Alaska Cruiser Trek 2006

[Behemoth60]

Isn't Tippy tiny?

Ah.. good memories.

I'll throw my $.02 into the tuggem strap connection point debate.

Hooks are better than loops.

A hook doesn't break. It straightens out, and the strap slips off it. No projectile.

A loop breaks. It stays attached to the strap, along with the shackle which connected the strap to the loop, and the whole works becomes a deadly projectile.

If you're REALLY stuck, and you have a loop, I'll help you winch out, but I won't hook up to your truck. If you have a hook, I'll throw you a strap and have you out in a minute.

Pintle hooks, I think, are the best for rear attachment points. They distribute the force along both frame rails. They're easy to use. The safety factor on these is a minimum of 5x, which gives a 5 ton pintle a break strength of 50,000lbs - well in excess of most straps, and frankly, in excess of most stock rear cross members too!

Peter Straub

 

[Mark W]

Pintle hooks are far and away my favorite.

I'll do a winch recovery using one of the stock late model loops. I may do a gentle strap recovery from one. A strenuous strap recovery is another matter though. The shackle that you have to use to attach the strap to it is the maor concern. If the loop does fail, that shackle is heavy and going somewhere fast.

Jeff Eastgate has a picture somewhere of a shcakle imbedded through his lower tailgate of his FJ60. A poorly considered loading angle on a poorly welded D ring on a flatbed truck resulted in a flailing strap when he tried to pull a construction truck back up from the side of this driveway at the homestead.


Mark...

 

[semlin]

a pintle hook is easy sneezy on a stock rear 80 bumper. the holes are already there.

 

[Mark W]

Glance at the frame there. I can't remember what the '80 rear crossmamber is like, but the '40 cross member needs to be reinforced to handle an serious snatchiong on a pintle bolted there. It will pucker the center of the crossmember outward under extreme loads otherwise.

With a backing plate and or a long gusset it works well.


Mark...

 

[Mark W]

Info and application packets going out

The first round of info packets and applications for the ACT2006 are going out as I type this.

If you have expressed an interest in this gathering but you have not had any direct email interaction with me, please send me your email address (either via a post or a PM here or via a note to me at cruiser@mtaonline.net .

If you haven't expressed interest but you have some... Send me your addy.


Mark...

 

[powderpig]

They use the Pintle in alot of other countries in the world, rated for 5kg. It is beefy and supported by welded brackets. With a bumper on the back that allow access to the holes it only renforces the attatchment for the pintle. later robbie

 

[Mark W]

Robbie,

Send me you Email so I can get a packet to you.


Mark...

 

[lowenbrau]

Very impressive package, Mark!

I think everybody should get the point that the less whining you do the more fun you're gonna have. I remembered Mullen and I sitting in my rig, exhausted, filthy, hungry, lost, cold and totally bug bitten in fits of laughter watching an over engorged mosquito wobble around on my dashbord, unable to fly, after taking a pint out of my arm.

Deliruim is a wonderfully thing.

 

[Mark W]

Ah yeah... Good times, good times.


But have you met a blue or purple telepathic moose yet?

(and no, not the one that "bit my sister"...)


Mark...

 

[desertdude]

We have been following this thread with great anticipation

Email sent to you Mark W

 

[fuelnjktr]

Mark, as much as I would LOVE to do this run, I can't figure out a reasonable way to get my truck from San Diego to Anchorage. Round trip would be almost 7,000 miles...towing my 40 the whole time. Do the math on gas! I guess I will have to settle for watching the slide shows when its all over!

 

[Mark W]

The only option that I would consider looking into would be to ship the rig from Seattle/Tacoma to Anchorage. Not ferry, but ship it on the container ships that come up a couple of times a week. Then fly up to Anchorage.

Still spendy. Maybe more so. I haven't looked into it too closely.




Mark...

 

[lowenbrau]

Just for interest sake I made up a preliminary schedule. Its similar to what I did in 2001 only we're running up the Stewart Cassiar and returning via the Alaska HIghway this time.




