Hello fellow listers,
Yep! Not only are we going, but we've settled on a name for the
excursion, "Brit Run To The Sun - Alaska '97". And we have a lot more
details resolved in recent weeks, so it's time for another update.
Current sign up for the trip includes five cars and at least one more
serious prospect, and seven people with at least two more serious
prospects. We have an MGA from Florida with two people, an MGA from
Illinois with one person. an MGB-GT-V8 from southern California with one
person, a Morgan 4/4 from southern California with one person, a Morgan
+4 from northeastern Texas with one person, and a possible MGB from
southern Texas with one person. Additionally we have a wonderful
southern bell from south Texas signed up as a co-driver, and we're
working on at least one more co-driver to be named later (hint: could be
another person of the female persuasion).
Current plans are for the MGA from Illinois to leave home on or about May
30 with luggage trailer in tow, to venture to southern Texas to pick up a
co-driver and more luggage and equipment. This duo intends to travel
from southern Texas to northeastern Texas on June 1. On June 2 said MGA
and the Morgan +4 will head out in a hell bent for leather rush in the
general direction of the southwest corner of Canada. There is a good
possibility that an MGB from southern Texas will join the hunt as well
and caravan along with the MGA and Morgan +4.
About June 3 the BGT-V8 and the Morgan 4/4 will be departing southern
California, also bound for the same general corner of Canada. On June 4
the MGA from Florida is heading northwest with a couple extra days of
driving time to cover, and is planning on fooling around a little on the
way, particularly in the vicinity of Yellowstone.
The BGT-V8, the Morgan 4/4, the Morgan +4, the MGA (and possibly the
MGB), will rendezvous at Cache Creek, British Columbia on June 6. June 7
should see the main convoy jaunting merrily up the West Access Route to
Prince George, then westward on the Yellowhead Highway to Kitwanga. By
June 8 the convoy should have made its way up the Cassair Highway to
Watson Lake. From there they may well take the Campbell Highway to
Carmacks (lesser traveled route) and the Klondike Highway to Dawson City.
The more western and more traveled Alaskan Highway would be reserved for
plans on the return trip. By this time the Florida MGA should be well on
its way to Yellowstone.
Heading west after Dawson City the convoy would cross into Alaska, then
follow the Taylor Highway southwest to Tok where they will collect the
Alaskan Highway and head northwest. Plans are to be arriving in
Fairbanks on June 12, there to visit a friend or two, rest a bit and
resupply the convoy. By this time the Florida MGA should be across the
Canadian border headed for Calgary and points north. BTW, we will be
enjoying nearly 20 hours of daylight here each day near the first of
Summer.
On or about June 13 the determined travelers will begin to tackle the
most serious leg of the journey. We will be traveling north 10 miles to
Fox where we will catch the Elliott Highway. About another 28 miles on
the pavement runs out, and we will then be dealing with gravel roads for
the next five days or so. About 85 miles from Fairbanks we will be
heading due north on the Dalton Highway where the gravel road turns into
GRAVEL ROAD. The locals just call it the Haul Road, because it is
primarily used by large trucks to supply the Alaskan pipeline crews and
the oil fields at Pruhdoe Bay.It's supposed to be 30' wide like 2-lane,
but composed of gravel bits the size of your fist. This road was just
opened to the public in the fall of 1994, and to this day it carries very
little automobile traffic (probably for good reason).
The Dalton Highway runs 414 miles north, terminating 3 miles from Pruhdoe
Bay. 56 miles up it crosses the Yukon River, a general tourist
attraction, and one of the few places to get gasoline and services. The
only other fuel stop mid-route is 119 miles farther along at Coldfoot.
Thereafter you begin to pray when you point your car north, because it's
another 240 miles of wilderness, high desert, and general nothingness
until we WILL reach Deadhorse at the end of the road where we can once
again find fuel (and it damn well better be there). I'm planning on
taking a few gallons extra in a can because I'm not at all sure that 12
gallons in the MGA will make the distance while towing the trailer. I
believe we all expect to be carrying at least two spare tires for this
road. I understand you may buy loader tires and maybe tires for semi
trucks (it is an oil field), but for anything under 15" you bring your
own or do without. If anyone screws up more then two tires we may be
sharing spares.
To see the Arctic Ocean and the oil fields you have to buy a bus ticket
to travel through private property. The tours run 1-1/2 to 4 hours and
drop you back in Deadhorse. At this latitude we will be almost 300 miles
north of the arctic circle. In Deadhorse we will be only 100 miles shy
in latitude of Barrow, Alaska (though not so far west), where the sun
rises on May 10 and sets on August 2. The sun will be about 4 degrees up
from the horizon at midnight; so I hope we can all get a little sleep.
We will probably spend one day in the area before heading back south.
All things going well, we should be back in Fairbanks by June 18. At
that time we expect to be joined by the lone traveling MGA from Florida.
At some time we will probably take the short trip west on the Elliot
Highway to Manley.Hot Springs, but we'll hold off on that story. The MGA
from Florida has expressed an interest in running the Dalton Highway just
far enough to cross the Arctic circle, about 200 miles from Fairbanks.
>From Fairbanks we will be heading southwest on the George Parks Highway.
We expect to arrive early morning at Danali National Park, possibly
reserve a camping spot inside for the evening, and spend a day touring
the park (on a bus - no cars allowed inside). Thereafter we will be
traveling south Anchorage, may be staying with a few friends there, and
spending some time touring the Kenai Peninsula.
Perhaps a few days later we hope to be pulling off the most expensive
coup of the trip. We intend to put the cars on a train to travel from
Portage to Whittier ($56 per car, $13 per person, 40 minutes and lots of
tunnels), and on a ferry to travel from Whittier to Valdez ($112 per car,
$58 per person, 6hr 45min). We will then drive up the Richardson
Highway, whereafter the route and schedule get very vague for a while.
On June 26 the Florida MGA has reservations on a ferry from Skagway,
Alaska (almost back to Juneau) to Prince Rupert, Canada (just below the
southeast tip of Alaska. The rest or the convoy will go another way, at
least for a while. And the Texas Morgan +4 will likely be making a
bee-line for home about that time, either solo or possibly with the
co-driver to be named later.
After their ferry trip, then Florida MGA will turn east to visit Banff
National Park on the border between British Columbia and Alberta. The
rest of us may or may not join them there. We may get back together to
caravan more of the way back.
We still have another two weeks to wander, but the rest of the trip is
open to whim and fancy. Possible spots to hit on the return trip include
Helena Mt, Yellowstone, Casper, Cheyenne, and Denver. At least two
(maybe more) of the cars are determined to climb Pikes Peak just for
kicks. The California Morgan 4/4 is destined for points east, like
Maine? The California BGT-V8 is ultimately destined for GOF West in Park
City, Utah. Most of the rest of the group is likely to show up at NAMGAR
GT-22 in Grapevine, Texas on July 16.
In case you hadn't heard, the main convoy intends to be camping most of
the time. We have been accruing a few invites for stopovers and
assistance, even home brewed beer in Oregon. We expect to be keeping in
touch during the trip via voice message and e-mail. As the departure
date approaches we will let you all know how to contact our e-mail box or
relay. The participation fee for the trip is $.02, so get yours in now.
Anyone wishing to join us during the trip is welcome to caravan along for
while, camp out too if you like. And we still have a few empty seats, so
if anyone without wheels of their own would like to split the fuel bills
and camp fees, we could use the driver relief.
Happy motoring,
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with the wanderlust
|