton, there were days where the only thing I saw on the road were animals. Alive, but in no hurry to cross.
Trip of a lifetime.

[agesilaus]

Be aware that your RV is unlikely to be built for an Alaskan winter.

[zippyphil]

So good to hear from florida people that have done this! So with my route I do see areas where 200 miles will take 7 hours to drive and I was thinking the same way as someone else said about driving in ND SD WY etc. I am glad to see those comments. Call me crazy (others have) but I really would like to stay in AK from fall to spring. I want to see the seasons change as this will probably be my only visit to AK. Maybe find some work during that time to keep me busy and sane.

[BillMFl]

If mostly Interstate I plan on 400 per day or a little more. Sometimes do 500 if there is a good reason to. We make stops about every two hours to get out and stretch, get a bite to eat and/or walk the dogs. Counting all stops including fuel I average a little over 50mph and so 400 miles takes about 8 hours. When traveling alone I have often done 600 or 700 mile days, but its not fun. And the wife would poison my coffee if I tried to do that with her aboard!