So I am not far from starting my trip across the USA and part of Canada, I think the website is sorted. Just got to get some shares and get the word out there.
Take a look and see if you are happy to share about halfway down the page. I don't mind whichever bits you wish to share, tweet etc. I do need some followers on twitter. :-)
myforeverhome.co.uk
I could probably do with getting a few shares, likes etc to the FB page too
facebook.com/TheWellyAdventures
Anything appreciated, nothing expected.
Cheers
Rich
Epic!
Wait a second, you are leaving now for Fairbanks? Beginning of October they are usually already on snow. You realize you could get caught in a early winter storm that could possibly bury you? I left in the Spring, after the Fairbank's 'break up', but got got caught in a storm near Banff, the likes of which I've only seen once in my life.
You sure you got this?
QuoteOctober Next Month
Sun
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Hi 43°F
Lo 22°F
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Lo 39°F
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RECORDS
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Hey, seriously, I don't mean to spoil any adventure, but this one can kill you, if you aren't ready for extreme winter camping. Remember they are losing lots of daylight up there right now (like 7 minutes a day I imagine.)
Also you are going through wicked bear country. And they are going into hibernation with year old cubs. This is a dangerous time to be unarmed in the backcountry. Last time I went of theeir I drove on over 500 miles a dirt road with gas cans strapped to my car because some little 'gas station towns' close. Don't expect houses or seeing anything for miles.
If you already know this, my apologies, but reading it over makes me think this is being done really spur of the moment. And this is not something that should be done in this manner. Go to the Bahamas. Go anywhere other than going into the Far North in winter. Take my word for it. I know that country. I've driven those roads. there are only a few ways to get there, none of them easy. I don't know how to say it in such a way that you appreciate what sub freezing temperatures can be like. And remember, those number above... they don't include windchill.
Cheers Rob :-)
I do have no intention of staggering around in the wilderness pissing bears off. No camping either.
I am after wealthy people to help out. Private jets and stuff if possible.
:-)
;D Then enjoy yourself!
You had me scared you were just going to go for a walk on the side of the highway with your thumb out! Ha! I could just see you somewhere on the Alcan with 50 mile an hour cross winds, with temperatures around -40C, and you realizing you got more than you bargained for.
Cold is bad. Being cold for days and sleeping outside is worse. Wind is worse still and when you are losing 45mins of light a week, the darkness begins to make things really grim, and totally dangerous. Then you realize you have company :)
hehe, hitching with safety and warmth in mind :-)
Quote50 mile an hour cross winds, with temperatures around -40C
If you were caught out in conditions like that, exposed skin would start to freeze in less than a minute. You would need good equipment and serious knowhow to avoid turning into a human popsicle. The seriousness of the situation would be compounded by the fact that if your body temperature starts to drop, your IQ will drop right along with it.
I don't live as far north as that, but even around here (about 52 degrees north) I have met more than one fellow who lost fingers or toes to frostbite.
My husband and I drove up the Alaska Highway as far as Whitehorse, about six weeks ago.
As Dogboy says, it is very empty country and many of the gas (petrol) stops are closed and we had to plan carefully for our food and fuel. In some stretches one could drive for hours without seeing any sign of civilization other than the highway itself.
At one restaurant, we overheard a couple of prospectors conversing over their dinner, and one commented that it had been several months since he'd needed to shoot a bear.
Even though you intend to travel in "safety and warmth", DO follow Dogboy's advice and make sure you're well equipped to cope if something goes wrong. In the cold months, the wrong sort of mishap could be a matter of life and limb, or life and death, not just discomfort or inconvenience.
Instructive reading: To Build a Fire, by Jack London. There's a statue of him in downtown Whitehorse!
http://www.jacklondons.net/buildafire.html
You may want to check out couchsurfing.org, I've read good things about it.
Yeah, I guess if you got it worked out with private jets(?) cool, but I have to admit I'm still a little concerned... you said things like "staggering around in the wilderness pissing bears off" and I'm not sure if you understand once you get into the interior, there is no need to even get off the road; you're there. You really can't get more in the middle of the wilderness. You will see bears on the road. You will find them in your camp. That's because they will find you. I'm not kidding their caloric intake is enormous right now. I know you guys kid me about being armed, but this is a place where you need to be heavily armed, preferably with a shotgun and a dog that will wake you up.
