Alaska david sparks 4_feb2014

http://andysbigtrip.blogspot.com/

TRAVELING TO ALASKA

PLANES, TRAINS, AND

AUTOMOBILES

SHOW ME THE MONEY$$$$

PLAN AND PLAN SOME MORE

INFORMATION AND MORE

THERE IS NO END TO THE AMOUNT OF INORMATION YOU CAN GET REGARDING A TRIP TO ALASKA; WEB SITES, BOOKS, TRAVEL GUIDES, BLOGS, ETC, ETC - ACTUALLY CAN GET INFORMATION OVERLOAD!!!

THE BIBLE FOR TRAVLING TO ALASKA

“THE MILEPOST” NO MATTER HOW YOU TRAVEL!!!!

NEW $30.00 USED $12.00

BUDGET ????

INEXPENSIVE $2000 to $3000 MIDDLE OF THE ROAD $4000 to $7000 ALL OUT $8000 PLUS

SO MANY WAYS TO GO????

• PLANES

• PLANES & CRUISE

• PLANES & CAR,RV

• DRIVE (whew)

COST OF PLANE FLIGHTS

COST OF FLYING TO ALASKA USING A VARIETY OF AIR RESERVATIONS COST WAS FROM $800 TO $1200 PER PERSON HOUSTON- ANCHORAGE -SEATTLE - HOUSTON $400 ROUNDTRIP: HOUSTON - SEATTLE

A CHEAP CRUISE USUALLY 7 DAYS

YOU COULD FLY TO SEATTLE TAKE A 7 DAY CRUISE ONE WAY, FLY BACK HOME FOR ABOUT $2200 TO $3000.

NEGATIVES- VIEWS, TOURS, VERY

LIMITED

LOTS OF CRUISE LINES AND DEALS

BIGGER CRUISE ROUNDTRIP 7+ TO 10+ DAYS

MORE EXPENSIVE OPTION, USUALLY INVOLVES A ROUNDTRIP, FEW MORE DAYS FOR EXCURSIONS, RUNS FROM 1400 TO 2400 PER

NEGATIVES AGAIN LIMITED VIEWS,

TOURS

ADVENTURE CRUISE 20 DAYS+

INVOLVES CRUISE, PLUS DAY OR OVERNIGHT TRIPS,, #1 DESTINATION IS DENALI N.P. MORE EXCURSIONS AND LOTS OF TIME.

NEGATIVES: VIEWS, AGAIN

STILL LIMITED, WEATHER, EXPENSIVE PROBABLY AROUND $6000.00 EACH POSITIVES. ALL PLANNED OUT

Cruise Details Included: Shipboard Accommodations, Meals, Some Beverages, Onboard Entertainment and Daily Activities, Port Charges, 24-Hour Room Service Not Included: Shore Excursions, Personal Expenses, Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Specialty Restaurants, Spa Treatments, Some Taxes Optional Add-Ons: Flights, Hotels, Transfers, Insurance *All itineraries are subject to change without notice. **Prices are per person/double occupancy. ***Some Cruise Offers are dependent on the type of stateroom purchased.

LETS DRIVE - MAYBE

DAVID AND DONNA DECISIONS AND CHOICES

•KEEP IN MIND, AS I’M RESEARCHING, I MADE LOTS OF LIST AND NOTES. VERY EARLY, I’M LEANING TOWARD DRIVING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I’M LOOKING AND FINDING MORE PLACES WE WANT TO SEE KEEPING OUR OPTIONS OPEN.

• RESULT MORE AND MORE CONFLICTS!!!

ALTERNATIVES ??

OTHER WAYS TO TRAVEL COMBINATION TRIPS

TAKE YOUR CAR ON A CRUISE

BETTER ALTERNATIVE ????

•POSITIVES •KEEP YOUR OWN CAR •BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, CRUISE-DRIVE

•NEGATIVES • EXPENSIVE • TIGHT SCHEDULING • FEATURES OF THE CRUISE

www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/

ALASKA ADVENTURES CRUISE AND RV RENTAL • http://www.alaskaadventures.com/alaska_highway_cruises/pages/national_parks_explorer.htm

15 DAY- 2000/2600 7DAY CRUISE, 8DAY RV

22DAY -3900/4600 7DAY CRUISE, 15DAY RV

INCLUDES DENALI, ALASKA HIGHWAY

BACK TO VANCOUVER

ALTERNATIVE ALASKA ADVENTURE

•POSITIVES • SEE MORE •COMBINES BEST OF BOTH WORLDS •ALL INCLUSIVE SCHEDULE, CHOICES

•NEGATIVES • EXPENSIVE a few hidden cost • LIMITED PACKING • SCHEDULE IS SET

MOST PEOPLE CRUISE, WHY?

POSITIVES: 1. CHEAPEST WAY TO GO 2. TIME AND DISTANCE 3. SET SCHEDULE, PAY AND GO 4. ALL KINDS OF DEALS NEGATIVES 1. LIMITED TO WHAT YOU SEE AND DO 2. MAY NOT BE THAT CHEAP???? 3. VIEWS – what side of the boat??

LET’S CRUISE, FLY, OR DRIVE?

