Alaska and back via plane, motorcyle, and a half million mile Dodge - New Updates! - Page 3 - Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest

Route55 · July 18th, 2012, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boggin-machine

are you doing all the driving or is the wife taking turns? i know alot of females wont drive a stick much less pull the trailer.

No, it is all me. Katie claims she can't drive one, but has "borrowed" my Jeep a few times so I at least know she could in an emergency.

Route55 · July 18th, 2012, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revho

Bring back a postal scrambler or two..or even a world cab and doors if you can find one..

If I do, it will be going in my garage :)

boggin-machine · July 18th, 2012, 01:14 AM

ya i hear you there. theres alot going on back there with that trailer though.

Route55 · July 18th, 2012, 11:58 PM

Leaving Dawson Creek this morning and entering the Canadian Rockies we quickly found the roads to be a combination of dirt and tarred gravel, snaking through areas of steep dropoffs with only the occasional rail. Towering over the road were cliffs so steep even the plant life couldn't hang on.

And

Stopping in Toad River for a snack.

We checked out the collection of 2,000 plus hats.

And we all say hello!

More great scenery.

And

Throughout the day we saw these guys and nine of their cousins at different locations. Some were only 30-40 feet from us.

And

We had never heard of the Laird Hot Springs, but three seperate people reccomended checking them out yesterday within an hour of eachother, so we had to stop. The admission price was $10 per family and 1 quart of blood per person, extracted by the local mosquitoes during our visit.

To get to the hot springs you have to walk a half a mile down a boardwalk through a swamp. The water is crystal clear and in two big pools seperated by a small waterfall. The water comes into the upper pool at 140 degrees and cools down progressively to about 105 degrees. The pools are 2-4 feet deep, and have stone benches in them for lounging. We stayed mostly in the lower pool. I tried wandering up the upper pool, but half way was hot enough for me. The water is silky smooth

And

The mosquitoes chased us out, and we got into the truck with our wet bathing suits on and booked it with the windows down to blow the clouds of bugs out of the cab. Katie's back was raw with bites, but we all agreed the stop was worth it. Industrial hot water resistant bug spray is a must for that place!

Highway 97 between Dawson Creek and Watson Lake is home to the only wild Wood Buffalo herd left in the world. There is about 100 left and they are on the threatened list. They live exclusively on the narrow strips of field along the highway, and frequently get hit by cars. We must have seen most of them.

This guy came and checked us out. He got within a few feet of our windows.

I can see why they get hit.

And this dude was having a standoff.

We finally made it to Watson lake and checked into the only hotel with a room. The water supply broke a few days ago, so mud comes out of the faucets. The restuarant had nothing on the menu under 13 bucks so I hit the food cart out front run by an old man and a Tawainese lady. She reccomended the noodles, so I gave them a try.

The taste was interesting. The brain looking things were chewy. The ear looking things smelled like dog, and halfway through I quit eating it when I dug out and ate a large blue and black beetle looking thing. The shell was kinda sharp and it tasted like burnt hair.

So I joined the kids in their meal of canned ravioli from the "emergency" stock in our trailer.

BigBird · July 19th, 2012, 07:01 AM

Another fine day of travelling. Thanks again Keith.

Sent from my HTC using Tapatalk 2...

OVoXO · July 19th, 2012, 08:39 AM

Thanks for sharing this trip.. subscribed to the thread and looking forward to more posts.

Route55 · July 19th, 2012, 11:08 AM

We are at the point now where the kids are noticing the extra daylight. Crossing into the Yukon last night the sun didn't go fully down until midnight and came up about 5 AM.