In all seriousness, just traveling with your own car is dangerous this time of year. This is a transitional month up there, a surprise snowstorm can send you in a ditch, cover your tracks, and kill you before morning if you didn't think to have emergency supplies with you. Personally, I wouldn't ever do this right now, and if I did I would use gear you aren't likely to have unless you are familiar with winter camping, or you are a mountaineer or something. Right now it could be freezing rain for 2 weeks then get cold.
And these 'towns' you see on the maps are more like you have been driving for hours, see a few house and be like 'we must be getting close' only to realize that was 'it', after you passed it. It's not like you are going to find hotels up there. Most will be closed up for winter. The ones left may be booked.
Look, again, I don't mean to be talking down to you, maybe you really got this covered. But if you don't, this country is unforgiving.
(https://th3core.com/chat/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fswotti.starmedia.com%2Ftmp%2Fswotti%2FcacheYWXJYW4GAGLNAHDHEQ%3D%3DT3ROZXJZLU90AGVYCW%3D%3D%2Fimgalcan%2520highway2.jpg&hash=982ee7bc0842ac372019021f412a4140266a1a4d)
Good luck with the trip. Sounds like an adventure. With a bit of planning, I'm sure you'll find a suitable route.
Two friends of mine are currently about 12,000 miles into a cycling trip from London to Sydney, somewhere near Perth. On the way they're blogging, with the Telegraph re-publishing all their posts...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9548546/The-Saddle-Saga-one-year-down-one-continent-to-go.html
I prefer the un-edited versions though...
http://www.thecyclediaries.com/places/into-the-mix/
On the way, they've cycled through several mountain ranges and deserts, been deported from Uzbekistan, welcomed into Iran, done their fair share of couchsurfing.org, slept in caves, under roads, all sorts.
They've also picked up a fair social following
http://www.facebook.com/thecyclediaries
Its not all gone smoothly but sounds like its been an adventure.
Not for one minute suggesting not to heed dogboy's advice. I know nothing of the area you're heading to, and sounds very much as though he does all too well. Just saying, with a little bit of planning, and understanding of the challenges that you'll face, you might be able to plan and experience a trip of a lifetime.
Can I add you to my Dead Pool, Rich?
I can see you now wandering helplessly through an icefield in the Rockies with a huge bear about to pounce and eat you. Suddenly Dogboy appears on his Harley, T2 style, and takes the grizzly out in slo mo bullet time.
Ed
PS Liked your Fbook page. It will make a nice memorial.
If you have Netflix (or access to someone elses) look up "Thumbs Up". It is basically a couple of guys who hitchhike around the US and document it. They do get a private plane (like a tiny prop plane) up to alaska. They meet some real weirdos and some other amazing folks along the way.
If you come through Chicago let me know. I should have heated floors by then :P
It can be brutal here in the winter and I do not even want to imagine what it would be like in Alaska at that same time of year. I would avoid it.
Also it seems like you are planning to travel through Canada (maybe) and bring a dog? Make sure to check into all the requirements and what not of traveling with an animal into Canada from the US. The borders are way more strict than they were years ago. I know you will need documentation of vaccinations and the like.
Anyhow be safe and enjoy your adventure!
I keep looking at this thread and biting my lip....
I would wait until mid-summer. You are going to a wild and unpredictable place where any small mistake can turn tragic, and you are relying on others for your own safety. It's a fundamentally flawed plan. If it was summer, I'd say it wasn't a great idea, but doable for a tough, determined, resourceful person. But going into October it's not safe for anyone. Things change violently up there. You don't even drive something like that without having a solid car (or truck) and you have emergency supplies and winter camping essentials and people who know your route. Some things in life you can just wing, but others you can't. If you want to do a spur of the moment trip, go someplace that more friendly to humans.
