PabloCruise
SILVER Star
x2 - I fear the best I can do is come up and visit my Dad on those dates. Maybe I can tag along as a passenger.
Alaska Cruiser Trek 2010 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mark W
- Start date
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x2 - I fear the best I can do is come up and visit my Dad on those dates. Maybe I can tag along as a passenger.
TRchieD,
Would you mind resizing that pic so we don't have to scan the posts every time we view the thread?
Thanks
Would you mind resizing that pic so we don't have to scan the posts every time we view the thread?
Thanks
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
- Thread starter
- #23
I had her out with me on the last exploration trip Archie... rig died and she sat in my lap like a stuffed animal for 2 days as we made our way back to the road... 4 people and a dog in a '40. Loaded with enough gear to hike for 4 days if we got stuck and had to walk out. it was.... snug? 
She has turned into a great trail dog. Sticks a lot closer to camp now too
Mark...
She has turned into a great trail dog. Sticks a lot closer to camp now too Mark...
I'd love to go along this year again, if I finally get my rig done. I will probably be moving to Los Anchorage this year
frown:
frown:
Grench
SILVER Star
Here's an odd question... Again, the logistics of getting there are just as big of a question as getting the truck ready to do it.
3 weeks off work to do a trip - not going to happen.
However, if I break the drive up and move the truck out ahead on weekends and flying back...
I could, in theory, get my truck from here to Seattle in two days of 12 hours each and leave it at a buddy's place or long term monitored at the air port. Fly back on a 2 week round trip ticket.
Come back to Seattle 2 weeks later and spend 3 days or 12 hours driving it up to Anchorage. Again, leave it with a fellow mudder or in long term at the airport. Two week round trip home.
At the end of the event, leave the truck at the airport, take a two week round trip ticket, come back to drive it to Seattle, two week round trip & drive it home.
A month to get there, a month to get back - only traveling on weekends. Like $2,000 in airfare later... Still cheaper than shipping the truck up there and back. Has anyone ever tried something as whacked as this? How did it work out?
3 weeks off work to do a trip - not going to happen.
However, if I break the drive up and move the truck out ahead on weekends and flying back...
I could, in theory, get my truck from here to Seattle in two days of 12 hours each and leave it at a buddy's place or long term monitored at the air port. Fly back on a 2 week round trip ticket.
Come back to Seattle 2 weeks later and spend 3 days or 12 hours driving it up to Anchorage. Again, leave it with a fellow mudder or in long term at the airport. Two week round trip home.
At the end of the event, leave the truck at the airport, take a two week round trip ticket, come back to drive it to Seattle, two week round trip & drive it home.
A month to get there, a month to get back - only traveling on weekends. Like $2,000 in airfare later... Still cheaper than shipping the truck up there and back. Has anyone ever tried something as whacked as this? How did it work out?
Man I'd love to go.
Grench,
How about finding out if anyone is driving with a passenger and if so see if the passenger would be willing to drive your rig up and back? Another option would be that I might be able to drive it up and maybe back for you but you would have to be flexible in getting it somewhere I can easily pick it up and drop it off for you. 3 days Seattle-Anchorage could be done but plan on driving at least 16hrs each day. Of course, if you are only going as far as Tok, you would save about 6 hrs.
Just some thoughts.
How about finding out if anyone is driving with a passenger and if so see if the passenger would be willing to drive your rig up and back? Another option would be that I might be able to drive it up and maybe back for you but you would have to be flexible in getting it somewhere I can easily pick it up and drop it off for you. 3 days Seattle-Anchorage could be done but plan on driving at least 16hrs each day. Of course, if you are only going as far as Tok, you would save about 6 hrs.
Just some thoughts.
Mark, if you're planning on emailing out info packets again this year, I'd love to have one.
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
- Thread starter
- #30
We will be mailing out packets. It will be a little while yet. Need to pin down the exact dates, look to see if past experiences and/or new points of view result in any changes in how we do it this time around. The Trek has become less and less an Alaska Cruiser Crew undertaking and more and more a Mark Whatley project. This time around Ratpuke is going to be helping me put this together. Bringing a different perspective to things maybe. So along with bringing her up to speed on the on the ground side of things we need to bounce around a lot of other stuff about the Trek too.
The packets will be done soonish, and sent out to everyone as soon as they are done.
Mark...
The packets will be done soonish, and sent out to everyone as soon as they are done.
Mark...
Why not pay a trucking company to ship it up and back for you then just fly for the trek itself?
Bad economy should make it easier to find people willing to do it at a decent price.
