Alaska 2017

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   Bob-pod: We enjoyed your comments of your epic 2013 Alaska-bound trip, plus your notes about not missing Liard Springs on the Alcan, etc. Agree that Milepost Magazine was a most useful guide to this expansive route. One highlight that might be a fun way to "cap off" an Alaska R-pod road adventure, would be to make sure to attend the amazing Alaska State Fair in Palmer, AK (our former hometown).
The fair is held in a broad field surrounded by the breathtaking (still snow-highlighted) peaks of the "Matsu-Valley." You can stabilize your Pod in Palmer's nearby Matanuska Campground on the Old Glenn Hwy 15 minutes from the site. The fair annually is set for the middle of August. It's an accessible small-town event with great musical entertainment, rides, non-typical food, with a strong, earthy agricultural warmth to it all. Palmer is historically a rich ag region, dating back to it's New Deal homesteading days of the mid-1930s, where it attracted upper midwestern farmers who applied and were accepted for relocation aid during that great recession. Many of the pioneers there had Norwegian, Swedish and German ancestry, and their children and grandchildren live on in Palmer today. It's a fascinating Google search of its own.

As shown at the fair, the vegetables grow absolutely monstrous with the long 14+ hour summer days and locals compete, including best recipes for the local berries. Typical sunny day temperatures are a perfect 72 to 76 unless you get some cooler rainy days mixed in. Palmer has a pedestrian-friendly laid-back downtown vibe.
After the Alaska State Fair, you would just pull your Pod on past Wasilla on the Parks Highway to begin your trek homeward. (Your vacation is far from over at this point.) We recommend taking the short spur to Talkeetna, the international launching point for climbing expeditions to (former Mt. McKinley), with good chances of photographing "the big one" (Denali) from the town's river edge view, (with or without clouds intersecting it's massive peaks). The town will keep you occupied as a pedestrian for several hours, as everything is concentrated. Talkeetna is also the taking off point for various small group aerial flights around Denali itself. (My mom, 84, partook of a 6-person K-2 Aviation tour over Denali, where she used up most of her camera's 16gb SD card).

Another option from Talkeetna is taking the Hurricane Gulch train (an affordable unique, slow moving whistle-stop train using the classic "Vista Cruiser" upper deck passenger car design of the 1950s & 1960s). This adventure leaves and returns to Talkeetna taking up the greater part of a day. You will see real Alaskans riding along with you on this route to re-supply their remote bush cabins, go to doctors appointments, or to return home with a new husky pup. Other groups pull the whistle to unload their float gear for long river rafting trips. At the end of the route, culminating upon a historic railway bridge spanning a 300 foot gorge, the train seats are "reversed" and engines are reversed for the slow, lazy trip back to Talkeetna. If a bear cub is spotted in a nearby tree, or a cow moose and babies, the conductor will slow or stop the train for all. A rare, unique rail experience... and talk about being able to stretch your legs, and walk around while in motion, this is the great antithesis to claustrophobic airline travel. Bring your own lunch, though.

After you are saturated from the Talkeetna experience, it would be time to drive northward to the Denali Village area and explore the park itself, getting a sample of the terrain, or going deeply into it by tour bus. (see Bob-pod's campsite recommendation).

From there, it would be logical to continue and top off supplies in Fairbanks (stop and stretch at North Pole, AK) and then and set out in the morning towards Tok, Alaska and then Canada. There is a a Pod-welcoming campground right in Fairbanks that we liked.

Down the road, most of the Yukon Territories' clean and affordable provincial park campgrounds will close after the weekend following labor day weekend ....which would time out about right. That's about when we came through this year (turning southward on the Cassiar Highway and then the Yellowhead).

We were overly concerned about our single propane tank that was full in Fairbanks, but we did great, using it for cooling the fridge on the road, firing up the stove for evening meals, and running our shower (and heater as set for the sometimes 40ish degree nights), while we slept warm & snugly. The tank was only low (15% or less?) by the time we were near the border at Washington state. So we feel that if you haven't set your Pod up for double propane tanks, don't let that be a hindrance for Alaska; in an efficient R-Pod, you won't use as much as you think.

One Seward-based AK recommendation: The Seven Glacier Kenai Fjords Tour (sea lions, whales, etc) .... a captain-narrated wildlife viewing tour where the boat is steered toward and lingers around that day's sightings, with hearty prime rib and/or Alaska salmon lunch inside a massive log lodge on Fox Island, before reboarding and looping back to the port at Seward.

There's also the beautiful towering ski lodge south of Anchorage (Alyeska) in the town of Girdwood, with tram to the top (Seven Glaciers Restaurant), and summer hiking trails along the tumbling river below. We like Chair 5 and Jack Sprat as far as ski town restaurants. These are good spots to quell the hungries, if you've got your R-Pod camping spot claimed at one of the campsites near Portage, but don't feel like cooking. Don't worry, in the peak of an Alaskan summer, you won't ever have to drive in the dark (outside of 1:30 a.m. - 3:15 a.m, when it is just a few shades lighter than dusk).