Again, I normally encourage people to do 'crazy' things, because that's where you see the biggest gains, but that's also assuming you know the risks. If you want to climb Everest, and you are a seasoned mountaineer, and you know 1 in 10 never make if off the mountain and you worked out every last tiny detail, I would wish you the best of luck. But this trip is much more dangerous than you realize.... which makes it even MORE dangerous.
And while not as important - I'm just going to say it - I think this trip is going to suck. I don't think you realize how dark it's getting up there right now and how fast you are losing light every day. By the end of the trip, you will have more dark than light. I think you will/could have extended periods of freezing rain, capable of freezing you and your dog to death in one night. So basically, dark, cold, and shitty.
I also think having a dog with you hitchhiking radically reduces your chances of getting picked up by anyone, especially if you and your dog are dirty and wet. And lastly, I'm not sure how drivers will view you walking up there this time of year. Most people are friendly, and will be concerned that you are in the middle of nowhere, and if you are lucky you will have lots of people drive you long distances telling you how stupid you are for being out this time of year and stories about people they knew that died of exposure. It's also very likely, people will slow down, look you over to see if you are ok and keep driving. That's because what you will be doing is odd, and they will feel something is badly out of place, that it might be a set up and you might be a highway robber that will kill them and drag them 20 yards into the woods and they'll never be seen again - and they will drive by, because up there, you don't take unnecessary risks, and you consider every little thing you do because that country demands your attention and your life depends on you paying attention. And you aren't worth the risk or the curiosity and it's too cold for your dirty wet dog to just sit in the bed of the truck for 400 miles, and they wont want him inside with them... and they will forget you existed after you are out of their rearview.
ok, that's enough. I hope you postpone your trip. If you don't, I wish you the very best weather and Godspeed. Whatever you do, if you decide to move forward, don't do it because you feel like you already told everyone your plans, yada yada. The year I lived in Alaska we were sledding on snow in Sept and I can't remember the temp in october, but I remember it was -45 on thanksgiving day, a month later.
I've stayed out of this thread, Rich, but I've got to tell you that DB and others are giving you great counsel on this. Those who've ridden with me on Redneck Tourstm know that I can put some miles behind me when behind the wheel but I've got to say that even the eastern-ish parts of the Trans-Canadian Highway had stretches that were uncomfortably long. .And that was driving. In command of my own vehicle and itinerary. In the summer.
I'm trying to understand why you want publicity for this...Are you attempting to get some publicity for the dog charity as well as an adventure?
1. It'll be a laugh
2. Teresa gets a new dog that has struggled here in the UK
3. Publicity for charity and maybe funds
4. Most of it will be in relative warmth but parts in Akaska are only -10 degrees at that time of year
5. An experienced Alaska dweller might be meeting us near Juno (spelling) after we get ferry from Seattle. Or we even fly into Fairbanks.
6. We have no intention of walking around in the wilderness with bacon sandwiches, I know this shit can be dangerous, but it is the same in other parts of US where bears live.
7. We are not camping
The advice is being taken by the way :-) and appreciated
Hell, we had doubts about you driving across Florida. Hhh.
oooooh, ok, I got you.... you head up to Seattle, catch the ferry up the inland passage, get off at Haines, and drive the rest of the way in? (I did that once in reverse, slept in the lawn chairs on the deck, but got off halfway in the middle of canada and drove through to Idaho.) That's as safe as an airliner, and should be beautiful (if you get any nice weather and can get a clear view of the mountains that surround you all the way up.)
And also, for the record, there is an enormous difference between -10 on a nice sunny day, and you get to sleep in a warm bed... and -10, freezing rain and windchill after you've been on the road for 2 weeks. And as far as bears and the US go, you still don't get it. You keep thinking you are going to 'go into' the wilderness. I'm telling you once you head that far North, you are there. You don't need to take one step off the road. (Hell, the way you are going now, you are going to a place with no roads.) And most places in the States don't even have bears around. But you are going to the land of the largest Brown bears in the world, tied with Russia. Even the Black bears up there are much bigger on the average than down here.
