Wrap-up

Sorry it took so long to get back to this, but the hard drive on my desktop crashed the day after we got back and I've been restoring everything after installing a new one. I prefer to edit photos on the old tube monitor, since it reproduces color, brightness, etc much more accurately than the laptop. Still working on the pics. I'm still having a hard time getting back into the daily routine here at home. The routine on the road is much simpler.

Well, here are some statistics. We put 11,700 miles on the motorhome, and 3300 miles on the Tracker. Both performed very well. (I did discover a broken anti-sway bar bushing retainer, and a leaking front shock. Not surprising considering some of the suspension 'tests' I did along the way.)

We were gone 62 days, and spent an average of $100 per day for fuel and campgrounds. I consider that quite reasonable. Would be hard to beat by driving a car and motelling it. (We do not consider food and other necessities into the formula, cause we would have spent about the same amount at home. We did have most of our meals in the motorhome.....can't beat home cooking. Barb had prepared many meals before we left and froze them, so preparing them was simply a matter of reheating in the microwave. We also used our George Foreman grill often for steaks, chicken, burgers, etc. I did not fire up the gas grill at all during the trip.)

Now for the important part. We had a FANTASTIC trip! The months of planning and researching the places we wanted to see paid off. The scenery was tremendous and we got to see and do most of what we planned. (One disappointment was not seeing a grizzly up close.;)) The Canadian Rockies from Banff to Jasper were spectacular and were a highlight of the trip. The roads, though really miserable at times as noted earlier in the blog, were generally good and should not discourage anyone from driving up there.

There were many surprises in Alaska, especially the variety of wildflowers growing almost everywhere. It's hard to believe that after 6 months of the harshest of winters there would be much growing there. It is definitely NOT a frozen wasteland. Even the trip up the Haul Road to the Arctic Circle surprised us by the amount and variety of vegetation we saw, and very little snow. Also, as shown in a few of my blog pics, some of the mountains are covered in green making them look almost tropical. The number and variety of glaciers was also a surprise, as was where you find them. (BTW, 10% of Alaska glaciers are expanding.) They can be found all over the state as well as throughout Canada.

Though not a surprise, there were many long hours of driving without seeing anything but trees and mountains. Very little of the trip, however, was boring. There was always something new to see around the next bend or over the next hill. Much of the scenery is unique and unusual, and we never tired of it.

The people we met, especially in the services business (campground owners, gift shop clerks, waitresses, etc), were wonderful and very helpful. We got a lot of inside information, as to where to go and what to see, from them. We also met a few travelers from around the US and Canada who we are now priveleged to call friends, and hope to cross paths with in the future. I mentioned some of them in the blog.

However, the typical driver in Alaska and Canada is no different than anywhere else. They do not like being behind a large vehicle like a truck or motorhome and will do anything to get around you, including putting you and themselves at risk. They do not realize or seem to care that when they cut you off or hit the brakes after passing you, a large vehicle requires a bit more distance to stop, making for a few close calls and elevated tempers. 'Nuff said about that.

I noted in an earlier blog to comment about the people we would pass on the streets or in a turnout or on a hiking trail, wherever, whether in Alaska or Canada or Ohio. I guess it's a sign of the times, but it seems fewer people, mostly older, look at you and say 'hi' as you pass. Most younger folks (I would guess in the 25-55 year old range) deliberately avoid eye-to-eye contact and any form of social interaction. I would venture a guess this is a result of more and more folks communicating by email, texting or phone, and have lost or never learned the art of face-to-face communication. 'Interpersonal skills' as we know it. It was a bit disconcerting to say 'hello' as you approached someone and not receive any acknowledgement of your existance as they passed by. Most campers and RVers generally are a more gregarious bunch of folks and usually anxious to talk about each others travels or rv's, though I do see this trend occurring among the younger campers also. It was prevalent enough to be noticed and commented on by both Barb and I. I find it both interesting and somewhat sad.

Aside from the above observations, (which, by the way, did not affect our fun,) it was a memorable journey, and I enjoyed sharing the adventure with you all. I'd be glad to help with any information you may be seeking if you're considering going to Alaska. I must thank Gene Grabarits for sharing his Alaska experience with us before we left. It helped greatly in the planning.

That's about it for now. Thanks for following along and till next time, take care have fun and be safe.

Ron & Barb



P.S. I'll post more pics as I get them organized.