Alaska, finally.

[the deputy]

Day 27 - stop in town for coffee and start making my way towards Fort Nelson. Stopping every so often to check diff. Worked out perfect, about the time my bladder is full...it was time to check diff. It was just seeping slightly (diff, bladder is holding nicely).

PLenty of bison roaming.









Stayed at Triple G Campground again. Kind of retracing my steps coming out. Wasn't the origial plan, was going to head south through Jasper and Banff...and on to Colorado.

But...

 

[NORDFORD]

This is a great thread! Thank you taking the time!

When my grandpa retired in 1994, he and I drove from Nebraska up to Alaska. I was 14. I’ll never forget that trip and you’re taking pics of places I was 30yrs ago!

Alaska is just the best!

 

[the deputy]

This is a great thread! Thank you taking the time!

When my grandpa retired in 1994, he and I drove from Nebraska up to Alaska. I was 14. I’ll never forget that trip and you’re taking pics of places I was 30yrs ago!

Alaska is just the best!

Thought about taking my oldest grandson, he's 16. But decided against it, because l wasn't planning on being back until late Sept.

That must have been quite a trip in 94, what was the Alcan hwy like back then? Did you guys camp?

 

[the deputy]

Day 28 - made my way to Dawsons Creek. (picture's actually the morning of the 29th day)



Sealed the plug on the diff with some teflon tape and it stopped leaking. Greased driveshafts and did my usual post-trip, checking engine oil and everything under the hood after its cooled down. Every morning l do a pretrip, lights and thump tires. When you're driving a 34 year old vehicle, you need to stay on top of things.

 

[NORDFORD]

Thought about taking my oldest grandson, he's 16. But decided against it, because l wasn't planning on being back until late Sept.

That must have been quite a trip in 94, what was the Alcan hwy like back then? Did you guys camp?

We didn’t camp. We did mostly bed/breakfasts and remote cabins with a few hotels mixed in.

The Alcan was rough. It was a mix of bad gravel and oil/rock road. Many people had flats, etc. My gpa put brand new tires on his car before we left. When we got back he traded the car in. It was rattling all over. Suspension, interior, etc . It was a 1990 Olds 88. Had about 50k on it when he traded it.

Your thread has me thinking I should dig out my pics and show my kids!

 

[the deputy]

Day 29 - left Daswons Creek at sunrise. Doesn't pay to be in too big a hurry in Canada...if your not making your own coffee that morning...most gas stations don't open until 6/7am. Only station found that was open early, were 7-11's. Anyhow, snagged a coffee at the 7-11 and we were on the road again.

Did not want to repeat my "double-vision-take" of Edmonton again. So, this time...skirted it to the north and ended up in Fort Saskatchewan for the evening. Parked at a Walmart for the night. Now, l believe the Walmarts in Canada DO NOT allow over night camping in their lots, signs everywhere telling you so. But l kind of had a 'screw it' attutude and parked there anyway. Went in and got a hot meal from the deli and some other provisions and called it a day early.

About 1am...red and blue flashing lights penetrated the openings in my curtains. Oh boy, looks like l'm busted. Start getting dressed and peak out the window...but it wasn't me they were after. They had someone else pulled over.

Well, l'm up now...so again l broke my "no driving at night" policy...and hit the road. At 5pm my wheels finally stopped turning in Plentywood, Montana.

A very, very long day in the saddle. And the seats in Victoria are pretty basic...or in other words...terribly uncomfortable.

Had to backtrack when l got to the border crossing southwest of Rockglen, closed on the weekends. I'm like??? The gates were down on the Canadian side and the border patrol guy met me outside, he was out walking around for something to do. Asked how many folks cross at this outpost in a day...he said, "Oh, maybe 10". I'm like???10 people??? Most are locals just picking up packages they have delivered by UPS and FedX. Anyhow. Told me l'd have to circle back and try the crossing southeast of Coronach.

Was so tempted to ask him what would happen if l drove around his gates and the US side, since no one was over there. I'm almost positive he didn't have any bullets in the gun that was riding sidesaddle on his hip...lol. But, he was a nice young man and sometimes folks just don't get my sense of humor.

After 15 hours in Victoria, the first motel stay of the trip was in order.

Funny, was backed into a parking spot and a fellow parked a short distance away approach me, introduced himself and said he was from Wisconsin, and went about asking me about the rover and if l was here to bird hunt (opening day was the next day) and where was l from.

Said, "Yeah, it's a 1990 Defender, 180K, diesel, manual trans, righthand drive, imported from UK, so yeah...they're somewhat rare, no l'm not here to bird hunt and l'm from Michigan."

Well, the look on his face was priceless.

