Rving in Alaska

Rving in Alaska is not a two week trip, plan for a much longer time because getting there and back is half the fun, enjoying the stops along the way.  But if time is an issue then you have several options.  Alaska is a large state with a lot to see,So if you are still working or have school age children you can plan a shorter trip and limit the area you cover. A driver-friendly option is a sea-and-land tour via the Inside Passage. You can load your RV on the BC ferries in Seattle, Washington or British Columbia, or you can fly to Alaska and rent an Rv.  If you have the time there are many points of interest in the US and Canada on the way.  A trip in itself is sightseeing in Glacier National Park, Calgary, Lake Louise, Baniff and the Edmonton Mall before you get to the Alcan Highway.

Be sure to take a side trip to Skagway to ride the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.  Experience the historic 1898 narrow gauge Klondike Gold Rush Railroad with breathtaking terrain, beautiful scenery, cascading waterfalls and sky-high trestles. Then back to Whitehorse and on to Tok, where a decision needs to be made whether to go southwest to Anchorage or north to Fairbanks.  We went southwest first to Anchorage (largest city in Alaska) with good RV facilities and a place to rest and get supplies.  A good side trip is Valdez, south end of the Alaskan pipeline, Museum of the earthquake, fish hatchery, glaciers and viewing the whales from a party boat.  We thought that viewing the glaciers from the boat was spectacular.  The glaciers were all around us, we had to go very slow as of the glaciers were hidden under the water.

For people who enjoy fishing, then Seward, Soldotna, Kenai and Homer is a must.  For Halibut and King Salmon you must take a charter boat or rent a boat.  Then back to Anchorage and north to Denali Park.  A bus trip through the park is a must, hope it is a clear day so you can see the top of Mount McKinley.  Be sure to visit the World largest coal mine just north of the park.
Then on to Fairbanks, be sure to take the Riverboat cruise to learn about the Eskimos way of living and surviving off the land in the frigid winters.  They must catch and cure one salmon per sled dog per day.  The salmon season is not that long and just think about cleaning that many salmon for ten or twelve dogs.  Also while in Fairbanks visit the factory where they make beautiful bowls from trees.

Then back to Tok for the rugged Top of the World Highway that takes you on to Chicken and Dawson City on your way through the Yukon to Whitehorse. Then you must decide your route home, the eastern route back to Edmonton or the Western route to Prince George then the US of A.  There are many State Parks in Canada on lakes with Rving Sites.

An investment well worth the money is the Milepost, a book for your trip to and while you are in Alaska, milepost by milepost  starting at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, milepost 0.  This book makes rving  in Alaska easy.  Remember your passport as you will soon need one, so it is best to apply for one now.

"RV" Can Mean A Lot Of Things: Which One Is Right For You?

The term "recreational vehicle" or RV usually calls to mind a motorhome, perhaps a Winnebago brand specifically. It's a large vehicle in which the living space and the driver's seat are all part of the same structure, rather than having the "car" part towing the "living" part.

But recreational vehicles come in many other shapes and sizes, too, and are still properly called RVs. Which one you buy depends on your needs.

The motorhome (commonly called a Winnebago even when it's actually a different brand) is convenient because it offers reasonable living quarters, including a place to sleep, prepare food and use the bathroom. The driver is not disconnected from his passengers; they're in the "back seat," as the living quarters are right behind him. Many people, especially retirees, live in motorhomes full-time, touring the country and enjoying their mobile lifestyle. RV parks have sprouted up all over the country, offering traveling recreational vehicle enthusiasts a place to stop and rest, hook up to electrical posts, and even use the Internet.

Other recreational vehicles are better suited to temporary arrangements, not full-time living. The most basic kind of RV is a simple truck camper, where a shell is attached to the bed of a pickup truck. This is usually for day or weekend trips, with supplies in the covered bed of the truck. The shell can serve the same purpose as a tent would (protection and warmth), making it useful for outdoor camping, too.

Also common is the "fifth wheel," a trailer that attaches to a pickup or medium-duty truck and is hauled that way. A fifth wheel is similar to a motorhome, except that the living quarters are separate from the vehicle. This means the driver cannot communicate directly with people in the trailer unless it's by walkie-talkie or cell phone. Fifth wheels are generally not as comfortable as motorhomes, either, as hence are most useful for relatively short road trips and sightseeing.

Gas-Saving Trips for Vacation Season

Given the trending of gas prices toward ever-higher dollar amounts, many people are using more and more of their vacation budget on gas. While no one seems to be able to make gas cheap again, there are still some things you can do to help save on gas this vacation season. Here are some tips.

1. Slow Up, Speed Down
When you are on the road, going slowly up hills and more quickly downhill is said to save fuel. This is because your car has to work much harder going uphill (especially if you are using air conditioning and have luggage and multiple passengers), whereas gravity is your friend going downhill.

And speaking of speed, observing the speed limit and not speeding also saves gas. It's safer, too.

2. Know When to Turn Off the AC
While traveling in the heat without air conditioning can be downright dangerous, there are times when you can turn it off to save fuel. For example, turning off the AC when driving uphill can reduce the power pull on your engine by quite a bit, sources say. Of course, you can leave the fans going and the residual cooling effect lasts for a few minutes. When you're on the level or going downhill, turn the AC back on.

3. Tires
If your tires are worn, get them rotated before your trip or, if they are very worn, get them replaced. Proper air pressure is said to be very important, too - look at the inside of the driver's side door if you are unsure as to your tires' PSI (pounds per square inch). Adding too much or too little air can both be a problem, so if you are in doubt, have your mechanic do it.

4. A Vehicle Check-up
Before your vacation, get your car thoroughly looked over. Make sure everything is running as efficiently as possible. Efficiency in your engine means greater efficiency on fuel usage. Have the oil changed, get a "tune up" if needed, and have all the fluids checked in addition to any necessary work on the tires.

5. Travel Light
As mentioned above, a lot of excess cargo can really draw on the engine's power. It's said that every 100 pounds added to your car's weight will decrease the gas mileage by 1 percent. So try to be careful to use lightweight baggage carriers (such as duffle bags rather than heavy suitcases), and only pack necessities.

6. How You Drive
When you hit the accelerator pedal, that's when your car is using the most gas. So try to avoid the speed up, brake fast pattern that so many drivers fall into. Instead, try to coast at a continual speed. Keep the ride as smooth as possible to save on fuel.


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