PLANNING THE ADVENTURE

 

    We have a great appreciation for Meriwether Lewis now that we have decided on this great adventure.  President Thomas Jefferson put him through a grueling 3 year planning process, studying biology, anatomy, medicine, geography, zoology, and etc, before finally outfitting him for his adventure.  He then was schooled on the journey by Sacagawea in trapping, hunting, provisioning and perhaps most importantly, Conflict Resolution.

    Fortunately our planning and journey begins with Sacagawea (Irene) on board from the very beginning.  We have started our Conflict Resolution. I talk, she corrects me and off we go.

     For the past 10 months we have planned our route, made complete lists of provisions, equipment, and clothing that will be absolutely, positively necessary for us to survive this grueling 30 day adventure into the wild and uncharted.   We will be roughing it in the truest sense of the adventure, foregoing the normal comforts afforded to those that take the cruise lines or fly to Anchorage and stay in 5 star hotels (or even 3 star).   Ours will be an adventure of getting back to Nature, with night times in the clear wilderness air, days observing wildlife up close and personal.

    Ok, so a 32 ft Class C motor home that sleeps 8, has a refrigerator, generator, flat screen TV and a Slide out is not exactly tent camping.  But, we do not have a California King Size bed, no satellite for the TV and no LazyBoy.  The Bar B Cue has to use those dreaded propane bottles instead of Natural gas.  No charcoal BBQ's allowed.  Pray for us.

    True California natives, we planned on plenty of Tee Shirts and shorts.  Decided on which Sandals and Flip flops to take, and whether we could get by with Ball caps and visors or do we really need that broad brimmed hat.

    About 2 weeks before departure, we started watching the weather at such out posts as Valdez, Whitehorse, Ft. St. John, Dawson City, and Fairbanks.  Uh Oh.  Reality set in.   Out went the T shirts and shorts, in came the Dr. Dentons , wool sweaters and socks.  Dug out the old Ski Mittens, wool stocking caps that have Alaska embroidered on them ( thank you Candy and Pete), and down filled jackets.

   We will fly into Minneapolis/St Paul and then catch a charter bus down to Forrest City Iowa, Home of the Winnebago Factory.  There we (along with 300 or our closest new friends) will pick up our brand new 32 ft Class C motor home and head out. Eventually we will be delivering the RV in Anchorage to the Great Alaska Adventures for use in their rental fleet.

    Originally our plan was to drive back north through Minnesota and up to Saskatchewan, through Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Moose Jaw ( Don’t you just love those names?) over to Calgary and then to Banff/Lake Louise.

Na Unh.

   Sacagawea says she is unfamiliar with the tribes on that route and we should instead go due west, through Rapid City, Buffalo, Butte, Great Falls (we can do great names too) and then onto Calgary and etc.  She tells me she is more familiar the tribes along this route.  We will spend time at Mt Rushmore, The Badlands,  Little Big Horn and hopefully find some spots of historical interest on Lewis and Clarks Trail.  Having visited Big Hole National Monument several years ago, we are also hoping to find parts of the Chief George and the Nez Perce Tribe’s trail while escaping the US Army.

    Great Alaskan Holidays advises that it is appx. 3,700 miles to Anchorage from Forrest City Iowa.   We anticipate detours will bring that up to between 4,500 to 5,000 miles. Traveling over uncharted roads and through unknown country (for us), some difficult logistical questions came up.  Without knowing the roads and terrain we are unsure of how many miles per day we can cover and maximize our time in Alaska.   We decided to plan with a minimum of 250 miles per day up to a maximum of 400 miles per day and see what was along the trail at those distances.  We searched out at least one place or campground someplace in the middle of the two distances.  Our destinations are targets, not absolute  must be there’s.

      Our plan was to locate possible campgrounds that had a particular interest to us.  Such as do they have Hot Springs, a Lake, a trout stream, or some claim to fame like the world’s largest Fly Fishing rod.  We were able to discover quite a few unique and fun places to stay and will write about them when we get there.

     We are also trying to leave as much leeway in the schedule as possible to spend time at newly discovered delights, such as a beautiful waterfall, a particularly enjoyable small town or maybe just a serene spot with a great view of mountains, streams and/or lakes.

    One of the suggestions that we  have been given repeatedly was to never pass a gas station.  Remember the movies from the old days when the traveler got stranded in the desert out of gas?   Yep, that is a real possibility.  Let’s see, next gas station is 300 miles north, we carry 40 gals of fuel, if we average 8 miles per gallon, can we make it? If it is all uphill what if we average 6 miles per gallon?  Don’t know, never drove this motor home before.   

  You get the picture, lots of different questions that we do not have answers for.  I guess that is why they call it an adventure.  Sure wish the Canadian Government would let me take a little personal protection with me.  When we go into the woods, I like to be loaded for bear.

   Next: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS !!!!