But that stretch of hi-way, from Prince Rupert to the Idaho border, I drove in 22 hours straight, and along my way I saw 3 different bears, a few hundreds of miles apart, on the highway, and got photos of all of them. And if you know anything about bears, then you know even if they are around, you almost never seen them. Most people in this country, even hardcore outdoorsman, have never even seen a bear in the wild... which means, I can't even imagine how many were just 5 yards into the wood I didn't see on that drive.
I still remember that every-time I stopped for gas, and the locals saw that Jeep (I posted recently) they would come over in a worried tone and ask me if I was camping, and then would warn me that 'there were lots of bears out there'. After the first few times that happened to me, and I started seeing bears inbetween, I said screw it and just kept the hammer the down and didn't stop until they closed the roads in Banff, because an April snowstorm dumped 4 feet on us.
And Last time I parked at a campsite where there were 3 known problem bears they did over $500 damage to my pickup and then eventually tried to get into my tent with me (White Mtns, Arizona), and I lost another tent to bears after they added 2 more doors to it for no reason in the Sierra Nevada's. (And I NEVER keep food in my tent, or even toothpaste, or anything even remotely scented - not even gum.)
Anyway, I'm happy with the route you are going. It's infinitely safer than the inland routes, for a million reasons. And once you get off, the route the rest of the way is well traveled (for alaska/canada). The only advice I can offer from there is, once you hit Tok, instead of going North on the old hi-way, consider wrapping around the long way SW, and run up the 'new' hi-way. You might get a chance to see Denali (usually you just see clouds) and in the end you'll see more country. The road system is really just a little oval in the SE, after that, you need some other form of transportation.
If you happen to be coming through Spokane, WA (280 miles east of Seattle) let me know and I will buy you a beer and a burger.
There will be no tents. And now no scented food
Teresa has lived there for13 years and I trust her and she is talking of meeting us. Local guide local knowledge.
I am a fair weather bloke. I like hotels.
Thanks Dr I will see where we hear when we know.
You sound like you are good to go then. Hehe I'm not sure it sound much like hitch hiking as I know it, but it sounds like a hell of trip!
Take lots of pics and spend as much time as you can on deck - you might see a whale. I never saw one (up there) but I saw more dolphins breaching than I ever thought possible. Haines is also loaded with bald eagles.
Enjoy!
T will take care of you. I'm going to help her build her cabin when she finally does so. I can't wait - always wanted to see Alaska.
I think I might have misled with the term hitch hiking :-)
Its more, travelling and not standing at roadside or sleeping rough. I'm 38, I need a bed and I have a credit card :-)
QuoteA rose by any other name...
...you'll have a great trip. Once you get up there, youll have a better appreciation why I was initially alarmed for you. The far north is spectacular but it's very different than normal life.
Seriously, take pics. I'd love to see them.
There will be pics.
Enjoy Italy DB.
What about heading South once you are in NY and travel the bulk of the way in the relatively warm southern part of the America and then head north once you hit the West Coast? It seems like it would be a lot simpler to plan a solid journey from Seattle to Fairbanks.
Sorry, I completely missed your above post where you basically said you are doing just that.
I was curious about how hard it would be to cross international lines with a dog and found this:
http://ask.metafilter.com/155842/Crossing-the-USCanada-border-with-pets
Looks like you just need a letter from a vet with immunization records -- I thought it would be harder than that.
>cross international lines with a dog and found this
was wondering about that too. i thought it usually required 6 months of quarantine.
Rich, good luck on the trip. It's been enlightening reading this thread about the hinterlands of US/Canada... I can partly agree with the bears/shitty weather aspect, and that's in Southern Ontario....
Quotei thought it usually required 6 months of quarantine
Only for Hawaii. The lower 48 is easy to take a dog from Europe/ England to US. Very difficult to take pets from US to UK, however. That also requires 6 months of quarantine (but that can be an "at home" quarantine)
Sounds like a great trip. Following on FB and I'm jealous of the QM 2.
I'm very excited to make Welly's new coat. Laugh if you will, but I think Alaska is cold enough for a short haired dog that he needs additional warmth.