Plenty of visitors love to spend time in the Copper River area for fishing not far from Soldotna, or wandering the beaches near the Homer, Alaska spit. Some take a ferry ride over to explore Cordova.

We were excited to learn that some of us in the R-Pod community have been talking about seriously bringing their Pod to Alaska. You will never forget it. Your Pod will save you loads on accommodations, (and many meals) giving you more cash for the fun stuff. You will have stories to tell, that can't be made up, and images to share that will enthrall your friends and family who will probably never make it there. We will be up for doing it again in about 5 years. Maybe we can rendezvous with some AK-bound Podders when that comes around again for us.

We'd love to read about other's AK or Alcan Hwy experiences, whether they had their R-Pods on the road at the time or not....

Brad & Layli
R-Pod 179 tugged by "BG"
aka Baleuga, the 10 Tundra
Western NC
formerly of Palmer, AK

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Blue Highways Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 20 Sep 2016 Location: NC mountains Online Status: Offline Posts: 84	Topic: Alaska 2017 Posted: 20 Nov 2016 at 6:04pm
	Bob-pod: We enjoyed your comments of your epic 2013 Alaska-bound trip, plus your notes about not missing Liard Springs on the Alcan, etc. Agree that Milepost Magazine was a most useful guide to this expansive route. One highlight that might be a fun way to "cap off" an Alaska R-pod road adventure, would be to make sure to attend the amazing Alaska State Fair in Palmer, AK (our former hometown). The fair is held in a broad field surrounded by the breathtaking (still snow-highlighted) peaks of the "Matsu-Valley." You can stabilize your Pod in Palmer's nearby Matanuska Campground on the Old Glenn Hwy 15 minutes from the site. The fair annually is set for the middle of August. It's an accessible small-town event with great musical entertainment, rides, non-typical food, with a strong, earthy agricultural warmth to it all. Palmer is historically a rich ag region, dating back to it's New Deal homesteading days of the mid-1930s, where it attracted upper midwestern farmers who applied and were accepted for relocation aid during that great recession. Many of the pioneers there had Norwegian, Swedish and German ancestry, and their children and grandchildren live on in Palmer today. It's a fascinating Google search of its own. As shown at the fair, the vegetables grow absolutely monstrous with the long 14+ hour summer days and locals compete, including best recipes for the local berries. Typical sunny day temperatures are a perfect 72 to 76 unless you get some cooler rainy days mixed in. Palmer has a pedestrian-friendly laid-back downtown vibe. After the Alaska State Fair, you would just pull your Pod on past Wasilla on the Parks Highway to begin your trek homeward. (Your vacation is far from over at this point.) We recommend taking the short spur to Talkeetna, the international launching point for climbing expeditions to (former Mt. McKinley), with good chances of photographing "the big one" (Denali) from the town's river edge view, (with or without clouds intersecting it's massive peaks). The town will keep you occupied as a pedestrian for several hours, as everything is concentrated. Talkeetna is also the taking off point for various small group aerial flights around Denali itself. (My mom, 84, partook of a 6-person K-2 Aviation tour over Denali, where she used up most of her camera's 16gb SD card). Another option from Talkeetna is taking the Hurricane Gulch train (an affordable unique, slow moving whistle-stop train using the classic "Vista Cruiser" upper deck passenger car design of the 1950s & 1960s). This adventure leaves and returns to Talkeetna taking up the greater part of a day. You will see real Alaskans riding along with you on this route to re-supply their remote bush cabins, go to doctors appointments, or to return home with a new husky pup. Other groups pull the whistle to unload their float gear for long river rafting trips. At the end of the route, culminating upon a historic railway bridge spanning a 300 foot gorge, the train seats are "reversed" and engines are reversed for the slow, lazy trip back to Talkeetna. If a bear cub is spotted in a nearby tree, or a cow moose and babies, the conductor will slow or stop the train for all. A rare, unique rail experience... and talk about being able to stretch your legs, and walk around while in motion, this is the great antithesis to claustrophobic airline travel. Bring your own lunch, though. After you are saturated from the Talkeetna experience, it would be time to drive northward to the Denali Village area and explore the park itself, getting a sample of the terrain, or going deeply into it by tour bus. (see Bob-pod's campsite recommendation). From there, it would be logical to continue and top off supplies in Fairbanks (stop and stretch at North Pole, AK) and then and set out in the morning towards Tok, Alaska and then Canada. There is a a Pod-welcoming campground right in Fairbanks that we liked. Down the road, most of the Yukon Territories' clean and affordable provincial park campgrounds will close after the weekend following labor day weekend ....which would time out about right. That's about when we came through this year (turning southward on the Cassiar Highway and then the Yellowhead). We were overly concerned about our single propane tank that was full in Fairbanks, but we did great, using it for cooling the fridge on the road, firing up the stove for evening meals, and running our shower (and heater as set for the sometimes 40ish degree nights), while we slept warm & snugly. The tank was only low (15% or less?) by the time we were near the border at Washington state. So we feel that if you haven't set your Pod up for double propane tanks, don't let that be a hindrance for Alaska; in an efficient R-Pod, you won't use as much as you think. One Seward-based AK recommendation: The Seven Glacier Kenai Fjords Tour (sea lions, whales, etc) .... a captain-narrated wildlife viewing tour where the boat is steered toward and lingers around that day's sightings, with hearty prime rib and/or Alaska salmon lunch inside a massive log lodge on Fox Island, before reboarding and looping back to the port at Seward. There's also the beautiful towering ski lodge south of Anchorage (Alyeska) in the town of Girdwood, with tram to the top (Seven Glaciers Restaurant), and summer hiking trails along the tumbling river below. We like Chair 5 and Jack Sprat as far as ski town restaurants. These are good spots to quell the hungries, if you've got your R-Pod camping spot claimed at one of the campsites near Portage, but don't feel like cooking. Don't worry, in the peak of an Alaskan summer, you won't ever have to drive in the dark (outside of 1:30 a.m. - 3:15 a.m, when it is just a few shades lighter than dusk). Plenty of visitors love to spend time in the Copper River area for fishing not far from Soldotna, or wandering the beaches near the Homer, Alaska spit. Some take a ferry ride over to explore Cordova. We were excited to learn that some of us in the R-Pod community have been talking about seriously bringing their Pod to Alaska. You will never forget it. Your Pod will save you loads on accommodations, (and many meals) giving you more cash for the fun stuff. You will have stories to tell, that can't be made up, and images to share that will enthrall your friends and family who will probably never make it there. We will be up for doing it again in about 5 years. Maybe we can rendezvous with some AK-bound Podders when that comes around again for us. We'd love to read about other's AK or Alcan Hwy experiences, whether they had their R-Pods on the road at the time or not.... Brad & Layli R-Pod 179 tugged by "BG" aka Baleuga, the 10 Tundra Western NC formerly of Palmer, AK

