On the Road with "Roll Call Alaska 2013"......

[JANETRUPP]

Okay all my Alaska family...Here it is...
As requested I am starting a new thread for all you "Roll Call Alaska 2013" travelers to blog all your adventures.
This may help others traveling behind us or those going next year. Any news on roads, gas, what to see or miss. Anything.... just blog and tell of your adventures on one of our most memorable trips.

We start out tomorrow (only as far as Vegas..:C) but will be slowly heading up and away on our trip.

So start Bloging and lets keep in touch.

Travel safe and smart!!!!
Janet

[CA_Traveler]

Hjudge49 wrote:
BTW. we signed up for a cardlock with AFD fuel services. They have depots in Watson Lake, Fort Nelson, Whitehorse and Fairbanks and several points South. We saved about 10 cents per liter on Fuel.

You can sign up right at the fuel station with just your Vista CC. Hope everyone also has the PenFed card or equivalent and getting 5% cash back of fuel - both US and Canada. With our fuel guzzling rigs we're talking serious cash back every month.

We had to search a bit to find the Whitehorse station. It's on the Whitehorse visitors guide in Porter Creek north of Whitehorse a few blocks off of the Alaskan Highway. The Watson Lake station is south on town and new, not on their maps. Diesel only but they have extra tanks so I'm guessing gasoline is coming.

[CA_Traveler]

Hjudge49 wrote:
We are in Riverview in Fairbanks tonight. (D6) Spent last night in Beaver Creek. The night before in Watson Lake at "Baby Nugget". Worst mosquitos I have ever seen and I live in Florida. Last night we used the thermocell in the coach and didn"t have a single bug all night. We will stay here in Fairbanks at least 4 nights, plan to have the coach serviced and the 5 stone chips on the windshield (all collected within 10 minutes South of Watson Lake) repaired before moving on. Any body else here?

We may stop tomorrow night and then Fairbanks - maybe we can connect up.

[tbaugh]

Hjudge49 wrote:
We are in Riverview in Fairbanks tonight. (D6) Spent last night in Beaver Creek. The night before in Watson Lake at "Baby Nugget". Worst mosquitos I have ever seen and I live in Florida. Last night we used the thermocell in the coach and didn"t have a single bug all night. We will stay here in Fairbanks at least 4 nights, plan to have the coach serviced and the 5 stone chips on the windshield (all collected within 10 minutes South of Watson Lake) repaired before moving on. Any body else here?

We are also in Riverview here in Fairbanks. We are in the 25 Airstream Trailer. We are in site 145. Stop by if the truck is here.

[Hjudge49]

BTW. we signed up for a cardlock with AFD fuel services. They have depots in Watson Lake, Fort Nelson, Whitehorse and Fairbanks and several points South. We saved about 10 cents per liter on Fuel.

[Hjudge49]

We are in Riverview in Fairbanks tonight. (D6) Spent last night in Beaver Creek. The night before in Watson Lake at "Baby Nugget". Worst mosquitos I have ever seen and I live in Florida. Last night we used the thermocell in the coach and didn"t have a single bug all night. We will stay here in Fairbanks at least 4 nights, plan to have the coach serviced and the 5 stone chips on the windshield (all collected within 10 minutes South of Watson Lake) repaired before moving on. Any body else here?

[lizzie]

Fellow Road Callers: Please overlook my rant yesterday about bug repellent. I'm afraid it is one of my "soap box" subjects. A native Floridian, I'v been bitten by just about everything and it never used to bother me. Guess I've lived too long and used up my immunity as they now drive me nuts! We drove from Anchorage to Homer today in very nice weather on a great road. We are at Oceanview RV Park and plan to stay as long as it takes. Had a long walk on the beach this evening. We met Dale, (Scottiemom)in Anchorage at the Golden Nugget. Hope we run into them again. lizzie

[sue_t]

Generally, Burwash Landing to Beaver Creek is 25-30 MPH terrain. Just when you think you can speed up, something catches you off guard. Last fall this section was the best I've seen it in years.

The Alaska Border to Beaver Creek section was totally rebuilt in the mid-1990s. Doesn't take long for the freeze/thaw cycle to ruin it. That area is marsh & swamp. Flying over it, it is pond after pond after pond.

