Today we headed to Muncho Lake byway of Laird Hot Springs. We were originally going to visit Laird Hot Springs at the beginning of our trip, but because of the beaver damn failure/road washout debacle, we reworked the schedule to stop by there today. For lunch, we stopped at Coal River. It’s a really cute… Continue reading Day 40 – Muncho Lake
Archives
Day 39 – Watson Lake and the Sign Post Forest
Good grief, the black flies are bad. This morning our destination was Watson Lake and the Sign Post Forest. When we got in the truck to leave, the sunroof was covered with those pesky black flies. On our way to Watson Lake, we stopped at the Alaska Highway Historic Milepost 804 in Teslin. Teslin sits… Continue reading Day 39 – Watson Lake and the Sign Post Forest
Day 38 – Back Toward Whitehorse
Today we headed back toward Whitehorse and on the way we actually saw some wildlife! We saw a fox, a bear, and a deer. This was the highlight for the day as we haven’t been seeing as much wildlife as we thought we would. Along the way, we stopped in Haines Junction. We had a… Continue reading Day 38 – Back Toward Whitehorse
Day 37 – Go As Far As We Could Go – Tok to Destruction Bay
Today is a was a big drive day. After bidding farewell to Mark and Heather at Sundog Haven in Tok and thanking them for yet another great stay, we hit the road. The goal for today was to go as far as we could go toward Destruction Bay. The frost heaves hadn’t magically disappeared from… Continue reading Day 37 – Go As Far As We Could Go – Tok to Destruction Bay
Day 36 – Anchorage to Tok
Not much to report about today. We had a long drive from Anchorage to Tok. Google says its about a five and half hour drive but with a trailer and a couple stops, it’s an all day event. We saw some beautiful scenery including the Matanuska Glacier from the Glenn Rollercoaster, oops – I mean… Continue reading Day 36 – Anchorage to Tok
Day 35 – Ford
As I mentioned yesterday, we had an oil change scheduled at Ford in Anchorage today. Before dropping off the truck, we made a Costco run and stopped at Fred Meyer. Then we took the groceries back to the Airstream. Braxton decided he’d rather have some “alone time” than go to Ford with his parents. I… Continue reading Day 35 – Ford
Day 34 – Yep, I Saved the Day
Yep, I saved the day today. I’m going to say I saved the trip, too, but I am sure that’s debatable. Before I tell you what happened, let me tell you about the rest of our day. We left Homer to head to Anchorage and got a bit of a late start. Oh well, we… Continue reading Day 34 – Yep, I Saved the Day
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
Day 33 – Another Fun Day in Homer
We’re still talking about yesterday’s exciting halibut fishing adventure. Today was another fun day in Homer. We did some cleaning around the Airstream, (yes – there are still chores when vacationing in an RV), then we set out to get some coffee. Ugh, we don’t understand – it has been so hard to find good… Continue reading Day 33 – Another Fun Day in Homer
Day 32 – Halibut Fishing in Homer
We woke up to an overcast day but the excitement for the day’s activity was high. Today was our halibut fishing in Homer day! We met our boat down at the docks. The trip we signed up for was as half day trip – so about 4-5 hours. The boat was how I pictured it… Continue reading Day 32 – Halibut Fishing in Homer
Day 31 – Free Day in Homer
Today we had a free day in Homer, Alaska. By “free day”, I mean we didn’t have anything scheduled. There was however, still a lot to to. While Braxton slept in (again), Mike and I headed to the laundromat. We went to a place called “Washboard”. Although you can find them on a Google search,… Continue reading Day 31 – Free Day in Homer
Day 30 – Homer Bound
Today Mike and I went for a morning walk and let Braxton sleep in. We then packed up and were Homer bound. As we left Girdwood we experienced some great scenery and some patches of heavy traffic on our way to Homer. The traffic was mostly locals heading out to do some fishing. Still paranoid… Continue reading Day 30 – Homer Bound
Day 29 – Alaska Railroad
To soften the disappointment of not getting to go on the bush plane adventure over Denali, we decided to take a ride on the Alaska Railroad. Our train from Girdwood to Seward was slated to leave at 7am. Instructions on the website said to be at the depot an hour prior to departure. We arrived… Continue reading Day 29 – Alaska Railroad
Better view of the washout….