birderdiane526 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08 May 2016 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 320	Posted: 20 Nov 2016 at 9:43pm
	Brad & Layli, thank you for such great Alaska ideas! We hope to take your suggestions and incorporate them into our itinerary. What about boondocking? Are their many opportunities along the way?
	Diane and Michael 2016 179 "PIP" (PODDING IN PARADISE) 2007 Toyota Tundra BLOG:Podding in Paradise, birderdiane526.blogspot.com

Blue Highways Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 20 Sep 2016 Location: NC mountains Online Status: Offline Posts: 84	Posted: 21 Nov 2016 at 9:01am
	Hi back to you BirderDiane & Michael.... Glad my verbal excess has at least lead to some ideas for your adventure planning. Google searches should fill in the other questions with photos & details. Correction: Seven Glacier boat tour bases out of Whittier, the Kenai Fjords (with or w/o Fox island lunch option) is based out of Seward. I blended the tour names together previously. I will mention something you both would like on the Kenai Fjords boat tour that included the lunch stop on Fox island: the amazing information the captain narrated about the many birds we saw as we chugged along the rocky towering cliffs and shorelines... he added details on their migration, nesting spots and observations of how each year is different for different species. You both might enjoy that, so bring your best cameras and lenses.... I turned on the smart phone recorder and caught some of the narration to replay. Video of the swooping flight patterns near the boat is rewarding to capture like I did. Alaska has a distinct lower quantity of "KOA" style camp grounds, (like our Fairbanks one) but there are some campgrounds with 30a post with water spigot, ....but most often you'll be in service-free spots and would need to use a 3 gal jug to top off your water supply from the campground pump, as Alaska is mostly boon docking country. The maneuverability of the R-Pod, and the fact that you can select the choicer "back-in" style spots, (plus being able to set the tow vehicle free for exploring) make it a great Podding state. Next paragraph is mention of a little campground we liked that gave us access to the amazing Independence Mine State Park. Surrounding it are "open" meadows, lakes and waterfall zones beneath the mountains, making for an amazing day hike that originates at the grouping of historic buildings that form the center of that very special park. We prefer the open mountain meadow kind of hiking. This small, clean campground is attached to the Government Peak Picnic Site, and has about 8-10 angled back-in sites, paved and level with clean bathrooms between the picnic & camping sections. Technically the address is 13778 Hatcher Pass Road. Going north out of Palmer as if you were heading out for the Alcan, you'd take a left past an old water tower on left.... so left on Palmer-Fishook Road (which is a paved two lane - w/good clear sign for the turn off) ....will take you right there. Campground less than an hour from downtown Palmer (which has a Kroger Fred Meyers store for all of your supplies). The campground then is your nesting spot to take your tow vehicle up to Independence Mine for a day of fun, about 40 mins further up-valley. You can also run up the side road just short of the mine park (gravel) for about 30 minutes more, to Independence Pass, where people also hike, often with their pets, absorbing the grand vistas. This is largely open country, so less precautions about bears, as you are not forced to hike through brushy, concealed areas (unless you choose other great trails). To claim a campsite in this choice little CG, move your R-Pod into your site in the morning on a weekday, preferably Mon thru Weds. Then you detach and can run back to Palmer in your tow vehicle, go to Finger Lake Park in Wasilla, or explore Independence Mine area just up the valley from your campsite. You still might be able to score a site on Thursday thru the weekend, but chances are better for you if you get set up by noon on M-W. Makes a great non-remote but quiet base camp! And, technically, it's boondocking, no water or electricity, but you are a short run to everything you need,, including dining options in Palmer. Happy planning ! PM us if you have more specific questions or concerns and we'll do our best. --B & L
	There are no unimportant jobs, no unimportant people, no unimportant acts of kindness. ( And as always, happiness is an inside job.)

