Making lemonade. My camping summer thus far.

[Stmaplebury]

Had hoped to make it to Haines this summer... Sigh.

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by Stmaplebury

Had hoped to make it to Haines this summer... Sigh.

Sorry to hear that! Hopefully by next year you can do it.. We will still be here then!

A little update, we went back out to the lake campground, got our favorite spot back (where I can tie up the boat right in the front of the campsite) and as it turned out we were the only camper in there once again! But what was interesting is how many people we know (Haines AK is a very small town!) who stopped by for long daytime chats. These are people we have been cut off from this year as nobody wants to do get togethers because of the virus. But with a campsite, lots of room to spread out outdoors and nobody was sick (or at least not with any symptoms) so it was just nice! My wife said later how realizing how much she missed interacting with people..

On another front, I wrote to my state representatives in order to draft some sort of letter proposing that we here in SE Alaska be allowed limited access through Canada (about a 6 hour drive) in order to visit the main part of the state (and visa versa) this summer, which involves about 300 miles of road through BC and the Yukon Canada (mostly wilderness), and it turns out my reps had beat me to it, by drafting the letter 3 days prior to my email to them! Anyway, haven't heard anything yet, and it may take quite a while, but am hopeful we can at some point this year make our annual drive north to visit my 2 brothers and their families in Fairbanks..

[eagle55]

Taken Monday evening around 9 or 10pm looking north down towards the far end of the lake.. We were the only people on the entire lake..

[Bayoutalker]

Beautiful place. Alaska is my wife's top bucket list place to visit. She has been wanting to take a cruise there for a long time.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

Beautiful place. Alaska is my wife's top bucket list place to visit. She has been wanting to take a cruise there for a long time.

Cruise is nice but far better in an RV. You can go places the cruise operators do not send shore excursions to.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Cruise is nice but far better in an RV. You can go places the cruise operators do not send shore excursions to.

That's not an option for us. We live in the Houston, Tx area. We want to take the boat up and get off for several days to see more before taking the trip back down. That's still in the future though.

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

That's not an option for us. We live in the Houston, Tx area. We want to take the boat up and get off for several days to see more before taking the trip back down. That's still in the future though.

Be careful, our town has many many people, including some of our best friends) who came here first on a cruise ship, fell in love with it and after going home, sold everything and moved here full time!

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by eagle55

Be careful, our town has many many people, including some of our best friends) who came here first on a cruise ship, fell in love with it and after going home, sold everything and moved here full time!

I've heard that story before. I had a phone customer named Bubba that had a distinct South Louisiana accent as that was where he was from. He was living in Soldotna. When I asked him how he got there he told me he went for a visit and liked it so much he never went home. He just sent a mover to pick up his stuff.

I'm quite sure if it was totally up to me I would do the same thing. However, my wife has a problem with SAD and the winters would be hard on her. Here in the south it is never cold enough to keep her inside very long.

[Textman]

Nice. We were up that way this time last year. Did the inner passage cruise. Beautiful country. Enjoy!

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

I've heard that story before. I had a phone customer named Bubba that had a distinct South Louisiana accent as that was where he was from. He was living in Soldotna. When I asked him how he got there he told me he went for a visit and liked it so much he never went home. He just sent a mover to pick up his stuff.

I'm quite sure if it was totally up to me I would do the same thing. However, my wife has a problem with SAD and the winters would be hard on her. Here in the south it is never cold enough to keep her inside very long.

Winters up here can be long and tough to get through when you are not used to it. I think a lot of people who do test the waters here for full time living end up with summer homes here and winter in the south. As for me, I spent my first 50 years in Fairbanks, some tough cold winter there! So this coastal town isn't too bad for me. Doesn't even get below zero here.. But the wind and lots of snow does make things interesting!

[Cranetech]

Wife and I did a trip to Alaska 2 years ago. Did not get to see too much but we can’t wait to do it again when we have more time. Three weeks from Vancouver bc did not give us the time we needed. 7800km round trip Loved seeing northern B.C. Yukon and what we did of Alaska.

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by Cranetech

Wife and I did a trip to Alaska 2 years ago. Did not get to see too much but we can’t wait to do it again when we have more time. Three weeks from Vancouver bc did not give us the time we needed. 7800km round trip Loved seeing northern B.C. Yukon and what we did of Alaska.

Yes, it is a big nut to crack, that being northwestern Canada and Alaska, probably several trips to really do it justice. I think you probably got a good taste in which you know more about which areas deserve further study. I for one always go for the roads less traveled. One of my favorites is the "Top of the world" hwy.. I have lived up here in AK for 65 years, grew up in a family of pilots with small float planes, and still feel I have barely seen it. There are places on the limited road system I still have not gone such as Kennecott, and manyl places in the Yukon. And then there is the Northwest Territory of which I have not set foot in yet!

[Cranetech]

We loved top of the world hwy. chicken was an awesome little adventure. Cassiar hwy was definitely a highlight. Hyder, Stewart, salmon glacier, boya lake. Looking forward to retirement and several months exploring up that way. Top of the world was not for everyone though so do your research. Listened to a couple in tourist info center in Dawson complain about the hwy for 30 mins to the tourist guide. I knew what to expect and made sure my wife knew as well. And we loved it. Snowed on aug 22 near the boarder

[Camper_bob]

Man, I get how you feel trapped, but I can tell you there are FAR worse places to be trapped! I get the call of the open road, but I think I could ignore that call pretty easily with a short boat ride on the lake, or some fresh-caught fish cooked over an open fire...

