October 1, heading south

Made it to Sumas, WA today. First chance I've had to check messages..

Yes, I have the sourdough with me to make biscuits;
No, the band doesn't have an gigs, but I'll be playing here and there along the trip;
Nass River bridge... It is NOT well advertised along the route. Luckily, made it through JUST before it closed!

Saw 4 bears along the route. We decided we prefer the Alaska Highway to the Cassiar. Maybe I'll post thoughts about that later.

Sue - Interesting that you saw so many rigs. We saw maybe a dozen total (both directions). Everyone in our direction must have been moving at the same speed. Highway seemed deserted to us!

Bob

Sourdough Biscuits wrote:

Anyone else heading down the road right now?

Bob

Just did about a week ago. Absolutely no problems - might have been a couple of construction delays, but they were so minor I don't even remember,

Just a note for those using #37...Bridge Deck Maintenance at Nass River Bridge, 143 km north of Kitwanga, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm daily starting Tues Oct 1 thru to Sat Oct 5. This work will require 3-hour closures to traffic in both directions, scheduled as follows:: CLOSED 7:00am - 10:00am; 11:00am - 2:00pm; and 3:00pm - 6:00pm; OPEN 10:00am - 11:00am; 2:00pm - 3:00pm; and overnight 6:00pm - 7:00am. Updated on Sun Sep 29 at 1:17 pm PDT. (ID# -44352)


Gary Haupt

I sure agree with PA12DVR on fall in south central, as once the super cold hit the Interior, we would on some long weekends, run down to our place on the Kenai River about a mile upstream from Soldotna. We had permanently set up our 5th wheel on a river front lot we owned, as a fish camp, etc. October on the Kenai or around PWS (Prince William Sound) is just a great time of the year. But after a long weekend spent at our trailer, we knew we had to go home (Nenana) to the Interior cold of -40°F or colder.

For the most part an RVer could hang out around south central Alaska, the lower Railbelt, the Alaska Banana Belt, lower Mat Su, or whatever you want to call it, up till Thanksgiving (US) or later. But the problem, then is, you have to drive through the Interior of Alaska and northern Canada to get back outside to the Lower 48. If the cross gulf ferry ran all year, and more frequently, and cheaper, a traveler could stay later, in the warmer parts of Alaska and then ferry south out of Whittier or Seward. But that is not the way it works.

Bob, do you and your band have any play dates scheduled outside, or is this a family pleasure trip only? I am sure many forum members would love to hear you guys play, if you were somewhat close to where they were RVing.

Kind of a scruffy looking bunch, I would say. LOL
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sourdough-Biscuits/154859377859932

Shoot, in the alleged banana belt of Southcentral AK, October is the perfect month. Snow on the mountains, ice on the puddles, no bugs, leaves down or falling, no slob hunters on every ATV trail, a wood fire smells better...just the perfect month...in Southcentral.

Here in the east, many of the snowbird winter campground rates kick in for October 1st. Where we go, the winter 6 month rate is Oct 1 thru March 31.

October 1, is about the start of the serious cold weather in the Interior of Alaska. The 13 years we lived in Nenana, we could count on the first sticking snow of winter on or about October 5. From then to Christmas was some serious winter weather, then the January Thaw, and then till spring time, the bottom fell out of the thermometers.

Sue, you may have also been seeing some planned military rotation of troops heading to a new duty station in the lower 48. New troops coming in and the ones that have been there for their year or two tour are heading out. Some of these folks would be RV drivers I am sure.

But more than likely, any Alaska resident that doesn't want to experience the super cold of the Interior, had best be gone south by October 1, most years.

I think Alaska is being evacuated today, October 1. On my way home from Whitehorse this evening, a dozen RVs with Alaska plates went by on their way southbound, along with about 20 passenger car/trucks with Alaska plates!

That's the most RV traffic I've seen in weeks.

I'm wondering ... does everybody leave on October 1 and then return by a specific deadline to retain residency in Alaska? or?

Don't forget to bring some of those biscuits. I don't see many sour dough biscuits around here. I have plenty of sorghum to sop.

We will be at Murrels inlet for two weeks stating the 12th,wish it was all winter.