DRIVE TO SEATTLE AND BACK @ 5000 MILES - MIN 7/8 days COST 1000 TO 1500 COST OF CRUISE 1,200 TO 6,000 NOTES: DOGGIE, HOUSE ESTIMATED COST 8 to 10+++

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OPTIONS AND MORE OPTIONS

CRUISE COST AIRPLANE COST TAXES PORT COST TIPS EXCURSIONS SPENDING MONEY

DAVID AND DONNA DECISIONS AND CHOICES

AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF PLANNING, WE DECIDED TO DRIVE. WHY? MORE FREEDOM, PLAN OUR OWN ROUTE, PUPPY DOG BE FLEXIBLE, PROBLEMS OF COURSE…

SOME QUICK NUMBERS DRIVING: HOUSTON TO SEATTLE 2,500 HOUSTON TO FAIRBANKS 10,000 FLYING: HOUSTON TO SEATTLE 5hrs ANCHORAGE TO HOUSTON 10hrs

TOURIST FACTS OR FICTION

2 MILLION VISITORS (POP 650,00) 350k IN 3 CITIES,

ANCHORAGE, FAIRBANKS, JUNEAU compare with Harris County 4.2m

ROADS: Alaska 4,900 Houston 9,000+

MOST CRUISE

SMALL WINDOW TO VISIT MAY TO SEPTEMBER

HOTELS, (cost)

RESERVATIONS ????

Considering the cost of Gas • DRIVING FROM HOUSTON TO ALASKA

• (USING FAIRBANKS AS DESTINATION)

• GOOGLE 4100mi LETS GO WITH 10,000mi RT

• COST OF GAS $3.50 $3.75 $4.00 $4.25 4.50

• 10,000/10 =1000 3500 3750 4000 4250 4500

• 12 = 850 2975 3187 3399 3611 3823

• 15 = 700 2450 2625 2800 2875 3150

• 20 = 500 1750 1875 2000 2125 2250

• Lets go with a 10 to 15% under so probably add at least cost times .10 Ex, 2800x.10= 280.00extra

OUR DAILY PLANNER

DAY ___

DATE__________

DESTINATION:_____________________________

MILES:_______

CAMPGROUND:____________________________

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SITES:____________________________________

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NOTES:___________________________________

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FOR EACH DAY OF OUR TRIP, I PLANNED THE ROUTE, SITES TO SEE, MILES, CAMPS, USING MAPS, GOOGLE

NOW BASED UPON EACH DESTINATION, THE ITENERARY COULD CHANGE. EXAMPLE DENALI, WORKED BACKWARDS

IF DURING THE DAILY PLANNING, IF I WOULD FIND A ROADBLOCK - NO HOTEL, TOO MANY MILES, I COULD ADJUST THE ITENARY. GO BACK TO MAPS, MILEPOST AND LOOK MORE.

DURING THE PLANNING OF OUR TRIP, I MADE DOZENS OF CHANGES

DAY CITY MILES DATE

1 SALINA, KS 681 8/25

2 CHEYENE, WY 681 8/26

3 BILLINGS, MT 457 8/27

4 LETHERIDGE, AB 404 8/28

5 JASPER 580 8/29

6 DAWSON CREEK 325 8/30

7 FT NELSON 282 8/31

8 WATSON LAKE 319 9/1

9 ROSS RIVER CHANGE!! 9/2

10 CARMACKS 383 9/3

11 DAWSON CITY 219 9/4

12 DELTA JUNCTION 292 9/5,

13 FAIRBANKS 95 9/6

14/15 DENALI 150 9/7,8

16 ANCHORAGE 212 9/9

NOTE MILEAGE CHANGE?? SOME DAYS MORE, SOME DAYS LESS!!!

17 HOMER 168 9/10

18 SEWARD 169 9/11

19 VALDEZ 120 9/12

20 TOK 139 9/13

21 HAINES JUNCTION 290 9/14

22 HAINES/SKAGWAY 167 9/15

23 WHITEHORSE 109 9/16

24 DEASE LAKE 407 9/17

25 PRINCE RUPERT 452 9/18

26 PRINCE GEORGE 446 9/19

27 CACHE CREEK 276 9/20

28 SEATTLE 458 9/21

29 TWIN FALLS, ID 629 9/22

30 CHEYENE,WY 618 9/23

31 AMARILLO, TX 513 9/24

32 HOUSTON 582 9/25

TOTAL MILES 10523

FERRY

2

OUR ROUTE TO ALASKA

CANADA & ALASKA ROUTES NORTH --- YELLOW BLUE GREEN SOUTH--- PURPLE GREEN PINK

DAVID AND DONNA DECISIONS AND CHOICES

WHAT ARE WE DRIVING OUR OWN VAN RENT DRIVE TO SEATTLE, RENT RV WHERE ARE WE GOING, MOSTLY DONE???!!! SCHEDULE RESERVATIONS

RV RENTAL PROBLEMS

1. COST+MILES

2. SET UP

3. NO EQUIPMENT

4. NEW TO RV DRIVING

5. TOUR SET ROUTE

6. CAMPGROUNDS

7. RENT HOUSTON, RENT SEATTLE

PROBLEMS AND HEADACHES

• TIME OF THE YEAR TRAVELING • AVOID CROWDS • WINTER COMING • DENALI CLOSES 9/15 • STRICT SCHEDULE • COST

DAVID AND DONNA DECISIONS AND CHOICES

•ALL KINDS OF HEADACHES

•SCHEDULES

•HOTELS FOR PUPPY DOG

•MADE FOR A VERY STRICT SCHEDULE

•COST

THE BIG, BIG DECISION????