It was dramatic. The day the beaver dam failed and took the road out. If your not sure what I’m talking about, catch up here.
Day 28 – Headed to Girdwood
The rain continues… It rained all through the night and morning. We left Talkeetna today, headed to Girdwood. Girdwood is about 37 miles South of Anchorage, AK. It’s a small town, but is home to the popular Alyeska Ski Resort. On the way to Girdwood, we stopped at the Costco in Anchorage and Fred Meyer… Continue reading Day 28 – Headed to Girdwood
Day 27 – Rain, Lots of Rain in Talkeetna
Rain, lots of rain in Talkeetna. All during the night. It was loud. It was loud enough to drown out the sound of trains passing on the tracks right behind the RV park. The raindrops were so huge. When they fell on the aluminum of the Airstream all night long, it felt like some sort… Continue reading Day 27 – Rain, Lots of Rain in Talkeetna
Day 26 – Talkeetna
More clouds and rain today as we made our way from Denali to Talkeetna. We were hoping to finally catch a glimpse of Denali but the clouds had different plans. Either way, it was a nice drive and we appreciated the pretty roadside Fireweed and other non-cloud obscured scenery. Along our drive, we stopped for… Continue reading Day 26 – Talkeetna
Day 25 – Denali
We woke up today excited to be heading to Denali. As we left North Pole, AK, the weather turned gloomy. The closer we got to Denali, the more clouds there were that were hiding all the sites we came so far to see. A drizzle that started as we headed out of the North Pole/Fairbanks… Continue reading Day 25 – Denali
Day 24 – Arctic Harvest
Our drive today was a whopping 20 mile, 30 minute commute from Riverview RV Park to Arctic Harvest, our Harvest Host location for the night. Even though this was a short drive, we saw some beautiful scenery along the way. As we rounded the corner to the entry of Arctic Harvest we saw the stunning… Continue reading Day 24 – Arctic Harvest
Day 23 – A Sausage Mirage?
We are still in Fairbanks which is right next to North Pole, AK. I wanted to stop at the sausage factory I had seen on the way to Fairbanks so that it what we set out to do. We drove, and drove, up and down the freeway of North Pole. There wasn’t a sausage factory.… Continue reading Day 23 – A Sausage Mirage?
Day 22 – The Ceiling Kept My Diet Coke from Spilling
Today we headed to the Arctic Circle – the actual Arctic Circle, not the fast-food restaurant. This is the farthest North any of us have ever traveled. Our day didn’t go as we had originally thought it would. It included cone swallowing holes in the road, fire after fire after fire, a ceiling that kept… Continue reading Day 22 – The Ceiling Kept My Diet Coke from Spilling
Day 21 – We’re Not Going to Fit
We’re not going to fit – and we didn’t. Normally when I write a post I like to start telling you about the day’s events from the start of the day to the end of the day. This time, I am starting with the end of the day. We’re not staying the night where we… Continue reading Day 21 – We’re Not Going to Fit
Day 20 – Destruction Bay to Tok
We woke up this morning to more rain and lots of clouds. They stayed with us for part of the drive from Destruction Bay to Tok, our destination for the day. Much of the road along our drive today was lined on both sides with Fireweed. Fireweed is a really pretty purple flower (weed). It… Continue reading Day 20 – Destruction Bay to Tok
Day 19 – Destination: Destruction Bay
The overnight oats/chia we made for breakfast were delicious, as always. We enjoyed them as we looked out the huge windows of the Airstream at the unfortunate weather. More wind, more rain, and lots of clouds. It made for a gloomy drive to our destination of Destruction Bay. The drive up the mountain out of… Continue reading Day 19 – Destination: Destruction Bay
Day 18 – Last Day in Skagway
Today was our last full day in Skagway. It was pretty drizzly for most of the day so we decided it would be a good day to do some laundry. There are only two laundromats in Skagway, one is a “public” one – near the gas station, and the other is at one of the… Continue reading Day 18 – Last Day in Skagway
