Dave & Julie's Alaska Adventure

[Randy]

Dave, You and Julie will never regret taking the top of the world highway.
Wish Santha and I had been with you. Randy , Santha and the poodles

 

[floridarandy]

WOW....what fun! Just out of curiosity, how many spare tires are you carrying (truck and rig)? Wonder if Good Sam Emergency Road service is available ?

 

[davebennington]

floridarandy,

I had 4 G614's put on the trailer just before we left home. Spares I have 1 mounted spare under the trailer, with 3 G614 unmounted as backup.

Now to address the truck, 1 spare under the truck with 6 on the ground.

I do not think Good Sam would respond to the Top of the World Highway, you ae on your own up there.

Dave

 

[davebennington]

7-7-2011 Thursday

We are now in Fairbanks, Ak. The campground is Riverside RV park. it is a Good Sam park with full hookups, cable and a great free WIFI at the site. We will be here for 3 or 4 days there is a lot to do here and the truck needs an oil change as well as the filters changed. It is so hard to believe it is 10 PM, 80 degrees, and Julie is outside reading by bright sunlight.

We went to the local Walmart for supplies, prescription refill and pictures that I took on the film camera put on a CD.

I have attached pictures that Julie took on the way here from Tok.

 

[lcdrdean]

Welcome to Fairbanks! Terri and I have been here since the 8th of May workcamping at Adventures in Alaska, which also owns Chena Marina and RV Park. Glad you made it over the Top of the World Highway ... we drove it last weekend to Dawson and back, just with the truck though. Send me an email lcdrdean@earthlink.net or give me a call 540-297-5659 and maybe we can hook up for dinner. We are working from noon to four the next six days. We'll be heading to Denali for a couple of days after this work shift.

 

[loafer]

Dean and Terri

Did we meet you at the KOA in Lynden Washington back about a month or more.You stopped for 1 nite on your way up?
We have the Sundance and I introduced myself
Just curious as the couple I met were going to Alaska to work kamp
I have misplaced your card
Bill

 

[lcdrdean]

Dean and Terri

Did we meet you at the KOA in Lynden Washington back about a month or more.You stopped for 1 nite on your way up?
We have the Sundance and I introduced myself
Just curious as the couple I met were going to Alaska to work kamp
I have misplaced your card
Bill

Bill,
No it wasn't us. We came up through Montana into Canada. It might have been "aatus", I think they were going workcamping in Kenai.

 

[davebennington]

7-9-2011 Saturday

We have had a busy 2 days yesterday was filled with prescription refills, grocery shopping and oil and filters changed on the truck. Just the everyday things that you would have to do if you were at home.

I took a picture of the electric posts that are present in most every parking lot. They are there so if you are away from your car for more than 2 hours you can plug your car in and keep it warm so it will start when you return, just something you don’t see in the lower 48. Of course Julie had to take a picture of this crazy car with a moose head on top.

Today we went to the Alaska University Museum and that was very interesting. Three of the pictures that I took here where of a Arctic fox that looks a lot like Roxie dog.

We then went to the old car antique museum; they have a car collection that is better than any other that I have been to. They have a few that are very rare collectors’ cars where only a few were made. I have included pictures of only the ones of real interest.

There is a unique place here called Pioneer Park. It is a good place to take your kids for a days outing with some education involved also.
Pictures here of the steam boat that was the main source of transportation back in the early days.

Just a couple of pictures for today.

Dave

 

[MrsSouthernNights]

Dave and Julie! Wow what a wonderful time you are having... I'm not sure I'd like the muddy places though!
We have had Dutchess's eyes operated on (congenital cataracts removed) she is now seeing more clearly every day...
It's wonderful that you are taking everyone with you as you travel... such great pictures really makes us feel like we are with you.
Give Roxie a hug for us, drive safely and enjoy your trip!

 

[davebennington]

Sam,

Thank you, yes we are having a great time. So much to see and so little time to see everything. Hard to believe.

We just spoke with a couple that we met in Dawson Creek and have stayed at the same campgrounds along the way since then, they told us that there was an accident on the Top Of The World Highway the day after we crossed. A big motor home slid off the road and had everything held up for 6 hours.

We are trying to include things that everyone would be interested in seeing, I am happy that everyone is enjoying the trip with us.

Good to hear about Dutchess's eyes. Is she doing OK otherwise?

Dave & Julie

 

[davebennington]

7-10-2011 Sunday

Today we went for a ride on the Paddle wheeler Discovery. What a nice ride they take you down the Chena River it is awesome ride, stopping at the Chena Indian village, also a stop at Susan Butcher’s Iditarod dog sled training ground. Susan has passed but her husband still runs the training camp for sled dogs. He gave a demo using an ATV instead of a sled.

Along the way we saw a float plane take off and land on the river.

The houses that are along the river are really nice. We learned that the way they can have big windows and not have a great heat loss is to have 5 panes of glass with gas in between them, the same principle as the dual pane windows that we are familiar with.

Tomorrow we are off to Denali Park, if we have good WIFI there we will update then.

Here are a few pictures from today.

Dave & Julie

 

[SilverRhino]

We have never enjoyed someone elses trip as much as we are enjoying yours!!

Thanks for "taking" us all along on your journey......We love it!

Travel Safe!

 

[davebennington]

SilverRhino,

Thank you, we try to be informative for folks who might be considering a trip to Alaska.

Dave & Julie

 

[davebennington]

7-11-2011 Monday

We are now in Denali National Park. We arrived here about 1 PM as it was only 125 miles from Fairbanks. We first checked in to the RV Park and then went down to the Denali Park office to arrange for tomorrow’s tour, it works out better if you use the internet 2 days in advance.
Anyway after selecting the tour we wanted we went up the park road as far as a private vehicle is allowed to go. Everyplace we have seen pales in comparison compared to Denali, this place is awesome.

Julie took a few pictures along the way.

Our tour is scheduled for 7:30 tomorrow, so we have to get up bright and early.

The bad news they are predicting rain for tomorrow, bummer, but a raining or snow day at Denali is better than a day anywhere else.

I will be sure to take a lot of pictures for tomorrows post.

Dave

 

[floridarandy]

Simply.....WOW. I'm guessing its tempting to just hold the camera up and keep clicking....whichever way you turn. I feel like I'm sitting with a National Geographic.

 

[davebennington]

7-12-2011 Tuesday

Thanks Randy,

Yes it is tempting just to click away and try to capture every sight that you see there is a different great view around every bend.

This morning it was lightly raining and did not look all that good for looking at scenery. However it did clear a bit as we progressed up the road, we opted for the 12 hour tour (never again). We would do an 8 hour trip next time.

The weather turned on us about ¾ of the way to Mount McKinley, the rain picked up and it started raining hard we could not see the mountain it is not always visible all the time anyway it has been a long day.

We did see a few critters such as moose, fox, bear, and caribou.

Tomorrow we should be in Anchorage.

Here are the pictures that we could get today.

Dave

 

[floridarandy]

looking at the continuing flow of beauty from dave and julie i can only imagine it must have been simliar emotions in an earlier day that resulted in:

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

 

[Nabo]

We are becoming so jealous. Really want to just walk away from the job now and head to Alaska. Thanks for the great pictures.

 

[Hunter]

We are becoming so jealous. Really wont to just walk away from the job now and head to Alaska. Thanks for the great pictures.

Ditto : )

This is so much fun .. and I don't have to pay for the gas. : )

 

[Randy]

Dave & Julie, You are really making Santha and I think about next year after the Gillette rally. Love the photos
Randy, Santha and the p00dles