Ratpuke
I pm'd you
I pm'd you
Alaska Cruiser Trek 2010
- Thread starter Mark W
- Start date
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Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #322
The Alaska Ferry schedule for summer 2010 just came out today. Would we be able to make it to Haines, AK by 3:15pm (departure is 5:15pm) on Monday, July 5th?
The last days of the trek are still kinda loose. We were thinking of heading into the Anchorage/MatSu Valley area for the last 3 days maybe for some non-trail activities. But we realized that it would the the 4th of Juky weekend and that the places we wanted to take everyone would be seeing their highest traffic of the year during that time. So we will probably be on the trails until the morning of the 5th, coming off the trails and hitting the pavement in the afternoon/evening. If this turns out to be the case, then planning on making Haines by 3:15pm would be unrealistic.
Mark...
Although 2002 had it's moments too
True 'dat. I seem to remember having 3 broken axles. All at the same time. While still stuck. And welding an axle shaft to the hub. And something about a transmission being welded back onto the bell housing in another rig. And another rig with 2 flat tires. And Mark was no help because he was getting winched out of a crevas. Yup. All of the above at the same time. Glacier 13 was named.
Later that week, someone wrote '2002 Alaska Camping trip and birfield exchange' on the side of Tippy with a sharpie. Good times. Then driving home in 1 wheel drive from Tok to Calgary when the weld between said axle shaft unwelded from the hub. All that was directly the cause of TippyR, and MIBS.
Trolling this thread.... Taunting the wife to consider 'just showing up'. What'r'ya'gonna'do. Shoo me away? puh-lease.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #324
Nah.... For Peter and Tanis... Charla would probably pour sand in my crankcase to free up a vehicle slot. Or maybe I could pour some in her's. 
And I think you forgot... another rig stuck in mud and Greg stuck in a rocky hole on the glacier in 2wd. And a winch burned out attempting to extract Tippy from the rock pudding
Mark...
And I think you forgot... another rig stuck in mud and Greg stuck in a rocky hole on the glacier in 2wd. And a winch burned out attempting to extract Tippy from the rock pudding
Mark...
Ratpuke
SILVER Star
I pm'd you
Yep. Saw it. Will be catching up on all PMs, outstanding swamp swag requests and emails that I owe people over the next couple of days.
Ratpuke
SILVER Star
Nah.... For Peter and Tanis... Charla would probably pour sand in my crankcase to free up a vehicle slot.
Mark...
Indeed!!
How 'bout we just give RockDoc the wrong directions???
Alternatively, I'll just loosen off your lug nuts and wait for your wheel studs to shear off, ideally at the top of Monument so that 4 boggers will be unleashed to fly down the hillside into the creek below. Besides, 4 WILL be easier to find than just 1!
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Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #327
Directions? Oh crap I knew there was something I was forgetting to send out to everyone!
Hey, ya know, maybe we could make that a scheduled event during the Trek. With prizes even. Bogger Roll from the top of Glacier 13. Most distance of course wins. Extra points for hardest tire to recover, most difficult to find and so on. As an added bonus the overall looser has to retrieve the tire for the overall winner.
Team event with pairs searching and pairs lugging and rolling them back to the rig.
This could be fun!
Wait... oh. s***. Only Kevin and I are running 40 inch boggers. Suddenly this sounds about as much fun as watching Kevin's plunge down monument into the brush again.
Never mind.
But the faulty directions still sounds interesting
Mark...
Hey, ya know, maybe we could make that a scheduled event during the Trek. With prizes even. Bogger Roll from the top of Glacier 13. Most distance of course wins. Extra points for hardest tire to recover, most difficult to find and so on. As an added bonus the overall looser has to retrieve the tire for the overall winner.
Team event with pairs searching and pairs lugging and rolling them back to the rig.This could be fun!
Wait... oh. s***. Only Kevin and I are running 40 inch boggers. Suddenly this sounds about as much fun as watching Kevin's plunge down monument into the brush again.
Never mind.
But the faulty directions still sounds interesting
Mark...
How 'bout we just give RockDoc the wrong directions???
Well I suppose me co-pilot and me could fill the time scheming up retaliation, and someone conveniently lives on the way home from Alaska. You do want your house renovated, right?
Imagine how nice it would be to have a drive-in living room
Ratpuke
SILVER Star
Maybe we need some road kill shots to prep everyone for the run north?
Mark...
Good idea.
Just for Mark.
But... For those coming up to drive the AK Hwy from its start in Dawson Creek, B.C. you'll be passing right by this hidden roadside treasure. I tripped across this place, literally, while out doing an arch assessment for a proposed Wellsite.
Watch for animals. They're everywhere. Especially if you're going to take the scenic route to Fort St. John via Chetwynd. That drive is beautiful and full of animals (both dead on the road and alive, grazing in the ditches).
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #330
I have never traveled that stretch by Chetwynd without seeing deer hit within hours at the most before I passed. Moments sometimes... they are EVERYWHERE in that area.
Past few times I have seen Bison grazing along the road every time too... further north
Mark...
Past few times I have seen Bison grazing along the road every time too... further north
Mark...
ha
nothing like road kill to put you off your beef sammie
nothing like road kill to put you off your beef sammie
So, we are going to take the ferry on the way up. We'll arrive in Skagway on Monday, June 21st at 2pm. Any recommendations for what to do with our time between then and the start of the Trek?
I had one of those pesky Bison's wander out in front of me last year, squealing tires and blasting air horn had no effect. Fortunately I got stopped in time.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #334
So, we are going to take the ferry on the way up. We'll arrive in Skagway on Monday, June 21st at 2pm. Any recommendations for what to do with our time between then and the start of the Trek?