It's a discussion DW and I have frequently. We will visit a place. She'll fall in LOVE with it. She'll suggest we consider moving there (of course, it's merely a pipe dream as we are small business owners and not ready to sell at this point).

My response has become all too predictable: "If we do that, it won't be 'special' any more, it will just be 'home', and we'll want to go visit other places, and fall in love with THEM, and so on and so on. Better to just embrace our gypsy soul as much as we can; keep our 'base camp' and travel and experience as much as we can."

I'm from TX, near San Antonio, so RVing to Alaska is probably not going to happen any time soon. But travel to Alaska has been on my bucket list since I was a young boy. Some day I WILL get there.

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by Cranetech

We loved top of the world hwy. chicken was an awesome little adventure. Cassiar hwy was definitely a highlight. Hyder, Stewart, salmon glacier, boya lake. Looking forward to retirement and several months exploring up that way. Top of the world was not for everyone though so do your research. Listened to a couple in tourist info center in Dawson complain about the hwy for 30 mins to the tourist guide. I knew what to expect and made sure my wife knew as well. And we loved it. Snowed on aug 22 near the boarder

I have only done the Top of the world/Taylor hwy once, in a car with a tent. We were in far too much of a hurry, and my idea of tent camping usually involves a motel But I'm definitely going back again, when the border opens. That was going to be this year, and my fingers are still crossed, but the reality is that it's quite likely not in the cards..

Yes, really like the Cassiar as well.. Have NOT gotten to visit Stewart/Hyder yet but is on my bucket list. Usually when we are traveling that way we are heading for the lower 48 and those choice little side trips tend to suffer due to the rush..

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Man, I get how you feel trapped, but I can tell you there are FAR worse places to be trapped! I get the call of the open road, but I think I could ignore that call pretty easily with a short boat ride on the lake, or some fresh-caught fish cooked over an open fire...

It's a discussion DW and I have frequently. We will visit a place. She'll fall in LOVE with it. She'll suggest we consider moving there (of course, it's merely a pipe dream as we are small business owners and not ready to sell at this point).

My response has become all too predictable: "If we do that, it won't be 'special' any more, it will just be 'home', and we'll want to go visit other places, and fall in love with THEM, and so on and so on. Better to just embrace our gypsy soul as much as we can; keep our 'base camp' and travel and experience as much as we can."

I'm from TX, near San Antonio, so RVing to Alaska is probably not going to happen any time soon. But travel to Alaska has been on my bucket list since I was a young boy. Some day I WILL get there.

Oh I get that about once a beautiful place becomes home, a little of the magic "newness" disappears after a while, just a little anyway. It happened to me here certainly, but it's still awesome, and I wouldn't want to pack it up and leave for a new home. I am glad to have the RV to go travel, and even live for a time in another place however. But after being on the road for a month or two, when I do finally drop down that Haines Hwy mtn pass and hit the US customs, that 40 miles from there to the house is just like heaven, and coming home all rolled up into one!

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Cranetech

We loved top of the world hwy. chicken was an awesome little adventure. Cassiar hwy was definitely a highlight. Hyder, Stewart, salmon glacier, boya lake. Looking forward to retirement and several months exploring up that way. Top of the world was not for everyone though so do your research. Listened to a couple in tourist info center in Dawson complain about the hwy for 30 mins to the tourist guide. I knew what to expect and made sure my wife knew as well. And we loved it. Snowed on aug 22 near the boarder

We sped across the prairie provinces fast and up to Dawson Creek.. Thence slowed down a lot. Six weeks poking around the Yukon and Alaska. One of my favorite towns is Keno Yukon. Keno hill is not to be missed though pulling an RV up is not a good idea. ( there was someone camping up top with a Pickup camper)

We hit Liard Hot Springs and thence up to Watson Creek and Whitehorse up the Klondike to Dawson City and then across Top of The World. Stayed in Tok that night and listened to the kvetching about the road. ( we thought it was fine, but then again we are fine with a dusty trailer). RV wash was something like 30 bucks in the campground. We knew we could get one close by for a buck. And the TT would just get dirty again. Which it did going around Alaska and the Denali Highway ( 130 miles of dirt road heaven) and also on our pokings off road. Six weeks was not enough. Sadly we did not get to Haines. We have been to Skagway ( ugh with the cruise ships ) and camped in Dyea.. ( ghost town nice campground) The Stewart Cassiar is always a highlight. And been to Salmon Glacier not once but twice ( need nimble vehicle.. not RV) I wonder now about the folks who actually live in Hyder. Thay are really stuck... the food store is in Stewart BC

[eagle55]

Was camping again at the lake (Chilkoot) with some friends and were talking around the campfire about the dilemma we were all feeling, which is trapped in our tiny corner of Alaska. Anyway someone said why don't I go up to Fairbanks on a medical exception to the rule? Like a light went on in a very dark room! One of my plans before Covid was to go to the eye doctor in Fairbanks and get a thorough exam. So I made the appointment today for Aug 3 so it looks like we will set out around the last day in July, camp and fish our way north, get the exam, then head out around the state for a while before heading back..

Ahh, something to look forward to!