This is what we looked like as we began our trip.
This is a shot of the beautiful fall scenery we drove through as we got out before serious winter set in.
Tiger Lilly helping Dad drive.
We left Wasilla at 10 am and arrived in Tok just after 5pm.
We finally cleared out of the Wasilla house and left it hoping Amy can find a renter. We’re going on guts alone to cover the mortgage. We’ll overnight tonight here in Tok at Tok RV Village near Fast Eddy’s restaurant (know for its good food) for $30 per night. No water because they’ve had two hard freezes already and drained their water lines already. They have showers so a water hook up isn’t really a necessity and we’re connected to 30A shore power so we can watch a movie or play the PS3. This is not a bad RV park with gravel roads and pads that are close to level. Each site has trees and a picnic table with water (in season), sewer, and either 30A or 50A service. The bath rooms/showers are clean and usable.
We had beautiful weather for the drive today. It’s been dry and clear/balmy near 60F for the past several days. The fall colors are out with vivid yellows and golds. I don’t think there is any place more beautiful in the fall than Alaska. Moose and Caribou hunters are out all over the Glenn hwy as well as the Richardson and Tok cut off hwys. I wish I could join them as nothing beats a fresh Moose roast for dinner. I miss hunting with Ed, and now Zane, but it’s not in the cards for me now that we've committed to being snowbirds and traveling in our 5th wheeler.
We arrived in Tok just after 5pm and fueled at $3.90/gal to avoid even higher prices in Canada. We got about 11 mpg on this leg. About average for us I suspect. We’ll have to buy more fuel eventually while passing through Canada but for awhile $3.90/gal is a good thing even though its more like $3.50 in Anchorage. The 109 gal transfer tank for diesel really helps us with this kind of driving.
No problems with the 5er or the truck today in spite of some pretty crappy roads - they are fraught with frost heaves all the way from Wasilla to Dawson Creek and beyond. The roads allowed speeds today from 35 mph to 65 mph. I’m worried about the 5er handling the abuse but it seems to be holding up pretty well as long as we take it slow in the bad sections. Maybe an older one like this is already proven and more capable than a newer one that hasn’t been tested and tweaked yet.
The slides are working perfectly after the new hydraulic pump and motor and new switch. On the trip to Alaska from Oregon last spring (our first after buying it) we had some problems with the slides not retracting correctly. Problem solved!
The slides are working perfectly after the new hydraulic pump and motor and new switch. On the trip to Alaska from Oregon last spring (our first after buying it) we had some problems with the slides not retracting correctly. Problem solved!
I live with a certain amount of stress about equipment problems because it’s my responsibility and I’m sure Betty thinks I can always make things OK – but I’m not so confident. Ed could manage these things things much better but I’m not as knowledgeable, or ballsy. I'm pretty proud of the way Ed takes care of me and of how smart he is about so many things.
Squatty and Tiger Lilly were pretty good travelers today except that Tiger Lilly freaked out when we put her in the 5er for lunch at a rest area at the same time the slides were extending. She streaked to the bedroom and hid in the corner. I had to use the broom handle to get her out. They both are calmest when riding in the truck with us and neither complain until we stop and then they demand to get out. I guess they think we’re arriving at fish camp. Today, Squatty was allowed to get out at a rest stop to use the facilities but Tiger Lilly, under these circumstances, has to stay in the truck where her litter box is. When Squatty got back in the truck Tiger Lilly slapped him on the head. She’s so jealous of him because he’s allowed to get out of the truck like that.
This is a new adventure for us and there’s nobody I’d rather do this with than Betty. She’s wonderful. Even when I get stressed out and bitchy she is calm. I love her so. We’re working on a diet together…maybe I can lose some weight and not be such a slug of a husband for her. I’ll probably just get bitchy about dieting…a relationship tester I suppose.
It took just one full tank of fuel from Wasilla to Tok. Tomorrow morning we’ll head for White Horse, Yukon. It should take us about 7 ½ hours if the roads allow it. DRW
No comments:
Post a Comment