"MICHIGAN!!!, you drove this all the way here...from...from Michigan!"

"Nope, actually...l'm on my way home from Alaska."

"ALASKA!!!, well if that isn't the most bada** thing l've ever heard of!"

"Well, maybe dumba** might better describe me and my actions...lol"

Truth be told...if l had a dollar for everytime the word badas** was said...probably could have funded my trip.

When l was in the last Walmart parking lot, l'm inside reading on my Kindle and hear a vehicle pull right up beside me, which was weird for where l was parked from the store, anyhow, two guys get out and they are walking around the defender...one says..."It's a defender...this thing's bada**!"

Well, the shower, steak dinner and two ice cold beers at the restaurant nextdoor were a pleasant change of pace from my usual soup or pouch dinner and coffee.

 

[Rovertrader]

Awesome write up- appreciate you taking the time to share!! I took my Dad back in the early 80’s, did some fishing, lots of hiking, Denali, etc. He had wanted to work on the pipeline but young family (and my mother being from the ‘warm’ south) prevented it, Was a great trip, rented an AMC AWD Eagle wagon and covered lots of ground in two weeks!! Great memories…

 

[the deputy]

Day 30 - leave Plentywood early, 4am. The two motel room complimentory small coffee packets helped start the old eyelids in the right direction...but l knew it would be a tough drive on just those alone.

Well, hallelujah...it's good to be back in the states...a block from the motel...a 24 hr. gas station!!! Two Xlarge coffees were purchased and off we went towards eastern Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.

Just an observation...but...

Now, l'm totally aware that l was on the northeastern end of Montana, and know it's much more beautiful to the west. But, this stretch of road, scenery wise...was the worst my eyes had laid themselves upon. If Fort Peck Indian Reservation is anything like this, which is just south of my route...no wonder they're a little bit pi**ed about the arrangement. Heck, the soil quality looked so poor l don't believe you could grow dirt on that dirt...let alone some sort of subsistence...or for that matter...an existence.

Funny, crossing into North Dakota was like flipping on the sun at midnight, totally different landscape. Whomever decided the boundaries of ND, sure knew where to draw the line.

Anyhow, like l say...just an observation.

Made it into MN about eight hours and stayed at the rest area just west of Crookston (l'm guessing a ton of politican live there, hence the name...lol). Notice it on my way out west, a few "overlanding" style campers were in the western end of rest area, which is seperate from day use part. Talked to the dude working there about stopping for the night and he said..."go ahead and sleep here, you need rest...right?"

Yep, thank you.

As l was doing my post-trip inspection, notice my fuel cap was missing. Darn it, l'd stopped for fuel in eastern ND and entered the wrong pin, so see attendent. Well, that real meal, beer and two XL coffees...were talking to my stomach, so l moved the rover and made tracks for restroom. Yep, left without getting fuel.

Cooked one of my usual meals and coffee, and finished my post trip inspection, by fitting a mechanics glove over fuel filler tube and added a quart of oil.

 

[the deputy]

Awesome write up- appreciate you taking the time to share!! I took my Dad back in the early 80’s, did some fishing, lots of hiking, Denali, etc. He had wanted to work on the pipeline but young family (and my mother being from the ‘warm’ south) prevented it, Was a great trip, rented an AMC AWD Eagle wagon and covered lots of ground in two weeks!! Great memories…

That's awesome! (Hope you didn't have as difficult a time finding Denali as myself.😅) But in a AMC Eagle, better yet! That was probably the only decent vehicle they ever made...okay...l'll throw in the Javelin, just so l don't get an ear-full from others...lol. l'll bet that was quite the adventure and journey. I know how much northern Michigan has changed in the last 40 years. It must have been a truly wild experience back then...and great memories (and that's what it's all about!)

Was going to save this part of the story for the end of my journey/final post. But, since l'm close and your the second one to mention their dad and Alaska...l'll just let it happen now.

Took my dad and cousin, Paul, to Alaska, too, but only in spirit. They're both hanging from the rearview mirror.



My dad passed last fall, and he was not the driving force that instilled any of this desire to travel l have. When he got back from the service in 54...basically said he never wanted to leave the house again. Thankfully, my mother, whom passed last fall also, was the one that took us everywhere when we were kids, mainly northern Michigan. She evenually preseuaded, l say preseuaded...but she basically told dad we were going...my mom "had a pair", grew up on a farm, motherless since the age seven, helped grandpa shingle the barn when she was ten, traveled west as far west as you can go, with her two sisters in 52, just the three of them, when you stop and think about how unreliable vehicles were back then, THAT'S pretty ball'zy...you look up tough in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of my mom, anyhow...she 'preseuaded' my dad to take us west. We did a three week loop of northern route to Cal. and dipped down to Mexico and then made our way home by a southern route.