Trail Junkie · July 19th, 2012, 11:16 AM

You still going to have room to pick something up on the way back if i need it? Keep up with the updates, pretty cool trip

Route55 · July 19th, 2012, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trail Junkie

You still going to have room to pick something up on the way back if i need it? Keep up with the updates, pretty cool trip

Thanks, and it depends on what it is and where it is.

tweak · July 19th, 2012, 12:03 PM

What an awesome adventure! Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

lgottler · July 19th, 2012, 07:08 PM

If you need it, I have a stove and water purifier in my pannier on the bike....but I didn't pack any food, sorry!

aber61 · July 19th, 2012, 07:34 PM

Sounds like an awesome trip. I have friends that did that trip and yup the bugs will eat you up.
Your pics are great. I used to live in British Columbia, and I do miss the mountains.
What a great adventure for you and your family.

kickstand · July 19th, 2012, 09:12 PM

cool thread keith. I've always wanted to drive cross country

cj65 · July 20th, 2012, 04:52 AM

When I was a kid every summer we did a big trip like this with my grandparents always was a great time. Your kids will remember this forever!

grandcherokee · July 20th, 2012, 07:33 AM

I was in AK last month..I love it there.........I usually meet up with the Alaskan 4x4 club.But didn't get the chance this trip. I took my son as a graduation gift for his bachelors Degree. He wanted to stay and work up there for the summer, but it just didn't pan out this time....I will try and make it back there again next year too..

as they say.Alaska before you die !

Enjoy it!

roll-bar Bob · July 20th, 2012, 09:50 AM

Keith,

Thanks for the great read, enjoy the family time

RBB

BeaverTown · July 20th, 2012, 10:13 AM

Very cool, subscribed.

I'd love to take a road trip up to Alaska some day.

smasheromalley · July 21st, 2012, 11:09 AM

Cool trip! I love this kind of thing. We did a 4000 miler with my daughter a couple years ago, it was great. My youngest needs another year before he can enjoy something like this. Maybe Alaska in a year or two!

Route55 · July 21st, 2012, 01:52 PM

Leaving Watson Lake on thursday morning we stopped at the signpost forest on the edge of town. There are thousands of signs, liberated from places all over the world. It was very unique:

We made good time to Whitehorse, where we decided to fuel up, as it is pretty much the last "major" city until Alaska. As I was finishing topping off I noticed the fuel smelled weird so I pulled out the nozzle to check it out. It was crystal clear. We were pumping Kerosene (over 80 gallons of it) into the truck.

I looked over at the pump, and sure enough, it was labeled diesel. There was a local looking guy pumping across from me in his newish diesel Grand Cherokee, so I asked him if he pumps there often. He quickly responds "Of course, I own the station."

So I ask the guy "Why is the diesel clear and smell like Kerosene?"

He smiles, and says "I don't brew it, I just sell it." And then he quickly went into the store where he stood back and stared at us with a very uneasy look.

We paid for our "diesel" and left. I'm not sure if the guy was intentionally switching fuels, or really didn't know his tank was full of kerosene. It was no matter to us, as our old Cummins will run on most anything that burns. I've mixed in a bit of old Kerosene in the past, but this is the first time I've run it straight. It seems to have a little less "oomph" but runs much quieter and much more smoothly.

Besides great scenery there is not much between Whitehorse and Alaska. Our experience is that the theme in western Yukon is indifference. The roads are poorly maintained, the few open businesses between the ghost towns are not much. When we would stop to eat or buy a snack, most of the places were filthy and the people unfreindly. The food was terrible.

We were dead tired by the time we reached Beaver Creek and what looked like a quaint hotel. Checking in we found it to be a converted barn that smelled like a church basement that was little more than a bunkhouse. It was extremely dirty, everything was stained, and there was not even a TV. The only "entertainment" was an empty teapot box, and counting the dead bugs squished to the ceiling.

In short, if you plan on doing much travel in the western Yukon, plan on camping!

One of the better roads - no joke!

Local police:

And we are here!

Saw these guys. I think they were from Italy. Very cool rig!

Route55 · July 21st, 2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgottler

If you need it, I have a stove and water purifier in my pannier on the bike....but I didn't pack any food, sorry!

Thanks!