Day 17 – Roundtrip Bike Ride from Skagway to Dyea
Today we went on a bike ride from Skagway to the town of Dyea (die-ee). This was one of the other tours we set up prior to departing for our adventure. We made our reservations through Klondike Electric Bicycles website. Not only were their prices reasonable and the website easy to navigate, the owners were… Continue reading Day 17 – Roundtrip Bike Ride from Skagway to Dyea
Day 16 – Chilkoot Canoe Wildlife Safari
Oh baby! This was a great day! We scheduled a Chilkoot Canoe Wildlife Safari, this was one of only a handful of adventures that we scheduled before we left for our trip. We road the fast ferry from Skagway to Haines. We had to be at the ferry dock at 9:15a and it was just… Continue reading Day 16 – Chilkoot Canoe Wildlife Safari
I know I said we drove a bad road…
The Cassiar Highway is really a bad road by most accounts. Narrow, poor sight lines around corners, broken pavement, sections of pavement washed out BUT replaced with some dirt and such. The real kicker to these roads north of the 50th parallel are the frost heaves. I know many have seen what I’m talking about… Continue reading I know I said we drove a bad road…
Day 15 – Internet Still Down
What a beautiful morning!! At Caribou RV Park they have a menu of pastries and baked goods you can order from the night before and they have them ready for you the following morning. We ordered the breakfast basket they offered and an extra baguette (for Braxton). We had some nerves when hitching this morning… Continue reading Day 15 – Internet Still Down
Skagway or Bust
We were pulling down miles not just to make it to our excellent stay at Caribou RV park, but also to stay in Skagway Alaska for several days. Even with the highway being closed by a beaver dam collapse causing a flood to wash the road out. Even after gas stations not having fuel probably… Continue reading Skagway or Bust
Day 14 – Cash Only – Even at Walmart?
Some mosquitos got into the Airstream during the night somehow and they like my face, maybe because it’s the only thing sticking out of my covers while sleeping? They like Braxton’s legs. Today we’re heading to Whitehorse. Before leaving I tried fixing the fridge by wedging some hairbands in the handle to add tension, hoping… Continue reading Day 14 – Cash Only – Even at Walmart?
Day 13 – It’s no Boring Day on the Road
Mosquitoes are still terrible, so is the mud. There’s a bit of smoke in the air, too. Azule took off on his bike a couple of hours before we left. He had biked around 20 miles by the time we caught up with him. I can’t imagine riding a bike on these roads and these… Continue reading Day 13 – It’s no Boring Day on the Road
Day 12 – Shitter’s Full
First off – Happy 4th of July. Ya, this post is late but let’s pretend we’re back on the 4th of July. What did you do on the 4th of July? Anything fun? We went to dump our tanks on the way out of the Riverside Campground and guess what? The “sani-dump” was full. Happy… Continue reading Day 12 – Shitter’s Full
Day 11 – Start of Plan B
We should have been heading to Laird River Hot Springs today. Instead, we will pass through Prince George and have an overnight stay in Vanderhoof, Canada. Mike canceled our Laird Hot Springs Campground reservation. They don’t give refunds but we’re sure someone will be using that site as we hear people are piling up in… Continue reading Day 11 – Start of Plan B
Day 10 – The Day that Changed it All
I promised that you would learn the reasons behind our “radio silence”. This is it. The day that changed it all. The plan for today was to do some grocery shopping and laundry before leaving Grand Prairie. We got that done, got gas at Costco and even tried Tim Horton’s coffee for the first time.… Continue reading Day 10 – The Day that Changed it All
Just joined the adventure?
Looking for how this all kicked off? Just want to reread all your favorite posts? Looking for that one day when things were exciting? Check out the “archives” for a full list of posts.