birderdiane526 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08 May 2016 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 320	Posted: 21 Nov 2016 at 10:17am
	Your info is awesome and greatly appreciated! We will definitely PM with further questions! We'really excited to be planning.
	Diane and Michael 2016 179 "PIP" (PODDING IN PARADISE) 2007 Toyota Tundra BLOG:Podding in Paradise, birderdiane526.blogspot.com

knockabout Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07 Feb 2016 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 11 Dec 2016 at 1:10pm
	Gas has been covered well. Common sense and top off when you can rather than just figure on going on to the next stop. Alcan is a well traveled route less so on the Cassiar. My best advice would be DON'T DRIVE AFTER DARK! This is big wildlife country and they will sometimes use the road for easy movement starting around dusk. It can take hours for the EMT's or such to arrive. Liard Hot Springs is always a great stop over. There are 2 pools the first close to campground and that's where 90% of folks go. 2nd is a bit further but usually way quieter and way less crowded. 2 out of 4 times we've had it to ourselves. Pretty much Boondock where you want. I've put my tent up under the Alaska pipeline in the past. WOW experience. But I was motorcycling back then. Keep your camp clean--meaning don't leave stuff out. Don't pass up the Caribou sausage for breakfast. I'll just quote an old timer I met who moved up in 1949 "Alaska is what the States used to be". Danny B

knockabout Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07 Feb 2016 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 11 Dec 2016 at 1:20pm
	Oh and I forgot The mosquitoes have really sharp beaks!

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3237	Posted: 11 Dec 2016 at 8:54pm
	Ever try using a mixture of a stick of camphor and let it sit in a jar of olive oil for a week? Seems to work pretty well for black flies, chiggars, and mosquitoes in northern Michigan. But maybe it wouldn't work for those "BIG SHARP BEAKS" the the AK mosquitoes possess.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

ronahue Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 316	Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 4:46pm
	Ok, Alaska plans are beginning to firm up. I will depart Boston solo on June 15, 2017 and Sharon will fly into Edmonton, AB on June 28. I'm somewhat conflicted on the route I will take to Edmonton, AB my original plan was north through Quebec and Ontario along highway 11 into Thunder Bay but I'm thinking I have not been to the east side of Glacier NP we always hike out of the west side and I could spend a few days hiking on the east side of the park and then shot up to Edmonton if I take I90 and I94 out to Montana. On the other hand I haven't been to northern Ontario since Sharon and I did several canoe camping trips in the 1970's. Any suggestions from those with experience camping and traveling in either of these areas will be appreciated.
	Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated

rda54 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 18 Nov 2016 Location: Minnesota Online Status: Offline Posts: 106	Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 5:07pm
	Hi Ron, We were in glacier last summer we stayed at Koa in St. Mary's. It was a very nice place to stay very friendly and helpful. It was our first time there my son in law has been going his hole life. We went to minny glacier. They said the glaciers will be gone be for we know it. We went out through North Dakota and took highway 2 in Montana very prity drive. Good luck on your adventure. Ron
	Ronald & Lonna 2014 178 2016 Chevy 1500

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3237	Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 8:23pm
	We haven't been to Glacier in our 177 Pod since September 2011. We took US-2 from the Mackinac Bridge in the UP of Michigan all the way to Glacier. As rda54 above stated, a very scenic drive, but if you are trying to make time, you will want to take another route. We prefer to smell the roses along the way, not having to travel at 70 - 80 mph to keep up with traffic. On 2 you will go through a lot of small towns and see a lot of America that you won't see driving the interstate.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."