July 18th, 2012, 01:14 AM	#43
boggin-machine Senior Member Join Date: 01-11-06 Location: bay city Posts: 11,420 iTrader: (30)	ya i hear you there. theres alot going on back there with that trailer though. __________________ 08 qcsb Duramax Ltz 02 tj with some parts laying around for sale 08 crf 450 with a few goodies

July 18th, 2012, 11:58 PM	#44
Route55 Formerly keithshotrodshop Join Date: 01-21-07 Location: Marine City, Michigan Posts: 3,050 iTrader: (41)	Leaving Dawson Creek this morning and entering the Canadian Rockies we quickly found the roads to be a combination of dirt and tarred gravel, snaking through areas of steep dropoffs with only the occasional rail. Towering over the road were cliffs so steep even the plant life couldn't hang on. And Stopping in Toad River for a snack. We checked out the collection of 2,000 plus hats. And we all say hello! More great scenery. And Throughout the day we saw these guys and nine of their cousins at different locations. Some were only 30-40 feet from us. And We had never heard of the Laird Hot Springs, but three seperate people reccomended checking them out yesterday within an hour of eachother, so we had to stop. The admission price was $10 per family and 1 quart of blood per person, extracted by the local mosquitoes during our visit. To get to the hot springs you have to walk a half a mile down a boardwalk through a swamp. The water is crystal clear and in two big pools seperated by a small waterfall. The water comes into the upper pool at 140 degrees and cools down progressively to about 105 degrees. The pools are 2-4 feet deep, and have stone benches in them for lounging. We stayed mostly in the lower pool. I tried wandering up the upper pool, but half way was hot enough for me. The water is silky smooth And The mosquitoes chased us out, and we got into the truck with our wet bathing suits on and booked it with the windows down to blow the clouds of bugs out of the cab. Katie's back was raw with bites, but we all agreed the stop was worth it. Industrial hot water resistant bug spray is a must for that place! Highway 97 between Dawson Creek and Watson Lake is home to the only wild Wood Buffalo herd left in the world. There is about 100 left and they are on the threatened list. They live exclusively on the narrow strips of field along the highway, and frequently get hit by cars. We must have seen most of them. This guy came and checked us out. He got within a few feet of our windows. I can see why they get hit. And this dude was having a standoff. We finally made it to Watson lake and checked into the only hotel with a room. The water supply broke a few days ago, so mud comes out of the faucets. The restuarant had nothing on the menu under 13 bucks so I hit the food cart out front run by an old man and a Tawainese lady. She reccomended the noodles, so I gave them a try. The taste was interesting. The brain looking things were chewy. The ear looking things smelled like dog, and halfway through I quit eating it when I dug out and ate a large blue and black beetle looking thing. The shell was kinda sharp and it tasted like burnt hair. So I joined the kids in their meal of canned ravioli from the "emergency" stock in our trailer. Last edited by Route55; July 19th, 2012 at 12:03 AM.

July 19th, 2012, 12:03 PM	#50
tweak Are we there yet? Join Date: 04-20-06 Location: Auburn, Mi Posts: 1,857 iTrader: (22)	What an awesome adventure! Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your trip. Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2 __________________ 83' CJ-7, I-6 Propane/HEI, Fiberglass body, SOA, 4.88's locked front and rear www.glfwda.org - support the sport www.ironmanoffroad.com

July 20th, 2012, 07:33 AM	#55
grandcherokee I am woman,hear me moan! Join Date: 11-10-05 Location: Eaton Rapids, MI Posts: 1,185 iTrader: (11)	I was in AK last month..I love it there.........I usually meet up with the Alaskan 4x4 club.But didn't get the chance this trip. I took my son as a graduation gift for his bachelors Degree. He wanted to stay and work up there for the summer, but it just didn't pan out this time....I will try and make it back there again next year too.. as they say.Alaska before you die ! Enjoy it! __________________ 1994 YJ 1993 XJ 1994 XJ 2000 Grand Cherokee 2002 Chevy Silverado

July 19th, 2012, 08:39 AM	#46
OVoXO Senior Member Join Date: 10-10-09 Location: Lenawee Posts: 589 iTrader: (4)	Thanks for sharing this trip.. subscribed to the thread and looking forward to more posts.

July 19th, 2012, 11:08 AM	#47
Route55 Formerly keithshotrodshop Join Date: 01-21-07 Location: Marine City, Michigan Posts: 3,050 iTrader: (41)	We are at the point now where the kids are noticing the extra daylight. Crossing into the Yukon last night the sun didn't go fully down until midnight and came up about 5 AM.

