Texas to Alaska to Texas. 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid driving on the Dalton Highway and the Dempster Highway. July/August 2023.

[PetitFrereArmada]

Why is there a number on your car?
[/QUcat.

When I bought my brand new 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, the first trip I took with it was to go and drive on Route 66. That is why I put the number on my car. On that trip, I met a lot of cool people who admired it because I was on Route 66 and I had the number on my car. It was a conversation starter at a lot of places. Also, I personally really like the way my car looks.

8 months ago, I traded my 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid for this 2024. This is its first trip out of Texas. I am going all the way to Alaska. I found it befitting to put the 66 again on this car. And it will stay on the car permanently.

This time, people who see my car think I work for the Police Department because of the Houston Police Foundation stickers I have on my car.

In Houston, you can pay $50 to become a member of the Houston Police Foundation and they will send you 2 of these stickers to put on your car. I became a member 2 months ago to support the Houston Police Department and so I have 2 these stickers on my car.

 

[Dave in AZ]

I love reading your posts, but I really cringe at your long-hours driving habits...

There is such huge danger in getting tired. Truckers are limited in hour length, airline pilots are limited in flight duty time, and even in USAF, young Airmen had to show all driving legs were 8 hrs or less to get approved and signed off on their PreDeparture safety brief.

I know you pull over when tired like you did at start of trip, but still when I read of someone planning continuous 12-15 hr drives, I really cringe. Land of the Free, but it seems a risky and unwise plan, sorry.

Please be safe, keep taking them breaks for state sign pictures, I look forward to reading your trip updates every day and hope for a great, safe trip!

 

[Dave in AZ]

P.s. I fell asleep and ran into a bridge abutment once, when young and doing a power-drive... Had I drifted 6" further off road, I would be dead. So just posting from honest concern for you, not nitpicking

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I love reading your posts, but I really cringe at your long-hours driving habits...

There is such huge danger in getting tired. Truckers are limited in hour length, airline pilots are limited in flight duty time, and even in USAF, young Airmen had to show all driving legs were 8 hrs or less to get approved and signed off on their PreDeparture safety brief.

I know you pull over when tired like you did at start of trip, but still when I read of someone planning continuous 12-15 hr drives, I really cringe. Land of the Free, but it seems a risky and unwise plan, sorry.

Please be safe, keep taking them breaks for state sign pictures, I look forward to reading your trip updates every day and hope for a great, safe trip!

Thanks a lot for the advice. I take it with gratitude. I really appreciate it. You are telling the truth because I have had close calls before from being too tired behind the wheel driving over 12 hours straight. I will work on that.

To be honest, one of the best things about any of my road trips is that I enjoy my time behind the wheel a lot. I look forward to the driving a lot when I am taking a long road trip.

As for this trip, imagine me driving to Alaska with limited time. That calls for long hours behind the wheel to get there soon or I may not have any time left to be able to do anything.

Just look at my plan with driving times below.

June 19: Dallas, TX to Casper,WY = 16 hours drive

June 20: Casper, WY to Calgary, AB = 13 hours

June 21: Calgary, AB to Japer, AB = 5 hours. I will make many stops to explore Banff National Park and Jasper National Park

June 22: Jasper, AB to Dawson Creek, BC = 6 hours

June 23: Dawson Creek, BC to Swift River, YT = 12 hours. I called this hotel to book, but they told me to just show up and pick a room for the night and pay the next day. I stayed at this hotel last year, and it was like this. They assured me that they always have a vacant room. Well, I hope they do have a vacant room.

June 24: Swift River, YT to Dawson City, YT = 9 hours

June 25: Dawson City, YT to Inuvik, NWT = 16 hours. I plan to take this super slow because I intentionally want to be driving from 11pm to 2 am. I plan to sleep in my car. I plan to take time and enjoy nature and the wilderness of this road. I hope to take a lot of pictures too because I may never come back to do this road again. I hope that I can see some wildlife.

June 26: Get to Inuvik and check into hotel as early as allowed. Refresh and go tour Inuvik.