Hatcher Pass (Archangel Vally) and Palmer Creek (the head waters up in the mountains) are must see attractions IMHO.
Mark...
Bogo
FOOF
It is possible to ship a rig. It just needs to fit into a standard container. Depending on lengths of the rigs, two could ride in one container.
Container sizes: Ocean Container Dimensions
It would also be possible to drive up, then ship back.
Maybe that is how me, my brother and SIL can do an Alaska trip. It's to long time wise for them to do as all driving.Those with some time on either side of the trek drop me a PM with the time you have available & your interests. I have rafts, canoes, backpacks, fishing poles, and can maybe scare up a mt bike or two.
If you have a budget for some touristy kind of things, (train ride to Denali, pan for gold, flight seeing, etc etc) there were a lot of local discounts this summer. PM me with a budget & I can research and forward some suggestions.
One thing about being a scoutmaster for 20 years, you accumulate stuff, and accumulate a list of cheap things to do !!! (I reallly have no excuse for the accumulated LC's!)
If you have a budget for some touristy kind of things, (train ride to Denali, pan for gold, flight seeing, etc etc) there were a lot of local discounts this summer. PM me with a budget & I can research and forward some suggestions.
One thing about being a scoutmaster for 20 years, you accumulate stuff, and accumulate a list of cheap things to do !!! (I reallly have no excuse for the accumulated LC's!)
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Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #337
Hey Steve! maybe you can wrangle a run down to Palmer Creek or Archangel Valley for the folks who have a day or two in town while Kevina and Charla and I are already out pre-running.
With the last days being the 4th of July weekend I doubt that we will try to hit those spots to end the trek itself.
Mark...
With the last days being the 4th of July weekend I doubt that we will try to hit those spots to end the trek itself.
Mark...
I am about a month or two away from being able to make commitments for next summer (I may have a group of kids coming up from Seattle, or a family from Idaho, in addition to the local group I usually take out)
Right off the bat I guess I see a couple of options for an “Alaskan 4th of July”
Option 1-Small-town celebration
A few years ago Seward was a bit over the top with their 4rth. Drinking in the streets, public copulation, till some A-hole fired a gun, the bullet passed through several tents and ended up messing up a guy pretty badly. Since that time they have made it more family friendly, and is till one of the “bigger” small town parties
http://www.sewardak.org/news-events/july4th.htm
If we jump on it and reserve it as soon as it is available, this cabin has a little used “winter hiking trail” that shortens the hike to about an hour
http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/Dale_Clemens_Cabin_Ak/r/campgroundDetails.do?page=details&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71854&topTabIndex=CampingSpot
Beautiful sunrise/sunset overlook of Seward, resurrection bay, and an possible fire works
Whittier is also trying to get their town on the map as a 4th of July destination, but they are pretty small town “Norman Rockwell style”
Option 2- pack our rigs with fire works, trundle off the beaten path, then have an Alaskan Style 4th of july & bar-b-que, Fireworks @ midnight in the day light. I got Salmon & Caribou, I’ll bet we could round up some moose meat & Halibut for a bbq.. Bring the canoes & boats. Water melon eating completion, rile shooting competition, axe throwing, pie eating, dutch oven cook off. Fishing derby, Anybody now how to call square dancing? Where are you going to end ? Could we muster in the Swede Lake Trail and have a private old fashion party @ Dickey Lake or the Gulkana?
Right off the bat I guess I see a couple of options for an “Alaskan 4th of July”
Option 1-Small-town celebration
A few years ago Seward was a bit over the top with their 4rth. Drinking in the streets, public copulation, till some A-hole fired a gun, the bullet passed through several tents and ended up messing up a guy pretty badly. Since that time they have made it more family friendly, and is till one of the “bigger” small town parties
http://www.sewardak.org/news-events/july4th.htm
If we jump on it and reserve it as soon as it is available, this cabin has a little used “winter hiking trail” that shortens the hike to about an hour
http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/Dale_Clemens_Cabin_Ak/r/campgroundDetails.do?page=details&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71854&topTabIndex=CampingSpot
Beautiful sunrise/sunset overlook of Seward, resurrection bay, and an possible fire works
Whittier is also trying to get their town on the map as a 4th of July destination, but they are pretty small town “Norman Rockwell style”
Option 2- pack our rigs with fire works, trundle off the beaten path, then have an Alaskan Style 4th of july & bar-b-que, Fireworks @ midnight in the day light. I got Salmon & Caribou, I’ll bet we could round up some moose meat & Halibut for a bbq.. Bring the canoes & boats. Water melon eating completion, rile shooting competition, axe throwing, pie eating, dutch oven cook off. Fishing derby, Anybody now how to call square dancing? Where are you going to end ? Could we muster in the Swede Lake Trail and have a private old fashion party @ Dickey Lake or the Gulkana?
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
- Thread starter
- #339
You misunderstood Steve. With the end of the trek overlapping the 4th of July Weekend, we will stay on the trails and use that time in the field instead of coming out and then dealing with crowds anywhere.
Chad and others may be in town a couple of days prior to the start of the Trek. Since Charla and I will be on the trail already about a week before the Trek to look over the trails that was why I tried to rope you into making a run down to Palmer Creek or out to Hatcher's with whoever might be here right before the Trek.
Mark...
Chad and others may be in town a couple of days prior to the start of the Trek. Since Charla and I will be on the trail already about a week before the Trek to look over the trails that was why I tried to rope you into making a run down to Palmer Creek or out to Hatcher's with whoever might be here right before the Trek.
Mark...
Thanks Mark. Is the Palmer Creek you are talking about near Hope, AK on the Kenai Peninsula?