Reminds me of the night we crossed from Alaska into Yukon and encountered the construction zone. It was September and darkness was settling in. The flagperson told us the pilot car was off duty, to take it slow, and to stay out of the way of the machines. Yikes ... that was about 10 miles of terror as dirt movers and bulldozers buzzed around us in the dark! They all had big lights on them, but that only blinded us in the darkness!

[JANETRUPP]

CA Traveler wrote:
We're in Beaver Creek and going to the dinner/play show tonight. Hopefully no one will have to buy fuel here at $1.73.

Alaska tomorrow!

The road from Whitehorse to Haines Junction is not to bad. From there to Beaver Creek it's time to slow down. 30-45 MPH should be seriously considered. And I'm not suggesting slow down from 60 (the speed limit is 90 KMH, rather speed up from 30 MPH.

So drive slow and enjoy the beautiful scenery. My understanding is that the road won't change until the Alaskan border and that's only 20 miles tomorrow!

Only 20 miles...but what a s-l-o-w 20 miles. We stayed at Beaver Creek and it took us 45 to 50 minutes to get to the border, lol. Hope it has improved in the last couple of weeks. Be careful!!!

[CA_Traveler]

Alan M wrote:
We are in Downtown RV Watson lake. While checking in, we were told that there is a caravan of 76 rigs arriving here on the 27th and have booked out the hole RV park.(only RV park in town). One is closed and one burned down.

Sure would like to know their schedule!

We meet several people from a much smaller group and shared information. We took the independent route but appreciate the value that a caravan can offer. However, there are many small towns and facilities like Watson Lake. 76 rigs seems over the top.

One humorous incident with the GS Fantastic caravan. We were parked in the middle of the group and Thumper came by on the morning of depature and thumped our tires with his hammer not realizing we weren't part of the group. We had a good laugh. That is one of the safety checks and services that was part of the caravan.

[CA_Traveler]

We're in Beaver Creek and going to the dinner/play show tonight. Hopefully no one will have to buy fuel here at $1.73.

Alaska tomorrow!

The road from Whitehorse to Haines Junction is not to bad. From there to Beaver Creek it's time to slow down. 30-45 MPH should be seriously considered. And I'm not suggesting slow down from 60 (the speed limit is 90 KMH, rather speed up from 30 MPH.

So drive slow and enjoy the beautiful scenery. My understanding is that the road won't change until the Alaskan border and that's only 20 miles tomorrow!

[Two_Hands]

We moved out of the Bing Brown Motel and Campground in Sterling because the mosquitos were so bad. It is much better in the Klondike RV Park in Soldotna. There is at least one other forum member in the park. I don't have a sign, just look for the coach with a soccer ball sized smash in the windshield. Drive slower, drive safer.

[DannyLeininger]

gypsylady7 wrote:
we drove to coldfoot a really dirty rough road, wouldn't do it again

Thanks for the info on Coldfoot. We have been discussing the possibility of making this drive ourselves from Fairbanks. Can you add any additional info on what the drive and scenery were like?

We are a couple of days behind you. We leave Dawson City tomorrow morning, crossing the Yukon River on the ferry then driving the Top of the World Hwy to Chicken for one night, then Tok for a night, then Fairbanks for 4 nights staying at Riverview RV.

I've only seen one other Roll Caller...but there's more out there!

[gypsylady7]

we are in fairbanks at tanana cg. getting cleaned up and heading to Den. on monday havn't seen any signs from anyone hope you are all safe we drove to coldfoot a really dirty rough road, wouldn't do it again

[Alan_M]

We are in Downtown RV Watson lake. While checking in, we were told that there is a caravan of 76 rigs arriving here on the 27th and have booked out the hole RV park.(only RV park in town). One is closed and one burned down.

[lizzie]

Regarding insect repellent, anything without DEET is not very effective. You can cut down on the direct contact of the DEET with your body by wearing socks, long pants, long sleeves, etc. and spraying them.I bought a Columbia shirt that is supposed to be a "Insect Blocker". So far it seems to work. I use Ben's 100 Tick & Insect Proctector on my ears, neck and hands and I spray my hat. I also have a mesh face net but I hate the thing. Avoid hair spray, perfume, anything with a sweet scent. Try not bathing, after a few days even the bugs will avoid you. If you do get bit, put Sting EZE or something similiar on right away so you won't scratch it. Be proactive with your defense, don't wait until they are eating you up to put on protective clothing or repellent. Good Luck. lizzie