June 27: Inuvik, NT to Tuktoyatuk, NT = 7 hours round trip. Spend the day in Tuk. Return to Inuvik by 8 pm.

June 28: Inuvik, NT to Dawson City, YT = 16 hours. This will be a tough one. I plan to drive straight with very few stops.

 

[AggieOE]

I'm similar in that i enjoy long drives of 12-hours or more. Before kids, my wife and I would often do long first day drives to get out of Texas from Houston. The key for us was always lots of sleep the previous night and plenty of quick but fun stops to keep energy going.
Whenever I can get a chance to do an Alaska trip, it'll be be full of long drives through the flat states.

Good luck and keep safe! Enjoy missing some of this heat down here for the rest of us!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I just crossed the border into Canada. I was surprised they asked me 3 times if I had weapons on me. This is how the interview went.

"Where are you coming from?"
"Texas."

"Is this your car?"
"Yes."

"How long do you plan on staying in Canada?"
"A few days. I am on my way to Alaska, but I plan to visit Banff, Jasper, and Dawson City."

"Did you bring anything to give to someone in Canada as a gift? Or sell to them?"
"No."

"Do you have anything for protection?"
"No."

"Are you carrying any firearms, guns, or any type of weapons?
"No."

"Do you have a hand gun on you?"
"No."

"You are all the way from Texas and you do not have a hand gun?"

I was going to say I left it at home, but I do not own any firearms, so I said, "No."

I do not know why he asked me 3 times if I had weapons or firearms.

Oh well, he gave me back my passport and ushered me into Canada.

3.5 more hours of driving left to complete my 12 hours drive for the day.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

About 2 hours before I got into Canada, I stopped on the side of the road to take a break. Almost in the middle of nowhere. I realized something was moving in one of the trees. I said I will investigate. I took put my .a ice 2 Pro and launched it. Using the X7 and the X28 zoom functions, I saw an eagle sitting on its egg(s). I took some pictures. Then walked around for a break before getting into my car again to hit the road.
I made sure to be as far as possible from the nest. From this position, I used my X7 zoom function and X28 zoom to take pictures.

 

[AlwaysRoaming]

Great pics and trip report so far. Safe travels.

 

[Dave in AZ]

Nice pics, good job jeeping drone distant. Sounds like a good break!

 

[ITTOG]

Dang, that is some nice zoom there.

They asked you about weapons three times because you said you were from texas. They know!

Quick question for the Canadians, when they ask "weapons" would they include 7" fix blades or pocket knifes as weapons?

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

4 Grizzly bears were hit and killed early this month by cars along the highway in Yoho National Park. It hit the National Park hard because the bears killed were very vital to the National Park. They were 2 cubs, a young rare white female bear and an active young male bear. These bears were very vital for the growth of the bear population. The park is taking strict measures now to protect wildlife.

Normally, in the park, when someone sees wildlife, they pull over on the side of the road. These are usually not designated areas for people to stop. Worse is that other cars come and turn that section of the highway into a parking lot as everybody is pullinv over and scrambling for their cameras to take pictures.

Take a look at this today, where on a busy highway, people just create traffic jams by turning a highway into a parking lot.

Park ranges are cracking down on this hard. Rangers are driving up and down the highway, and when they see cars parked to view wildlife, they are asking everyone to get in their cars and keep on driving. They are telling people not to stop at non designated pull outs.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Here are pictures of the wildlife I saw today. Each of these stops was on the highway where people were all pulling over on sections where the speed limit was 60 mph. People are turning it into a parking lot. Any driver passing by must slow down to below 10 mph before you can safely pass through.
Mama bear with 2 cubs

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Maligne Lake is a very beautiful. If you ever visit, make time to go after 9:30 pm. I took these pictures today after 9:30 pm. The sun was still as bright as can be. That is when you see Maligbe Lake's true beauty.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

 

[AlwaysRoaming]

Great pics. Beautiful bears. Thank you for sharing.