This is an early start. I've been day dreaming on this though for a long time. Our plan is too make to AK in 2017 June - August. We have a 2011 Eagle now on the new 2.8 Duramax diesel Colorado. All preps for the truck will be done by Spring ... sway bar, add-a-leaf, bigger skid plate, and heavier duty shocks (air bags already on). We have started some time ago pre-planning this trip. It seems a tad daunting and so I thought I'd start in here and be able to come back over the winter adding more thoughts and seeking sage advice.
The general outline of it all: We live in New England. It is a schlep for sure. I am 62 and though taught math/science for 30 years I am now do restoration and conservation furniture work and so have the freedom to save up and get outta town. My wife continues to teach 2nd grade in a rural little school on the Vermont border.
Given that, the general plan is for me to have the camper ready and I leave here for a non-fun drive to Washington state. We have done this before on from here to Idaho on a 91 Beemer, so I know the wide open spaces I will meet. Hope to do this drive in 5 days. My wife would fly to Seattle. If all goes as planned we would take the ferry from Bellingham to Whittier.... a big expense but hey...this is a bucket trip, and I'll sell something if I have to!
Once 'there' we will be visiting my nephew in Homer for awhile .... then off to the wilds.... seeing as much as possible in Alaska and then driving to Dawson and down to Montana over the course of a month. At that point, my wife would fly home to prepare for the school year and I would reverse my long haul drive to New England.
The new truck gets great mileage (30+ mpg highway w/o camper and 22-25 mpg with.... being the little 2.8. It has remarkable low end torque and I know the drive won't be like when I had the 4 cyl. 2001 Tacoma.... the long hills were painful.
And so starts my first and most boring questions for the trip: I am hoping there have been before me, crazy enough folks to cross the Mississippi into the northern/eastern US. My route in general is to cross NY state on 90 and get to Lake Erie (around Cleveland).
*First night: I am in need of a place to park, pop up and sleep then on the road early. Needless to say there is not a lot of boon docking along this highly traveled interstate....but I am hoping someone has a gem and they are willing to share.
* Second night: Someplace in southern Wisconsin most likely on route 90/94
* Third night: Now this is depending if, when I get more advice, I go on Rt 94 through North Dakota or stay on Rt 90 and go though South Dakota. But whichever way I'd like to be either into Eastern Montana or Northeast Wyoming.
* Fourth Night: Somewhere in Idaho as Route 90 and 94 merge around Billings and I'd continue through Missoula
* Fifth night I'd like to be in Seattle or real close (west of town?) so I can get to the airport to pick up the Mrs.
Well this is the first installment and I hope over the long winter I can get a good plan on paper. I enjoyed those that have done these long hauls (the 2 Bobs) and a gentleman from Plano TX who mapped his route by finding brew pubs... I copied that one for sure.... and Casa Escarlata Robles Too on the 6 week trip and...... a bunch of others. I love the WTW site. It has been an enormously rich and deep well of knowledge.
Ad Astra per Espera!
The general outline of it all: We live in New England. It is a schlep for sure. I am 62 and though taught math/science for 30 years I am now do restoration and conservation furniture work and so have the freedom to save up and get outta town. My wife continues to teach 2nd grade in a rural little school on the Vermont border.
Given that, the general plan is for me to have the camper ready and I leave here for a non-fun drive to Washington state. We have done this before on from here to Idaho on a 91 Beemer, so I know the wide open spaces I will meet. Hope to do this drive in 5 days. My wife would fly to Seattle. If all goes as planned we would take the ferry from Bellingham to Whittier.... a big expense but hey...this is a bucket trip, and I'll sell something if I have to!
Once 'there' we will be visiting my nephew in Homer for awhile .... then off to the wilds.... seeing as much as possible in Alaska and then driving to Dawson and down to Montana over the course of a month. At that point, my wife would fly home to prepare for the school year and I would reverse my long haul drive to New England.
The new truck gets great mileage (30+ mpg highway w/o camper and 22-25 mpg with.... being the little 2.8. It has remarkable low end torque and I know the drive won't be like when I had the 4 cyl. 2001 Tacoma.... the long hills were painful.
And so starts my first and most boring questions for the trip: I am hoping there have been before me, crazy enough folks to cross the Mississippi into the northern/eastern US. My route in general is to cross NY state on 90 and get to Lake Erie (around Cleveland).
*First night: I am in need of a place to park, pop up and sleep then on the road early. Needless to say there is not a lot of boon docking along this highly traveled interstate....but I am hoping someone has a gem and they are willing to share.
* Second night: Someplace in southern Wisconsin most likely on route 90/94
* Third night: Now this is depending if, when I get more advice, I go on Rt 94 through North Dakota or stay on Rt 90 and go though South Dakota. But whichever way I'd like to be either into Eastern Montana or Northeast Wyoming.
* Fourth Night: Somewhere in Idaho as Route 90 and 94 merge around Billings and I'd continue through Missoula
* Fifth night I'd like to be in Seattle or real close (west of town?) so I can get to the airport to pick up the Mrs.
Well this is the first installment and I hope over the long winter I can get a good plan on paper. I enjoyed those that have done these long hauls (the 2 Bobs) and a gentleman from Plano TX who mapped his route by finding brew pubs... I copied that one for sure.... and Casa Escarlata Robles Too on the 6 week trip and...... a bunch of others. I love the WTW site. It has been an enormously rich and deep well of knowledge.
Ad Astra per Espera!