My cousin, Paul was like a brother...but even better. Him and l were inseperable when spring or summer break happened, l'd always be up at the farm with him. We camped every chance we could as kids, back at the 'secret spot' where we caught dinner and cooked it over an open flame or hip deep in powder snow in my puptent behind the old homestead. Memories like you wouldn't believe. Well, he finished out his life on disability from the service, marines. And before his lung condition took him, we had talked about doing a trip west. Unfortunately, his condition became so severe...we never could. During his final days, he was trying to give me all sorts of things he had acquired when he was still able to do some things, he had a Gator, tracked Argo, a small utiliy tractor with attachments and so on..."thanked him, but said no thank you, Paul all l want from you is your dog tags." "And l promise you this...l'll be taking you to Alaska, on that trip we talked about." Miss that guy everyday, we had real conversations, not about sports or current media type events or crap like that...real conversations, about life, the world, the invention he was always working on, either with his hands or mind...he was very knowledgeable for being a 'farm boy', self taught too, and quite the reader. We'd have conversations about the human body or the human brain, where his understanding of the workings and terminologies would blow an average persons mind.

Anyhow, this journey happened for him, and me too l guess, but all of the trials and tribulations that l fought through were, not going to lie, mighty steep at some points. Waiting out covid 19 restrictions, three different engines in the defender, health issues of my own that have left me about fifty percent of what l once was, dealing with aging parents until their end, etc.

But, mission accomplished Paul...got you there and back, just the way you would have done it in your prime...the hard way!

Because...



Might have got a little long winded here with this post...apologies folks.

 

[the deputy]

Day 31 - this was another long day of driving.

Basically, just pushing my way home. Ended up in Mackinaw City. Got across the bridge easily. Was afraid there might be a wait, since they close it for half the day on Labor Day and let folks walk across. So, after all of the difficult drives, along narrow passes and rough roads, which l believe l saw China in one of the potholes on the Alcan, if l'd have dropped a wheel in there...l'm sure an axle replacement would have followed. Anyhow. This darn bridge, the Mighty Mac, no matter how many times l've been across...it bothers me tremendously. Especially in the defender with some weight up top.

The winds traveling through the straits there are continuous. Even though, there's only been two vehicles to ever go over the side...l did not want to be the third. It's five miles of white-knuckles, for sure. If you find yourself bored...just goggle pictures of semi's crossing the mackinaw bridge. You could not pay me enough to drive a semi-tractor trailer across that thing, no way, no how, period, end of discussion!

But it is beautiful...once you make landfall...lol.



Had dinner under the bridge, in typical Michigan troll fashion.



And the sunsets across the straights of mackinaw are the best.



Granted, was a little late to the party...sun had already set...but you get the drift.

Moved to a vacant parking lot for the night and quickly made a mental path for home...for Victoria and l are only a few hours from home now.

 

[the deputy]

Day 32 - before living Mackinaw, went back down by the bridge and took a last look at her and thanked her for letting me pass safely.

Stopped in town, grabbed two coffees and hit the road for home.

Was making good time, considering, light traffic going the backway home.

Decided to stop by the hunting cabin we sold a few years back. We'd used it as base camp for a lot of years, with many an English setter hanging about. Well, when my once in a lifetime setter, the Deputy, days were done for the grouse woods...so was l. But now, with Dalton coming on the scene...who knows...only seems right that a bird dog should hunt birds. Hope l can get these feet of mine to do the job and get him afield.


The old place, looks worse for wear...new owners rarely use it. She's not huge or luxurious...but for a hunting camp she was perfect.





Well, after a trip down memory lane, we were back on the road.

Stopped at Frank's Outdoor Store on the way, needed some new shoes and they have Keen shoes in stock.

Got a pair of shoes, great price too, and head for the rover. Hopped in, turn the key...nothing...not a peep. So, either it wasn't meant to be, going home, or Victoria just wanted a little more alone time with me?

She'd done this one other time during the trip, in Whitehorse, return trip, and so wasn't alarmed. Poor connection somewhere, turned the key five or six times and she came to life.

Leave Frank's and not to far down the road there's a restaurant called The Turkey Roost, that serves Thanksgiving style dinners year round. I'm a fan, my wife isn't...so l'm over in the left lane two or three miles in advance, mouth watering, smiling from ear to ear, it finally rises out of the landscape like a goddess, beautiful as beautiful can be, blinkers comes on, slowing down, but not to slow...for time is still of the essense, it's just a matter of mere minutes now...it's all systems go in my stomach...but wait...there's no cars or trucks in the parking lot...they are CLOSED!!!!!!!