Sat Jul 1 Final Prep Day (and Canada Day!)
Sun Jul 2 Depart Calgary AB for Vanderhoof BC 550 mi, 10.5 hours... Meet Charla (yeah!)
Mon July 3 Depart Vanderhoof BC for Dease Lake BC 540 mi. 10.5 hours
Tues Jul 4 Depart Dease Lake BC for Whitehorse YT 407 mi. 7.5 hours
Wed Jul 5 Depart Whitehorse YT for Tok AK 389mi. 8 hours
Thurs Jul 6 Depart Tok AK for McCarthy AK (est.) 300 mi (est.) 8 hours
Fri Jul 7 Depart McCarthy AK for Glennallen AK (est.) 150 mi (est.) 4 hours
Sat Jul 8 ACT 2006 begins!
Sun Jul 9 In a swamp
Mon Jul 10 Mosquito bitten
Tues Jul 11 Exhausted
Wed Jul 12 Broke down
Thurs Jul 13 Dirty
Fri Jul 14 Hungry
Sat Jul 15 Recover in AK civilization
Sun Jul 16 Depart Anchorage AK for Valdez AK 296 mi. 6 hours
Mon Jul 17 Day in Valdez AK
Tues Jul 18 Depart Valdez AK for Destruction Bay YT 476 mi 10 hours
Wed Jul 19 Depart Destruction Bay YT for Liard Hot Springs BC 565 mi 11 hours
Thurs Jul 20Day in the Hot springs
Fri Jul 21 Depart Liard Hot Springs BC for Fort ST. John BC 425 mi. 7.5 hours
Sat Jul 22 Day in Fort St. John… last day with Charla (booh)
Sun Jul 23 Depart Fort St, John BC for Calgary AB 595 mi. 9.5 hours
Mon Jul 24 Back to work

 

[semlin]

i think hitting liard hot springs on the way home is the right call.

there is apparently a shortcut from terrace across

 

[Ratpuke]

Just for interest sake I made up a preliminary schedule. Its similar to what I did in 2001 only we're running up the Stewart Cassiar and returning via the Alaska HIghway this time.




Sat Jul 1 Final Prep Day (and Canada Day!)
Sun Jul 2 Depart Calgary AB for Vanderhoof BC 550 mi, 10.5 hours... Meet Charla (yeah!)
Mon July 3 Depart Vanderhoof BC for Dease Lake BC 540 mi. 10.5 hours
Tues Jul 4 Depart Dease Lake BC for Whitehorse YT 407 mi. 7.5 hours
Wed Jul 5 Depart Whitehorse YT for Tok AK 389mi. 8 hours
Thurs Jul 6 Depart Tok AK for McCarthy AK (est.) 300 mi (est.) 8 hours
Fri Jul 7 Depart McCarthy AK for Glennallen AK (est.) 150 mi (est.) 4 hours
Sat Jul 8 ACT 2006 begins!
Sun Jul 9 In a swamp
Mon Jul 10 Mosquito bitten
Tues Jul 11 Exhausted
Wed Jul 12 Broke down
Thurs Jul 13 Dirty
Fri Jul 14 Hungry
Sat Jul 15 Recover in AK civilization
Sun Jul 16 Depart Anchorage AK for Valdez AK 296 mi. 6 hours
Mon Jul 17 Day in Valdez AK
Tues Jul 18 Depart Valdez AK for Destruction Bay YT 476 mi 10 hours
Wed Jul 19 Depart Destruction Bay YT for Liard Hot Springs BC 565 mi 11 hours
Thurs Jul 20Day in the Hot springs
Fri Jul 21 Depart Liard Hot Springs BC for Fort ST. John BC 425 mi. 7.5 hours
Sat Jul 22 Day in Fort St. John… last day with Charla (booh)
Sun Jul 23 Depart Fort St, John BC for Calgary AB 595 mi. 9.5 hours
Mon Jul 24 Back to work

Only problem I forsee is how to get Mr. G. (BJ73) from FSJames to FSJohn...

 

[lowenbrau]

Only problem I forsee is how to get Mr. G. (BJ73) from FSJames to FSJohn...

Yeah I was thinking maybe one of your cow-orkers or roomies would drive you down to Vanderhoof or Prince George. Alternatively I could go home via PG and drop you off.

 

[Advent]

If you're turning people away, let it be known they can have my spot. I've been doing the math and I just can't get my rig ready in time with the resources I have available. It's amazing how much college will destroy a 'cruiser budget...

Anyways, if anyone has a passenger's seat open I may or may not even be able to get the time off...But if I can I'd really love to tag along and pull straps.

 

[Mark W]

Pasquale Benedetto

Pasquale,


Send me your Email addy so I can add you to the ACT mailing list.


Mark...

 

[desertdude]

Mark you have a PM

 

[NocalFJ60]

Read this article yesterday and thought of ACT. It has some good information with sites about traveling to Alaska from the states.

Sounds like a awesome drive.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2006-02-06-drive-alaska_x.htm