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
- Thread starter
- #32
Vehicles shipped to AK come up on the barges from Seattle. The haul back down is pretty cheap. Don't remember what it is coming north, but it is more. The trip up to AK is a large part of the experience for those who can do it. We had some folks pool together to trailer 3 rigs up in 2008. Two guys drove nonstop in the tow rig and four others flew up to meet hem. Seemed to work well for them.
Assuming 3 days up from Seattle, solo drive in a Cruiser... and then again after 7 days on the trail... that is probably cutting it close. And anyone planning n a straight drive up and back right away as they come off the trail.... I would strongly recommend giving yourself a down day or two there somewhere.
Also, most of my experience up and down the Alaska Highway is that you need to plan on am overall 55mph average for your travel periods once you leave the US interstate system. Canadian highways are as good as the US ones, but once you hit the Alaska Highway, things slow down a bit.
I have made the run from Seattle in 2.5 days... in a Saab 9000 turbo and a total disregard for speed limits. This was summer time and I could pass the motor homes with bursts of up to 110mph and bring it back down quick too. I have driven a truck w/ trailer the same route in 3 days in the winter. With a co-driver and sleeping in the rig at fuel stops waiting for them to open in the morning. But I was not heading into or coming off a week on the trail either.
These times and logistical issues are one of the reasons I am looking at the concept of building a few '80s for outings like the Cruiser Trek.
Mark...
Assuming 3 days up from Seattle, solo drive in a Cruiser... and then again after 7 days on the trail... that is probably cutting it close. And anyone planning n a straight drive up and back right away as they come off the trail.... I would strongly recommend giving yourself a down day or two there somewhere.
Also, most of my experience up and down the Alaska Highway is that you need to plan on am overall 55mph average for your travel periods once you leave the US interstate system. Canadian highways are as good as the US ones, but once you hit the Alaska Highway, things slow down a bit.
I have made the run from Seattle in 2.5 days... in a Saab 9000 turbo and a total disregard for speed limits. This was summer time and I could pass the motor homes with bursts of up to 110mph and bring it back down quick too.
I have driven a truck w/ trailer the same route in 3 days in the winter. With a co-driver and sleeping in the rig at fuel stops waiting for them to open in the morning. But I was not heading into or coming off a week on the trail either.These times and logistical issues are one of the reasons I am looking at the concept of building a few '80s for outings like the Cruiser Trek.
Mark...
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I'm very interested in actually making it this time around. I'll have my 12HT conversion done by then. How much fuel should I be able to carry since I'll need diesel?
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
- Thread starter
- #34
We have seen some impressive fuel economy on the trail from some of the diesels. And some that was not so impressive. On board fuel requirements are the same (in the past that amount has been 36 gallons...) but we carry a smaller amount of extra diesel fuel in the support truck than we do gasoline. We have been carrying 10 extra gallons per gasser and about 5 for the oilers
Mark...
Mark...
Cool. I'd be willing to consider setting something up, but the financials might not work out.
My biggest concern with the truck would be an underpowered motor, loaded down struggling to get out of a mud hole somewhere in the Alaskan bush.
My biggest concern with the truck would be an underpowered motor, loaded down struggling to get out of a mud hole somewhere in the Alaskan bush.
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
- Thread starter
- #36
I would be surprised if you found your rig to be underpowered. It is seldom that you find yourself spinning full throttle in a mudhole up here. Deep water crossings are actually as taxing for power a lot of times, as are a couple of long loose hill climbs. But except for the 22RE powered mini-trucks, until you surpass the 38 inch tire range, power is seldom a major concern.
and... on the Trek, everyone gets stuck at some point.
Mark..
and... on the Trek, everyone gets stuck at some point.
Mark..
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
- Thread starter
- #39
Both our primary area and our fall back have varied terrain. From barren tundra verging to rock all the way to mature forest.. But there are not any areas that I would call "tight" with trees. Maybe a few spots, but nothing worth mentioning in the overall picture. The other rigs that uses these trails are as often "moose buggies" as anything else, and they tend to widen the trails a bit in the woods by simply plowing over stuff when need be. And/or the trails get laid down avoiding tight spots..
There are a lot of tight trails in deep woods with close together trees up here. But we will not be running those areas. Gina's photos in the ACT links will give you a good idea of what most of the days will look like. She has few pics taken in the woods but the best shots always seem to be out in the open country
Mark...
There are a lot of tight trails in deep woods with close together trees up here. But we will not be running those areas. Gina's photos in the ACT links will give you a good idea of what most of the days will look like. She has few pics taken in the woods but the best shots always seem to be out in the open country
Mark...
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