The Dalton Hwy was the highlight of my trip...this was the lowlight...lol.

But, Dorthy was right..."there is no place like home."



Home.

 

[COAKXterra]

Day 19 - late afternoon, sunny and clear view of Denila.



View attachment 852431

Nice shot and glad you got to join the “club”! I think the current stats are somewhere around 30% of visitors looking for Denali see it at all, and single digits see it from base of the hills to the summit. We had (and are currently in) weeks of “not a chance” territory, at least not from the park entrance side. You can see it from the park entrance area in a few spots around 3500’ but mostly you need to be around 4500-5000’ at minimum. Riley creek campground where you were is right around 1700’. Talkeetna area really is the best viewing unless you can get out to the Kantishna area (93mi back on the park road, normally only accessible by bus or aircraft, currently aircraft only due to a landslide at Polychrome Pass)

Your trip looks awesome and glad you got to see such a variety of the state. Pretty sure I saw you cruising around the Denali area (I live outside Anchorage but work in Denali this summer).

Thanks for sharing. It always gets me excited to see folks enjoying AK.


Landslide and bridge construction on Polychrome. All vehicles (buses) turned around at the East Fork bridge far right. Mile 45?



Photos of Denali (north peak 19470’ visible) from a ridge outside Kantishna looking over Wonder Lake earlier this month. It’s 27mi direct line to the north summit, for idea of scale.

 

[the deputy]

Nice shot and glad you got to join the “club”! I think the current stats are somewhere around 30% of visitors looking for Denali see it at all, and single digits see it from base of the hills to the summit. We had (and are currently in) weeks of “not a chance” territory, at least not from the park entrance side. You can see it from the park entrance area in a few spots around 3500’ but mostly you need to be around 4500-5000’ at minimum. Riley creek campground where you were is right around 1700’. Talkeetna area really is the best viewing unless you can get out to the Kantishna area (93mi back on the park road, normally only accessible by bus or aircraft, currently aircraft only due to a landslide at Polychrome Pass)

Your trip looks awesome and glad you got to see such a variety of the state. Pretty sure I saw you cruising around the Denali area (I live outside Anchorage but work in Denali this summer).

Thanks for sharing. It always gets me excited to see folks enjoying AK.

View attachment 852820
Landslide and bridge construction on Polychrome. All vehicles (buses) turned around at the East Fork bridge far right. Mile 45?

View attachment 852821
View attachment 852822
Photos of Denali (north peak 19470’ visible) from a ridge outside Kantishna looking over Wonder Lake earlier this month. It’s 27mi direct line to the north summit, for idea of scale.

Wow, now those are great picture! 27 miles away, wow!

I'm looking at the base of that mountain for the road, assuming it was covered by landslide...then l blew the picture up. Ouch, the road is on the side of the mountain.

May have been me at Denila, did my fair share of cruising around (okay, lost). Did get a pretty nice compliment from one of the rangers there...he said l won the award for coolest vehicle at Denila this year.

Alaska should be on everyone's bucket list, for sure.

Edit: Just grabbed the tablet and those pictures went from great...to spectacular!!!!

 

[Arjan]

What a trip !
Many, many thanks for the write up and no, not too long and I'd love to see more on the 110. Had a few over the years and they've taken me many places. You learn to live with them.

Again, many thanks.

 

[the deputy]

Thanks for the write up and pics. Glad you made it through the trip itself without too much trouble.

The long drive stops some folks but we know the value of that time on the road. A little alone time to remember, reflect, to put things from the past in order.

A nice tribute to your father and cousin.

Thank you, for the kind words.

Yes, it was time for all you mentioned. And the driving never really bothered me, the uncomfortable seats did, but spending time on the road suits me just fine. Like l tell folks...''l was born with a steering wheel in my hands." "And yes, l feel terrible about that for my mom's sake."😄

My biggest regret or stumbling block mentally, was the fact that l couldn' t get out and hike like l orginally planned four years ago. Read "My Journey" religiously, and admire his tenacity for climbing and hiking...to the point of hero status (but let's not mention that to him...lol).

Plus, had to make a couple concessions with my wife to appease her concerns/worries.

1) No hiking alone (her knowing my abilities at walking on uneven terrain since RA and the fact that she's a hundred percent sure l would be eaten by a grizzly)

2) No off roading (her knowing my abilities for doing slightly dangerous...or her specific term was...'stupid' things).

Funny, she says to me before l left. "You just retired a day ago and haven't even got your first pension or social security checks yet." "You could get killed by a grizzly (her greatest fear...lol) before they even arrive!" I'm like..."Yes dear, l guess you're right...l'd hate to be eaten alive knowing l never got those checks...it would bother me to no end...lol."

Women...