July 19th, 2012, 11:16 AM	#48
Trail Junkie thanks fordflairside Join Date: 12-01-05 Location: Zeeland, west of Grand Rapids Posts: 28,420 iTrader: (28)	You still going to have room to pick something up on the way back if i need it? Keep up with the updates, pretty cool trip

July 19th, 2012, 07:08 PM	#51
lgottler Senior Member Join Date: 11-30-06 Location: New Baltimore, MI Posts: 848 iTrader: (14)	If you need it, I have a stove and water purifier in my pannier on the bike....but I didn't pack any food, sorry!

July 19th, 2012, 07:34 PM	#52
aber61 Senior Member Join Date: 09-22-08 Location: Commerce Twp. Michigan Posts: 5,327 iTrader: (3)	Sounds like an awesome trip. I have friends that did that trip and yup the bugs will eat you up. Your pics are great. I used to live in British Columbia, and I do miss the mountains. What a great adventure for you and your family.

July 19th, 2012, 09:12 PM	#53
kickstand sHaMoNe! Join Date: 09-20-06 Location: fenton Posts: 26,605 iTrader: (44)	cool thread keith. I've always wanted to drive cross country

July 20th, 2012, 04:52 AM	#54
cj65 Senior Member Join Date: 04-07-07 Location: 48174 Posts: 2,812 iTrader: (13)	When I was a kid every summer we did a big trip like this with my grandparents always was a great time. Your kids will remember this forever!

July 20th, 2012, 09:50 AM	#56
roll-bar Bob Senior Member Join Date: 01-20-06 Location: M CITY Posts: 2,597 iTrader: (2)	Keith, Thanks for the great read, enjoy the family time RBB

July 20th, 2012, 10:13 AM	#57
BeaverTown Cuck Fancer Join Date: 03-19-09 Location: Hemlock, MI Posts: 1,029 iTrader: (11)	Very cool, subscribed. I'd love to take a road trip up to Alaska some day.

July 21st, 2012, 11:09 AM	#58
smasheromalley Senior Member Join Date: 11-06-05 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,020 iTrader: (15)	Cool trip! I love this kind of thing. We did a 4000 miler with my daughter a couple years ago, it was great. My youngest needs another year before he can enjoy something like this. Maybe Alaska in a year or two!

July 21st, 2012, 01:52 PM	#59
Route55 Formerly keithshotrodshop Join Date: 01-21-07 Location: Marine City, Michigan Posts: 3,050 iTrader: (41)	Leaving Watson Lake on thursday morning we stopped at the signpost forest on the edge of town. There are thousands of signs, liberated from places all over the world. It was very unique: We made good time to Whitehorse, where we decided to fuel up, as it is pretty much the last "major" city until Alaska. As I was finishing topping off I noticed the fuel smelled weird so I pulled out the nozzle to check it out. It was crystal clear. We were pumping Kerosene (over 80 gallons of it) into the truck. I looked over at the pump, and sure enough, it was labeled diesel. There was a local looking guy pumping across from me in his newish diesel Grand Cherokee, so I asked him if he pumps there often. He quickly responds "Of course, I own the station." So I ask the guy "Why is the diesel clear and smell like Kerosene?" He smiles, and says "I don't brew it, I just sell it." And then he quickly went into the store where he stood back and stared at us with a very uneasy look. We paid for our "diesel" and left. I'm not sure if the guy was intentionally switching fuels, or really didn't know his tank was full of kerosene. It was no matter to us, as our old Cummins will run on most anything that burns. I've mixed in a bit of old Kerosene in the past, but this is the first time I've run it straight. It seems to have a little less "oomph" but runs much quieter and much more smoothly. Besides great scenery there is not much between Whitehorse and Alaska. Our experience is that the theme in western Yukon is indifference. The roads are poorly maintained, the few open businesses between the ghost towns are not much. When we would stop to eat or buy a snack, most of the places were filthy and the people unfreindly. The food was terrible. We were dead tired by the time we reached Beaver Creek and what looked like a quaint hotel. Checking in we found it to be a converted barn that smelled like a church basement that was little more than a bunkhouse. It was extremely dirty, everything was stained, and there was not even a TV. The only "entertainment" was an empty teapot box, and counting the dead bugs squished to the ceiling. In short, if you plan on doing much travel in the western Yukon, plan on camping! One of the better roads - no joke! Local police: And we are here! Saw these guys. I think they were from Italy. Very cool rig!