Advice for Long Distance Towing

ChristyFord wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
I’m guessing their whole point is to have a RV to use in AK.

Yes, we're planning on using our TT as much as possible while we're living in Alaska. Also, our move is for a military PCS, so most transportation costs, including shipping truck & trailer on a cargo ship from Seattle to Anchorage will be covered.

If transportation cost is covered. i will rent a Class C/A and ride in style till seattle. Purchase your travel trailer / truck and ship it.

You can stop anywhere use the fridge - eat lunch,feed the toddler food, change a diaper and bathroom even in a no service rest area. You also will be running A/C and Heat you will avoid opening the slide into a HOT or Cold travel trailer to do the above. the transition from driving to camping is a few minutes. Even on a rainy cold day , you uptime to camping to driving is minutes.

Even on rest areas, when you stop you can unclip your seat belt . With the dogs, put them in a big crate with there bed and even let them a bit of freedom.

good luck have fun.

JBER or Eilson?

Grit dog wrote:
I’m guessing their whole point is to have a RV to use in AK.

Yes, we're planning on using our TT as much as possible while we're living in Alaska. Also, our move is for a military PCS, so most transportation costs, including shipping truck & trailer on a cargo ship from Seattle to Anchorage will be covered.

Another guy that’s came up to work for me, from GA, bought a new like 34’ enclosed triple axle cargo/car hauler. Hauled his extra vehicles up with the intention to haul them back in it.
He sold the trailer for so much he claimed it was cheaper to ship the extras back to seattle and then drive them back to Georgia, compared to what he made on the trailer.
If you ship with Tote or another big steam ship carrier, the bill from AK to WA isn’t bad. I recall about $1500 for a full-size hd pickup . I shipped 2 back and believe the bill was just under $3k.
Of course it was convienent for me since I lived within 1/2 hour of both ports.

I’m guessing their whole point is to have a RV to use in AK.
Cost wise, and I just went through this, vehicles are marginally more expensive, but not a lot. Probably a wash between shipping or buying up north. RVs and any kind of trailer are waaay more expensive in AK. Apples to apples, it’s cheaper to ship the RV than buy one up there. Why? Because the cost of shipping every RV and most other trailers is already built into the cost of it. Must be higher margins on top as well.
Like i said above, I sold all my old used towables up there for ridiculous money. Like same price as new down here for say a 10 year old trailer with a pile of miles and plenty of wear n tear on it.
No RV mfgs I’m aware of and precious few trailer mfgs up there and all their raw materials come from here too.
Just how it is.

Grit dog wrote:
Read the rest of her posts. They’re doing a DD vehicle and a trailer. Not just a recreational vehicle.

again then buy the dd at alaska then shipping that and a travel trailer in a container ship. Just rent a cruise america RV and buy the truck in alaska.

150 days in 2-3 hr of driving every day, setup and take down every day. after a few days its gets old with a kid and dogs.
if both the DD and Trailer are yet to be purchased as she mentions here and other thread. why buy and then ship instead of renting a cruise america. Just an idea. She could save the travel trailer money and shipping cost.

My suggestions will save them quite a bit of money.

ANd it sounds like they’re allowing 2 weeks from TX to WA. What’s that, like 150 Miles a day avg?

Read the rest of her posts. They’re doing a DD vehicle and a trailer. Not just a recreational vehicle.

That is a long time day after day in a truck . I would not do that. I have done my family with dog after 2-3 days its get real pain . especially a toddler in a car seat daily for hours at a end. The dogs go crazy too.

I see you have a plan to buy a used trailer from another thread and this one on getting a eco diesel. If you absolutely have to do this and not brought anything. Get a Class C or A used . Much better for a trip like this . Also why buy when you can just fly into a airport halfway with dogs and then just rent a RV with cruise america or something to do some 2 week sight seeing in a leisure pace.

I have done such road trips on motorcycles alone and with no kid , no dog and smaller faster motorcycle still it is a rough commitment .

Dog will be 150 or a piece and will fly in the same plane.Plus in 3-4 hrs you will be more than 1/2 in leaving time to enjoy and have down days.

Christy, I tend to plan longer trips because it is quite a distance from home to any mountains " and that is what we like " If I was doing the same trip as you I would knock out a really long day or 2 to get across the great plains, last time we headed west "2016" we went through north TX because we were going to CA, just plan some cool lunch stops at something to see so you can kill 2 birds, If you can drive some that will take some pressure off of Dad, Personally I would beet feet to Amarillo TX then start planing some things to do and see as you wind your way up through CO, UT, WY,ID, one of coolest places we have been in our 32 yrs of travel in Mount Rainier N.P. it is a must to see if you are close.