Alaska Highway CLOSED
You read it here…last. I can’t say we are breaking a news story here. We rolled into Dawson Creek and got the details of the road closure at the visitors center. It read as follows: “road closed, update noon tomorrow”. We asked for a few more details and found that road was closed many hundred… Continue reading Alaska Highway CLOSED
Day 9 – Jasper to Grand Prairie
Happy Canada Day!! July 1 is Canada day. Other than than being a holiday, there’s not a lot to report for today. Our drive from Jasper to Grand Prairie took us on Highway 40. It was a rough road until we reached the area around the oil fields. It was a really nice road around… Continue reading Day 9 – Jasper to Grand Prairie
Day 8 – A Day to Enjoy Jasper
So Mike has been steeling my day numbering format for posts. Hopefully it’s not confusing anyone too much. If it is, let Mike know. Today we have a free day in Jasper. We slept in until 830a. Last night was a bit chilly, but we stayed pretty comfortable. Before leaving for the day, we made… Continue reading Day 8 – A Day to Enjoy Jasper
Day 7 – Jasper, B.C
Last night was a bit chilly. Thank goodness we have a heater. This morning Mike made toast in the oven. I told him the oven doesn’t have a timer to remind you that you’re cooking but….. anyway it was very toasty toast. It’s day 2 of dry docking in Wabasso, just outside of Jasper. Tank… Continue reading Day 7 – Jasper, B.C
Day 6 – Fairmont Hot Springs to Wabasso Campgrounds
Today we left Fairmont Hot Springs to head to Jasper, B.C, where we will be staying at the Wabasso Campgrounds. These campgrounds are about a 15-20 minute drive from Jasper. It was quite an eventful drive. We drove by the Athabasca Glacier. We had visited this glacier several years ago on our trip to Banff… Continue reading Day 6 – Fairmont Hot Springs to Wabasso Campgrounds
Day 2 in Jasper
Just a quick note, the weather improved. Glossy brochure memory of Jasper ☑️
`Day 6. Or 7. IDK. I’m bad with days now.
Wash out or just a change of plans? Often when you have a destination in mind you have a picture of what it will be like in your head along with how things will work out. Basically picture all the glossy sales photos of any destination and that probably sums of what you think will… Continue reading `Day 6. Or 7. IDK. I’m bad with days now.
Day 5 – Day of Fun and Sun at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
Today I woke up bright and early, really though, it was bright long before I woke up. We are pretty far North and the sun stays up late and rises early here. I went for a run, and it felt great! I get fidgety if I don’t get a run in after a couple days. … Continue reading Day 5 – Day of Fun and Sun at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
Day 4 – Yep, We’re Still Here! Arriving at Fairmont Hot Springs
Sorry for the delay in posts, you will see why as we move through the days. I just wanted to start this one by saying – yes, we are okay. Today we drove from Farragut State Park to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. We made a quick stop in Cranbrook to get groceries along the way… Continue reading Day 4 – Yep, We’re Still Here! Arriving at Fairmont Hot Springs
Day 3-McCall to Farragut State Park
Today a couple of things are happening. We are heading North to Farragut State Park in Athol, ID. It’s the first time we will be staying a a state park. Heck, it’s the first time we will all be staying in the camper over night. We also have to test out some of our fixes… Continue reading Day 3-McCall to Farragut State Park
How did you learn to pull a trailer?
I think for most people they learn to pull a trailer in a more or less controlled setting with someone that had done it before. When I think back on my trailer experience, it seems I was rather new at much of it until this past month (week). After high school I pulled a very… Continue reading How did you learn to pull a trailer?
Day 2
Day 2 should be pretty straight forward. Just picking up our son from Summer Camp and bringing him back to the hotel for a nice shower and then do some laundry. Well, before setting off to pick up our son, we needed to make a trip to the store, which ended up being trips to… Continue reading Day 2
Part of what I think we’re doing here…
This blog might be strange, but maybe that will make it interesting. Heather really is the mastermind here. She has some great ideas for this adventure. What I’m going to try and do is give my point of view on the day. Heck, all 3 of us will. Maybe we’ll look back on this and… Continue reading Part of what I think we’re doing here…
Day 1
Day 1 – Here we go!!
Why We Joined the “Great Resignation”
SBAR for joining the Great Resignation.
Hello, My Name is: Mike
We’re taking off on this adventure and I figured if you have the gumption to READ about life, I might as well tell you how I got here. I’m mid forties and just left an amazing position in middle management running a small CT and X-Ray/Specials department for a highly successful imaging center. From the… Continue reading Hello, My Name is: Mike
Adventure to Alaska as First Time Airstreamers
Welcome to our blog about our adventure to Alaska as first time Airstreamers (aka Airstream owners)! What do you do if you have a demanding job in healthcare and need a break to spend some much overdue time with family? How about quitting your job, buying an Airstream and heading north to Alaska to enjoy… Continue reading Adventure to Alaska as First Time Airstreamers