AFTER SOME INITIAL RESEARCH WE DECIDED TO BUY AN RV

• MADE PLANNING MUCH EASIER • LOTS OF CAMPGROUNDS • ITENARY OOPS

AFTER WEIGHING THE COST vs PURCHASE PRICES TIGHT SCHEDULE SOMETHING WE HAD LOOKED AT DOING BEFORE

WHAT KIND OF RV

SORRY BUT THAT’S FOR ANOTHER DAY AND DO NOT THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT DID NOT ADD A LOT MORE HEADACHES

FINAL ITINERARY

USING THE CAMPGROUND REVIEWS AND GOOGLE, IT WAS VERY EASY TO MAKE A FINAL ITENARY AND ROUTE MAP - WHEW FINALLY!!!!!

http://rvparkreviews.com/

WHO NEEDS TO SCHEDULE?? AND WHAT TO PACK • DURING ALL MY RESEARCH

• CROWDS

• DENALI & JASPER NATIONAL PARKS

• WHAT TO TAKE,CLOTHES, FOOD, OTHER

• HOW TO PACK THE RV

DRIVING IN ALASKA

ROAD CONDITIONS FROST HEAVES- WHAT?

OTHER CONCERNS ROAD WORK(411)

PULL OUTS DANGERS

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

PASSPORT- MANDATORY INSURANCE-CAR/MEDICAL DOGGIE PAPERS MORE FREEDOM= MORE REQUIREMENTS

47

MORE STUFF TO CONSIDER

•TIME OF YEAR may/sept vs summer

•WEATHER ?????

•MONEY EXCHANGE

•PHONE BE CAREFUL

WEATHER FACTS MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT

AVG HIGH 55 62 65 63 55

AVG LOW 39 47 51 49 41

AVG RAIN 0.7 1.0 1.9 2.4 2.7

RECORD HIGH 77 85 82 82 73

RECORD LOW 17 33 36 31 19

DAYS RAIN 7 8 12 14 14

SUNLIGHT 16 18.4 19.1 17.0 14.2

OUR GREAT ADVENTURE

http://andysbigtrip.blogspot.com/

GREAT FOR COMMUNICATING & PICTURES

OUR ROUTE TO ALASKA

NOTES: 1ST NIGHT HOTEL (HEAT AND LONG MILES TO BORDER), RV CAMPS REST

ALASKAN HIGHWAY

CHICKEN DAWSON CITY

CARMACKS

ROSS RIVER

ORIGINAL

ORIGINAL ITENARY HAD US GOING TO ROSS LAKE, CHANGED IT BUT HAD MADE PLANS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. MILEPOST ROSS RIVER

CHICKEN DAWSON CITY

CARMACKS

ROSS RIVER

CHICKEN DAWSON CITY

CARMACKS

ROSS RIVER

CHICKEN DAWSON CITY

CARMACKS

ROSS RIVER

DENALI NATIONAL PARK SEPT 7 DAY 14

FAIRBANKS

F- 120 400K VISITORS 6MILL ACRES A-240

ANCHORAGE

ROUTE FROM ANCHORAGE

HOMER

CHICKEN SEE NOTES

IN CASE YOUR INTERESTED

493 MILES ONE WAY, NEARLY ALL GRAVEL, DEADHORSE, POP?25/50, PIPELINE, ICE TRUCKERS

www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/

CANADA & ALASKA ROUTES NORTH --- YELLOW BLUE GREEN SOUTH--- PURPLE GREEN PINK

SEARCH SITES WE USED

http://rvparkreviews.com/ RVPARKREVIEWS

http://woodalls.com/ WOODALLS

http://www.goodsamclub.com/travel/campgroundsandrvparks/Default.aspx GOODSAMCLUB

https://maps.google.com/ GOOGLEMAPS, SEARCH

WHAT WE LEARNED

• SCHEDULES

• CAMPGROUNDS

• ROADS

• BORDERS

• PICTURES

• BLOG

• PHONE

• INTERNET

• WEATHER

• FISHING- SALMON RUN ALL SUMMER,BUT BETTER IN SPRING

OTHER ALTERNATIVES

• CAMP IN YOUR CAR, TENT

• BICYCLE

• MOTORCYCLE

• DRIVE AN RV ONE WAY

• FALL DEALS

• LOTS OF FOREIGNERS DURING SHOULDER SEASON

JUST IN CASE MOST OF LIKE DISCOUNTS

CAMPING WORLD- GOOD SAMS

http://www.campingworld.com/

GAS BUDDY

http://www.gasbuddy.com/

PILOT GAS STATIONS

http://www.pilotflyingj.com/locations